Issues With Big Blue!?!?!

[Gary Lewis]

I see you got more squalls blowing through early this morning Gary.

Wishing you a safe trip, and prayers for all those around you who are being impacted by these historically high flood waters.

Thank you for honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation! (best I can do for flying the flag)

Thanks, Jim. I certainly appreciate that.

As for the weather, we had a thunderstorms late last night and then one during the night. But we aren't supposed to get more here in Skiatook until late tonight. However, where we are going in southern Kansas has the possibility of storms starting at 1:00 - just about when I'm supposed to get the parts.

And we surely don't need it! The water has gone down on the east end of Skiatook and people are getting their lives back together. But the flooding in Tulsa is getting worse rather than better. And the rain in southern Kansas exacerbates it as it goes into the Walnut River, then into the Arkansas, then through Kaw Lake into Keystone, which is letting water out at historic rates into already saturated areas.

So prayers for everyone are certainly appreciated.

[FoxFord33]

...will 3" square tubing with an 1/8" wall do?

I think one piece above in front and one above behind, and then one below, either ahead of or behind. That way the frame can't twist.

Very good! This is one thing you might not be able to overdo... :nabble_smiley_oh_no:That's not a challenge. I guess even if you start weld-tacking the tube to the frame rails, you can still get them back off when you're done.

[Gary Lewis]

...will 3" square tubing with an 1/8" wall do?

I think one piece above in front and one above behind, and then one below, either ahead of or behind. That way the frame can't twist.

Very good! This is one thing you might not be able to overdo... :nabble_smiley_oh_no:That's not a challenge. I guess even if you start weld-tacking the tube to the frame rails, you can still get them back off when you're done.

Welding to the frame is anathema. So I'll clamp, and I have a lot of clamps.

Anyway, we are back from the trip and have good news: Pay dirt! Here's what I got:

• The axle itself

• Track bar mount

• Track bar

• Leaf springs: both the F350 springs and the SuperDuty ones

• U-bolt plates and u-bolts:

• Shock mounting plates:

• Sway bar and mounting brackets

• Shock mounting towers

• F350 pitman arm: In fact, I have the steering box too!

• Steering linkage: It is on the axle

• Brake calipers:

• The F350 rear (4") blocks - 3 of them

• Brake line clips

• Cross member

Here are a couple of poor pics. I'll get better ones tomorrow, but what I didn't get is the front driveshaft, which was for an E4OD so would probably be the wrong length for a ZF5. And, I already have one of those so it isn't a big deal. Plus, I didn't get a double-cardan yoke for a 1345, but those are available locally.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Welding to the frame is anathema.......

heck, if it weren't for the bumper mounting you could save yourself a whole lot of time and effort by chopping Big Blue's frame and welding that one back on..

[Gary Lewis]

Welding to the frame is anathema.......

heck, if it weren't for the bumper mounting you could save yourself a whole lot of time and effort by chopping Big Blue's frame and welding that one back on..

Yep. I could do that. But Ford says "WELDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE." So I don't think that would pass their test.

[FoxFord33]

Yep. I could do that. But Ford says "WELDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE." So I don't think that would pass their test.

But Ford says "WELDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE."

Heat treated frames? I think that's why, but I didn't know that until I searched why no welding on frame. Neat!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep. I could do that. But Ford says "WELDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE." So I don't think that would pass their test.

And yet somehow Centurion stretched these trucks for years and sold as new, often at Ford dealers.

I've seen plenty of threads where guys lengthen or shorten their Ford pickups.

"Heat treated frame" often means normalizing after the cold stamping process used to create the rails because this causes lots of stress risers.

I've known a few weldors who do DOT approved frame welding on medium and heavy trucks.

The only precautions they take is preheating and using a high tensile, low hydrogen rod like 8018 or 11018.

*Edit to ask*..... How did you repair the frame when it broke behind the steering box?

Do you feel that weld compromised the structural integrity of the vehicle?

Why has your attitude changed since then?

 

[Gary Lewis]

And yet somehow Centurion stretched these trucks for years and sold as new, often at Ford dealers.

I've seen plenty of threads where guys lengthen or shorten their Ford pickups.

"Heat treated frame" often means normalizing after the cold stamping process used to create the rails because this causes lots of stress risers.

I've known a few weldors who do DOT approved frame welding on medium and heavy trucks.

The only precautions they take is preheating and using a high tensile, low hydrogen rod like 8018 or 11018.

*Edit to ask*..... How did you repair the frame when it broke behind the steering box?

Do you feel that weld compromised the structural integrity of the vehicle?

Why has your attitude changed since then?

Very true. Maybe Ford meant "Welding by our technicians, who are not trained to do so, is not acceptable."

Anyway, I have to figure out how to clean this rascal up before I start taking it apart. It came out from under a diesel and it is a huge MESS! I don't have a pressure washer, so am considering buying a few cans of engine degreaser and trying that. Or, I could take it to the car wash.

[FuzzFace2]

Very true. Maybe Ford meant "Welding by our technicians, who are not trained to do so, is not acceptable."

Anyway, I have to figure out how to clean this rascal up before I start taking it apart. It came out from under a diesel and it is a huge MESS! I don't have a pressure washer, so am considering buying a few cans of engine degreaser and trying that. Or, I could take it to the car wash.

I start with scrapping the heavy stuff off first then oven cleaner then to degreaser.

Because I have a well and the dogs I don't do any big washing on site. Work has a pressure washer I used on mine when I first got it other wise down the road to the car wash where they have the pressure washing type hoses.

Or maybe its time for a pressure washer

Dave ----

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Very true. Maybe Ford meant "Welding by our technicians, who are not trained to do so, is not acceptable."

Anyway, I have to figure out how to clean this rascal up before I start taking it apart. It came out from under a diesel and it is a huge MESS! I don't have a pressure washer, so am considering buying a few cans of engine degreaser and trying that. Or, I could take it to the car wash.

I would buy a few cans of engine degreaser and apply them in the auto parts parking lot on the way to the wash bay.

A friend of mine has a kerosene fired 220V steam Jenny and that thing will blast everything off.

But you can watch it flash rust as everything dries.

I wasn't actually arguing for you to weld it, but it would save having to dismantle (and REmantle) the front end.

Maybe you can swing by Billy's place on the way home and ditch the D60 for a go through and R&P swap?

Save you a trip and you won't be tripping over it in your garage without an easy way to move it.