1981 straight six manual 4x4 project

[Gary Lewis]

Guys, most likely I will come in my Jetta TDI. Yes, the bumpers and the radiator support will fit... I brought them home from the junkyard in that car. I should still be able to bring the wheels... David, do they have tires on them or are they bare rims? I have other transportation options but if the Jetta will work it is the most comfortable and the mpg is fantastic.

Ok, thanks!

[Gary Lewis]

I understand. I've been there many times. In fact, I am there right now with Dad's as I wanted to take it to the show in Kansas on a trailer, but won't trailer it that far w/o suspension.

On the eccentric, I think the thing pointed to below is it:

This is the stock eccentric off Dad's truck. (Was cleaning things up and came across them.)

[Ford F834]

This is the stock eccentric off Dad's truck. (Was cleaning things up and came across them.)

Thanks Gary, that looks like what I have. I am not very familiar with TTB front end parts, I was under the impression that all eccentric bushings were aftermarket, but obviously not. I guess the compound eccentrics are what is needed for aligning front end lifts or "leveling" springs and the like. As long as my shop can correctly align it that's all I care about at the moment.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary, that looks like what I have. I am not very familiar with TTB front end parts, I was under the impression that all eccentric bushings were aftermarket, but obviously not. I guess the compound eccentrics are what is needed for aligning front end lifts or "leveling" springs and the like. As long as my shop can correctly align it that's all I care about at the moment.

Here's what the catalog shows:

[Ford F834]

Here's what the catalog shows:

Thanks Gary that's a good diagram. It looks like mine is stock. As I said, as long as I can get the alignment done I'm good. I guess TIB with king pins don't have the eccentric, so maybe that's what they were referring to?

I spent the afternoon fitting the bumpers and core support in the car. They fit better than expected. David, I had wanted to clean and polish the bumpers but I am just flat running out of time. I had several things come up this month and I am not getting done what I wanted. Tomorrow I need to do an unplanned alternator change on the Jetta. This will be the third one, and another unwelcome obstacle. At least it is happening now instead of on the road to Oklahoma.

I did get a chance to try out the fitment of the different Saginaw pump and I think we have a winner. It tensioned up in the center of the adjustment arc and has plenty of clearance from the AC bracket. The belt was a little tight to get on, but it works. Of course I stripped the pivot bolt, so the success was not complete with a performance test, but I'm getting there...

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary that's a good diagram. It looks like mine is stock. As I said, as long as I can get the alignment done I'm good. I guess TIB with king pins don't have the eccentric, so maybe that's what they were referring to?

I spent the afternoon fitting the bumpers and core support in the car. They fit better than expected. David, I had wanted to clean and polish the bumpers but I am just flat running out of time. I had several things come up this month and I am not getting done what I wanted. Tomorrow I need to do an unplanned alternator change on the Jetta. This will be the third one, and another unwelcome obstacle. At least it is happening now instead of on the road to Oklahoma.

I did get a chance to try out the fitment of the different Saginaw pump and I think we have a winner. It tensioned up in the center of the adjustment arc and has plenty of clearance from the AC bracket. The belt was a little tight to get on, but it works. Of course I stripped the pivot bolt, so the success was not complete with a performance test, but I'm getting there...

Agreed - no eccentric on king pins from what I remember.

Good catch on the alternator! A hit on the time to get ready, but what a blessing for the trip.

And the pump fits nicely! Congrats. 👍

[1986F150Six]

Guys, most likely I will come in my Jetta TDI. Yes, the bumpers and the radiator support will fit... I brought them home from the junkyard in that car. I should still be able to bring the wheels... David, do they have tires on them or are they bare rims? I have other transportation options but if the Jetta will work it is the most comfortable and the mpg is fantastic.

Wheels only, Jonathan. Don't worry about cleaning... drive safely!

[85lebaront2]

Agreed - no eccentric on king pins from what I remember.

Good catch on the alternator! A hit on the time to get ready, but what a blessing for the trip.

And the pump fits nicely! Congrats. 👍

King pins are a mixed blessing, mine are still original and still no play to speak of (inspection guy said they'll probably outlast both of us). Alignment, right! The actual I-beams have to be bent and very few places even have the capability and of them, only a few are competent. I have been fortunate in that one of the best in VA was close to me and recommended by two other Ford owners, one of whom is very particular about his vehicles.

He did my 77, and when my older son had it and went to get new tires, the shop that he went to asked him who had aligned it, my son said he didn't know the name, but it was a fellow in Gloucester County. The front tires were worn dead even across! Needles to say Darth went to him also, he had taken on an apprentice and asked if I minded if he did the work under supervision. I told him that if he thought enough of the boy to take him and train him, I had no problem.

[Gary Lewis]

King pins are a mixed blessing, mine are still original and still no play to speak of (inspection guy said they'll probably outlast both of us). Alignment, right! The actual I-beams have to be bent and very few places even have the capability and of them, only a few are competent. I have been fortunate in that one of the best in VA was close to me and recommended by two other Ford owners, one of whom is very particular about his vehicles.

He did my 77, and when my older son had it and went to get new tires, the shop that he went to asked him who had aligned it, my son said he didn't know the name, but it was a fellow in Gloucester County. The front tires were worn dead even across! Needles to say Darth went to him also, he had taken on an apprentice and asked if I minded if he did the work under supervision. I told him that if he thought enough of the boy to take him and train him, I had no problem.

Here's what's going in Dad's:

And, by the way, that pic was rotated 90 degrees when I previewed it here, although Photoshop showed it correctly. All I did was to open it and then save it in Photoshop and it fixed it.

[Ford F834]

Thanks Gary that's a good diagram. It looks like mine is stock. As I said, as long as I can get the alignment done I'm good. I guess TIB with king pins don't have the eccentric, so maybe that's what they were referring to?

I spent the afternoon fitting the bumpers and core support in the car. They fit better than expected. David, I had wanted to clean and polish the bumpers but I am just flat running out of time. I had several things come up this month and I am not getting done what I wanted. Tomorrow I need to do an unplanned alternator change on the Jetta. This will be the third one, and another unwelcome obstacle. At least it is happening now instead of on the road to Oklahoma.

I did get a chance to try out the fitment of the different Saginaw pump and I think we have a winner. It tensioned up in the center of the adjustment arc and has plenty of clearance from the AC bracket. The belt was a little tight to get on, but it works. Of course I stripped the pivot bolt, so the success was not complete with a performance test, but I'm getting there...

Yesterday I worked some more on the truck and got a lot of things started and nothing finished... typical unraveling sweater adventure with this thing!

The Saginaw pump pivot bolt had stripped out in the captive nut, so I tapped it for a slightly bigger one and that part is good and solid now, but my eyes keep playing tricks on me. I can't 100% tell if the PS pulley is in the same plane as the others. I made myself cross eyed looking at it. I guess I will just have to run it and watch the belt to see how it does. I have plenty of washer shims that I can move around if I need to.

Next I removed the vacuum booster. It made a lot of psssshhhhhh sound when you stepped on it and the brakes were horrible. It had duct tape around the rim of the canister 😳, so I'm thinking that was an attempt to seal a leak? I had an extra F450 hydroboost system laying around so I put that on. Which of course requires a different pedal, so the steering column and pedal box came out:

Really, I am ~trying to fight scope creep, but I am also trying to use what I have and take care of some improvements while I'm in there. Of course that always backfires...

I've heard of folks using the cast iron master cylinder on the hydroboost assist, but on mine the two mounting holes on the flanges were too close together and it did not fit. So I have to use the F450 MC. But the brake line flare fittings are opposite, the F150 has the large threads in the rear port, the F450 has the large size in the front port. The O'reilley employee was a riot. First he told me to just switch the lines 😳😬😬😬. Then he found a reducer for the front, and a step fitting for the rear that wasn't quite big enough... but tried to sell it to me anyway because that was all he had 😡🙈. Then he basically told me I was an idiot for putting hydroboost in a F150. Sheesh. I'm heading to Napa today before work. I need a hydraulic hose made anyway that fits the hydroboost but has the Saginaw end piece.

Since I have the steering column out I wanted to change to a manual tilt column, but mine had a very stiff key action and the key won't come out of the tumbler. I tried to turn it to run, push the pin and remove the tumbler but no go. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but it won't budge even with gentle prying.

The last thing I wanted to work on was the radiator. The last time I drove the truck I noticed it was overheating when idling in place. Once moving it cools down. I'm thinking clogged radiator, and I have one that looks almost new from the 4x4 donor. Well, it's wider (33" vs 27") which I guess is the extra cooling option, but still just a two row core. C'mon, at least give us straight six guys a three row 🙄 some of us live in Arizona... so anyway, the upper radiator hose has to be longer, but the one the books say is right looks like it will interfere with the AC compressor and belt. I can't be 100% sure but it does not look like this will work. Will I ever get this truck driveable? This is an uphill Ford!