It's Sept. already, what better to start it out than a long weekend.

Everybody got big plans?

 

No big plans, just a nice relaxing weekend! Camping? If you want to call it that lol. Since I have a laptop with me(FTE) Satellite TV, shower, stool. Ok it's not camping, but it's a weekend by the lake in a camper.

 

Went & drove that 1ton Ive been looking at. Damn 6.9idi has more pep than I thought it would. Going Tuesday to the bank after the money.

Going to spend the rest of the day catching up on yard work.

 

well i think i might head to little rock in the morning for a little family get together then i guess i will see what i can get into. im hoping we get some of the rain that is down south of me so i can test out my 4wd.

 

Never leave home without my stool either. Wait, what are we talking about?

Wish I was at the lake.. considered it, but I decided it would probably be busy up there.. probably go next weekend after the cool front comes through

 

Well I'll be at the lake all weekend! Too bad I'll be at work at the same time. If any of you are staying at Lake Catherine State Park this weekend wave at me. I'll be across the lake at the power plant.

 

New truck























1985 F350 chassis cab. 6.9l diesel, 4 speed. dump bed. Slightly butchered wiring that I gotta sort out. Need to drain the tank & put some fresh fuel in it then flush the rest of the fuel system. Whats in there is about the color of tea or weak coffee & smells like cheap whiskey. The dump bed has 2 stage cylinders. When I can get it to fire off it has white smoke for a bit until it warms up. Some black smoke when I put my foot in it. Last week when I got it running & drove it I checked the dipstick tube & oil fill hole for blowby. NONE!!

Ya, its a small project but something I wanted, can use & good parts for other trucks I have if I scrap it.

 

Looks like a pretty good place to start for a good work truck! If you do end up scrapping it there may be some parts I can use.

The old mini van is getting in real bad shape so my wife and I decided it was time to get something else. We decided to get a smaller car that the family could all still fit in, even it it is a little tight, and get better gas mileage. We decided to get a 2012 Ford Focus SE hatchback. I used to have a ZX3 Focus a few years ago and I loved it. My wife and I and all three kids took a vacation to Texas in that little car! Here are some photos.

 

This is how I spent yesterday morning...




And here is today.



It never got to the helper springs and I still had room for more wood!

 

Here is what I did today!

Here is how I changed the radius arm bushings on my 1972 F350 2wd truck. It should be similar to all other F series trucks. Now the way I did it worked but it might not be the best way. I tried to be a safe as I could while doing this and you should too.

Here is what the radius arm bushings looked like before I got started.
Driver's side.


Passenger's side.


I started out by jacking the truck up enough on the driver's side to get a jack stand under the frame. Make sure the truck is high enough that you can get the axle pivot bolt out of the passenger's side I beam. I then began to take the axle pivot bolt out of the passenger's side I beam.



Next I removed the carter pin from the radius arm and then removed the castle nut.


I used a strap to pull the I beam assembly forward so that the radius arm would come out of the pocket on the frame. This may not be the best or safest way to do this but it is all I had to work with.

Once I got it started I used another strap around the frame and the radius arm to catch the radius arm when it popped out.



Now I removed the old bushing and cleaned up the end of the radius arm.


I test fitted the new washer and the greased the radius arm and the new bushing and then re-inserted the radius arm into the pocket on the frame. This would have been a lot easier with help. I used the straps and a jack to get it all back together.



Next the other side of the bushing is greased and placed on the radius arm followed by the washer.


I then started the castle nut but didn't tighten it all the way down. Next I used a jack to get the I beam back into position and with the help of a spud bar I realigned the bolt hole and got the axle pivot bolt back in and the nut started. I then lowered the truck to the ground and tightened the castle nut and re-installed the carter pin. Finally I tightened up the axle pivot bolt.


Here is what the old bushings looked like out of the truck.



The driver's side is the same process but it was just a bit harder to do. I should have removed the shocks also but I was trying to save a little time. It worked out ok on the passenger's side but I ended up bending the shock on the driver's side. I hope this helps someone else.

 

The last few sets Ive done have been about that way. Each time I learn something else on getting it done easier. Undo the shock & spring. strap around beam to bumper. undo radius arm nut & pull forward.

Looks good! How big of a change did it make?

 

Well I'll know better when I change the shock that I bent but I think it made a pretty good difference. It doesn't randomly jump over wile driving down the highway. I need to go through the steering next and replace all the linkages there. Once I get that done the front end will be all new with the exception of the axle pivot bushings and the king pins. Those parts are still good so I'll wait a while before taking that on.

 

With how my new 1ton feels, I dont think the front end needs much other than grease. Axle pivots looked rough but Im not going to tear into it just for those.


Got outside & took down the shatty side boards on it. I filled up a hubcap with nuts, bolts, washers & screws. Im going to use the lumber for our chicken coop & try & find some aluminum to make some new sides.

Also pumped out all that I could from the fuel tank & put in 2 gallons I had got back in the early summer. (It was the color of coffee & smelt like cheap whiskey) I did pour a quart of transmission fluid in it last week so it would be AS back when I had to move it around the yard.

 

well i got to test out my truck yesterday. i work at a 18 wheeler dealership and a gut came in from a shipping company and said that he was stuck. he had a half loaded trailer and it was in a bid on the hitch. well i hooked the old f-250 up locked her in 4 low and gave her a couple of yanks and she came right out and down the road.

 

Awesome pics guys, keep em coming

It's like Ford **** in here