The heater controls on my 69 f-250 are sticky, paticularly the bottom lever that selects heat or defrost. My thinking is, the solution is some combination of the following:

1. Adjustment/lubrication of the actual control levers.
2. Lubricate the cables.
3. Lubricate and/or adjust whatever the cables are controlling under the hood.

Any advice on how to make my levers work more easily? I can keep on forcing them, but sooner or later I know something will break.

 

Number two is your answer. Lube the cables.
I just did mine last weekend. I had the same problem.
Mine were so bad it would hurt my hand to try and move the bottom lever. The top one runs to the valve on your heater hose through the fire wall for the hot water that runs to your heater core. My guess is that's the easy one to move (Mine was anyway).
The other lever operates two cables that open and close the vent door on your heater. To access them remove your radio and you will be looking at the top of the unit. The heater control has a dual action to it by pushing and pulling on the two cables.I used penetrating oil to do mine.
The cables are a metal wound casing. The lube soaks right in and lubricates the cable. I made a bit of a mess due to the cramped space
and the thin nature of the oil. I also lubed the channels that the cables are attached to, so the cables and the pivot points were all
lubed. You'll know what I mean when you get in there. It's all right on top easy to see. The cables are long in my opinion, you have to reach all the way in to follow them all the way with your lube, that's where I got a bit messy. some of my oil missed and dribbled down to my
carpet behind my heater. Be ready for that, and put something down to catch some drips or runs.
The end result is that I now have it working freely with little effort
using my thumb and index finger.
I also lubed the one running the valve through the firewall since I was in there just for good measure.
Hope this helps you. Good Luck!

Hawkeye

 

Thanks Hawkeye, now I have a project for this weekend.

 

No problem. Glad to be of help.
Good luck.

Hawkeye

 

I have learned that the routing of the cables can be a problem as well. Make sure there's no sharp bends or kinks.

Art
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=3068&.jpg

 

Where dose the cables connect or where do they go that are control the Temp? My heater is either Hot or warm... I think it's binding some place..


Lonallie@cs.com
lonnie.dotson@boeing.com

 

The temp. control cable runs from the lever (just below and behind your radio) through the firewall to one of your heater hoses. (You will see a valve inserted into the hose with the cable end attached)
Hope that helps you.

Hawkeye

 

if the cable lube dosent help as much as you think it should, look inside your heater temp valve (the one the cable runs to connected to the heater hoses) its probably corroded. mine was. new valve now moves easy.