I've noticed a lot of questions posted that can easily be answered in a shop manual. It's not like I don't like talking trucks with anyone, just ask my wife. I also helping out whenever I can. It's just that I can't see how anyone can expect to do any work on these old trucks without a shop manual. They are invaluable for the information they contain. They have 99% of all the information you need like fluid capacities, torque specs and disassembly and assembly instructions. They're easy to find, almost any place that sells reproduction parts sell reproduction shop manuals. Reproduction, and original manuals, also show up on eBay on a regular basis. New manuals are cheap, around $35-40, they're worth every penny, IMO. On eBay I have seen original manuals go for as low as $15. I have manuals, one I keep by my computer in the shop to scan and post pictures here, one in my house that I keep clean and one in my garage that's kind of beat up and dirty from using while working on my trucks.

I would strongly suggest the first purchase you make after buying your truck is a shop manual. You will not regret it.

 

I agree, I could not have finished my 53 without one. I just saw on at a local flea market this past weekend, like new for $55.00. I came very close to buying it, but I have one already. Joe

 

Oh, common Bob. Next thing ya know, you'll want us to READ the damned thing.
It's just easier to type dum questions over here then hang out til someone answers it!slim

 

I got the chassis service manual, as I needed pics of the body, etc, but the ones I've found don't seem to cover the '48 - '52 well... is this information in the Factory Service Manual?

I'm looking for pics like in the LMC Truck catalog - exploded drawings, etc.

~Jason

 

Mine is the '49-50-51 Ford F-series Trucks. It's RED.

I'm pretty sure they are there for later models, as well...slim

 

The 48-51 Shop Manual later had a 52 Suppliment. I have an original manual that doesn't have it but the reprints do.

Also Invaluable is the 48-52 Chassis Parts Catalogue - it has all the exploded diagrams you see folks posting here.

There is a 1948-1956 Parts Illustrations Catalogue as well that is just exploded diagrams.

The Body Parts Manual is mostly text and in my opinion not worth the $45 they are asking for the ones on e-bay. Also the originals of that were 8 1/2 x 11 the reprings are reduced to ( I think ) 5x8. So they are a little hard to read.

Also with tons of info is the Operators Manual - available on e-bay for $6.

If you really want to get intensive (and spend some $$$$-like $150) you can get a Truck ("Salesmans") Handbook. That's where we get the line drawings with all the dimensions.

It seems like no one book has all the info - that's why I bought all of those. The books are great for out in the shop, but the CDs are nice because they are clean, enlargeable, and storable.

Now all we have to do is teach you guys to read!

Of course there is a different tactic we could use:

Bill (Number Dummy), do you have a pool and a garage refer for Frostie Beverages? !!!!!! Party at Bills House!

 

best money I've spent so far... 56 Ford Truck Shop Manual...

JB

 

Can you post a pic of the '48 - '52 chassis parts catalog cover?

I got that CD-ROM off the 'net with the '28 - '56 Chassis Parts Catalog... and it wasn't what I expected.

~Jason

 

I first saw the title, and I thought everyone was getting free shop manuals! Boy was I wrong. If nothing else, having all those manuals on the shelf next to your 48 f1 diecast just looks cool.

I have the CD parts manual, and it's handy, but I still find it faster being able to thumb through the actual book.

 

This is the one i got:

1928-56 Ford Truck Chassis Parts and Accessory Catalog

~Jason

 

Mine:
1948-56
Ford Truck

Master Parts and Accessories Catalog
Form FD-9460 & FD-9465

And then I have the shop manual w/1952 supplement

 

Hmmmm... FD-6465 was included in my CD, but I have FD-9464, not FD-9460 included with it. I wonder what the difference is?

Bob knows what I've got - maybe he can chime in here.

~Jason

 

I bought an original factory service manual on ebay, I think it was about $20. I also have a factory manual for my 65 Falcon but I'm going to have to replace as the dog gnawed on it back in her puppy stage.....aaagh.
I also have the factory manuals for my 94 Roadking, 1981 Honda CB900 Custom, a 79 Yamaha XS1100. Several GM chassis service manuals from the 60's through the early 80's, Caddy service manuals for all lines from 1984-1991 and a few others. I also have a set of Motors Manuals from a variety of early years. I bought a whole stack of them at an antique store for fifty cents each. I also have a couple of books titled "How To Fix Your Ford" dating from the late 50's early 60's.

I think I also have several Ford parts manuals on CD

I've found that a great source for diagrams for our trucks....I mean, besides bobj49f2, is the catalogs from the various vendors.

Bobby

 

We do this every Spring - make the plea to get your manuals.
Then we wait for the "I tried the procedure in the manual, while it worked it took two people and a cat to get it done".
At This point one of the bright old men/ladies will step in and say
"OK now that you did it the right way here's how to do it the easy way.
Now can you see the importance of you having the correct manuals?

 

Hi Jason,

What it sounds like you got on CD was the "Ford Chassis Parts and Accessories Catalogue - Ford Passenger Cars 1928-1948 and Ford trucks 1928-1947" but maybe a later version that goes through 56.

Here's a picture:



The one I was refering to and is really the one you want is the "1948-1952 Ford Truck Chassis Parts Catalogue"

Pictured here:



And then there is the Ford Truck Parts and Accessories Illustrations & Text Catalogues which come in pairs - one book has pictures the other has text (lists of parts numbrs and descriptions. The ones pictured below are for a car, but were the best picture I could find of both books. The ones for our trucks cover 1948-1956 (with body parts for 53-56 only)

Here is a picture of the auto catalogue that is similar (followed by the truck catalogue:





And the "1944-1952 Ford Body Parts Catalogue":



And the Operators Manual (which is 3x5 and year specific - this one is for 51):



I found the Body Parts Catalogue to be almost useless and the 1948-1952Ford Truck Chassis Parts Catalogue to be priceless.