This is becoming more comon as time and wear ages our trucks. I have also delt with this problem. Since the lower dash metal is no longer avaliable from Ford, I would take the dash apart, remove the plastic from the metal reinforcements, and have it welded. It will take about a day, to take everything apart and put it back together. You can leave the dash harness in the truck, by removing the clips and wire ties. this made it easier for me. Make sure the dash metal is not rusted where it touches each other, or where it bolts to the cab. This is the main ground between the dash and the cab, along with the secondary ground wire next to the radio. Clean all the mating surfaces and you will get brighter dash lights at night among other benefits.

Some pics when I did the job...






You could also try and find a lower bracket from a donor F-series, or Bronco, but it might be in similar condition to yours

 

For someone on dialup, you sure post big pictures.

 

Yes... but they are supposed to shrink automatically right?

Never did understand pictures too well, why I still don't have an avatar.

 

You could just weld it to the cab as well, and get a REALLY GOOD ground!

 

Sure, they get shrunk, once they're downloaded so they can be re-rendered in their smaller size. One still ends up downloading the entire big picture file, though.

My point was more about being surprised YOU didn't first shrink them so you could upload smaller-sized files (which takes less time).

What kind of avatar do you want?

 

I've never really thought about an avatar really.

 

How about an '81 F-150 Explorer?

 

I finally got the dash ripped apart. Now I can really see what is going on with the broken dash support braces.


This picture is from behind the drivers side of the dash. The switch with the wire on it is the back of the window wiper switch, just to give you a reference point. Notice that the piece is not all the way ripped off.... just about 97% or so....




This picture shows how it is supposed to be, and will be, after my welder gets his hands on it. I am having them weld it back together, and reinforce that area so it wont happen again. I am also going to have them sandblast all the metal and I am going to paint the areas that are exposed.



It seems like there is a lot of rust on this support, is that more or less normal?

Now that I have the dash apart, I'm brainstorming everything I want to do. I would hate to get it all back together, then think of something I could have done & it could have only been done while the dash was out.

One thing for sure, I am going to clean it up. It's kinda gross how much stuff/debris is everywhere. Not to mention ripp all the millions of wire the PO had for the stereo........

 

Rust isn't normal, but it is expected because the metal was not protected by anything.

If you do decide to paint it, make sure you do not insulate the grounding points between the cab, and the metal, or between the various metal pieces that make up the dash support structure. Notice how your intermitant wiper switch grounds to it, etc...

You are also missing the square nut that fits into the square hole on your dash support metal piece. Perhaps it is still on the brake pedal. I'd have them weld the nut directly to the support, like I had done to mine.

 

That's exactly what I am having them do.

I still need to address the issue with the firewall flexing and warping at the lower nut, but this will be a good start.

 

sounds good to me.

 

My dash support is just as rusty.
I think it depends on the humidity of your environment.

 

When you had your dash all apart, what all did you do? Rewire anything, install things, anything...... Just trying to get ideas on what would be easy to do with the dash out.

 

It would be the perfect time to fix or install things behind the dash.

I personally didn't do anything but clean the 30 years of accumilated grime up. Some suggestions though, any wiring you find funky, cables or parts to the heater control system, or checking the seams of the cab for leaks etc, it would be the perfect time.

When it's time to put things back, get some wire ties, so you can attach the harness back to the dash like it was before...

 

I had no idea that the dash frames in these trucks were susceptible to cracks. I kinda wish I had kept my old dash now for parts.

As for the rust, my original dash was rusted like yours, and my truck is a California/Florida truck. My donor dash was rusted as well, but I have no history on where that truck originated from.