A JY would provide all the parts, too, so can see the difference. I'll take a look on my AC componant hunt.

 

A couple of updates on my progress. I"ve been sidetracked on other projects plus the home work "honeydo" list, so mostly just been driving Festus.

I've been looking for a good used bedliner and missed several on Craigslist. I saw a '90 being parted out (he's making a mud truck out of it); I gave $50 for the bedliner; no tailgate guard.



It's just sitting in there now. I don't have the stake pocket inserts that those tie downs thread into. I really don't like the over the bedrail type bedliners as I prefer the tie downs on the side, not the top rail, but I have not seen one that was not over the bedrail. At this price, it's OK, but if I see one that is better, can always sell this one later or move it to the '85.

Joe had the setup pictured below to lock the spare tire. That gives me an idea to maybe get 4 of them with a D ring and attach through the bedliner and bed in each corner. But, that also means drilling more holes in the bed which I don't like. Not sure just yet what I'll do.


I also would like to maybe store the spare tire upright with the Ford type (maybe homebuilt) setup just behind the driver or passenger side. To be honest, I leave it at the house most of the time. LMC truck has several, but of course they are kinda pricey. but it gives food for thought on how to do it if I make a side mount type. The bedliner complicates things as you can't get behind the bedrail easily with the liner in.

If I could find a stock setup for under the bed, that would probably be best. Again, LMC has a repro for under the bed, but it only lists as back to '83 so not sure the difference for my '81, and of course it's also kinda pricey at about $90-100. The under the bed storage would solve the "how do I get behind the bedliner" problem.

Truck Parts and Truck Accessories

Sitting here writing this, I didn't think about this when I went to where I bought the bedliner to see if that truck has it's spare tire carrier. I might want to contact him to see if it's still there.

 

Air conditioning install progress: Not much, but will show where I'm at.

I have not found online or in the JY a good compressor mount, so I decided to make my own. It looks easy enough as there is a spot open on the driver's side above the power steering pump.



I ordered some 1/4" steel from McMaster-Carr along with some 6" steel angle. I didn't see that the angle was 1/2" thick until I got it. They don't list any that is less, so I went ahead with this. My old Harbor Freight band saw had a hell of a time getting through this metal. The angle had to be repositioned 4 times to get it all, so the one side isn't even, but I'll go after it with my belt sander when I get done with fab.



I had a '88 block so used that to get the hole pattern for the side mount:

 

I got the steel cut and drilled so it would fit in the '81 for the first try.



I moved the angle to the front side of the 1/4" plate. Note: I will get this bracket welded together when I'm satisfied with the fit. I don't trust (2) 1/4-20 bolts to hold it up for the duration.



I have a york to sanden mount. It looks like I need to move the mount to the front ~1", and down toward the PS pump ~1-1/2"



That is where I left it yesterday. I'll modify the bracket today and post up.

 

[QUOTE=fljab;16281362]A couple of updates on my progress. I"ve been sidetracked on other projects plus the home work "honeydo" list, so mostly just been driving Festus.

I've been looking for a good used bedliner and missed several on Craigslist. I saw a '90 being parted out (he's making a mud truck out of it); I gave $50 for the bedliner; no tailgate guard.



fljab, I like seeing your progress! Guess what? I just happen to have the tailgate liner portion you are in need of. It is yours [free] if you want it. I will have to find a suitable box and you can pay the actual freight. How's that?

 

Looking good on the mount. What you are fabricating looks a whole lot like the factory mount for the York compressors. And the York/Sanden adapter is the way I'm going on Dad's. Should work out well.

On the tire carrier, I vote for placing it under the truck.

 

2 more things I need to solve so will show here.

First is the radiator hose. Moving the bracket down will help some, just not sure it will be enough. You'll notice how it interferes with/sits on top of the compressor:



Looking at my '85, I see that hose is routed closer to the radiator to stay out of the way:



The radiator for the '85 is bigger/wider than the '81. There is only one hose listed for the '81. I think the stock compressor was on the passenger side at the top, but my truck has an air pump there for the emissions. If there is a stock hose for this situation, I can't find it. Anyone know?

I took the number off the '85 and got a new one from AutoZone. I am thinking that maybe I can cut/shorten the longer one to make it work. I'll put a piece of tubing in between the cut portions - as long as the ID of the hose is the same between the stock '81 and the '85, it should be OK.



I just hope this smaller radiator will handle the increased heat load from both being in Florida and adding the AC. If not, I know a bigger like on the '85 will fit. I still need to find a full fan shroud, or search for an electric version in the JY.

 

Radiator hoses are shown below. But, be aware that the radiator support changed between '81 and '85 such that the '85 radiator will not bolt into an '81.

 

Problem 2, The compressor mount;

In the posts above, you see the york to sanden mount the compressor is sitting on. That is the one I'd prefer to use, but I need to sort out an adjuster for belt tension. I can't really do that until everything sits exactly where it needs to be.

I also have these that would need to be welded up to a plate, or somehow attached to the y to s mount noted above:



Here's a basic mock up below. Pay no attention to the height! I'm not willing to cut these until I'm sure it's what I want. They don't really match up that well at the bottom. They are not wide enough for the existing holes, and the width is wrong so would require a 3/16" shim on each side, so putting them on the y to s mount wouldn't work.

I can't put these so the width is right for the y to s plate because it interferes with the hose fittings on one side, and the pulley on the other.

So, that means I'd need to order a 6" x 6" plate from McMaster, fab it up including the slots to adjust for belt alignment (not belt tension; fore/aft vs side to side for belt tension), and have it welded.



So, that's where I'm at. I need to get out there this morning and start on it again. I have to remove the plate from the block and modify it a bit up and down, and a little bit to the front of the engine, then set it up again.

Another little issue is that the PS mount had 7/16" spacers between the block and mount. With the 1.4" plate for the compressor mount, that now means I have to have 3/16" spacers which of course I don't have. I am using 2 washers on each bolt, and they are a pain to get them set in. At first I thought could just have the PS mount out by 1/4", but no go as it has to align with how it attaches to the timing cover at the front.

McMaster does have 3/16" spacers, and they are on my new list of bits I need. I may also have them spot welded on, or maybe if I can come up with some 3/16" plate, can build a long, narrow strip that could be placed in more easy by holding from the top.


Of course, after this is set in there for the last time, It won't be messed with again for a long time (I hope, I hope!)

 

I don't have a pic, but I looked at it pretty close yesterday. It looks like it can accommodate the width. I see what looks like where mounts would go for the wider tank both top and bottom.

Of course, this is hypothetical at this point as the one that's in there now may handle the load, so we'll see how it does. As they say, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it!

Thanks for the hose chart; I'll run those Ford p/n's and see if I can get pictures, or maybe cross number those for an aftermarket hose at my local auto parts store.

 

Yes, thank you! PM me shipping $ and I can paypal you, or whatever you prefer.

 

I got lost in the mount problem discussion. But, two thoughts. First, your compressor can be clocked differently so the fittings come out at other places/angles. Second, can you use an idler pulley to do the tensioning so the compressor can mount solidly?

 

It is difficult sometimes to put into words what the situation is as I see it; sorry about the confusion.

Good to know about the clocking of the hose connections, but I will use the Y to S mount, so not an issue, just if I used those other ones.

I'm not sure where I'd mount a tensioner/idler pulley; it looks pretty crowded in there, but maybe I'm missing something. I think I have a solution, so bear with me.

This "should be" final fab on the compressor mount. I lowered the steel angle as far as it could go (to just above the PS pump), and brought it forward about an inch. The only problem I see (besides the upper radiator hose - more on that later) is adjusting tension on the PS pump as it is now much harder to get in there with a prybar.





The compressor can sit on the Y to S either side of the bracket. Forward of the bolt holes like this:



or aft of them like this:



After looking at it, I think I'll go with it forward. It will be easier to do a tensioner from the front lug off the head.



Right now - unless I hear of a better idea from one of you - I think I'll use a long grade 8 bolt that will stretch across the top of the compressor;

McMaster-Carr

To that and the head, I'll attach a rod end on the long bolt mentioned above to the compressor, and one to a 3/8" bolt on the head:

McMaster-Carr

They could be male or female threads, but would use an adjuster threaded rod with left and right hand threads on each end:

McMaster-Carr

As always, open to ideas. I also need to measure for a V belt, so can't really order the threaded rod until I get that sorted.

On the upper radiator hose, thanks again Gary for the p/n's. I believe a EOTZ - A is in there now. I was able to look for the - B and - E online, and while I couldn't find a picture, did find cross reference numbers to take to the auto parts store and see if they have it in stock, so hoping for the best. I have Ford/Gates/Dayco/Goodyear/Carquest part numbers for both hoses.

Plans now are to get the compressor bracket finish cut/belt sanded, and 4 threaded holes for the Y to S plate to mount/slide on. Then get it welded into a one piece unit.

Oh, and I solved the 3/16" spacer issue from some aluminium in my scrap pile. Works great!

 

I think what you are saying is you are making one of these the hard way:


Only yours will have the ball-joint rod end. However, if it is straight across then you really wouldn't need that - although they do look good.

And, by "stretch across the top of the compressor, I think you mean front-to-rear? So the adjuster connects to it and the other end to a bolt in the engine. Should work great.

On the radiator hose, I've seen factory installations with a piece of convoluted tubing wrapped around it to ensure it won't wear through where it touches something else. Would that work? Or, would you, like I, worry that it'll wear through the convolute and then through the hose? At least you could try and see if it does - assuming you don't find a better-fitting hose.

Anyway, looks good.

 

Yes, exactly! A turnbuckle!!! My problem when I search for things is coming up with the correct term. I played hell a couple of days ago looking for the stake pocket anchor for the bed. For this, I had this idea, but started looking at all thread (called correctly continuous threaded rod) and went from there.

Yes on the bolt. Use the two upper lugs on that end and stretch a bolt fore to aft through them with the rod end attached. My thought was that it would distribute better than just if I'd attach it to the front of the compressor.



I wouldn't want it sitting on the pulley; too much to go wrong. If you had something that was tough enough the pulley wouldn't wear through, then it would damage the pulley IMO.

So, next plan is to pull those other two upper hoses and take a look. After that, then maybe see if I can wander to the back of the parts store and look through them to find two that I could cut and piece together. Not sure what to do after that.....