Gary Lewis Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Grunching. Now that's a word that you can't help but hear in your head. Nice job on finding it! And glad the fix didn't require too much disassembly. Yes, "grunch" rattled around in my head for quite a while. In fact it echoed around under the truck for a while. Amazing how that sound was transmitted from everywhere. But the fix only took maybe an hour - after Steve left when we got his 17mm wrench milled down to fit a 4' cheater/pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Yes, "grunch" rattled around in my head for quite a while. In fact it echoed around under the truck for a while. Amazing how that sound was transmitted from everywhere. But the fix only took maybe an hour - after Steve left when we got his 17mm wrench milled down to fit a 4' cheater/pipe. Good thing you got the grunch before it could steal Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Good thing you got the grunch before it could steal Christmas! Good one, Bob! But I feel like today was Christmas! I've been thinking about this for a week and it has been BUGGING me. So to find such an easy, and obvious, fix was a huge present. Lots of layers still on the onion, but we are getting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARM Ashby Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Good one, Bob! But I feel like today was Christmas! I've been thinking about this for a week and it has been BUGGING me. So to find such an easy, and obvious, fix was a huge present. Lots of layers still on the onion, but we are getting there. Gary, I am ARM Ashby. I have followed Big Blue from the time you started in on FTE. I I have a 11,500 lb.1986 F350 cab and chassis service truck 7.5 ,C6 auto. I have had since new. In the FTE forum you were looking into grab handles. I had passed on to the forum how I did mine. I attached to the A pillar using Nut certs to mount them. I am not very good with computers so me trying to find it for you could take quite some time. What ever system you use be careful entering the cab until you get used to the step and pull process. I had driven my head into the top of the door jam more than once. Thanks for all the help over the years. Rodger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Gary, I am ARM Ashby. I have followed Big Blue from the time you started in on FTE. I I have a 11,500 lb.1986 F350 cab and chassis service truck 7.5 ,C6 auto. I have had since new. In the FTE forum you were looking into grab handles. I had passed on to the forum how I did mine. I attached to the A pillar using Nut certs to mount them. I am not very good with computers so me trying to find it for you could take quite some time. What ever system you use be careful entering the cab until you get used to the step and pull process. I had driven my head into the top of the door jam more than once. Thanks for all the help over the years. Rodger Rodger - I knew I recognized "ARM Ashby"! Did you use that handle on FTE? I'll go search for your posts about the grab handle over there. Thanks! As for hitting my head, maybe I would but my wife, Janey, is short enough I don't think that'll happen. However, I'll warn her anyway. Anyway, glad you joined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Rodger - I knew I recognized "ARM Ashby"! Did you use that handle on FTE? I'll go search for your posts about the grab handle over there. Thanks! As for hitting my head, maybe I would but my wife, Janey, is short enough I don't think that'll happen. However, I'll warn her anyway. Anyway, glad you joined. Ok, I found it, here. Boy, am I glad you reminded me as that looks like a good solution! Here's what you said: Gary, Here are some pictures of the grab handles I installed in my 86 F350.They are from a Expedition. I had to re shape the mounting area to get the angle I wanted and remove the ridge to get a flat surface on the handle mounting face. . I used 1/4" heavy Nut certs in the "A" pillar. hold down bolts are 1/4 20 button head Allan bolts 3/4" long. I removed the "A" pillar plastic cover to do the work. These have ben in service for 6 years with no problems. There is a small amount of flex but is not at the mounting it is the handle its self. And here are your pics, although they are just screenshots as FTE doesn't allow you to link to the pics, so the quality may not be as good as the originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Ok, I found it, here. Boy, am I glad you reminded me as that looks like a good solution! Here's what you said: Gary, Here are some pictures of the grab handles I installed in my 86 F350.They are from a Expedition. I had to re shape the mounting area to get the angle I wanted and remove the ridge to get a flat surface on the handle mounting face. . I used 1/4" heavy Nut certs in the "A" pillar. hold down bolts are 1/4 20 button head Allan bolts 3/4" long. I removed the "A" pillar plastic cover to do the work. These have ben in service for 6 years with no problems. There is a small amount of flex but is not at the mounting it is the handle its self. And here are your pics, although they are just screenshots as FTE doesn't allow you to link to the pics, so the quality may not be as good as the originals. Rodger - that looks excellent! So the only thing you did to the truck metal was install the rivnuts/nutserts? It was the mounting bracket on the handle you reshaped? Or do I have that backwards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Rodger - that looks excellent! So the only thing you did to the truck metal was install the rivnuts/nutserts? It was the mounting bracket on the handle you reshaped? Or do I have that backwards? Good questions, Scott. I wasn't sure about that either. Looking at my pic of the pillar I'm not sure what reshaping is needed, but I'd like to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARM Ashby Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Rodger - that looks excellent! So the only thing you did to the truck metal was install the rivnuts/nutserts? It was the mounting bracket on the handle you reshaped? Or do I have that backwards? That is correct. I think in the picture of the handle you can estimate the amount of re shape by the amount of the padding that is extended pate the metal on the bottom of the handle. I did not to trim the excess padding ad have a ragged edge in the future. thanks for the reply's Rodger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARM Ashby Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 That is correct. I think in the picture of the handle you can estimate the amount of re shape by the amount of the padding that is extended pate the metal on the bottom of the handle. I did not to trim the excess padding ad have a ragged edge in the future. thanks for the reply's Rodger Gary. I bent the bracket approximately 90 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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