Gary Lewis

Welcome! Glad you joined. That is a great family project. I'm sure you will look back on it fondly. Would you like to be on our map? (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu.)

You are now on the map, JM.

Well, I thought you were talking about the light duty Bullnose F250's and didn't know there were 7-lug ones. Anyway, you are on the map, John.

Are those the hub cabs you tried stripping? Yes, they need some help. Glad you got some better ones. As for the tires, I recently cleaned some grease off of galvanized wheels with O'Reilly's brake cleaner. It ran down on the tire in one spot and really did a good job of cleaning it.

Jim - I'm glad you asked the question. Not because I have that TSB as I don't know if I do and don't know how to find the # of it? Maybe you do? The reason I'm glad is that I was ready to say "Done! We have the FSM section on the 10.25" Sterling." But when You asked I looked at the TSB list I have and found one on the Sterling. It isn't the one you are talking about, but it starts out "A new 10.25" Ford axle will replace the HD Dana rear axles as a 1985 running change. The semi float axle service procedure is included in the Light Truck Shop Manual — Section 15-09, the full float information is contained in the TSB." So I added the TSB. Documentation/Driveline/Axles & Differentials and then tabs Rear Axles & Differentials, then Sterling 10.25".

Sure, JM. But do you have a zip or city/state? Or did I miss it?

Ok, cool. Do I need to buy a special applicator/gun to dispense this stuff? So I'd tamp the edges down and grind smooth to bare metal, and then apply the panel bonder right on top of that? Then what?...add in the steps please...with sand paper/grits, etc. I don't know anything about sanding it, but I used SEM adhesive and had to borrow an applicator. It is a 2-part and the applicator mixes them. So you need to be ready to go as it'll set up in the mixer when you are done. Or, it did on me.

Welcome! Glad you joined! Sounds like you have a bit of Ford experience. You'll fit right in. Where's home? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we could add you if we had a city/state or zip. On the F250 light duty I'll tell you what people tell me when I say that - no such thing. But Ford sold an F250HD, which as we know has greater than 8500 GVWR and 8-lug wheels, so why isn't the F250 under 8500 with 5-lug wheels a Light Duty? (Back when they issued phone books I was always looking for the Lesser Houston one. They gave the Greater Houston one, so where's the other one?)

Well done! Thanks. Do you go by "JM"? Or? And, would you like to be on our map? Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu. We just need a city/state or zip to add you.

Glad you found us! But you've probably not seen the email I sent you asking you to go to the New Members Start Here folder, read the guidelines, and then start a new thread/topic to introduce yourself. After that you are free to post elsewhere.

Welcome! Glad you joined. But before we get into the issues on your truck, you probably missed the email I sent you asking you to introduce yourself in the New Members Start Here folder. And, most importantly, to read the guidelines that are posted there. That's important as we hold everyone to them. So, can you assure us that you've read them? As for your truck, I'm in a crunch and can't take much time right now, but to get started you might look at the info on the page at Documentation/Fuel Systems/460 Fuel Systems, and especially the Electrical tab. As you'll see, there is only supposed to be one relay, the Fuel Pump Cutoff relay. So if you have two controlling the fuel system then someone has modified things. However, there are frequently two or three relays in the same area. Another would be the Trailer relay. So we need to figure out what you have. Can you post some pics? (How to post pics is in Bullnose Forum/Forum FAQ's in the menu, which also includes how to create a signature, which will help us give better advice since we will know what you have.)

Haha, sorry Gary. Updated avatar and forgot about sig. I'm going to try to look at an 86' 6.9/C6 2wd single cab this week. Truck has banks turbo and yukon over/under drive. Will consider this truck for possible swapping of drivetrain instead of body swap, as I'm considering the "phase 2" approach of waiting on a different solution in the future for 4 wheel drive. I'm looking at the 1986 Light Truck Book, which is the 3-ring binder Ford gave the dealerships, and the F350's came in Regular Cab and Crew Cab, and both could have 4wd. But apparently there was no Supercab F350 in 1986, 2wd or 4wd.

Good idea. But while in there at least take the blue filters off the bulbs. And perhaps put LEDs in there to replace the incandescent bulbs. And my favorite LEDs are the HiPo units, as described in Instrument Lighting & Paint Testing. HUGE difference.

Thanks, Scott. It doesn't look like a lot, but there were lots of little details along the way. And with your help I'm really happy with the results.

Yes! That's a milestone! And a significant one. You are making progress peeling the onion. Keep at it!

That's looking good! And the sticker is a big improvement as well.

I'm quoting this for posterity! For the record, I'd not had a single sip of my 1st cup of Java when I typed that. But now, half a cup in and with the light of day actually appearing, I still agree.

I think I agree on the panel adhesive for the holes in the top and pillars, although I have limited experience with it. But what I have says it isn't likely to ever let loose and isn't brittle enough to crack. However, depending on whether you are welding holes in the floor up or welding patch panels on, I might differ. Welding to thin, rusted metal hasn't been easy for me, but you have a lot more experience than I do, Cory, so it might work for you. Instead I'd braze the holes and seal things with POR-15 like I did on Big Blue. But if you are installing patch panels over holes I'd be tempted to use the panel adhesive - both to hold the panel on as well as to fill and seal the holes.

We don't have the instructions from the factory shop manual on the site for the 10.25" axle. I'll see if I can get that done today.

I think you are trying to solve a problem you don't know that you'll have. I'd go ahead and install a stock tank and find out if you have the problem before worrying about solving it. I know that's not my normal mode of operation, but in this case there's no obvious solution. And dropping the tank to make a change isn't all that onerous. So I think I'd go with stock components and see if you have a problem.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong... but I think this topic has come up before and the consensus is that Ford did not make any F350 Supercabs with 4x4. There are a few random picks of such running about the internet but the assumption is that they were conversions. I’m not here to start an argument about whether Ford did or didn’t offer it, but if they did... they are that rare. This includes the Bricknose and Aeronose years as well, so I think you are unlikely to find a 155” wheelbase 4x4 chassis with a mono-beam front axle unless someone swapped it. If having a straight axle is a hill to die on for you, consider an RSK. If it isn’t, then consider a F250 TTB donor chassis with the right engine. That would make perfectly good sense as to why I have not seen a single one in the past year of searching locally, and currently can't find one nationwide. Thanks for saving me a few hours of internet boredom! I think Jonathan is right. I'd forgotten that you have a Supercab. (Maybe because you don't have a signature with information in it about what you are doing? )

Thanks, Dane.

I'll bet that V8 sounds good! And good job on the transmission cooler lines. On the oil leak, several of the trucks I've worked on had a leak where the wall between the cylinders is supposed to seal to the intake manifold. That then runs down the back of the block and looks like a pan or seal leak. Hope the stabilizer bar work goes easily this week.

Good work, Cory! That was a whole lot you got done. A month's worth for me. But I think you are right, there was no need for friction material on that corner. That system wasn't going to move. As for the ride, the bed doesn't weigh much, so.....

Got the fuse box wiring done today. Let's just say that getting 4 retaining clips released simultaneously to pull that buss strip out isn't easily done. But I got it out, finally, w/o breaking any clips, crimped and soldered a jumper in, and put it back. Then plugged the terminal connected to the jumper into a slot, added a connector & wire to the other side of the slot, and now have hot-at-all-times power for the security system, fused at 10A. Then I fished the three power wires up through the dash in convolute, joined the convolute carrying the driver's side door lock wires, and ran that over to the security system and beyond. Taped the wires up, rolled them up and tie wrapped them, and stuffed them into cavities in the passenger's side of the dash, as shown below. Then I put the dash pad on and pronounced Big Blue ready to have his picture taken tomorrow. Lots, and lots of wire needing to be connected: