85lebaront2 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 It was an interesting project. I jumped into it with little thought, which was pretty obvious part way through. The heat shield is captured between the bracket for the actuator and the aluminum channel that serves as the spacer to get the actuator away from the side of the frame. But as I was getting done I realized that there's no way to get a screwdriver on the Phillips headed screws. And I didn't have the right hex headed screws. So I got a short #2 Phillips bit, a 1/4" socket, and my 1/4" drive ratchet and reached inside the hoop to tighten them down. And somehow I got that done w/o cutting myself on the edges of the hoop. I'd spent quite a while on them w/a file, but they are still not something you'd want to play with. You have two things on that truck that I don't. One I haven't really found a need for, 4WD, the other I will never put on Darth, Headers. I have had two cars with Headers on them, my 1964 Falcon I had Hedman Headers on as they were the only company that had them for a 1963/65 V8 model. They were a royal pain due to the short hood and need for a clutch cross shaft. The right side wasn't too bad, left side, front tubes came down and back normally, rear two went outside the front and went out under the frame rail and back in to get equal length tubes. The Shelby originally had the Cobra tri-y headers until they got so thin they weren't repairable at which time I put Hooker 1 5/8 primary ones on (listed for 351W and Shelby only). I got very good at changing gaskets on them and I had real asbestos ones (this was in the 70s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 You have two things on that truck that I don't. One I haven't really found a need for, 4WD, the other I will never put on Darth, Headers. I have had two cars with Headers on them, my 1964 Falcon I had Hedman Headers on as they were the only company that had them for a 1963/65 V8 model. They were a royal pain due to the short hood and need for a clutch cross shaft. The right side wasn't too bad, left side, front tubes came down and back normally, rear two went outside the front and went out under the frame rail and back in to get equal length tubes. The Shelby originally had the Cobra tri-y headers until they got so thin they weren't repairable at which time I put Hooker 1 5/8 primary ones on (listed for 351W and Shelby only). I got very good at changing gaskets on them and I had real asbestos ones (this was in the 70s). And Bill, all my vehicles are 4WD! Don’t want to live here without it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 You have two things on that truck that I don't. One I haven't really found a need for, 4WD, the other I will never put on Darth, Headers. I have had two cars with Headers on them, my 1964 Falcon I had Hedman Headers on as they were the only company that had them for a 1963/65 V8 model. They were a royal pain due to the short hood and need for a clutch cross shaft. The right side wasn't too bad, left side, front tubes came down and back normally, rear two went outside the front and went out under the frame rail and back in to get equal length tubes. The Shelby originally had the Cobra tri-y headers until they got so thin they weren't repairable at which time I put Hooker 1 5/8 primary ones on (listed for 351W and Shelby only). I got very good at changing gaskets on them and I had real asbestos ones (this was in the 70s). Bill - A 2wd truck wouldn't make it very far where I hope to go. As for the headers, Scotty thought I ought to have them. I'm not sure, but I have them and sure hope they don't leak. The last set of L&L's didn't, surely due to the 1/2" thick flange. But I will say that the truck sounds GOOD when I ease into it a bit. There were a couple of guys eyeing it the other day, so I let them hear it. But might there might be other things Darth doesn't have? Like a 3000 watt inverter? Dual batteries? An air compressor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 And Bill, all my vehicles are 4WD! Don’t want to live here without it! Dane, Darth was not available from Ford in a 4WD model, F350 SRW yes, or there was a company that bought F350 DRW crew cab and chassis models and put pre 1985 beds on them (they had Dana axles so were narrower). If I were going to do it, I would like to do it like the newer Superduty models, live axle with coil springs so he would still ride nicely, then all I would need is a step ladder as the stock height on him is up where a lot of 4WD models are. Basically whatever the height of the rear lift blocks are is the difference. Other problem, the CBBT charges car rates even for DRW trucks as long as they are under 8' to the top of the cab, Darth is a little over 7' stock so goes through at car rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Dane, Darth was not available from Ford in a 4WD model, F350 SRW yes, or there was a company that bought F350 DRW crew cab and chassis models and put pre 1985 beds on them (they had Dana axles so were narrower). If I were going to do it, I would like to do it like the newer Superduty models, live axle with coil springs so he would still ride nicely, then all I would need is a step ladder as the stock height on him is up where a lot of 4WD models are. Basically whatever the height of the rear lift blocks are is the difference. Other problem, the CBBT charges car rates even for DRW trucks as long as they are under 8' to the top of the cab, Darth is a little over 7' stock so goes through at car rates. I didn’t realize they weren’t available in 4WD, nice to get better rates on the toll road, or tunnel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 I didn’t realize they weren’t available in 4WD, nice to get better rates on the toll road, or tunnel! You could only get dually + 4wd in a C&C configuraotion, with straight frame rails. I'm sure Quigley would have done it for you. They put 4wd under all brands of vans and trucks back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 You could only get dually + 4wd in a C&C configuraotion, with straight frame rails. I'm sure Quigley would have done it for you. They put 4wd under all brands of vans and trucks back then Well, the new backup light switch came in yesterday so I installed it today, and now the lights come on in Reverse. (That emoji is entitled "Beam". ) I checked, and for the record the backup lights are angled out at 16 - 18 degrees as best I can measure. Seems to give a nice even light, and they go way to the sides. Then I added a tab to the 1" bump stop spacer and put a padded clamp on the OX actuator cable. The cable doesn't touch anything, anywhere. The closest spot is where it wraps around the spring, but even with it on the lift, as shown below, it doesn't touch. And as the weight comes down on it the cable moves away from the spring. So I think that exercise is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 Well, the new backup light switch came in yesterday so I installed it today, and now the lights come on in Reverse. (That emoji is entitled "Beam". ) I checked, and for the record the backup lights are angled out at 16 - 18 degrees as best I can measure. Seems to give a nice even light, and they go way to the sides. Then I added a tab to the 1" bump stop spacer and put a padded clamp on the OX actuator cable. The cable doesn't touch anything, anywhere. The closest spot is where it wraps around the spring, but even with it on the lift, as shown below, it doesn't touch. And as the weight comes down on it the cable moves away from the spring. So I think that exercise is done. I guess I may find out something about what I have "in" Big Blue. I stopped in to talk to an insurance man yesterday as I know I need much better insurance than what I have. We set Wednesday afternoon as a meeting time, and 'twixt now and then I need to flesh out a spreadsheet on what is "in" it. The other is, as detailed in the Thoughts On Tonneau/Bed Covers? thread, I've found a bed cover that works with the racks and roof top tents of several companies. And Janey thinks I need to get it on order. But Cory has suggested a couple more brands, so I'll check them out before ordering. However, this will mean some changes to Big Blue. I will have to pull the drop-in bed liner, which means the tool box and in-bed hitch apparatus have to come out. Then I'm going to have it Line-X'd. Plus, there's the issue of how to lock the tailgate, as we've been discussing in What Is The Difference In Tailgate Mechanisms: Bullnose vs Bricknose? So I still need to find a neat, clean way to lock it. Hmmm, what about somehow disabling the existing handle until something is done to the mechanism on the front side of the gate? And since you can't get to the front side if the cover is closed and is locked... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce moose4x4 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 I guess I may find out something about what I have "in" Big Blue. I stopped in to talk to an insurance man yesterday as I know I need much better insurance than what I have. We set Wednesday afternoon as a meeting time, and 'twixt now and then I need to flesh out a spreadsheet on what is "in" it. The other is, as detailed in the Thoughts On Tonneau/Bed Covers? thread, I've found a bed cover that works with the racks and roof top tents of several companies. And Janey thinks I need to get it on order. But Cory has suggested a couple more brands, so I'll check them out before ordering. However, this will mean some changes to Big Blue. I will have to pull the drop-in bed liner, which means the tool box and in-bed hitch apparatus have to come out. Then I'm going to have it Line-X'd. Plus, there's the issue of how to lock the tailgate, as we've been discussing in What Is The Difference In Tailgate Mechanisms: Bullnose vs Bricknose? So I still need to find a neat, clean way to lock it. Hmmm, what about somehow disabling the existing handle until something is done to the mechanism on the front side of the gate? And since you can't get to the front side if the cover is closed and is locked... Gary, this is for a 1992 f series, not sure if you could modify it to work on yours. Tailgate lock. https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Locks/Ford/F-150/1992/PAL8200.html?VehicleID=1992912585 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Gary, this is for a 1992 f series, not sure if you could modify it to work on yours. Tailgate lock. https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Locks/Ford/F-150/1992/PAL8200.html?VehicleID=1992912585 Bruce - I responded to your post in the other thread. I think that might actually be the lock actuator that I have. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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