Casual_Reader
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2015
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
- Vehicle Year
- 93
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Manual
long time lurker...
I wanted to post a YUGE thanks to the contributors... rather than bumping necro threads that addressed the issues I was facing at the time.
Collectively, you guys have helped me through taking the whole front end off to replace the radiator support... a few days of fun. Obviously I'm up north in the rust belt. Those cheap spot weld hole cutters from harbor freight worked wonders when using dawn dish detergent as the cutting oil... the teeth weren't dulled at all after 40 <?> something holes cut. The mounting holes in the brackets were also rusted out... with no welder, my shade tree solution was big washers and polyurethane glue. A couple years later - they're as strong as the day I glued them in place - no cracking or other signs of stress.
Having the whole front end off is also the perfect time to replace the timing belt... which was loose and flopping around a bit against the cover. Posts here and youtube vids were invaluable. The shop labor charges on that alone were... well, you know... it's a 25 year old truck.
Leaf spring brackets and shackles... Did I mention I'm up north? What a pain... no one around here would touch it. Grind off the rivets... the tough part was burning out and replacing the bushings without a press. Threaded rod and old washers and lawn mower blades (believe it or not) got them in.
The driver side cab mount bracket has since broken loose... that's next. Odd... all the other cab mounts are fine. Meanwhile, squeaks a bit on right turns.
Simple fuel pump replacement... I was lucky in that it gave up the ghost driving on my block (whirl of death) and I was able to back it in the drive before it quit. Turns out it was just a wire that had broken its riveted connection to the connector. Impossible to solder, I pulled the pin, inserted stripped wire into the the pin hole in the connector and splayed it out such that pushing the pin back in made a tight pinch connection. Had a replacement pump ordered, so waited and replaced that while the bed was tilted up.
simple brake pad and rotor replacement... etc, etc... thanks again. Sites like this are what makes the web great... people sharing their experience.
I wanted to post a YUGE thanks to the contributors... rather than bumping necro threads that addressed the issues I was facing at the time.
Collectively, you guys have helped me through taking the whole front end off to replace the radiator support... a few days of fun. Obviously I'm up north in the rust belt. Those cheap spot weld hole cutters from harbor freight worked wonders when using dawn dish detergent as the cutting oil... the teeth weren't dulled at all after 40 <?> something holes cut. The mounting holes in the brackets were also rusted out... with no welder, my shade tree solution was big washers and polyurethane glue. A couple years later - they're as strong as the day I glued them in place - no cracking or other signs of stress.
Having the whole front end off is also the perfect time to replace the timing belt... which was loose and flopping around a bit against the cover. Posts here and youtube vids were invaluable. The shop labor charges on that alone were... well, you know... it's a 25 year old truck.
Leaf spring brackets and shackles... Did I mention I'm up north? What a pain... no one around here would touch it. Grind off the rivets... the tough part was burning out and replacing the bushings without a press. Threaded rod and old washers and lawn mower blades (believe it or not) got them in.
The driver side cab mount bracket has since broken loose... that's next. Odd... all the other cab mounts are fine. Meanwhile, squeaks a bit on right turns.
Simple fuel pump replacement... I was lucky in that it gave up the ghost driving on my block (whirl of death) and I was able to back it in the drive before it quit. Turns out it was just a wire that had broken its riveted connection to the connector. Impossible to solder, I pulled the pin, inserted stripped wire into the the pin hole in the connector and splayed it out such that pushing the pin back in made a tight pinch connection. Had a replacement pump ordered, so waited and replaced that while the bed was tilted up.
simple brake pad and rotor replacement... etc, etc... thanks again. Sites like this are what makes the web great... people sharing their experience.