Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Not sure if this drawing made it. Do not usually do this on phone. It would give a little more clearance on the mounts for the control box.

It didn't make it, at least that I saw, but I'd figured out what you meant. And while I don't think that is needed as I believe there will be plenty of clearance, it would be a nice touch, making it look like a purpose-built piece rather than just a piece of angle. So I'll probably do that. Thanks.

Thinking back on it, that aluminum channel has really be used for a lot of things, including the battery hold-downs and the dip stick stay. But those things don't look like channel, and I might as well make this piece purpose-built as well.

[Bruce moose4x4]

It didn't make it, at least that I saw, but I'd figured out what you meant. And while I don't think that is needed as I believe there will be plenty of clearance, it would be a nice touch, making it look like a purpose-built piece rather than just a piece of angle. So I'll probably do that. Thanks.

Thinking back on it, that aluminum channel has really be used for a lot of things, including the battery hold-downs and the dip stick stay. But those things don't look like channel, and I might as well make this piece purpose-built as well.

You guys get at it real early. I can see it on my phone, but like you said go along with the theme of the build. I need to get at it. Honey Do's before I go to work this afternoon. Have a good day everyone.

[Gary Lewis]

You guys get at it real early. I can see it on my phone, but like you said go along with the theme of the build. I need to get at it. Honey Do's before I go to work this afternoon. Have a good day everyone.

I get up around 6, but just "compute" for about 3 hours. Then I get out to the shop between 9 and 10. And quit around 4. And then start "computing" again. So I only get maybe 6 hours of "wrenching" in a day anymore. Seem to be slowing down in my old age.

Anyway, have fun on the Honey Do's, and then on the work.

[Jacob84]

Rob - Thanks!

Jacob - It sure would be nice if church could go back to normal. We have about half of the congregation coming in via Zoom or Facebook Live and the rest attending in person, and even there most wear masks and social distance themselves.

As for what I did today, yesterday when I drove on a bumpy road I heard a clunk that should have been there. So today I checked ALL of the fasteners in the front end. None were loose so I checked the wheels, and sure enough found the left front wheel bearing to be slightly loose. I pulled the lock-out and tightened it up and now there's no more clunk.

Then I decided I'd see about mounting the fog lights as Bruce suggested. Happened to have a piece of 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 angle 18" long that came from a garage door installation. Not the stiffest piece, but plenty good enough to test the idea.

LOOK MA, NO HOLES!

Janey likes the look, and it works well save for a couple of minor problems. So I think this is a winner, but I'd like to hear (see) your thoughts.

On the problems, the first is that the winch's clutch handle can't be rotated the whole way. Second, the cover won't slip between the winch and the angle. But as you can see in the pic the angle could be 1/2" narrower and I believe that will fix both problems.

We’re about the same at our church. We have a livestream going for worship services and people who are comfortable attending can attend. We also have two services so that helps people that want to social distance and such. While the entire situation isn’t great it’s given us the opportunity to reevaluate everything we do. We’re a really busy church and being able to stop and make sure we’re really doing what He wants us to be doing has been one of the few “positives”

On the bearings nuts backing off, that’s something I have to deal with on a regular basis. I guess it’s just something that’s common with Dana axles? I check my wheel bearings once every few months and more than not the nuts have backed off and get that clunk you were talking about. I’ve bought brand new Dana nuts too hoping it would help. Kinda frustrating. I know a lot of people read the Haynes or other manuals and the torque rating isn’t high enough on the outer lock nut. It’s gotta be on there TIGHT. Stage 8 is supposed to make a kit you can put in but I’ve heard mixed reviews and it’s $100 a side if I remember right. I’d make it part of the oil change routine to lift up one tire at a time and check for bearing play. Especially with the bigger tires and the terrain you plan to take BB over. I hope your mileage varies from mine and you don’t have problems with it like I do. I’m still looking for a solution.

[kramttocs]

Not sure if this drawing made it. Do not usually do this on phone. It would give a little more clearance on the mounts for the control box.

Re-adding Bruce's image per his request as it sounds like it may not be visible for all

[Rusty_S85]

Yep. But it is curious that Vernon chose those tires since off-roading wasn't in his plans. He was planning on pulling a travel trailer all across the US so he and his wife could see the USA (in a Ford) in his retirement.

But those tires make a lot of noise on the highway, so sure wouldn't be my first pick for doing what he was planning to do. With the sound deadening and insulation, plus all new weatherstripping, the level in the cab is down to "tolerable". And at speed you don't notice the vibration, but as you roll to a stop you can feel every lug.

Some day I'd like to slip a set of "regular old street tires" on there and see what they sound like and how the truck drives. I suspect even the ride would be better as these things are HEAVY!

Honestly I would see if you could borrow a set of BFG All Terrain TA tires the KO2`s, mine on the highway are no louder than a plain highway tire. The ride with proper air pressure is night and day compared to the cheap discount brand pathfinders I used to run in the same size and thought thats just how my truck would ride.

If you are looking for low noise but maintaining an offroad or all terrain type tire I strongly suggest giving a look at the KO2`s or giving them a try if you can borrow a set.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep. But it is curious that Vernon chose those tires since off-roading wasn't in his plans. He was planning on pulling a travel trailer all across the US so he and his wife could see the USA (in a Ford) in his retirement.

But those tires make a lot of noise on the highway, so sure wouldn't be my first pick for doing what he was planning to do. With the sound deadening and insulation, plus all new weatherstripping, the level in the cab is down to "tolerable". And at speed you don't notice the vibration, but as you roll to a stop you can feel every lug.

Some day I'd like to slip a set of "regular old street tires" on there and see what they sound like and how the truck drives. I suspect even the ride would be better as these things are HEAVY!

If I had Vern's intentions I would have bought the OEM Michelins.

Those were quiet and lasted forever!

Would be fine on the highway with a trailer

[1986F150Six]

If I had Vern's intentions I would have bought the OEM Michelins.

Those were quiet and lasted forever!

Would be fine on the highway with a trailer

Like these, Jim?

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Defender+LTX+M%2FS&partnum=875R6DLTX&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

[Gary Lewis]

If I had Vern's intentions I would have bought the OEM Michelins.

Those were quiet and lasted forever!

Would be fine on the highway with a trailer

Like these, Jim?

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Defender+LTX+M%2FS&partnum=875R6DLTX&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

K02's would be my go-to for Big Blue if I had to buy now. Fortunately I don't.

As for Michelins, no thanks. I bought a new set 40 years ago and the belts all separated. Gave me fits trying to find the vibrations that came and went. When I finally found out what the problem was I swore off Michelins. Haven't had a set since and plan on not having one.

And on that note, or is it bad, bad, bad vibrations, I took one step forward and two steps back today. The intent was to fix the speed control, so I replaced the servo with another that I had laying around.

But while doing that I realized that I didn't have a proper throttle return spring on the carb, only the coil spring around the end of the throttle cable itself. Thinking that might be both the cause of the varying idle speed when letting off the throttle and maybe the cause of the oscillations in the speed control, I added one.

Then I took it for a drive. Man, did that spring change things! When warm the idle speed is now ~450 - 500 RPM, and when cold it does NOT want to idle. On top of that, the speed control doesn't work at all.

So tomorrow I'll swap the old servo back on and adjust the idle speed to more like 600 and take it for another drive.

[Nothing Special]

Yep. But it is curious that Vernon chose those tires since off-roading wasn't in his plans. He was planning on pulling a travel trailer all across the US so he and his wife could see the USA (in a Ford) in his retirement.

But those tires make a lot of noise on the highway, so sure wouldn't be my first pick for doing what he was planning to do. With the sound deadening and insulation, plus all new weatherstripping, the level in the cab is down to "tolerable". And at speed you don't notice the vibration, but as you roll to a stop you can feel every lug.

Some day I'd like to slip a set of "regular old street tires" on there and see what they sound like and how the truck drives. I suspect even the ride would be better as these things are HEAVY!

Honestly I would see if you could borrow a set of BFG All Terrain TA tires the KO2`s, mine on the highway are no louder than a plain highway tire. The ride with proper air pressure is night and day compared to the cheap discount brand pathfinders I used to run in the same size and thought thats just how my truck would ride.

If you are looking for low noise but maintaining an offroad or all terrain type tire I strongly suggest giving a look at the KO2`s or giving them a try if you can borrow a set.

I've had a bunch of sets of BFG tires: the original MTs and ATs, KO ATs and KO2 ATs. I loved all of them except the KO2 ATs. I found them to be too loud (not a howl like a mud tire, but just a persistent higher pitched whine that I found quite fatiguing) and to not track well on the freeway (they'd pull back and forth with grooves in the pavement).

I switched to Michelin Agilis Cross-Climate this past summer. Maybe not as aggressive a tread or as tough a carcass as Gary will want for his off-pavement excursions, but they've been great on the highway, and fine in the little bit of snow I've had to deal with so far. And very noticeably quieter than the KO2s

I do think the BFG AT KO2 is a pretty reasonable compromise tire for Gary's use: a very tough tire with a decent tread for off-road use that's not too bad on the highway. But I thought the earlier versions were good highway tires vs the KO2s being "not too bad". And there are definitely better tires for most off-road use. So I definitely see the KO2s as a compromise, not the best of both worlds.

I don't have any experience with other tires that might be the best of both worlds. Falken Wildpeak get a lot of compliments. And I hear good things about some of the Goodyear tires (but I can't recall specific models). But that's just what I've heard, so I can't vouch for it at all.