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Here's one; I detest tires that are put on a wheel with the lettering (black or white letter) where nothing is indexed on the tire to the wheel's center cap --if the center cap has a logo or such on it or, referenced off the valve stem.
To me, a wheel with a logo center cap should have the letters of the tire's brand at the top and the tire name/series at the bottom, in relation to the center cap or valve stem.
Attention to simple details like this makes the difference between a mediocre vehicle and one that stands out head and shoulders above the rest (if a truck can have a head and shoulders).
To tell you the truth Steve, I never thought about that. That would be a killer show car item. And also a vehicle we're proud to showcase. I've always put the DOT next to the valve stem. They balance out better with lesser weights usually. But I see your point.
I finally got the alternator and power steering belt lengths figured out.
The (dual) belts I have for the Ford 3G alternator are p/n 7445 15445 3/8" x 45-1/8" O.C. (Outside Circumference).
The belt I have for the Ford C-2 PS pump is p/n 7530 15530 3/8" x 53-5/8" O.C.
Ultraranger Steve - ... whose PNs are those? Goodyear? Gates? Just a thought it might help our fellow FTE'ers to know the intended application when they walk up to a parts counter at Napa, AZO, Oreillys, or Advance.
Nice work by the way. I admire your attention to detail.. it's a standard we should all strive for.
Ultraranger Steve - ... whose PNs are those? Goodyear? Gates? Just a thought it might help our fellow FTE'ers to know the intended application when they walk up to a parts counter at Napa, AZO, Oreillys, or Advance.
Nice work by the way. I admire your attention to detail.. it's a standard we should all strive for.
Thanks, HIO.
My truck has plenty of imperfections and a lot of oily nastiness underneath but, I didn't see any reason not to make the things look nice that I've added. --it helps offset some of the ugliness in other areas of the truck.
I wanted Gates belts. Unfortunately, O'Really's didn't have all the various lengths in Gates that I had to go through in the search to find what length belts I needed. --I brought home over a dozen various length belts before I found the magic combination.
If these belts go high order on me, at least I know what lengths to get in a Gates equivalent.
These are Master Pro belts but, I believe the numbers will cross over to the Gates line. --crazy enough, I got all three of these Master Pro belts for what my one previous Gates belt cost.
It initially seemed logical to specify belts for an '82 F-100/F-150 with a 300 --since that's what I got the PS pump from. --WRONG! The belt was nowhere close to what I needed.
If someone else is working on a similar swap with a similar engine (240/300), I don't know that what I have will be exactly compatible in their setup too but, it may get them close enough they can figure out the lengths with less belts than what it took me to find the right mix for my application.
My truck has plenty of imperfections and a lot of oily nastiness underneath but, I didn't see any reason not to make the things look nice that I've added. --it helps offset some of the ugliness in other areas of the truck.
I wanted Gates belts. Unfortunately, O'Really's didn't have all the various lengths in Gates that I had to go through in the search to find what length belts I needed. --I brought home over a dozen various length belts before I found the magic combination.
If these belts go high order on me, at least I know what lengths to get in a Gates equivalent.
These are Master Pro belts but, I believe the numbers will cross over to the Gates line. --crazy enough, I got all three of these Master Pro belts for what my one previous Gates belt cost.
It initially seemed logical to specify belts for an '82 F-100/F-150 with a 300 --since that's what I got the PS pump from. --WRONG! The belt was nowhere close to what I needed.
If someone else is working on a similar swap with a similar engine (240/300), I don't know that what I have will be exactly compatible in their setup too but, it may get them close enough they can figure out the lengths with less belts than what it took me to find the right mix for my application.
2x.. I share your philosophy about workmanship to make up for fugliness... I am doing much the same with my 70 - crusty on the outside with a few twists , and cleaned up under the hood and whatever else I touch.
I did a quick search and it appears as if each of the PNs ya posted are actually two PNs... generally the four digit and five digit numbers crossover to the same belt... it must be an industry courtesy practice or something. Yep, the measurements plus the PNs should get FTE'ers spot-on or close enough to dial it in.
I had always thought, that North of the Border, things were always easier... Seems that my thinking is, or could be flawed on that score. From the sound of Ultra's belt search, he could well have been in a small town, in Baja. I went through the same thing, and Mrs. Bacho, at Bacho's auto parts, just gave me a hand full of belts to try, and said "Bring back the ones you don't use, pay for the other later.." One advantage of a small town, they may be able to trust you, as they know you..
Now, when measuring a belt, without one of those auto parts store tools, is it proper to measure the outside circumference, or the inside? I have always measured the outside, and then struggled to find the match at the auto parts store.. I have found it easy to use a cloth tape to measure, rather than a standard carpenter's tape measure. I have even used a piece of string, then matched it later. BTW, nice job, looks clean, and keep it rolling..
I had always thought, that North of the Border, things were always easier... Seems that my thinking is, or could be flawed on that score. From the sound of Ultra's belt search, he could well have been in a small town, in Baja. I went through the same thing, and Mrs. Bacho, at Bacho's auto parts, just gave me a hand full of belts to try, and said "Bring back the ones you don't use, pay for the other later.." One advantage of a small town, they may be able to trust you, as they know you..
Now, when measuring a belt, without one of those auto parts store tools, is it proper to measure the outside circumference, or the inside? I have always measured the outside, and then struggled to find the match at the auto parts store.. I have found it easy to use a cloth tape to measure, rather than a standard carpenter's tape measure. I have even used a piece of string, then matched it later. BTW, nice job, looks clean, and keep it rolling..
Baja
I live in a small town of about 14,000 people. I go to O'Reilly's fairly often --especially during the last month with all the work I've done on this project. Even so, I guess they don't trust me enough to just walk out with a hand full of belts and trust me to return the ones not needed and pay for the ones that were needed.
I paid for them up front. When I brought back the ones that wouldn't fit, they just exchanged them for the next batch to try. Once I finally got it all figured out, I returned the remaining belts and they refunded me the difference of the ones not used.
I got the PS pump primed. Now, I have to tighten all the brake line connections, except for the MC. I have to take it off to bench bleed it then I can put it back on and then bleed the brake system.
I already changed the engine oil & filter. I've got to put the radiator back in and put water & anti-freeze in it.
I discovered an uh-oh on the tilt column. I hadn't seen it mentioned in any of the threads I read before making the swap but, when you change from a fixed manual column for an automatic to a tilt power steering column for an automatic, you can't use the old column-to-firewall seal.
There's currently about a 3/4" gap at the bottom of the firewall seal where I can see into the engine bay from inside the truck ($#!*). This means I have to partially disassemble the column and pull it back into the cab to change the firewall seal.
After that gets straightened out, I'll have to wire up the harness for the tilt column. --I'm not sure, yet, what I'm going to do about the neutral safety switch (?). Pre-'78s had the NSS mounted inside the cab at the base of the column tube. '78-up had the NSS mounted on the side of the transmission so, I'll have to figure out something to remedy this.
After all that, it should be time to get the front end aligned and I can start driving this pig again.
I was able to leave work early this afternoon so, I came home and went right to work on the truck.
I tightened all the brake line connections except for the two lines going to the MC. I took the MC off the booster and measured its bore depth, at the back of the MC, so I could set the length of the output rod on the booster to this particular MC.
This is the method I used to determine the boosters output rod adjustment.
I also put the MC in the vise, poured some DOT 3 in it and bench bled the air out of it before I bolted the MC back onto the booster.
The disc/drum brake valve is a new (NOS) item but, new or not, I didn't assume that the pressure differential valve in it was centered. I took an ohm meter and read the warning switch out to make sure the valve spool was centered, before I began bleeding the brakes out. --it checked out to be good.
Next step, remove the pressure differential warning switch from the valve body.
Then, insert this valve lock tool (finger tight only) to keep the differential valve spool from shifting off-center and tripping the brake warning light, when I start bleeding the brakes out.
This little $10.00 dollar tool can save you from $100.00 dollars worth of aggravation, when you're bleeding your brakes out. --it won't recenter a differential valve spool that's already shifted. The valve spool has to be centered BEFORE you use this in order to keep it from shifting.
Here's a view of the longest of the brake lines I ran (from the brake valve, on top of the PS gear box, out to the right front caliper hose). --You can also see some of that oily nastiness I mentioned from before.
--progressing from the left side to the right side.
You used the stock retainer clips on the crossmember. I saved mine but I'm not sure I'll use them, depending on what arrives in the mail.
How long does it usually take for stuff to ship from Classic Tube?
You used the stock retainer clips on the crossmember. I saved mine but I'm not sure I'll use them, depending on what arrives in the mail.
How long does it usually take for stuff to ship from Classic Tube?
Yeah, I just took a drift punch and tapped the pins out of the center of the factory plastic brake line clips, to swivel them out of the way, while I was running the new line. Once the line was run, I just rotated the clips over the new line and drove the pins back into the clips.
It's been several years since I've ordered from CT. Now that you mention it, it seems like it did take a week or more to get the items in that I've ordered from them before. --It wasn't nearly as speedy as ordering something from someone like Summit.
A warning for anyone that might be planning to install a '78/'79 tilt column (for PS and an automatic transmission) in their '67-'72 that presently has a fixed column, auto transmission, with manual steering.
Maybe it was mentioned somewhere that you have to change the Bumpside column to firewall seal to the Dentside seal but, if it was mentioned, I didn't catch it.
Now, I'm having to pull the column out to swap firewall seals. My firewall cover is really brittle and not faring well as a result of this either. What a PITA
I have toyed with the idea of changing to a tilt column, but have questions like the one you just answered. But, with the tilt column....
1) Does it really give you more room behind the wheel? And, (2) is their a column-to-firewall difference for the manual shift columns? No neutral switch problems I take it. I still like your brake lines with the line shields. Plenty of dirt & gravel roads in Baja, and in fact, my little village only has 3 paved roads. Directions always start with "Turn off the paved road"... I actually had 40 yards of gravel (3/4" minus) spread in the road in front of my house. It keeps the dust down some, announces visitors, and the wandering cows will not walk on my side of the street. The system here is to fence the cows OUT of your fields, and free-range them to fend for themselves. Slow driving, and big bumpers are common ways to avoid hitting one. But, I digress...
I have toyed with the idea of changing to a tilt column, but have questions like the one you just answered. But, with the tilt column....
1) Does it really give you more room behind the wheel? And, (2) is their a column-to-firewall difference for the manual shift columns? No neutral switch problems I take it. I still like your brake lines with the line shields. Plenty of dirt & gravel roads in Baja, and in fact, my little village only has 3 paved roads. Directions always start with "Turn off the paved road"... I actually had 40 yards of gravel (3/4" minus) spread in the road in front of my house. It keeps the dust down some, announces visitors, and the wandering cows will not walk on my side of the street. The system here is to fence the cows OUT of your fields, and free-range them to fend for themselves. Slow driving, and big bumpers are common ways to avoid hitting one. But, I digress...
Baja
I'm not a real big guy but with my previous fixed column and stock 17" diameter steering wheel, there wasn't much room between the bottom of the steering wheel to the top of my legs.
This is just a personal preference/opinion but, I'm not a fan of the stock steering wheel that was in my truck. Now that the truck will have power steering, it's rather pointless to have a big 17" steering wheel. Its leverage was needed with the manual steering gear box but now, my leverage will come from the power steering pump/gear box so, a big steering wheel won't be needed to turn the front wheels.
I replaced the stock steering wheel with a 13.8" diameter Momo Monte Carlo steering wheel ('Monte Carlo' is the series name of the wheel -- not that it's for a Chevrolet Monte Carlo).
Just the change to the smaller steering wheel reduced the diameter by 3.2". This alone gave a good bit more clearance between the bottom of the steering wheel to the top of my legs, when sitting in the drivers seat, without the column being tilted.
I'm not sure if there were tilt columns for manual transmissions with the shift lever on the column (I don't THINK there was but could be wrong about that). I do know there were tilt columns for manual transmissions with the shifter in the floor but, I believe they are somewhat rare.
Here is a link to some information about the '78/'79 tilt column.
The type of steering gear box (Ford/Bendix or Saginaw) also has a direct affect on what column to use or, modifications (shortening) that may or may not be required. --it just depends on what components you're using.
This photo shows the difference in the column to firewall seals. My '69 manual steering column seal on the left. 1978 PS tilt column seal for a Saginaw gear box on the right.
I don't like cutting the wiring if it's not absolutely necessary. Since I'm having to back track on the column seal, I haven't gotten to the point of figuring out what I'll do about the NSS/backup lights switch. That's something to deal with at a later date.
I have been thinking lots about the tilt steering column, but have not wanted to spend the money for the ones on Evil Bay. My truck is a mix of '67 to '72 parts, with a '67 cab, and a '72 Highboy chassis. I am with you on the steering wheel not being my favorite in the world. I removed all the hard plastic, as it was sun/age cracked, and covered the steel with a Mexican jungle hardwood called 'Paroda'. It looks way better than the plastic, but it is still the big diameter wheel. You are right about the big wheel not being necessary after adding power steering. Also, having a manual 4 speed trans, on the floor, I have un-answered questions about the swap to tilt.. Guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it... First, is to find a '78 /'79 tilt steering column in a JY... OK here is the first version of my wooden wheel...
Baja
