If you bend a tie rod...your handyman handle will slide over it an stabilize it to get you home...

 

If your tired of that hood latch bending and braking even when your hood
latch is adjusted right, I used to always weld a small steel dowl in the backside of the latch, make sure you take it off the truck so you will do a
better job and make sure steel dowl passes though to the end of the latch!
Works great!

 

I bought a 73-79 tailgate that was sitting for "who knows how long" and when I went to operate it, nothing moved, but I bought it anyway. So, just a reminder to give your tailgate some lube once in a while to keep everything sliding.

(yes, I lubed my seized tailgate, but it took a while before its parts slid like they should)

oh, and when you take the gate off the truck, put some grease in the pivot points before everythings bolted back up

while I'm thinking of gates, there is a thread I've seen about converting the 80's style removeable pieces to the 73-79 for easier(faster)(one-person) tailgate removal, maybe someone could post it?

hope this helped, have fun!

 

I didn't realize I skipped over how to adjust the hood latch, so heres a link:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=389476

 

Ok all if anyone is interested. I have found out how to upgrade the bulb behind the headlight/wipers labels. Go to your local salvage yard and get a socket from the cig lighter in a newer ford or other car that uses that bulb. They will clip into the mount for the stock socket and you just have to splice it in place of the stock one. Still working on the gear selector on the column.

 

Lots of parts from the 1975 to 1992 econoline vans interchange with the 1973 to 1979 F-series.

Instrument clusters (need to match application)
Instrument cluster parts
Turn Signal Lenses
Tail Light lenses, (except for 1973)
Clearence light lenses
steering wheel and parts (need to match application)
Smog related parts (engine and state specific)
Door window handles

Then of course the 78, 79 bronco share a ton of parts too...

 

WIPERS light plugs into a metal tube with a blue plastic cap on back of Instrument Cluster plastic surround. I take the metal/blue-cap combo off the back of the surround and I've carefully pried(whacked with a screwdriver) that blue cap off so I could drill that hole bigger for more light. OK, I didn't drill it, I was careful with the hacksaw, put the metal piece in the vise, and sawed it off, and put the blue cap back on.

VOILA, more light for the WIPERS indicator

 

Noticed a thread I thought I should add about rust prevention:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=369259

 

Found a thread on dash removal:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=377279

 

Replace rubber fuel line:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=373138

 

Front rotors for a 70's Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 will fit on Dana 60 rear hubs to convert to rear discs. Everything lines up nice & straight so you can cut a bracket out of 3/8" flat steel to mount up GM calipers that bolts to the existing brackets on the 60..

 

More seat interchange info:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=398166

 

For Manual tranny oil changes, get a long plastic hose and attach it to the nozzle of the gear oil bottle (make sure it's secure). Then have a buddy hold the end of it in the filler hole while you stand outside squeezing the bottle. Or you can just let gravity do the work for you.

 

If you lift your truck to insall larger tires you will need to recalibrate your speedometer. Here is how to do it for trucks equipped with a 4 spd. manual:

Disconnect your speedometer cable and count the # of teeth on the drive gear.
Usually 6,7, or 8 teeth and then use this formula:

# of drive teeth x axle ratio x (tire revolutions per mile) / 1000

example: 7 drive teeth x 4.11 x 670 /1000 = 19.28
so you would need a 19 tooth speedometer gear to get the correct mph on the gauge.

 

This applies to all Stick Shifts.

For stubborn Pilot Bushings and or Bearings, Remove and Replace, pack the inside of the Crank and Bearing/Bushing area with Grease. Take a Broom Stick handle piece or Wooden Dowel and either widdle it down to size or wrap with tape until it will just start into the shaft hole. (Tight fit is critical) Then give it a couple good raps with a hammer, and the Bushing and or Bearing will pop right out.

Saves a lot of frustration or buying fancy tools that just break when you try to remove them.

EDIT- See also posts #42 & 43. -Admin