Diary of a Restore (Thread)

[Gary Lewis]

81-150:

This makes perfect sense to me—not the tire guys.

The ones I bought say 80--265/75 R16. The big ones 305/70 r16 that were on it say 50.

I think 80 is WAY too high for my truck as I am not carrying loads for the most part, but that is just a hunch and not based on any facts/math/etc.

And also, thanks Gary. Both of you have convinced me. I am going to play around with the pressure.

I think some place between 50 and 60 psi might be closer than 80.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I think some place between 50 and 60 psi might be closer than 80.

I agree with Gary, if you don't have any weight in the truck you're going to want to be somewhere in the '50's

Tires with high aspect ratios and carcass plies need a good amount of pressure to keep from feeling squirrelly and flexing the sidewalls enough to heat the rubber.

A truck is never going to ride as compliant as a car but there's no reason for pressure to be at the limit without a big load.

[reamer]

I already did! 😁

You can see 'assignments' at the top of any page in this thread.

"Priority 3, normal"

You're basically sending them a request to participate.

Hopefully Ron has some good news for anyone that wants/needs these dash patches, because quite a few members have reached out, unsuccessfully.

I'm not sure if it is still in the Shapeways library.

Perhaps I can go back to FTE and dig up the thread.

Edit: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1359252-dash-speaker-hole-area-repair-plate-finished.html

And: https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/#nabble-td30179

Hi All

Been busy traveling and Fire dept. stuff, Ill be working on the file Gary made me years ago. The new Slicing software should help "get it right" I do have two made years ago and when I gat home, Ill stick them on the dash for testing in the sun......

 

[AmericanSavage]

Hi All

Been busy traveling and Fire dept. stuff, Ill be working on the file Gary made me years ago. The new Slicing software should help "get it right" I do have two made years ago and when I gat home, Ill stick them on the dash for testing in the sun......

Hi Reamer!

I am interested! If you want to chat on phone, Gary has all my phone contact info!

[Powerman5K]

Hi All

Been busy traveling and Fire dept. stuff, Ill be working on the file Gary made me years ago. The new Slicing software should help "get it right" I do have two made years ago and when I gat home, Ill stick them on the dash for testing in the sun......

Be sure to use high temp filament. I used PLA for my phone holder and it deformed in the hot sun. My phone phone holder was probably thicker than your grill. I'd try ABS or PETG. Maybe even Nylon. My guess is all will sag over time though.

[AmericanSavage]

You caught the bit about "the right tires and wheels".

Told Rick about your purchase and the tires/wheels on it and he immediately knew what that does to the handling. When he bought the FJ he has it wasn't handling correctly. He brought it down and let me drive it and I recognized the nibbling and darting that oversized tires give you. So he dropped down two sizes on tires and it cured the problem.

However, you can sometimes help the problem by changing tire pressures. We had a brand new Chevy Citation in 1980 that came from the factory with wider than normal tires. On a trip to Denver in December of '80 (very special trip) that thing didn't want to stay in the ruts on I-70. It just kept trying to climb out of the ruts. So I started adjusting the tire pressures and found that I had to run 40 psi when the owner's manual said 35 to get the thing to track properly. Otherwise the edges of the tires followed every little groove in the highway.

These Tires are 80 psi (as the spec on the sidewall)—I think that is too much. But it seems tires are more inflated than they were? What changed?

Cracked Dash Prep

I have been shopping for paint and prep system needed for this project, including texture and primer for the repair. I have settled on SEM for it all.

The question is what filler? Of course it could also be wrapped, but I am not going to do that. As you can see from the pic, I have two small cracks, and the rest is fairly decent shape. So, there are options.

1) bondo—however, when bondo dries it cracks—this is not good for cold. When it heats up I am unsure if it allows flexibility.

2) polyvance: this requires welding in plastic and then filling with their dash bondo which is flexible in all conditions.

3) combo short hair bondo/Polyvance filler.

I will go with 2 or 3. Option 2 requires use of their plastic iron system which is $100. 3 is the cheapest, but I do not know if the underlay short glass will be enough flexibility. So longevity might be an issue.

So I am undecided.

Then I have the grille problem. I am not sure how to solve this issue absent Reamer. But I am looking.

In the process I will be doing all the interior plastic sanding and using minimal filler for one platic piece behind the seat as it cracked. Fiberglass and resin will be used to reinforce, then small filler.

While I am here I am also going to test that temp gaugue that is broken. Or the dash printed circuit. I need to lookup how to test these gauges. I believe you can from the battery, one post to the hot and one to ground?????

Then the seat and the headliner. I am set on what I am going to get. Full cloth. Probably get the foam repair kit from LMC just in case I need it.

[Gary Lewis]

Cracked Dash Prep

I have been shopping for paint and prep system needed for this project, including texture and primer for the repair. I have settled on SEM for it all.

The question is what filler? Of course it could also be wrapped, but I am not going to do that. As you can see from the pic, I have two small cracks, and the rest is fairly decent shape. So, there are options.

1) bondo—however, when bondo dries it cracks—this is not good for cold. When it heats up I am unsure if it allows flexibility.

2) polyvance: this requires welding in plastic and then filling with their dash bondo which is flexible in all conditions.

3) combo short hair bondo/Polyvance filler.

I will go with 2 or 3. Option 2 requires use of their plastic iron system which is $100. 3 is the cheapest, but I do not know if the underlay short glass will be enough flexibility. So longevity might be an issue.

So I am undecided.

Then I have the grille problem. I am not sure how to solve this issue absent Reamer. But I am looking.

In the process I will be doing all the interior plastic sanding and using minimal filler for one platic piece behind the seat as it cracked. Fiberglass and resin will be used to reinforce, then small filler.

While I am here I am also going to test that temp gaugue that is broken. Or the dash printed circuit. I need to lookup how to test these gauges. I believe you can from the battery, one post to the hot and one to ground?????

Then the seat and the headliner. I am set on what I am going to get. Full cloth. Probably get the foam repair kit from LMC just in case I need it.

Following. But I'd go with something as flexible as possible 'cause there is a lot of flex in the dash pads.

And hopefully Reamer will confirm his patch will hold up to the heat.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Cracked Dash Prep

I have been shopping for paint and prep system needed for this project, including texture and primer for the repair. I have settled on SEM for it all.

The question is what filler? Of course it could also be wrapped, but I am not going to do that. As you can see from the pic, I have two small cracks, and the rest is fairly decent shape. So, there are options.

1) bondo—however, when bondo dries it cracks—this is not good for cold. When it heats up I am unsure if it allows flexibility.

2) polyvance: this requires welding in plastic and then filling with their dash bondo which is flexible in all conditions.

3) combo short hair bondo/Polyvance filler.

I will go with 2 or 3. Option 2 requires use of their plastic iron system which is $100. 3 is the cheapest, but I do not know if the underlay short glass will be enough flexibility. So longevity might be an issue.

So I am undecided.

Then I have the grille problem. I am not sure how to solve this issue absent Reamer. But I am looking.

In the process I will be doing all the interior plastic sanding and using minimal filler for one platic piece behind the seat as it cracked. Fiberglass and resin will be used to reinforce, then small filler.

While I am here I am also going to test that temp gaugue that is broken. Or the dash printed circuit. I need to lookup how to test these gauges. I believe you can from the battery, one post to the hot and one to ground?????

Then the seat and the headliner. I am set on what I am going to get. Full cloth. Probably get the foam repair kit from LMC just in case I need it.

Do NOT connect any stock gauge to *12V*

They work on the 5.5V instrument cluster voltage regulator heating a resistor wire spring that loses tension as it heats up.

If you want to test the instrument ground the sender wire and momentarily turn the key to 'run'.

Depending on how many dash cracks you have you might consider some dashboard filler that comes in one of those dual piston syringes or some flex filler used for bumper fascias.

This stuff bonds like crazy to whatever vinyl or urethane the automakers use outside the car. I don't see why it wouldn't be fine on a dash pad.

Ron seems to have an update on the speaker bezel.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Finally-finished-Dash-Patch-td137381.html

For whatever reason he always starts a new thread instead of following up on previous posts.

There doesn't seem to be any information on how to actually place an order or transfer funds...

[AmericanSavage]

So someone is selling this for 245, and 45 shipping. Not sure if it is a good deal, but wanted to throw it out there. Apparently, everything works, but the only thing I really want is the tach. Problem is this is for a Diesel yes? Since it only goes to 4000. And that tach looks stuck.

 

[81-F150-Explorer]

So someone is selling this for 245, and 45 shipping. Not sure if it is a good deal, but wanted to throw it out there. Apparently, everything works, but the only thing I really want is the tach. Problem is this is for a Diesel yes? Since it only goes to 4000. And that tach looks stuck.

That cluster is for a circa 1992-1999 F-series medium duty truck. F-600/FT-900 etc...

The Cluster plastic surround piece should work for our trucks as well as the lens piece for non-trip odometer.

The speedometer is electronic, and will not work with our trucks. (or at least without serious modification)

The gauges (Oil Temp Fuel Charge) are the same as ours.

The tach might be for a gas truck, as the F-600-up has different values to the tach. (I cannot tell from the picture which though).

During this era, the fuel used would be printed on the tach itself below the RPM mark.