Tremclad,

At $37 I wonder if that's only the pushrod....

But just a word about the pushrod.

It is held in place with a kind of spring clip.
You do not want to remove the piston from the master cylinder, you might destroy the seal.

IIRC I used a piece of brass tubing that I had slit up the side to free the rod from the M/C and the new one 'snapped' into place.

Hope this information is accurate, as I said it's been years.....

 

I doubt your local dealer gives a discount on FoMoCo parts, most dealers today jack up the Ford suggested retail prices. In some cases...waaaay up!

ftepartsguy.com gives a discount to all FTE members...from the actual Ford suggested retail price.

Yes, you have to pay the shipping, but I wonder how much your local dealer woulda charged you for those parts?!

Take that into consideration.

Something else to consider, most parts personnel today are computer savvy, but aren't real parts ppl anymore.

All the newer vehicles use VIN numbers for parts info, the older stuff doesn't.

So, all the parts ppl have to do today is type the VIN into the 'puter, the part numbers come right up.

That does NOT work on older Fords, so some actual WORK is required to look up part numbers, so many parts personnel today (if you can call them that :-( ) could care less, and don't wanna bother.

Sad, but true!

 

Yes, (sadly) it is.

The basic Ford p/n for the clutch m/cylinder is: 7A543 / the pushrod is: 7641.

E3TZ-7A543-A (e3tz7a543a) .. Clutch M/Cylinder

Ford suggested retail price: $129.59 / ftepartsguy.com price = $97.97

 

Funny you mentioned that about the VIN code not working on old trucks because that is the first thing the parts guy I called locally wanted to know.

 

Sad, ain't it...

I was a Ford partsman for 35 years. I saw this chit coming in the 1980's, and knew what the outcome would be.

Dealers would have to hire computer certified techs, and that would leave us old pharts out in the cold...we either had to learn the system, or....

So...here's what you have today...a few 'puter savvy old pharts who have been around for decades, or mostly new hires, most of which can't tell an older Ford from a CHEVROLET!!

Since no real effort is needed today to come up newer part numbers, and the new hires don't know diddly squat about older Fords, now you know why I have 13,500 + posts on FTE in 17 months.

Ppl need parts for these older vehicles, and get little or no help from the dealers.

Their usual excuse: "Sorry, all the parts are obsolete."

Uh huh...how do they know that without lookin' in the books? How many really know how? How many give a chit?

The passion is gone, most are there today only for a paycheck, and little else.

Rant concluded...for now!

 

Well said- Bravo- Good show. No really, that's why it is rare for me to even set foot in a stealership anymore.

 

I know it's been a long time past to ressurect this, but I was a bit waylaid with switching jobs and getting married and silly things like that. Right now, the Ford is sitting in my driveway most of the way apart to install this Firewall Repair kit, but the step that has me stuck is the remove steering column part. I have no idea how to do that and my Haynes manual doesn't tell me either. How do I separate the steering column so I can mount the firewall repair kit on the inside of the firewall? Please help me be productive tomorrow! Here's some pics for reference.

 

What I've done in the junkyard is remove those two bolts (in your second pic) holding the
column up to the dash, then the column can be lowered. Of course, this was in a junkyard
and I didn't care if I broke anything so I'd suggest seeing what others have to say. But I
have to wonder if merely lowering it a bit would give you the required access. I'd guess you
could take apart what is known as a "rag joint" but, looking at your third pic, that's different
than I'm used to seeing so I don't know without seeing it up close. Others will chime in....

-ct

 

Steve,

Congratulations on your wedding!
And still being employed.....

Golly!
Mine didn't come with any instructions so I didn't remove anything but the clutch M/C and the column flange @ the firewall.
I could see perhaps unbolting the column bracket and dropping it for better access.

(but then that wouldn't have left me any room to lie on my back in the foot well and drop hot drill turnings in my face)

I have an early '87 with the new body style so I can't say absolutely, but..

The steering shaft has a slip joint right under the breather hose in your 3rd photo.
Removing the 2 bolts and the aluminum bracket shown in the second photo will allow the column to drop free of the of the diecast pedal pivot support.
Disconnect the battery before you pry apart the plugs going to the ignition switch and horn/turnsignals. That stuff is always hot.
I'm sorry but I can't help you with the disassembly of the lower dash on the older truck as I've never owned one.

 

Disconnect the 15mm bolt on the slip joint, two large bolts that hold column to aluminum housing under dash, and then remove about 5-6 10mm bolts that hold the steering column flange to the firewall.

 

So I guess I have all the bolts removed that you are all mentioning. The column has to come apart because the firewall repair kit I have is a big plate with a matched opening for the steering column to pass thru. I'll double check that I have everything unfastened and just start yanking. Worst case scenario I damage the column, which only means more money, but new, shiny parts. :O

 

Update: I got the slipjoint which was unfastened to finally let go with a fair bit of hammering persuasion. Then I was fitting the repair plates and making progress when it started to rain and I mean rain, so I packed up and waited out the rain. It cleared up, I got started again and got a bit more done before another thunderstorm moved in and I packed it up again. I think the weather just wants the truck to sit and rust.

 

clutch master cyl reinforcement bracket for moderately damaged firewall

E3TZ7K509A

For severely damaged firewall use

E3TZ7K509B

Ed

 

I don't see the "severe" damage....

Steve, can you post a pic of this thing?

 

I think mine is the severe damage kit. It has a 1/8" plate that mounts on the inner firewall and surrounds the brake booster, clutch master cylinder and steering column. It then has 3 other smaller plates that, after drilling some matching holes, bolt through various parts of the firewall and cowl to reinforce everything. When I called Ed and explained what my truck was doing, this was the one he told me to get.