Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I failed to comment on your AC news.

So the lines leak under pressure but not under the vacuum you pulled?

Glad you'll have it together for the show!

I don't know if they don't leak under vacuum or if it is too slow to notice. My nephew only pulled a vacuum for a few minutes, so might have missed it. The discharge line leaks at a fitting that is crimped on the line. The suction line has a crack in it that is leaking, about in the middle of the run across the firewall.

DeWayne/93F3507.3 works at Skiatook Auto Parts and that was my next stop after picking the truck up as I was going around town hanging up my flyers for the show. (I put up 48 of them today.) The outfit that found the leaks and I agreed we'd both see if we could find the hoses as they didn't think it would be easy. So I asked DeWayne and his go-to company had none. But the 2nd place he tried had 67 of them.

However, DeWayne wanted to make sure so he looked at Big Blue's lines to compare with what he was seeing on the screen. Fifteen minutes later we went back in the shop with him asking "What intake is that? Where'd you get the plenum-to-carb spacer?" And all sorts of questions.

Anyway, the "assembly" is on order and might be here before the end of the week. If so maybe they can put it on. If not, I'm likely to add another can as I want to take the truck to the grand opening of a new business in Tulsa - Okie Overland. Says "A full-service overlanding and offroad vehicle outfitter."

[Gary Lewis]

I guess it's not too complex if you can cut it barefoot with an angle grinder, and knock the waste out with a stick?

And I don't think it could only be made with right angles, but the layout would definitely be a bit more complex.

If you unfolded your second drawing from 4:30 to 6:00 you get an idea what the cope would look like.

I think weld prep needs to be good but there has to be some gap or bevel for full penetration (unless it's a pure fusion TIG weld or a keyhole laser weld)

I'm always using a file or grinder to get the fit up I want. And that depends on the material.

My personal experience says stay far away from plastic caps on something ferrous that is going to be outside.

Also provide a drain hole(s) in each member and spray or flood the inside with oil if you want it to last long term.

Condensation will find a way in. Rust will form. And if condensation builds up enough, frozen water will expand and cause all kind of trouble.

Missed this post. I agree on the plastic caps, which is why I plan to weld end caps on. But there will be weep holes and I'll use plenty of that Fluid Film I bought - but not until the parts are powder coated.

Speaking of that, I'm going to have to find someone to PC the bumper and parts. The bumper measures 76.25" and my oven is 72. And, there's a trolley that parts hang from, so I can't get the bumper in. John/Machspeed is looking for a place to do his wheels, so maybe I can follow his lead.

As for the fit up, Scott is pretty particular about that. I watched him do a lot of work on the engine crossmember patch after I thought it was good. So I'm sure he will have a lot of guidance for me. I hope to get all the parts ready with the fit up I think he asked for, and then have him come inspect it.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't know if they don't leak under vacuum or if it is too slow to notice. My nephew only pulled a vacuum for a few minutes, so might have missed it. The discharge line leaks at a fitting that is crimped on the line. The suction line has a crack in it that is leaking, about in the middle of the run across the firewall.

DeWayne/93F3507.3 works at Skiatook Auto Parts and that was my next stop after picking the truck up as I was going around town hanging up my flyers for the show. (I put up 48 of them today.) The outfit that found the leaks and I agreed we'd both see if we could find the hoses as they didn't think it would be easy. So I asked DeWayne and his go-to company had none. But the 2nd place he tried had 67 of them.

However, DeWayne wanted to make sure so he looked at Big Blue's lines to compare with what he was seeing on the screen. Fifteen minutes later we went back in the shop with him asking "What intake is that? Where'd you get the plenum-to-carb spacer?" And all sorts of questions.

Anyway, the "assembly" is on order and might be here before the end of the week. If so maybe they can put it on. If not, I'm likely to add another can as I want to take the truck to the grand opening of a new business in Tulsa - Okie Overland. Says "A full-service overlanding and offroad vehicle outfitter."

I didn't realize your nephew hadn't left the vacuum on for an hour or more like you would to try and purge a system that had been open.

My mistake.

That's great, that DeWayne was able to locate the hose assembly for you.

Sounds like a really resourceful guy.

Whose 'spacer' are you using?

The adapter plate and injector plugs from Price Motorsport?

 

[Gary Lewis]

I didn't realize your nephew hadn't left the vacuum on for an hour or more like you would to try and purge a system that had been open.

My mistake.

That's great, that DeWayne was able to locate the hose assembly for you.

Sounds like a really resourceful guy.

Whose 'spacer' are you using?

The adapter plate and injector plugs from Price Motorsport?

Personally I think it is wise to leave the vacuum on for quite a while to both check for leaks as well as boil off any stubborn moisture. But we were standing there and he probably felt a need to go quickly, so...

I'm not sure how easy it is to find vacuum leaks, so we might have had to resort to charging it anyway. And it it is possible that the split happened later as the old hose gave up the fight against pressure.

Anyway, DeWayne can find things. And he knows Fords. So that's a really good place to go for me.

As for the spacer/adapter, it is Scotty's. And the injector bung plugs are just brass cups he sent with the adapter.

[kramttocs]

Personally I think it is wise to leave the vacuum on for quite a while to both check for leaks as well as boil off any stubborn moisture. But we were standing there and he probably felt a need to go quickly, so...

I'm not sure how easy it is to find vacuum leaks, so we might have had to resort to charging it anyway. And it it is possible that the split happened later as the old hose gave up the fight against pressure.

Anyway, DeWayne can find things. And he knows Fords. So that's a really good place to go for me.

As for the spacer/adapter, it is Scotty's. And the injector bung plugs are just brass cups he sent with the adapter.

Really glad to hear the A/C problems were found easily. Didn't even have to disturb your insulation

Enjoying the bumper build discussion.

[Gary Lewis]

Really glad to hear the A/C problems were found easily. Didn't even have to disturb your insulation

Enjoying the bumper build discussion.

Yes! I was worried about the insulation. This is an easy fix.

As for the bumper, you can also discuss it with the other Scott at the dinner.

Speaking of the bumper, I need to nail down the materials list. Hopefully I can do that today and get it off to him. And I'm going to go ahead and order the pivot and latch.

On the materials, I'm going to go with his suggestion of 3/16" walls. While that was before the gusset, as I think about it that heavy tire will still be trying to twist the lower arm since it is suspended ~8" aft and ~14" above the centerline of the lower swing arm.

Also I'm thinking about changing the lock-down bolt. RuffStuff STRONGLY recommends securing the arm for travel with a bolt, and as you can see below I have it on the left end of the swing arm with a spring that retracts it. But that ensures that water is going to get in that tube and I don't like that.

So I'm wondering about welding two pieces of angle on the end of the tube so the spring would be out in the open and there's no easy access to water. (I'll still have weep holes, but there's no need to put an entry point in on the top of the tube.)

Thoughts? Better ideas? (Disregard the weird joint on the top of the gusset. That just hasn't been changed - yet.)

[Machspeed]

Personally I think it is wise to leave the vacuum on for quite a while to both check for leaks as well as boil off any stubborn moisture. But we were standing there and he probably felt a need to go quickly, so...

I'm not sure how easy it is to find vacuum leaks, so we might have had to resort to charging it anyway. And it it is possible that the split happened later as the old hose gave up the fight against pressure.

Anyway, DeWayne can find things. And he knows Fords. So that's a really good place to go for me.

As for the spacer/adapter, it is Scotty's. And the injector bung plugs are just brass cups he sent with the adapter.

Glad the AC issue worked out for you. Did he use a sniffer to find those leaks?

[Gary Lewis]

Glad the AC issue worked out for you. Did he use a sniffer to find those leaks?

I don't know how he found it as I left the truck with them and walked around town putting up flyers. Put 36 up on that trip and then came back to the shop and they said they'd found the leaks but not how.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't know how he found it as I left the truck with them and walked around town putting up flyers. Put 36 up on that trip and then came back to the shop and they said they'd found the leaks but not how.

Looking back at some of the previous drawing I found the one below and it shows a t-handled bolt with one piece of angle and a spring. Something needs to keep the bolt from coming out, but the angle could be spaced up enough that a nut could be secured to the bolt under the angle. Leave just enough bolt protruding to thread into a nut welded to the bumper and tighten the nut on the bolt down against the nut on the bumper.

That way a tool isn't needed, but will that secure it tight enough?

And, is the spring-loaded pin a good idea? At least I'd have a safety if the bolt wasn't run down.

[Gary Lewis]

Looking back at some of the previous drawing I found the one below and it shows a t-handled bolt with one piece of angle and a spring. Something needs to keep the bolt from coming out, but the angle could be spaced up enough that a nut could be secured to the bolt under the angle. Leave just enough bolt protruding to thread into a nut welded to the bumper and tighten the nut on the bolt down against the nut on the bumper.

That way a tool isn't needed, but will that secure it tight enough?

And, is the spring-loaded pin a good idea? At least I'd have a safety if the bolt wasn't run down.

Well, Scott just showed up with some tow eyes. Think they'll be stout enough?

Bolted to the side of the frame and welded both to angle that's bolted to the bottom of the frame as well to the bumper, they should suffice.