1978 F-150 Custom
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 260
Likes: 12
From: Lakeville, MN
1978 F-150 Custom
Hello. My son and I were looking to restore and old Ford truck and we found a 1978 F-150 Custom. It has the 302 V8 with manual transmission on the column. It runs, but doesn't idle very well. We are thinking it is just bad gas. We were told the gas in it is about three years old. One of the brake lines is rusted and leaking. We are in the process of trying to look at the brakes, but we are having trouble removing the brake drum. The body is in great shape and all the trim and lights and interior are in great condition, too.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,766
Likes: 319
From: Mississippi
WELCOME!!!!
In my opinion...STOPPING is more important than GOING.......
You may need a full set of new brake lines. If water is allowed to get in the system, it will rot the lines from the inside.
You can get pre-bent or maybe get some NI-COP line and bend your own..... Schools of thought here on both.
If the drum is hard to get off, sometimes you can take a hammer and tap the side of the drum all the way around and get it to start moving. Probably rusted.
Get started and there is a bunch of folks here GLAD to help!
In my opinion...STOPPING is more important than GOING.......
You may need a full set of new brake lines. If water is allowed to get in the system, it will rot the lines from the inside.
You can get pre-bent or maybe get some NI-COP line and bend your own..... Schools of thought here on both.
If the drum is hard to get off, sometimes you can take a hammer and tap the side of the drum all the way around and get it to start moving. Probably rusted.
Get started and there is a bunch of folks here GLAD to help!
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,311
Likes: 366
From: Kansas
a couple of things can prevent the drums from coming off. First make sure the factory retainers are removed from the wheel studs (usually 2 of them, most likely already gone). There could be rust around the center of the axle where the brake drum fits over the axle. you can spray penetrating oil there and wait, or take a hammer and tap around the outside diameter of the brake drum until it breaks free. Also the shoes could be worn down into the drum (or a circle of rust preventing the drum from pulling of. In this case you will need to back off the shoes with the star adjuster. you will probably have to push a screwdriver into the adjuster slot to hold the spring tension off the adjuster while turning the adjusting star wheel backwards.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 260
Likes: 12
From: Lakeville, MN
Thanks for your reply. Yeah, I turned the star wheel until the wheel turns freely. It seems like they are backed off far enough(?) So, I am guessing it is just rust at this point. I've been tapping the the outside, but doesn't seem to want to loosen up.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 260
Likes: 12
From: Lakeville, MN
OK, thanks. That crossed my mind. Are there any maintenance diagnostics I can perform on the transmission?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,766
Likes: 319
From: Mississippi
Well....., check to see if the rear seal is leaking......
The 3 speeds didn't have a drain plug so you can't drain the oil and change it....... Maybe make sure it has enough oil.
There is a plug on the side and when you fill it to the hole.... it's full.
The 3 speeds didn't have a drain plug so you can't drain the oil and change it....... Maybe make sure it has enough oil.
There is a plug on the side and when you fill it to the hole.... it's full.
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Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
Just like the rear axle check the level.
If you want to get crazy you can drain the oil and refill but on the trans you have to use hard to find GL-4 gear oil.
The GL-5 you can find every where will hurt the transmission.
Dave ----
If you want to get crazy you can drain the oil and refill but on the trans you have to use hard to find GL-4 gear oil.
The GL-5 you can find every where will hurt the transmission.
Dave ----
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,600
Likes: 1,174
From: San Jose, CA
You can often drain these 3-speeds by removing the lower-most bolt on the rear output housing. Or on 4wd trucks, the intermediate housing.
This bolt hole goes straight through to the bottom of the trans and is an effective drain.
For the drum, are you talking about the front or the rear? If the front, it might just be that you need to remove the whole drum/hub assembly. I don't know if your model ever had any that were one-piece, that if so that would explain a lot about why it won't come off.
If the rear drum though, then everything previously mentioned by the others holds true. Just make sure the parking brake is off and fully released, that the start wheel is all the way IN and keep on trying.
Paul
This bolt hole goes straight through to the bottom of the trans and is an effective drain.
For the drum, are you talking about the front or the rear? If the front, it might just be that you need to remove the whole drum/hub assembly. I don't know if your model ever had any that were one-piece, that if so that would explain a lot about why it won't come off.
If the rear drum though, then everything previously mentioned by the others holds true. Just make sure the parking brake is off and fully released, that the start wheel is all the way IN and keep on trying.
Paul
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 785
From: Simi Valley, CA
You can often drain these 3-speeds by removing the lower-most bolt on the rear output housing. Or on 4wd trucks, the intermediate housing.
This bolt hole goes straight through to the bottom of the trans and is an effective drain.
For the drum, are you talking about the front or the rear? If the front, it might just be that you need to remove the whole drum/hub assembly. I don't know if your model ever had any that were one-piece, that if so that would explain a lot about why it won't come off.
If the rear drum though, then everything previously mentioned by the others holds true. Just make sure the parking brake is off and fully released, that the star wheel is all the way IN and keep on trying.
Paul
This bolt hole goes straight through to the bottom of the trans and is an effective drain.
For the drum, are you talking about the front or the rear? If the front, it might just be that you need to remove the whole drum/hub assembly. I don't know if your model ever had any that were one-piece, that if so that would explain a lot about why it won't come off.
If the rear drum though, then everything previously mentioned by the others holds true. Just make sure the parking brake is off and fully released, that the star wheel is all the way IN and keep on trying.
Paul