Gary Lewis

Ok guys, I've added some info to the page at Documentation/Suspension & Steering/Crossmembers. I added a tab for Transmission Crossmembers. Go look, please, and let me know if it'll work. You'll see that I only have the part numbers for diesels and 460's to this point, but have illustrations for everything but 1983-84 460 4wd's, which I haven't yet found. (EDIT: It was in there and I missed it.) Anyway, I wanted to see if this approach will work and then I can finish it. And, I think there needs to be cleanup/rationalization elsewhere. This area is confusing.

Looks really good, Cory.

Go to the 1985 EVTM (Documentation/Electrical/EVTM/1985 EVTM) and then the backup light section. You’ll see those are the wire colors to/from the switch in the transmission.

I've included the pic so it is easier for others to see, although I'm sure the orientation isn't correct. But I don't recognize that connector. What color are the wires going to it? I suspect it is the backup light connector, but don't know.

You guys are surely right. And, Shaun, if you get it figured out maybe we can significantly upgrade that page so others don’t have to dig through it like you are.

Yes, welcome! I'm confident we can get you going, but Scott/kramttoc's questions are good ones. An issue we find is that some people say it won't "turn over" and they mean the engine won't even spin when they turn the key to Start. Others mean it spins but won't fire. So we need to be precise, and that's why he's asking questions. By the way, where's home? We have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and could add you with a city or zip.

I think 5028 is the base part number for the tranny crossmember, as shown below from our page at Documentation/Suspension & Steering/Crossmembers. And, you can find the full part numbers there as well. The # 5060 only appears in the MPC as a GVW for the A-Series vans.

That looks like a LOT of work to me! Been there, sorta done that, and that is work. Well done!

Yes, it doesn’t matter which side the relay is, but it needs to be oriented the way shown.

George - Sorry to see Brutus got hurt. But in the other pic it looks like you've gotten him fixed up. Dave - Congrat's on the 22 years!

Looks great, George! I hope Brutus is inside away from the elements.

I agree with Dave. I used something like 36 grit wet-or-dry paper and kept it wet and rinsed often. Otherwise the paper clogged quickly.

Looking good! And, your kids are growing up. Please tell them I said hello.

They can be a bear to get apart. I think I held one wrench and hit the other with a mallet or dead-blow hammer to get some loose. And I remember getting other wrenches positioned where I could squeeze them together with both hands, making sure that I didn't get fingers in between them.

If I understand the question correctly it matters. The wires coming from the driver’s switch bring the power and need to go to terminal 30 on the relay. Was that the question?

Excellent!

Chad - I'm copying the diagram I think you are referring to here so it is easier to discuss. But I agree with Scott, we need to see what you've done to figure it out. It is just so hard to get one's head around the words w/o a drawing.

If you’ve not seen it, we have Ford’s instructions from the factory shop manual on the page at Documentation/Driveline/Axles & Differentials. Then the Real Axles tab, then the Instructions tab, then the 9” tab.

Having fun!!!!

Good to know, Chad. Thanks!

Left-hand drill bits would be good as well. Might get lucky and they’ll bite.

Gary, The Flareside taillights are grounded by the 3 mounting studs, so they ground to the mounting brackets, which ground to the bed, which grounds to the frame. I recall somebody saying that sometime later...maybe 85 or 86, they ran a separate ground wire to the frame, but most Flareside tailights are grounded only by the 3 mounting studs to the mounting bracket. It is a crummy ground, to say the least (imho). On my '84, the only thing in the rear that had a factory ground wire from the front of the truck was the license plate light. Yep, you are right. I am wrong.

I had to drill a set out on one of my trucks. But before that I tried EZOuts and left-handed screw extractors like these. They didn't work so then I drilled the heads off. It was a LOT of WORK! So I'm really careful to keep them lubed with anti-seize now.

You can use an extension cord. Use a short piece of wire from the battery's negative post into the ground/round hole on the female end of the extension cord, and just touch the prong of the ground on the male end to the metal on the side of the bulb - assuming it is showing a bit. With the turn signals on one way or the other this should prove if it is a ground problem. The rear light should work properly with the ground - if it is a ground problem.

I think you are better off going with Jonathan's recommendation of the Duplicolor than going with SEM. I say that because all matching SEM paints have to be mixed. Said another way, no one has them in stock. That's explained on the page at Documentation/Specifications/Interior Paint. So if the Duplicolor is a good match, then go with it.