The chronicles of Lou, '70 F350 dually Cummins project

[Ranchero50]

So, realized a bit ago that we've been on the road for four years. Truck does well, paint has faded enough that I'm feeling compelled to do 'something' about it but probably won't for at least one more year. Tons of work around the house planned for this summer. Used it to get 20 bags of concrete and some fence posts. The bed makes an awesome work table. Just moved it back out of the yard and there's red fluid draining out of the rebuilt power steering box... Looks like it's the pitman arm seal. What an ever loving PITA this repair is going to be. Looking back I'm trying to figure out how long ago I replaced it with a rebuilt one. Probably doesn't matter.

More to come.

[Ranchero50]

So, state of the truck...

Gave the wheels and pipes a coat of aluminum paint since it's kind of shiny and brightens up the old truck.


Link to the steering box redo. http://fordification.com/forum/viewtopi ... =5&t=87475

I also swapped out the constantly leaking cast iron master cylinder for a '94 F-305 1 1/8" bore version which required new hard lines. Which proved again that I suck at making double flares. Once bled the brakes are about the same as before. I just hope the fluid stops leaking onto the frame rails.




The steering box is made in China, even the hardware is metric. Needed to loosen the pre load stud a little as it was tight with the wheels straight ahead. I'll also need to adjust the steering wheel as it no longer sit correctly.

[Manny]

The later master go straight on the old booster no issues?? May have to try that later. Truck looks good sitting there with shiny aluminum wheels.

[Ranchero50]

Yep, bolted right on and didn't need to adjust the push rod at all. The only stumbling block was making new lines. There were 1" bore MC's made with fender side ports for little Rangers but I wanted the larger 1-1/8th capacity since the F-350 has larger brake component.

[Manny]

Yep, bolted right on and didn't need to adjust the push rod at all. The only stumbling block was making new lines. There were 1" bore MC's made with fender side ports for little Rangers but I wanted the larger 1-1/8th capacity since the F-350 has larger brake component.

Gotcha. Yeah on my brothers 89' we actually swapped to the f450 f superduty master cylinder. Maybe do something on the highboy only issue is I will have drums all the way around so need the right master. Neat to know the options though.

[Ranchero50]

Another little project that the truck is making possible, replacing the 36' long back wall on my shed. On the bed is twenty five 80# bags of quickcrete, eight 60# bags of mortar, 50 8" cinder blocks, 24 top caps, two 8' 4x4's, three 12' 2x4's, and six 12' 2x6's.









Tore out the old wall yesterday after work, dug out the ground a good bit this morning for a footer. Never done block work before so this should be interesting. Need to set the two middle posts and put the header back up first. There's a pair of 16' 2x5's from an old swing set holding it up now.
Gonna be a long weekend getting this done.

[Ranchero50]

A few days later... New posts and headers, footer poured, block laid (first time) and ready to move onto the wall once the gutter drains are reset and cleaned out...







Truck loaded down with old beams that I'm not going to use and old concrete that I don't want to deal with. Donating them to the farm Gods. I want to do a window along this section of the wall, a cheap window, if I can find one. Might hit up the Restore as Craigslist has been barren.

[Ranchero50]

So, fall project list (more for me so I don't forget).

Rebuilt the injection pump as it's still sucking air or leaking.

Replace the Chinese power steering box as it sucks...

Install a load sensing proportional valve for the rear brakes from a newer truck so the duals stop locking up when empty on hard stops.

Install manual switches for the converter and OD lockup. I messed up the pressure settings and it's just not happy right now.

[basketcase0302]

Nice job on that wall Jamie!
That by far is the thing I miss the most about my DRW F-350, (the load capacity).
I'm moving again, and I've already made 10 trips with my small 4' X 8' utility trailer, (that would have been two in the bump).

[Ranchero50]

Thanks, it's the first time I've laid block and wasn't horrible once I realised how wet the mortar needed to be to lay nice. The shed is 18' x 38' and was originally a four car garage circa 1920 cars. It kept getting worse and worse until I needed to repair / rebuild it or tear it down. Once I broke down and put a rubber roof over the original 1x planks (and replaced a bunch of rotten ones) over the 20' 2 x 4's it's been water tight. There's no foundation so the walls sunk into the ground. I built a new front wall (3rd pic) out of 6x6's and wall sections from shipping crates. The ended I rebuilt in pole barn format reusing the original wall boards and covering everything in free used siding. Now that the back wall is done I'm down to a 18' x 18' section of concrete to pour and finish once I dig the old clay out this fall and finish the flashing around the roof. Been almost 5 years since I did the roof...

The trucks also been doing picket fence duty around the house. The 10' x 8' bed makes a wonderful work surface. Clamp the chop saw and a length reference board to it and chop pickets to the same length all at a comfortable height. Again, using it so much I don't have time to work on it.

[Ranchero50]

PIcs of the mess.

[hfdco4]

Looking good. Are you going to the fall Carlisle show?

[Ranchero50]

Looking good. Are you going to the fall Carlisle show?

I forgot about it but have found myself fixating on CJ2A's this weekend and know where an early hardtop one is so...

Big plus is it'll fit in the back of the dually.

Todays huge challenge has been making a hybrid generator that both runs and charges. 3k single lung marine diesel that runs getting a 4k gasser genny unit once I figure out how to press the rotors off the flywheels. Once they're gone I'm down to a spare blown 4.2 that needs "rebuilt" over winter and I'm done the current shop projects.

[hfdco4]

I love your shop!

[Ranchero50]

So, moving forward on the shed I decided that the 9'x7' garage door on the alley side would work much better as a 16'x7' door. It'll give me full access to my 18'x18' pad once the concrete is finished and make it much easier to park the fairlane without scraping anything. Quick browsing of Craigslist shows a one year old like new 16x7 for $300 from a fire demo 30 miles away. Screwed together a couple 16 2x4's and 10' 2x6's as stiffeners and went for it. Made it a mile or two before the turbo started making bad noises and ground to a halt. Finished the trip with minimal drama. Wish I had but no pics of the door hanging almost 5' off the back coming back up the interstate with a brown haze following for the dead turbo overfueling.

Today's state of the truck time again...

I have a Chinesium HX40 coming off of eBay for the whopping price of $130. Yes, I have low expectations but had read that they seem to live for 20-30k miles if left alone. It's sitting at the local PO, should get it Tuesday since Monday is a holiday.


Chinese power steering box is out as is the injection pump. I stopped at Autozone Thursday and they pre ordered a replacement box (free with lifetime warranty). It should be here Sunday and hopefully will work correctly and not leak after a month of use. Notice the frame is rusting from where the brake fluid leaked the past several years. I think next Spring the truck is coming apart so I can fix the engine and trans leaks that I can't get to assembled.


Hard to see it in these pics but the wheels touched the sides (again). I had rebuilt it recently but I'm also pretty sure when it touched last time the shaft got bent and that imbalance took the bushings out. Joy...


Injection pump which I took too far apart thinking I needed to replace a seal I already had. PITA and it has some rust so it's time to change the filters and finally hook up the water lamp.


Overall not a horrible day. Spent Friday at Carlisle walking my legs off. Picked up a '45 Military folding shovel for $5 and a $300 Starrett no 101 palm dial indicator for another $5 (that was in pieces in a plastic baggy).

More to come.