I have named my old F4 Stanley, after the late former owner. I didn't know him personally, but I know his son. I believe Stanley must have been a tough old dairy farmer, because he sure whipped my *** on Saturday.
I thought I should start getting the truck ready for the new rims and tires that Stu has coming my way, so I went about loosening the lug nuts. I had been soaking them in PBB since I brought the truck here at the end of June. I first broke my 1/2 drive ratchet. Then I broke a 1/2 drive breaker bar (both were Craftsman fortunately). During a trip to Sears to swap out the damaged goods, I bought a 3/4 breaker bar. A 4" pipe extension on the breaker bar was just enough to break loose the fronts, usually with my 190# jumping on it. Each one put me on the grass with force when it gave up. I had to break out a 10 foot piece of 2 x 2 x 1/8" square tubing for the rears- they were not impressed with the shorter pipe. Even with all that leverage, most of the ten took a fair amount of persuasion, and several sent me to the ground when they let go. I haven't had a good whoopin for a while, so it was a reflective way to start a Saturday evening.
I still need to get the inner wheel nuts off. Can't wait. I went ahead and put the truck on blocks so I could work my way to the wheel cylinders. I thought I'd be able to lock the tranny in gear and apply the brake the work on the inner wheel nuts, but I noticed the wheels move regardless of whether its in gear or not. This is new to me. So, I suppose I'll have to lower the rear back down to keep the wheels from spinning to get those inner nuts out.

A question to the guys that are using the CD truck manuals, do you find that the part numbers are useful for a supplier to obtain the correct part such as wheel cylinders and master cylinders? I have the manual and just wondered if I could take the number from the manual to NAPA to match it up in the hopes of getting the right part the first time.

Sorry for the boring whoop-a$$ story.

 

This is why they sell Chicago Pneumatic 1" drive guns. I played the game you described for a lot of years too, then met my match on a D70, with its wheels, that had already been pulled from the truck. There was no way to anchor the thing to keep it from rolling around. The big gun made short work of it.

I highly recommend the Chassis Catalog, whether cd version or paper. I like the old original 1/52 and 1/54 books because I can lay one on the bench next to me. The cd I'll guess will be the 1964 edition which is good too, but doesn't show all the parts listed in the originals. An advantage to it is that you will get any part number revisions. I've had good success getting simple stuff at Napa, but go to Chuck or Parts Voice for the serious stuff. Stu

 

i feel your pain on the wheel removal. i parted out a 57 f500 and i would have never gotten the wheels off without borrowing a HUGE 1in air impact, got it from my buddy Mars who had his own trucking company up till a couple years ago. its good to have friends that have bigger tools than you have yourself. on a side note, Mars is an old timer and he really gets a kick out of me dragging these old trucks home. my 52 f6 is at his place and sits at the end of his garden, his wife said it fits right in on the farm.

 

I might look into a larger impact gun. They are pricey, but they can save the old bones.
I have the manual on CD, just wondered if the part numbers are useful in cross-referencing the correct part at NAPA, etc.

 

I had no luck finding wheel cylinders with the part numbers, except from Chuck at Chuck's Trucks. His pricing was about that of NAPA's for the same wheel cylinders. I bought my fronts and rears from Chuck.

Chucks Trucks LLC., Ford Truck Parts and Restoration

The rears are NAPA UP4511. I can't find my reference for the NAPA front cylinders.

 

Job Lot in NY sell brand new wheel cylinders and MC and the three hoses, the last I heard I think they were in the $300 range.

 

Man, you ain't lived until you and a strong buddy who grew up working on Cat diesels wear yourselves plumb out of umph and then double-check to see that some Fargin sunuma-bastage had put a left-hand thread stud and nuts on the right side. Two of us standing on a 10' pipe and we were just tightening that son of a gun. We're both big boys and we both gave it all that we had. I'll tell you what, those suckers are sure strong.
Once we looked and saw the "L" on the stud, it was a whole lot easier!
Never again. Some of the threads were pretty worn out from impact use. I went that week and ordered a whole new set of studs and nuts. Next time I go in there, it's new hardware all around.
BTW: are those widow makers?

 

That's right. Job Lot also had the cylinders. But Chuck got back to me first, so I bought from him.

 

Chuck has a partnership with Job Lot, so if he doesn't have a part he can get it from them. He then sells at their rates. And you get his expert counsel in the process. Stu

 

These stories are never boring, just lets the rest of us know we have company with some of the difficult (and dumb) things we do. Surprised you didn't break off a stud. My 56 had one of the lefthand studs broken when I got it, and we know how that probably happened. Not all of mine have the L and I think I have some back ones on the front as my stud lengths are different, gives me something else to look for when I visit the old salvage yards.
Just think about this, wherever he is, ol' Stanley was probably rooting for you and then laughing his *** off.
btw beautiful patina on the F-4

 

Sometimes before a tough job like that, I like to limber up by running as fast as I can and then throw myself on the gravel driveway and skid to a stop....it helps make the rest of the job less painful! LOL!!
It warms my heart that others throw themselves on the ground as well.....all in the name of fun! Just remember to stay safe, it's all fun and games until the blood starts flowing.
Keep at it, you'll get it!
w

 

I'm gonna have to try the gravel driveway skid real soon, I feel sure.

I made a bit more progress this evening by removing the two outer rears. Now I have a few questions: What do you do when the inner stud and the outer nut come off together?
Is there a technical name for the inner one rather than inner stud? Are these a part that is available, maybe at a truck shop? Looks like I might need two of them.
I found a couple of wheel nut tools in the tool tray in the truck that look like one might put a strong rod through them and use them to remove the lug nuts. On one end of each is the square drive for the inner studs. Is there another driver that I could find that can be used with a breaker bar?

 

The inner nut is called an "inner cap nut". They are sometimes called "thimbles". They are standard parts that can be purchased or ordered from auto parts stores, big truck service places, ag dealers, etc. Specialty wheel tool companies sell square end sockets which can commonly be found used on eBay. A 23 mm socket will fit too, but don't trust them to not break under the kind of loads you will be exerting. The ones that stayed on the widow maker could most logically just be replaced. A gas wrench might be in order on the remaining thimbles. Stu

 

The inner nuts are also referred to as "barrel nuts". Any place that has big truck parts should have them, they are still fairly common. Hopefully you won't break one, that's when the fun REALLY starts!

When the inner and outer nut come off together you need a tool called a "pork chop". Find a commercial tire dealer near you, they will have one, as well as a 1 inch impact. Shouldn't take more than a couple of seconds to get those off...