Got to love when a simple oil change & grease turns to crap and it is hot out
Oil change went good it was the grease that did not on the pickup.

My son picked up a HF battery power grease gun as the manual one did not work all that good and when he went to fill it the bad threads for 1 of the caps stripped all the way.
It has one of them locking fittings so you dont have to hold the hose on the fitting. Because of the size of the locking fitting and the gun it was hard to get it on the first fitting, hit the button and nothing WTF!
Looking the gun over what I thought was a battery was the motor so get out from under and get a battery. Put it on a easier fitting just incase it dont work and blew the lower kingpin cap off and grease is now all over the cap and where it has to go in. I get the grease cleaned up and I cant get this cap to screw back into the knuckle. The threads on the cap looked a little bad so I hit them with a file and still will not go in, it starts then pops off
This cap is junk so I go looking for the old ones and found them, took the best looking one and cleaned it up. I was able to get it started but had to work it like a tap, 1/4 turn it and back out till I got it to seat but did not want to go too tight and strip the knuckle. I got grease in it but it some was coming out between the cap and knuckle but I will take that as a win
The top fitting on the same side also took grease but the lock would not seal on the fitting and made a good mess, all the rest were good.

Got 6 qt of oil in it and no leaks, topped the battery off with water, PS was good as was the coolant so the truck should be good for another 3000 miles.
By this time I was soaking wet from sweat and it was starting to sprinkle so called it a day. I was going to look at the tractor head lights but that will be anther day.
Dave -----

 

So for the AMC kit on scarebird, he doesn't specify which spindle it is for? That's not very helpful! I've been down a rabbit hole today on that topic, for the Studebaker. There are so many kits made over the years (some have gone out of business) as well as many people who just did their own thing. The setup is very easy because of how the brake backing plate mounts, just use plate steel and figure out where to put the caliper. One guy said he made his out of masonite, trimming it as needed, and then once he had it right brought it to a metal shop to have it copied on thick steel. Which brings me to another thing I found, some use 1/4 thick steel, some use 3/8, and one guy used 1/2 thick aluminum. To put on Ford Torino rotors you can use the Ford bearings and grease seals, but you need to put a sleeve over part of the spindle. Maybe where the grease seal rides, I am not sure, I know I read the instructions before but didn't come across them today. Same thing as a crank snout sleeve, heat it up in the oven and then tap it in place before it cools. Other people have reused the Studebaker hub and just put a rotor over it, like a Toyota rotor but you have to machine the diameter of the hub down a bit to fit inside, and then use longer wheel studs. Same thing for people who want Chevy wheels, they reuse the hub, redrill them for Chevy pattern, and then machine it to fit inside a 70's Impala rotor. For the caliper you have several options but may have to play with spacers to make it line up right. For me I think I'd like the kit that already has it all thought out and planned.

Sounded like that battery powered grease gun was more trouble that it was worth. I had a similar problem with an air powered one, just never could get it to go right. So I went back to a manual one, it's messy but I always know what I am dealing with. Last time I brought it to Andre and he used his grease gun, also manual, but it helped having 2 people because often you need one to find the fitting and hold the tip in place while the other pumps.

The carburetor fitting I ordered came in today so I put it on. Instead of your banjo with rubber line now it's hard line all the way between fuel pump and carburetor. And no leaks so I am happy about that. As for the engine revving, now that the butterflies close all the way the engine is hard to start and barely idles at 500 (or less) when you start it. But flick the throttle it picks up, and then idles at 1000 or so. I may be able to get it down lower but would definitely have to foot the throttle at startup. So that's something to mess with down the road. I got out the timing light and set it for 12 degrees. I wasn't sure where to put it since I don't know all the details about the engine, but figuring late 70's / early 80's is the low compression smog era, I figured 12 was a good place to start. It does idle smoothly and sound good. If it wasn't so muggy out I would pull the plugs and do a compression test, but I'm just not feeling it today.

 

Yes Scarebird list the spindle as the drum only for their kit. I was just pointing out that AMC has 3 different ones and I dont remember what one the Wilwood kit fits and dont remember if it gives measurements of the one it dose fit?
If you click on the kit that fits your car it should list what comes in the kit and it also list the install instructions as I did that for the AMC and knew about it only for the drum spindles and some machine work that might be needed.

The manual grease gun I had you could use with one have to pump and the other to hold the fitting on the nipple because I had trouble with the 2 handed pump guns.
Once I got how this battery gun worked it was not too bad and would be great if you had a lift, it was a little big to be sliding around on the ground under the truck.
Also the cheap HF locking fitting did not lock on the nipples all that good and will buy a LockNLube one ASAP as I hear they work.

It sound like the carb just need to be dialed in now that it can idle down to 500 RPM but should be done when up to normal temp and that cant be done with no radiator LOL
12* BTDC is good and where I would set it to as a start, again once the carb is dialed in better.

In the coolness of the house AC I made a cardboard pattern of the tractor's new headlight and looked more at the pictures of how the other guy set them in place.
I need to make a few measurements before I pull the tractor apart so I know how far out the new bulbs can be before they hit the grill as I dont want to cut it as it is new.
Maybe tomorrow after the guy when it is still coolish I will start on it?
Dave ----

 

I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your light setup once you finish.


Remember how the passenger side door of my F100 wouldn't open from the outside, and I said later that the vibration from the air chisel when I was working on the rivets had caused the brittle clip to fail, letting the rod fall out? Well a new clip is only something like $1.49 at Advance Auto so I picked one up the other day. Problem is, I can get the clip in place pretty easily, but I can't get the rod to go in! I'm thinking you may have had to deal with this on your truck, do you have any tips or tricks?

 

I like the light out put on that zero turn I could live with that LOL

I over slept so did not hit the guy and I though I had to take Mary to a doctor appt. for 12. When it got close and she was not here I checked and it is for 2pm.
By the time i get the tractor out the old grass blown off it would be time to pack everything up to take her and that is not counting all hot a sweaty
So the lights will have to wait another day LOL

Are you sure the rod fits the holes on the clip?
I dont remember having any problems with the rods and clips. I know they make metal clips but I cant remember what mine are, metal or plastic?
As long as the rod fits the holes you put the clip over the lever, pop the rod thru and push the clip onto the rod.
Just a thought I believe they make the clips in left & right hand. Maybe if the clip is flipped over it would work?
With out seeing it I cant say why other than what I said above.
Dave ----

 

Ok maybe there are different diameters? I see rockauto has a 5 pack of Ford latch clips in yellow, orange, brown, black, and white. Although my old one and the new one are the same shape and color. I should have made sure it would go through the plastic before I put the plastic piece in.

A week of working nights and not sleeping well caught up with me and I just laid down for a nap this afternoon and ended up sleeping 7 hours straight. I guess I needed it. But I didn't get anything done today!

 

Do you rotate work hours? I thought you worked nights?
It is ruff when you rotate. When I worked at the hospital the boiler room rotated and when ever I asked my guys they say no way and I was happy they did not want to rotate.
When I did shift work I was also happy we did not rotate but over them 5 years I did work all 3 different shifts. Everyone wants the 7-3 M-F, we were 24/7 365, but I 1 guy that liked the 3-11 so that just left the 11-7 shift.
I hated the 3-11 but the 11-7 was not bad after a few days to get use to it, something you cant do when you rotate.

Sometimes you have to listen to your body and if it says sleep, sleep it is! The heat also plays a big part in how tired you get.
That is why I overslept yesterday and did not get anything done. There are some nights I hit the bed at 7pm and get up at 4am or 6am.
I think its my body making up for all the time I got like 3 to 4 hours sleep when I was driving, as long as my log book showed I was off for 10 hours.
There were times I pulled over and got a cat nap too.
Got to do what you got to do

On the clip any way you can pull it off and see if the rod fits the holes?
That is the only reason I could think why it will not work. As for the colors I would have think the same color would work but who knows?
Dave ----

 

No, I don't rotate, always 11p to 7a. Usually lay down for a nap after dinner, but had not been sleeping much and then around 3pm I felt drained. I figured you know what I don't have to stay awake if I don't want to, so I went and laid down. Figured a 2 hour nap and be up for dinner but instead I slept like a rock until after 10.

When I saw the rockauto item with 5 different clips that are 5 different colors I started assuming each color was a different diameter. But maybe a different shape. I will mess around with it, I kinda think if I remove it then I would end up breaking off some of the end pieces. I had an idea to just hold different size drill bits in my finger and see what size goes through and what size doesn't and then kinda estimate from there.

 

I got the door clip in place. I wish I had test fit it beforehand so as to avoid all the hard-to-reach work, but the drill bit did the trick. I think there was plastic casting flash inside preventing it from going in all the way. I tried twisting the drill bit through by hand but it got too hard, so I got the driver out and twisted it through. Not much came out but it did give me a clear hole to push it through with my thumb. The piece says "fits left or right" but I do wish it was facing the other way, then I would be PUSHING the clip it on instead of trying to PULL it, with the window frame in the way, but using a pick and a screwdriver I was able to force it in. Now it works great!


Voila!


Tools of the trade....

 

Good to hear you got that clip to work and you can open the door from the outside.

I spent yesterday all day working on the tractor LED head lights, this was after an hour at the gym.
I wanted to wash it as it was getting aa little crusty looking but had to blow the grass off it first.
I forgot how good looking the tractor is when it's clean. I may even wax it when I get it all done.


They are the factory lights but I removed the lenses and installed HF rock crawler LED light assy. They were not a upgrade from the factory light bulb when cutting grass in the dark.

I started this at 7am as it was cool and was hopping it would go quickly, not, as son and I called it a day at 6pm.
The lights both factory & aftermarket are mounted to a radiator type frame that the grille, hood and front part of the side panels fasten to.
Once off the tractor and the factory lights removed the holes need to be opened up for the 4x6 LED lights to set back some so I dont have to cut / trim the new grille.
From pictures from someone that did this upgrade it looked like the lights sit back flush on a lip on the lights, not true once I got the opening open and now sit back too far

We came up with a plan to bake the brackets to push the lights out so they would fit flush to the back of the grille.
Cut, bend, drill holes for screws into the lights of flat stock and tack weld, adjust, test fit and we felt it was good and son welded it up.
At that point we were going to call it a day but I had to mount the support on tractor to move it back into the tractor shed so it was just loosely bolted on and tractor & tools put away.

The plan was to finish it today first thing when cool but I forgot about the cruise the club had and me needing to tow the trailer there so maybe toning when the sun goes down and it cools off.
This way we can test the LED head lights. I hope this was all worth it as it was a lot of work.
Dave ----

 

The drive home from the cruise in was horrible, heat of the day, bright sun, no AC, and my heat damaged windshield makes it hard to see anything other than a glare if the sun is right on me. Had low brake pedal travel and noticed it the last few times, so after I got home and cooled off for an hour or two I went out there and jacked it up and adjusted all 4 drums. Seems like I have to do this twice a year at least despite really only driving maybe 100 miles a week. I really want to do the disc brake upgrade on the 66, and I have so much to do on the 85, plus the car trailer I had been working on months ago. I'm considering pushing the 83 F100 back into the garage and letting that project cool off for a few months.

If you finish your lights today, you can cut grass tonight after the sun goes down!

 

After being in the heat & sun this fat boy was done for the day when he got home

We had that storm come through when the sun went down so there was no way I was going out in that to work on the tractor.
More than once the cats and dogs went running when the thunder & lighting was close by. I was at the stove when lighting hit and though it was as my feet as it reflected off the stove from the window behind me!

As for the tractor lights I did not go out this morning when it was cooler as the weather just hits you in the face and you say nope not today
Maybe when I get home from the gym Monday morning like when I started this project Friday.
Mary also wants me to take her food shopping today because she has a head ack that dose not really go away. That is one of the things I been taking her to the doctor once a week for and shots.
Dave ----

 

I didn't get anything done today but it was nice to just rest and relax. That storm last night, well the boom of the thunder nearby woke me up, and then the dog having a panic attack coming in the room and panting kept me up too, so I didn't get to sleep until much later, but since I didn't have to work it didn't really matter. It looks like we might get a break next week with highs in the 80's and low 90's instead of mid 90's all week. Maybe I can motivate myself to getting more done on the pickup!

 

Thats what I am hopping for but I dont think my grass is on the same page as me as it needs cutting now and the tractor is still apart.
I overslept so no gym this morning and now being 8am and not doing weekly trash last week I got to do it today ...... in this heat
Dave ----

 

Seems like it would have been so much easier to mount a set F/R on the hood and fenders. You'd get a better throw of light in both directions and simple wiring with very little fabrication. I'm thinking no matter what you put in the front in the stock location it's always going to cut the light beam.

It was definitely hot this weekend. I was traveling back and forth for various things. Was at the race track Sunday and was completely soaked like I jumped in a pool with all my gear on. Still feel dehydrated this morning.

I was told by a friend then verified by FTE that an 08 crown vic interceptor 200 amp alternator is a direct drop in replacement for my excursion. Same belt, same cable, wiring, connectors. This may be the route I take. Most of the aftermarket stuff is $200+ higher and requires a different belt and wiring. We'll see. I need to do a little more research. I need a new battery as well. Probably do both at the same time.