Here's the calipers after the 7 day cure and being rebuilt. The paint seemed to hold up to the rebuilding process, only a few small areas to touch up.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...4d45a46ad0.jpg

Wow, I'm an oldie who is recently back and man these pictures and this thread bring back good and bad memories from restoring an EX. Great job, Great garage, Great tools.

feels great to drive a ex but sure does come with some heart ach forsure. m sick of replacing lift struts and door lock actuators.

When the frame was at the powder coater he called and told me he was a little worried. After the chemical wash he put it in the oven to dry and something (oil, undercoat) started seeping out of all the areas that have 2 layers of steel. We decided to go ahead and coat it and see what happened. He coated it and did not notice any more seepage. The frame has been upside down since I dropped it off to him and that is how he coated it. I have not really looked at the topside of the frame until I flipped the frame over a couple of weeks ago. The apparently was some seepage when the frame went back into the oven. I think it is the undercoating from the factory that is seeping. The are a number of spots where it ran out, so we will keep an eye on it and see what happens. I don't think (hope) it will be a problem. It looks to me like it ran out on top of the powder coating.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...fae675e845.jpg

Question.

I have a SD frame that I'd like to have either powder or epoxy. What did your research show you as far as the cost between the two? And the service life of powder vs epoxy? From what my research shows, powder can crack...and rust can start under the powder, and do a lot of damage prior to noticing.

that would be bad if rust started under powder coating, i would watch it and paint over any cracks or peeling forsure.

To be honest I didn't do any research on epoxy, or powder for that matter. I was originally going to rattle can the frame. But after the time I spent cleaning, I decided to powder coat it instead. My Father-in-law had owned a metal fabrication shop for years. He sent all of his stuff to be powder coated. He has never had a problem with powder cracking. Now granted my FIL wasn't building a truck, but some of his products take a beating. I talked to my FIL and his powder coater (which is who I used) and decided that was the best option for me. I also plan on using fluid film before winter each year, and I will be keeping an eye on it. Only time will tell.

My thinking: if you didnt remove the brackets, there will be gaps from rust between the metal parts that will hold moisture and other contaminates. These areas will continue to corrode and eventually push the powder open. The heating process was boiling the moisture out.

The contact patch of the bracket to the frame is not 100% of the surface of the bracket. Its a small percentage of extra surface around the bearing surface of the fastener. The remaining surface area is open to the elements to some degree.

The only things I didn't remove were the crossmembers and brackets that are riveted, and the area where the splice is. Coil buckets and radius arm brackets had not been installed yet.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...e6b91f180f.jpg

What was seeping out was black and thick, so I don't think it was just water (moisture).

At any rate Carbon Coupe, I agree with you that there are areas that I couldn't completely clean and also that may have little to no powder. I don't know if that would change by using a different product to paint the frame. Hoping that fluid film takes care of those areas.

What are your plans for all the various plastic wireloom holders, fuel line, brake lines? You know, those little fir tree push-in things.

I was able to get most of them out of the donor truck without them breaking. They are all still intact on my truck, so I think I will be OK. If not I will see what is available.

Long overdue update. This has turned into a restoration. Everything is being taken apart, cleaned, painted and wearable items replaced. Somethings are hard to tell if they need replaced, but most parts are not that expensive and it will never be any easier to do than now.

Springs as they came off the '05 F250 donor at the gold mine.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...65c7be2ee8.jpg

I completely disassembled the springs
Pressing the old bushings out
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...35ec0681bc.jpg

New bushings going in
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...9fdd927e4f.jpg

I think this press can handle it
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...aff394c1f0.jpg

The 2 sizes of bushings the springs take. The 2 on the right came out of the springs, the left 2 are the new ones.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7908a7aca1.jpg

Here's what happens if you're not quite lined up and the piece of scrap pipe you're using to press the bushing isn't straight
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...68813d91f5.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...51e91a70d7.jpg

Painted and reassembled
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...0be0991ec1.jpg

On the truck
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...62a640e3b1.jpg

I got the bushings, shackles, center bolts from Junior at ATS. Their part numbers for metal sleeve, rubber encased bushings BT2424, and BT2525. The shackles BT8191MBW. The center bolt is just a 7/16" x 4". I also replaced the spring tip spacers (Dorman 924-070) from Amazon. Everything fit just fine.

Add the axle, rotor, caliper
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...71a7059083.jpg

Since I'm not using any of the suspension parts off of my EX, I got a set of 2 1/2" tapered blocks with u-bolts from Amazon (Pro Comp 58256). The u-bolts aren't threaded enough to tighten up. Everything was painted before installation. I didn't really cover much of the spring disassembly, assembly, or the axle hub build up, as that all has been covered somewhere on this forum. But. as always, if you have any questions let me know.

My buddy says "It's gonna look like a show car, you not going to want to drive it". Nope, it may look like a show car when it's done, but I'm going to want to drive it all the time.

While trying to locate the coil spring isolator for the top of the coil springs, I could only find the Energy Suspension 4.6111G or R. I ordered a set and when the came, they didn't fit. The outside diameter is correct, and they sit on the spring ok, but the inside hole, where it goes up in the coil bucket is 3/4" too big. They would be able to move around, a lot. Plus as hard as they are I'm not sure it would be a good ride. Sent them back and found them online from Ford 5C3Z-5415-AA. Bought them from Quirk Parts out of Quincy Massachusetts, $39.56 each. These fit perfect and the rubber seems like it will be a better ride. We'll see.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...884fec6816.jpg

Boy that is one fine looking rear end :-drink

Thanks, so nice of you to notice. I work out. Ohh, you probably meant the truck. :-missingt