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You mean the illustration in post 24 from two days ago? Or the one on my web site with my notes: Tool Box - ???Gary's Garagemahal.
My question isn't if the bracket exists, as it clearly does. It is whether Ford actually used it. As discussed in post 24, the bracket isn't necessary since the box fits neatly to existing holes in the fender. And, of the four boxes that have been found by people I know in trucks that look like factory installations, the bracket wasn't used on any of them.
So, the question is whether the factory installations you saw actually used that bracket on the fender?
You mean the illustration in post 24 from two days ago? Or the one on my web site with my notes: Tool Box - ???Gary's Garagemahal.
My question isn't if the bracket exists, as it clearly does. It is whether Ford actually used it. As discussed in post 24, the bracket isn't necessary since the box fits neatly to existing holes in the fender. And, of the four boxes that have been found by people I know in trucks that look like factory installations, the bracket wasn't used on any of them.
So, the question is whether the factory installations you saw actually used that bracket on the fender?
I've never seen one a these tool compartments, plus I've never owned a 'bull nose.'
Do you have a truck with a tool compartment, does Aunt Blabby or Alabam?
I know Aunt Blabby isn't driving his F350 to OK (I think it barely runs, so it sits in his driveway), but I assume Alabam is.
Anyone else coming to your GTG with one a these trucks or Bronco's?
Well, as it turns out, I have one of the outer brackets - #461A10. My recent acquisition included that bracket, and I'd missed it. It isn't a perfect fit for the fender, meaning that it holds the tool box about 1/8" off the fender, even though it is only 1/16" thick. But, I think it is meant to stiffen the fender in case you carry something heavy in the tool box. So, if you don't have the bracket you might take it easy on loading the tool box up. Here it is mounted on Big Blue:
Also, the pic below shows the fasteners that came with my two boxes, with a scale down the middle separating the two sets. It takes 11 bolts for the whole thing (4 box/outer bracket/fender + 4 box/inner bracket + 3 inner bracket/radiator support), so neither is complete. However, there are 3 different bolts in both cases, which is interesting since the parts catalog only shows 2 different bolts. And, in both cases there are two spacers, which aren't shown in the catalog at all.
Further, the catalog is wrong on at least one of the 2 types of bolts it says are used. That one is N605893, and that is a 6mm diameter bolt that is 25mm long. However, all of the bolts that came with my two boxes are 8mm in diameter. In addition, the two welded-on nuts on the larger inner bracket are 8mm, as are all the sheetmetal nuts you see in the picture and the three captive nuts that are on a strip used where the inner bracket goes to the radiator support.
So, I need your help in understanding exactly which fastener goes where. Here's the info on the three bolt types I have, and if you know what you have and from whence it came perhaps we can solve this riddle:
Long flange-head shoulder bolts: 1.97"/50mm long; bare shank = .790"/20mm; flange = .670"/17MM.
Medium length captive washer bolts: 1.5"/38mm long and the washer is .875"/22mm in diameter
Short captive washer bolts: 1"/25mm long with a .875"/22mm washer
All - I got the tool box mounted to Big Blue today, and in the process think I figured out the needed fasteners as well as how to mount the later model (85-86) coolant recovery reservoir. PLEASE read through my description thereof here: Tool Box - ???Gary's Garagemahal. I'd like to drive a stake through the heart of this once and for all.
Gary, every box I have found in a truck had the fender "reinforcement" bracket (461A10). It is riveted to the fender, which is probably why many boxes that were salvaged didn't get the bracket, it's a huge pain to chisel off. I can probably look at one of my brackets to see where it was riveted. If I recall correctly, the sheet metal spring nuts (top of your photo) are only clipped onto the bracket, not the fender (could be wrong though as it doesn't jive with the parts diagram).
THAT'S why I don't have that bracket !!. Seems like overkill...and I mounted mine just fine without it. Who is going to have THAT MUCH weight in a plastic box anyway ??
Brad - That would explain a lot. First, why the bracket isn't pulled when the rest is. Second, why the bracket has holes to accept U-nuts. I'll look at mine to see if I can ascertain where/if it was riveted on. Thanks!
Jerry - After getting that thing bolted in I was amazed how solid it is. You could fill it up with lead and not overload anything. I can't imagine that it really needs the bracket.
Brad - I think you nailed it. Inspection of the reinforcement bracket shows:
Red circles: Marks showing where rivets were probably removed
Yellow circles: Possible removal of rivets
Red rectangles: Signs that u-nuts were attached to the bracket and not the fender
Given that I'm going to update the page on the web site to reflect that. However, unless someone is doing a serious restoration I don't see the need to rivet the bracket to the fender. By placing the u-nuts on the fender itself you will be reinforcing the fender significantly. And, even bolting directly to the fender w/o the bracket should be adequate given the strength of the fender coupled with the inner bracket.
While I was using Big Blue to test-fit the underhood tool box, I had to remove the brace that supports the auxiliary battery. That's part EOTZ 10769-A Brace (Battery Support), and it bolts to the radiator support in exactly the same spot where the tool box's inner brace attaches. In fact, it uses the same retainer that the tool box bracket uses - 461A12 - which doesn't show in the catalog associated with the tool box. But, in a serendipitous event, when I unbolted the battery support there lay the same retainer that came with my tool box, but which I hadn't been able to identify in the catalog. So, turning to the catalog I found it in the auxiliary battery illustration: P-17269. And, I've now added it to the parts list on the tool box page on the web site.
Pulled another one today, box is broken but latch on lid was good. Was good that is until I opened it at the till to pay and and it snapped right off. Oh well, some brackets I needed anyways. Here are the photos showing how it was installed, the blue nut clips were on the fender, not the reinforcing bracket so my memory was poor.
Interesting that the nuts were on the fender. But you have photographic proof that the bracket was riveted to the fender. And, you showed us where the rubber spacers go. Well done!
I got the inner bracket from Green sales today.
Here's a photo of both, I think the inner one off-sets the box so the cover is set-way from the inner fender lip for easier opening....
My recent acquisition included that bracket, and I'd missed it. It isn't a perfect fit for the fender, meaning that it holds the tool box about 1/8" off the fender, even though it is only 1/16" thick. But, I think it is meant to stiffen the fender in case you carry something heavy in the tool box. So, if you don't have the bracket you might take it easy on loading the tool box up. Here it is mounted on Big Blue:
