Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

And a dog to chase his livestock.....

Well Dane, did you get there and back? Did you buy it? And chase his livestock?

As for me, I made it to the Line-X shop and back. It took 3 hours, but it turned out well. They filled all of the holes they were supposed to fill and didn't fill the ones they weren't. Tomorrow I'll start installing the toolbox.

But first, I'm going to measure the ride height. That's 'cause the ride is much worse w/o the toolbox and its normal load as well as the spare tire in the bed. So I'm curious how much higher the rear is w/o that weight.

[grumpin]

Well Dane, did you get there and back? Did you buy it? And chase his livestock?

As for me, I made it to the Line-X shop and back. It took 3 hours, but it turned out well. They filled all of the holes they were supposed to fill and didn't fill the ones they weren't. Tomorrow I'll start installing the toolbox.

But first, I'm going to measure the ride height. That's 'cause the ride is much worse w/o the toolbox and its normal load as well as the spare tire in the bed. So I'm curious how much higher the rear is w/o that weight.

I did get there, did not chase any livestock. He wasn’t kidding, it was way out there. I joked I was looking for an altar or something like that in case he lured me out there for a sacrifice!

He doesn’t know if it works, didn’t have a manual, so I offered $30 and he took it! Has sort of a bonus, someone mounted a battery charger on it.

More on it later in the tools post.

Your bed looks great!

[1986F150Six]

I did get there, did not chase any livestock. He wasn’t kidding, it was way out there. I joked I was looking for an altar or something like that in case he lured me out there for a sacrifice!

He doesn’t know if it works, didn’t have a manual, so I offered $30 and he took it! Has sort of a bonus, someone mounted a battery charger on it.

More on it later in the tools post.

Your bed looks great!

Looks great, Gary!

[85lebaront2]

Got started just after 8 and was done at 11. And there was no smoke when I shut the hood. But there sure was yesterday, and here's the aftermath:

Luckily the smoke is still in the wire to the starter, so I didn't have to replace it. So I tapped into the 40A fuse in the PDB that I was previously using and ran that to the fender-mounted relay - after I moved it a bit.

Now I'm ready to head out to have it Line-X'd, but thought I show you where the relay is mounted. (Dane, that pic's for you. )

Gary, you need to order a case of these:

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, you need to order a case of these:

Thanks guys.

Dane - I'll watch for your post. And I may have instructions that will help. I'll look.

Bill - Yes, I needed a jar of that. But the new wires appear to have all of their smoke still inside so we are good for a while. And that #10 should withstand the 40A the fuse will blow at, so the smoke should stay in this round.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks guys.

Dane - I'll watch for your post. And I may have instructions that will help. I'll look.

Bill - Yes, I needed a jar of that. But the new wires appear to have all of their smoke still inside so we are good for a while. And that #10 should withstand the 40A the fuse will blow at, so the smoke should stay in this round.

Well, I was greeted with another puddle on the floor today. The brake line that goes down to the rear axle is still leaking after having tightened it as much as I dared. Guess I'll have to figure out what is wrong.

As for the toolbox, I sorta got it installed. I say "sorta" because the three 10 x 17" load spreaders I cut out of Advantec aren't ready, but otherwise the box is in place and its bolts are snugged up as much as I dare.

The issue with the load spreaders is that I mixed up a batch of polyester resin and painted them with it, but it isn't setting up. Perhaps I didn't put enough hardener in, or maybe it is old? Anyway, I may change to rubberized undercoating to protect them.

But here 'tis. It is solid, with the six 1/2" bolts through the Advantec floor in the toolbox.

And here's a closeup of the weather stripping. There's a slight tilt to the rear, surely due to the weather stripping on the front panel of the bed. But I think when I get the load spreaders in and torque the bolts down the tilt will level out.

[ctubutis]

Well, I was greeted with another puddle on the floor today. The brake line that goes down to the rear axle is still leaking after having tightened it as much as I dared. Guess I'll have to figure out what is wrong.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n95562/Brake_Line_Leak.jpg

I want one of those braided lines for my oil sending unit tree (brass fittings that tee the pressure to 2 different sending units), mine effectively broke off on my way to our (including my brother Steve) first Covid shots, it was an exciting trip. ;)

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well, I was greeted with another puddle on the floor today. The brake line that goes down to the rear axle is still leaking after having tightened it as much as I dared. Guess I'll have to figure out what is wrong.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n95562/Brake_Line_Leak.jpg

I want one of those braided lines for my oil sending unit tree (brass fittings that tee the pressure to 2 different sending units), mine effectively broke off on my way to our (including my brother Steve) first Covid shots, it was an exciting trip. ;)

Hi Chris!

There are plenty of places to get braided line.

What end fittings and diameter (AN dash number) do you need?

[Gary Lewis]

Well, I was greeted with another puddle on the floor today. The brake line that goes down to the rear axle is still leaking after having tightened it as much as I dared. Guess I'll have to figure out what is wrong.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n95562/Brake_Line_Leak.jpg

I want one of those braided lines for my oil sending unit tree (brass fittings that tee the pressure to 2 different sending units), mine effectively broke off on my way to our (including my brother Steve) first Covid shots, it was an exciting trip. ;)

Chris - That does sound like an "exciting" trip. Hope you got your shots.

As for what I did today, I gave up on the polyester resin and coated the load spreaders with rubberized undercoating. Once that dried I put them on and cranked down on the front bolts, which pretty well leveled the toolbox.

Then I loaded up the cover's module and installed the rails - with the tailgate open as the rails are too long As I'd hoped, the module will slide back under the lip of the toolbox, which is good as the module is designed to be up against something. A clamp keeps it from coming rearward, but it is intended to be up against the front of the bed.

Anyway, that let me get the measurements I need to be able to shorten the rails, which I hope to do tomorrow. However, I did hook up a battery and it works!

[ctubutis]

Chris - That does sound like an "exciting" trip. Hope you got your shots.

As for what I did today, I gave up on the polyester resin and coated the load spreaders with rubberized undercoating. Once that dried I put them on and cranked down on the front bolts, which pretty well leveled the toolbox.

Then I loaded up the cover's module and installed the rails - with the tailgate open as the rails are too long As I'd hoped, the module will slide back under the lip of the toolbox, which is good as the module is designed to be up against something. A clamp keeps it from coming rearward, but it is intended to be up against the front of the bed.

Anyway, that let me get the measurements I need to be able to shorten the rails, which I hope to do tomorrow. However, I did hook up a battery and it works!

Hey, Guys! :)

Yeah, we got our first doses OK (go back on May 15th for #2) but I went through 10 quarts of oil during the ordeal. Took side-streets home (stayed off the hi-rpm highways) and it finally hit 0 oil pressure coasting downhill towards my house ~1/4 mile away.

~~

I have zero idea of sizes or specs, I know how to get brass fittings from the local hardware store.

Here's the original, broken piece (smaller part was obviously in the block) originally installed at least 10 years ago:

And here is the "repaired" assembly, it's in fact worse off right now as the only brass fitting I had was an inch or so longer:

I want to mount that assembly to the firewall, and use a braided hose between it and the block...