Dont know if anyone remembers my overheating dilemma from a few weeks back (I know you get a lot of them this time a year) but I just wanted to thank all for the help and let you know she's running steady now! After taking my old radiator out and getting it boiled, pressure and flow tested, changing thermostats (from 195 to 180 to 160 now) and hoses and just generally checking over the whole system, turns out a new radiator did the trick (fingers crossed here). Took it for a long drive last night on a 90 degree day and the guage didnt go over the r in the normal sign. No boiling or generally unhappy sounds coming from under the hood either.

Being that that was the most extensive repair I've ever done on a vehicle, I'm now ready for my next task (after I give the wallet a little rest that is)! I am contemplating two things: 1)the entire underside of the truck is quite rusty, but the paint job is still good. Is there anything I can do to either a)hold the rust at bay or b) take the rust off and spray with a protective undercoating. I live in CT, but garage the vehicle year-round so I should be able to keep it from rusting from then on. or 2) when I grab the steering connection just before the hook up to the power stearing box, I can twist the rod a good 2 to 3 inches to either side, moving the steering wheel in the process. This amounts to a bit of play in the steering wheel, even though the actual steering mechanisms are quite sound. I would really like to get this play out if I could, though it is not unbearable.

Anyway, just figured I'd run it by you guys seeing that you helped me so much the last time. Thanks again.

 

You can kill the rust with black primer that specifically turns rust to black primer, ya gotta get that kind or you just hide teh rust..

 

If you have a spray gun, I use a black zinc chromate from the auto paint shop after you get it clean if it ain't too bad. If it's bad you can brush on something like POR-15 to nuetralize the rust and cover it.
For the steering, look closely at the coupler between the power box shaft and the steering wheel shaft. It probably looks like it was cut from a tire. If it's shot you'll get lots of play but the pins will keep it from comming all the way loose. Next look at the end of the power steering box where the pitman arm goes on while someone turns the wheel back and forth and see if the bottome bearing is loose.
Dang Fords, only 280,000 miles and I've had to replace several things.

1977 Ford F-100
400m/c6/4:11/Gear Vender O.D.
Crane hydralic roller, forged, ported polished,Deamon,Edlebrock, yada, yada, yada
280,000 miles
Stock on the outside
modified/rebuilt everything

 

Beartracks wrote: "For the steering, look closely at the coupler between the power box shaft and the steering wheel shaft. It probably looks like it was cut from a tire. If it's shot you'll get lots of play but the pins will keep it from comming all the way loose"
My question is what if the pin and fork that keep it from coming all the way loose is worn also, are those easy to find and replace? I have a 67 F100 with this same problem, and I'm concerned that replaceing the coupler is not going to completly solve the wear issue. Any thoughts?

 

[font color=red size=2]You can buy the whole assembly at NAPA, it's kinda pricey though - around $75 if memory serves me. You could get a better used coupler at a salvage yard and just replace the rubber for about $8.

Marty

"Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult"[/font]

 

The rubber or nylon "coupler" makes the connection. The pins and slots just keep things from comming completely apart if you coupler wears apart.

1977 Ford F-100
400m/c6/4:11/Gear Vender O.D.
Crane hydralic roller, forged, ported polished,Deamon,Edlebrock, yada, yada, yada
280,000 miles
Stock on the outside
modified/rebuilt everything