WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[FordFETruck]

Back when the 460 first came out the HP and Torque were 365 HP @ 4600 rpm and 500 ft-lbs @ 2800 rpm. I had an intersting engine I was given, it was an ex-NASCAR 430 MEL. In stock form the 1958 version, which it was, had 375 HP @ 4600 rpm and 490 ft-lbs @ 3100 rpm.

The Super Marauder Mercury version had 3 2 barrel Holleys on it and was 400 HP @ 4800 rpm and 500 ft-lbs @ 3600 rpm if my information is correct. Since mine was .030 over, it was 436 ci, solid lifter cam of unknow specs. Normal 430 will idle around 450-500 rpm, this one, mine, any lower than 650 it would stumble off idle. Installed in a 1958 Country Squire with an early single coupling Hydra-Matic, 2.69:1 gear and driving 235/75R15 Michelin radials it would go about 1 car length then light the rear tires.

Something to be said about the 500 lb ft torque. The 445 stroker I built with my dad for his 64 galaxie is rated at 500HP 500TQ but honestly, I think it's more. That thing can go up a 6% grade in third gear with the GV overdrive engaged, 3 people in the car, some stuff in the trunk and the engine not even change tone from driving on flat ground maintaining the same throttle input all the way up the 2 mile long hill. Feels like it would tow my house up the hill.

[FordFETruck]

Something to be said about the 500 lb ft torque. The 445 stroker I built with my dad for his 64 galaxie is rated at 500HP 500TQ but honestly, I think it's more. That thing can go up a 6% grade in third gear with the GV overdrive engaged, 3 people in the car, some stuff in the trunk and the engine not even change tone from driving on flat ground maintaining the same throttle input all the way up the 2 mile long hill. Feels like it would tow my house up the hill.

Need to Q you all on steering boxes. 9 years ago I put a Redhead box in the truck and it has 20k miles on it. It's getting sloppy and I've never particularly been happy with it. It's always felt over cammed when adjusted so the slop was taken out and it's loose and drives bad when it doesn't feel over cammed. Anybody used the blue top boxes? Redhead is 5 miles away from me but not sure I want a other one.

[Gary Lewis]

Need to Q you all on steering boxes. 9 years ago I put a Redhead box in the truck and it has 20k miles on it. It's getting sloppy and I've never particularly been happy with it. It's always felt over cammed when adjusted so the slop was taken out and it's loose and drives bad when it doesn't feel over cammed. Anybody used the blue top boxes? Redhead is 5 miles away from me but not sure I want a other one.

I have a Blue Top on Big Blue, and love it. It made a huge improvement in the steering, and that was over a high-dollar box from Summit the PO put on in 2012. It cost $300 back then and was never "right". The Blue Top fixed it and for less money.

[FordFETruck]

I have a Blue Top on Big Blue, and love it. It made a huge improvement in the steering, and that was over a high-dollar box from Summit the PO put on in 2012. It cost $300 back then and was never "right". The Blue Top fixed it and for less money.

Yeah I think something has never been quite right with this red head box. It was a night and day improvement compared to the totally worn out box it replaced but even the old one didn't have the over cammed feeling when over adjusted like this one does. I seriously wonder if it part of the steering return to center issue. It's definitely worse after adjusting the box today and the slack didn't adjust out any at all either.

[mat in tn]

Yeah I think something has never been quite right with this red head box. It was a night and day improvement compared to the totally worn out box it replaced but even the old one didn't have the over cammed feeling when over adjusted like this one does. I seriously wonder if it part of the steering return to center issue. It's definitely worse after adjusting the box today and the slack didn't adjust out any at all either.

I'm surprised that it was necessary to adjust it. when adjusting these, a little goes a long way. once overtightened it is possible to relax it, yet you cannot "pull "it back. all that you can do is back off the center bolt load screw and drive it and give the gear a chance to push it back from tension. if this works stop adjusting it.

[FordFETruck]

I'm surprised that it was necessary to adjust it. when adjusting these, a little goes a long way. once overtightened it is possible to relax it, yet you cannot "pull "it back. all that you can do is back off the center bolt load screw and drive it and give the gear a chance to push it back from tension. if this works stop adjusting it.

This box was slightly over adjusted when new. I've had to adjust this box a few times over the years. I don't think I got a very good one. before I've only had to go 1/8 turn or so before I hit any resistance and that is the telltale sign to STOP turning the adjustment screw but this time it was almost 1/2 turn and the slop still feels the same but the steering return to center got slightly worse.I think it's time for a better steering gear.

[mat in tn]

This box was slightly over adjusted when new. I've had to adjust this box a few times over the years. I don't think I got a very good one. before I've only had to go 1/8 turn or so before I hit any resistance and that is the telltale sign to STOP turning the adjustment screw but this time it was almost 1/2 turn and the slop still feels the same but the steering return to center got slightly worse.I think it's time for a better steering gear.

return to center getting worse is a telltale sign of an overtightened gear. certainly, prove the rest of the steering system before doing any more withe the gear. especially if you have oversized tires at all.

[Ifitaintbroke]

Back when the 460 first came out the HP and Torque were 365 HP @ 4600 rpm and 500 ft-lbs @ 2800 rpm. I had an intersting engine I was given, it was an ex-NASCAR 430 MEL. In stock form the 1958 version, which it was, had 375 HP @ 4600 rpm and 490 ft-lbs @ 3100 rpm.

The Super Marauder Mercury version had 3 2 barrel Holleys on it and was 400 HP @ 4800 rpm and 500 ft-lbs @ 3600 rpm if my information is correct. Since mine was .030 over, it was 436 ci, solid lifter cam of unknow specs. Normal 430 will idle around 450-500 rpm, this one, mine, any lower than 650 it would stumble off idle. Installed in a 1958 Country Squire with an early single coupling Hydra-Matic, 2.69:1 gear and driving 235/75R15 Michelin radials it would go about 1 car length then light the rear tires.

Bill, I would WALK to your place and snatch that MEL if you still had it. They are such a unique and fascinating powerplant. I do happen to know where a 462 is that I can aquire if I want.

[FordFETruck]

return to center getting worse is a telltale sign of an overtightened gear. certainly, prove the rest of the steering system before doing any more withe the gear. especially if you have oversized tires at all.

Yes but it's still not what I would call overtightened for a box that's worth a damn. I've rebuilt everything on the front end and everything steers effortlessly when the truck is on turn plates with the engine off and nothing is binding. It needs the I beams bent which is happening in a few weeks but I think that box is somewhat to blame also.

[Gary Lewis]

As for what I did, I drove Big Blue about 300 miles to Hinton, OK. Reported on it here: https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Big-Blue-s-Sugar-Creek-Loop-Trip-tp151934.html

But this was a good shakedown cruise in prep for the Moab trip. Found a few things that I need to look into, including that the Sony stereo forgets my iPhone but not Janey’s. This one has me baffled, so if anyone has an idea please let me know.

On the return trip from Hinton we stopped at the outlet malls in OKC and I had some time on my hands so I made some calls.

• AFR Meter: The first was to AEM, the ones who make the AFR gauge I have. After explaining the situation the guy said he thinks the O2 sensor just needs to be calibrated, that they need to be calibrated about every three months. But that if I've been running this one a year then it may be time to replace it as they don't last very long.

  So I'll go through the calibration process, but I doubt that will do it as I'm getting the same symptoms this time as last and it took replacement then. So that sent me researching the situation and I found this article: Why Bosch LSU wide-band air/fuel ratio (or Lambda) sensors fail so often in aftermarket performance applications. And one thing that says is "If using a stand-alone controller without an engine speed input, never let your controller heat the sensor prior to starting the engine. One way to guarantee this is to power the controller off of its own relay which is not turned on until after the engine is started." I'm thinking this may well be part of the problem as my AEM unit comes on in either Run or Accessory, so I've probably turned the key on for a while before starting the engine, which has a hot sensor getting hit by cold condensation.

  Given that I'm thinking I'll replace the sensor if needed, but be very careful NOT to let it heat before starting the engine. But if it fails again I'll put a relay in the circuit controlled by the oil pressure switch.

• Sony: The next call was to Crutchfield as I was sure I'd purchased the Sony DSX-GS80 stereo from them. As it turns out I purchased it elsewhere but they gave me good customer support anyway. And their recommendation was to do a system reset and test it to see if it holds radio presents and Bluetooth pairings. I did the reset and re-paired my phone and it then immediately forgot the phone when I turned the key off. So I need to try the radio preset trick, but if it fails then they said I need to make sure the keep-alive voltage isn't going away when I turn the key off.