1980 F350 4X4 C6 Project

[Atlas75]

I took another look at the tires and I found the number 9305. So that means these were made in the 5th week of 1993? Yikes!

Are you sure the 9 isn't a 4? The older date codes pre-2000 usually only had three digits identifying the week and year of the decade, but not which decade. Yours seems to be post 2000, so the first two digits would be the week, and the last two the year. So in your example assuming the 9 is actually a 4, your tires would be from the 43rd week of 2005.

There is a company called Power King that is still making classic style commercial light truck tires in the old sizes for agricultural use, but I've seen them thrown on these old trucks quite often recently. So I doubt your tires are THAT old.

I thought that Power King name sounded familiar!

And here is the number.

Funny story...while investigating the vibration issues it was suggested to remove the rear tires and spin the rear driveline up to the speeds that were causing the vibration and see if it was reduced with the tires removed. I did as suggested and there was a significant reduction in vibration. Upon further inspection I noticed there were no balancing weights on any of the tires!

I decided to take the rear pair into the shop to get them balanced. The tire guy told me the balancing machine was just about jumping off the ground but he did manage to make them better. Not perfect, but better. He said they were really bad. I think I know where a significant portion of my vibration was/is coming from!

[Gary Lewis]

I thought that Power King name sounded familiar!

And here is the number.

Funny story...while investigating the vibration issues it was suggested to remove the rear tires and spin the rear driveline up to the speeds that were causing the vibration and see if it was reduced with the tires removed. I did as suggested and there was a significant reduction in vibration. Upon further inspection I noticed there were no balancing weights on any of the tires!

I decided to take the rear pair into the shop to get them balanced. The tire guy told me the balancing machine was just about jumping off the ground but he did manage to make them better. Not perfect, but better. He said they were really bad. I think I know where a significant portion of my vibration was/is coming from!

I think you are peeling this onion pretty quickly. Yep, aftermarket fuel tank and switch. Yep, old tires way out of balance. What's next?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Before you asked this question I would have said the truck did not have dual tanks because there was no switch next to the heater control. However, upon further inspection I think maybe it did. I found this under the steering column. I assume there was a switch in the hole at one time. Is this possibly an aftermarket system? The mid tank is the only one I have and there is a special bumper/hitch that has been installed. Maybe the rear tank was removed to make room for the hitch??

I don't think I've ever seen a 350 with only a midship tank.

What did the tire shop have to say about the age or condition of your tires?

I honestly can imagine having tires mounted and not balancing them.

[Atlas75]

I don't think I've ever seen a 350 with only a midship tank.

What did the tire shop have to say about the age or condition of your tires?

I honestly can imagine having tires mounted and not balancing them.

Honestly…when they first saw the tires they gave me a look of horror!

They said they were old and in rough shape, which I suspected. What I didn’t realize is that they would contribute that much to the vibration issues.

[Atlas75]

I wouldn't pull the line. Instead I'd pull the bleeder screw and put PTFE paste on its threads and put it back on. That will seal the threads.

Well I have an update on the brake bleeding. I finally did get the passenger rear to flow fluid nicely with no bubbles. So I continued with the sequence until I came to the drivers front (yes…the last one). I thought it had bled nicely last time I went around. This time I had good fluid flow but I also had lots of bubbles. I only cracked the bleeder screw an 1/8 of a turn or so. LOTS of bubbles! I pulled the bleeder screw and sealed the threads very carefully. Put it back in and tried again. Still LOTS of bubbles and now the bleeder screw doesn’t seem to be seating correctly as I still get a dribble with the screw tightened. I’m going to remove the bleeder screw again and wipe everything down really good and try once more.

I’m just thinking about how many bubbles there were. I can’t see how that much air could be coming in past the threads on the bleeder. Could it be sneaking in past a caliper seal?

[Gary Lewis]

Well I have an update on the brake bleeding. I finally did get the passenger rear to flow fluid nicely with no bubbles. So I continued with the sequence until I came to the drivers front (yes…the last one). I thought it had bled nicely last time I went around. This time I had good fluid flow but I also had lots of bubbles. I only cracked the bleeder screw an 1/8 of a turn or so. LOTS of bubbles! I pulled the bleeder screw and sealed the threads very carefully. Put it back in and tried again. Still LOTS of bubbles and now the bleeder screw doesn’t seem to be seating correctly as I still get a dribble with the screw tightened. I’m going to remove the bleeder screw again and wipe everything down really good and try once more.

I’m just thinking about how many bubbles there were. I can’t see how that much air could be coming in past the threads on the bleeder. Could it be sneaking in past a caliper seal?

I sure hope air isn't getting past a caliper seal. If so I think it would leak profusely when the pressure hit it during braking. But I'm at a loss as to where you are getting all the bubbles.

However, when you pull the bleeder screw you are probably letting air into the system, so it will take a bit to get it out. It may not be a lot of air, but some.

So I'd give it another try.

[oldmansimek]

I sure hope air isn't getting past a caliper seal. If so I think it would leak profusely when the pressure hit it during braking. But I'm at a loss as to where you are getting all the bubbles.

However, when you pull the bleeder screw you are probably letting air into the system, so it will take a bit to get it out. It may not be a lot of air, but some.

So I'd give it another try.

See if there is another set of numbers somewhere on the tire maybe inside of a small oval and either 12 or 8 characters. Those tires are made in USA by power king which went out of business (in the USA) I think in the 80's, none of this really helps you with the fact that you need tires anyway but I am just curious.

[Atlas75]

See if there is another set of numbers somewhere on the tire maybe inside of a small oval and either 12 or 8 characters. Those tires are made in USA by power king which went out of business (in the USA) I think in the 80's, none of this really helps you with the fact that you need tires anyway but I am just curious.

I spent a good portion of the day wrestling the driveshaft out from under the truck. Everything went well on the transfer case end but the rear axel end fought back. The 4 nuts all came loose rather easily but the U-bolts would not come out of the yoke. I sprayed them with PB Blaster and I heated them with a torch but still they would not budge. I finally ended up cutting them with a sawzall, removing the driveshaft, and driving them out with a punch. I’m glad the 90 degree day was accompanied by a decent breeze! Anyway, here are a few photos of the event.

Also discovered I have a Borg Warner transfer case. I saw the name in the casting. I haven’t scraped the grease off the tag to get the model yet. I also noticed it has or had quite a leak. I wonder how much fluid is in it? Perhaps we’ll crack open the fill plug in the near future.

Both U-joints say “Spicer Can” on them. What are the chances they are original?

And here it is out on the driveway with the cups soaking in PB Blaster. I was able to remove all 4 retaining clips so that is a good sign. I received new U-joints from Rock Auto so hopefully tomorrow I can rent a press and swap them out. As far as condition of the current joints…the one at the transfer case was in better shape. The one at the rear axel is very hard to move in one direction. Hopefully tomorrow I can show the driveshaft re-installed.

[Gary Lewis]

I spent a good portion of the day wrestling the driveshaft out from under the truck. Everything went well on the transfer case end but the rear axel end fought back. The 4 nuts all came loose rather easily but the U-bolts would not come out of the yoke. I sprayed them with PB Blaster and I heated them with a torch but still they would not budge. I finally ended up cutting them with a sawzall, removing the driveshaft, and driving them out with a punch. I’m glad the 90 degree day was accompanied by a decent breeze! Anyway, here are a few photos of the event.

Also discovered I have a Borg Warner transfer case. I saw the name in the casting. I haven’t scraped the grease off the tag to get the model yet. I also noticed it has or had quite a leak. I wonder how much fluid is in it? Perhaps we’ll crack open the fill plug in the near future.

Both U-joints say “Spicer Can” on them. What are the chances they are original?

And here it is out on the driveway with the cups soaking in PB Blaster. I was able to remove all 4 retaining clips so that is a good sign. I received new U-joints from Rock Auto so hopefully tomorrow I can rent a press and swap them out. As far as condition of the current joints…the one at the transfer case was in better shape. The one at the rear axel is very hard to move in one direction. Hopefully tomorrow I can show the driveshaft re-installed.

I've never seen the u-bolts that stubborn. But those are surely the original u-joints, so the bolts have been in there a looooooong time. Glad you got them out.

The new one should make a big difference.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I spent a good portion of the day wrestling the driveshaft out from under the truck. Everything went well on the transfer case end but the rear axel end fought back. The 4 nuts all came loose rather easily but the U-bolts would not come out of the yoke. I sprayed them with PB Blaster and I heated them with a torch but still they would not budge. I finally ended up cutting them with a sawzall, removing the driveshaft, and driving them out with a punch. I’m glad the 90 degree day was accompanied by a decent breeze! Anyway, here are a few photos of the event.

Also discovered I have a Borg Warner transfer case. I saw the name in the casting. I haven’t scraped the grease off the tag to get the model yet. I also noticed it has or had quite a leak. I wonder how much fluid is in it? Perhaps we’ll crack open the fill plug in the near future.

Both U-joints say “Spicer Can” on them. What are the chances they are original?

And here it is out on the driveway with the cups soaking in PB Blaster. I was able to remove all 4 retaining clips so that is a good sign. I received new U-joints from Rock Auto so hopefully tomorrow I can rent a press and swap them out. As far as condition of the current joints…the one at the transfer case was in better shape. The one at the rear axel is very hard to move in one direction. Hopefully tomorrow I can show the driveshaft re-installed.

Pretty awesome that those U-joints have made it 40 years!

You must have a BW 1345.

They are aluminum cased.

The 1356 wasn't introduced until much later.