MY build thread...'88 Bronco II Desert Rat Patrol Edition: 1/26/24 update!

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Brave fellow jacking off the core support. I can’t believe it took the weight. Never would have here in the rusty steel buckle of the rust belt anyway. If I don’t have a hitch or something solid between the frame rails like the crossbar for the tow hooks in the 98-00, then I’ll either put steel or a 4x4 across the frame rails and ideally use a house jack, or I jack up the suspension on each side with jack stands until I get to where I want the frame for a “working height” and get them set in the front. I have two cut sandstone chunks I use for setting 6-ton stands on when I need the extra height. When the frame is set, then I pull tires and lower the front down. With care, it can be done, especially on concrete. But something like the Quick Jack if it’s an option is definitely an advantage and a step forward in safety. As vehicles even on lifts can fall, it’s always a good idea to think safety. If it seems sketchy, it probably is and there’s probably another way to go at it. I’ve now managed to prove that what seems to be massive overkill isn’t always enough.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Since i wanted to place the jackstands on the frame rails I couldn't jack them up there. I was gonna try a 4x4 across them and jack it up further back but the only one I had handy wasn't going to work. Likewise lifting it by the lower shock mount obviously wasn't going to work either.

Having told my wife what happened to @lil_Blue_Ford recently in addition to previously using my neighbor's Quick Jack, my mock up was a sales pitch to buy my own...and it worked! Neither one of us wanted me to keep bugging my neighbor to use his and I figured I'd get quite a bit of use out of it.

There's no shortage of horror stories when it comes to stuff like this, I know a kid that had a Honda CRX come off the jackstands and smash him right in the face and the only reason he lived was it was literally only the car's body as it had been completely gutted with no motor/drivetrain/interior/etc. He managed to push and wiggle his way out from underneath it but had a nice chip taken out of one his front teeth in the process.

I had also heard about this gentleman who was killed while working on his Jeep when an earthquake hit, causing it to fall on him...HORRIBLE.

ANYWAY, I got the Quick Jack ordered last night (it's on sale at Home Depot and thank you very much for the additional veteran's discount!) so that'll be here shortly, and there's NO shortage of work to get done. Likely gonna work on getting the A/C compressor and accumulator installed along with the lines and permanently wire the electric fan.

Same neighbor (Quick Jack) just got his truck pained a nice desert tan/FDE by a local kid who did a great job. Since he also does bedliner I asked him about spraying the whole vehicle in Raptor liner and he said that wouldn't be a problem. Short money considering and with all the money I'm saving but doing this stuff myself I figure why not. I'm planning on using the high belt line/body seam just below the door handle as where I'll have it from there down, black and from them up, tan and the center section of the hood blacked out too. Underneath the hood and doors/jambs are also going to be lined so the original factory red/tan won't be visible nearly anywhere except the engine bay.

Got my AOR bumper yesterday too and it's a nice piece of work!

 

[Josh B]

I just realized I Always have the jack, And jack stands, on the rounded axle shaft, with the cradle turned to "Wrap" around it, so no slipping can occur

 

[Peter Griffin]

Getting my courage up to tackle the front axle pivot bushings, which looks to be a real PITA! I saw this tutorial HERE and was wondering if anyone had any other tips/tricks/etc., I'm still researching it but planning for worst case scenario of course!

 

[Peter Griffin]

UGH...HUGE mistake discovered today...

I have NO idea why I threw out the old A/C compressor before I got a chance to install the new one, but as soon as I took the new one out if the box today I discovered it was missing the compressor line fittings inlets (for lack of a better term) shown in the picture circled in blue.

Total rookie mistake and I'm furious at myself for making it, there was no reason why I couldn't have held onto the old one until I got the new one in, now I got to try to track down where I can buy these or a junk compressor to cannibalize...ARGH!

 

[RobbieD]

Try "compressor manifolds" when searching. Where did you source the compressor? They may have the manifolds for it.

Besides a junkyard, try 4Seasons or Vintage Air. I'm sure there's probably other sources for the small "pain in the ass" parts, but those two come to mind.

Maybe a forum member???

Good luck!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I just realized I Always have the jack, And jack stands, on the rounded axle shaft, with the cradle turned to "Wrap" around it, so no slipping can occur

I’m always careful how I set both ends of them too. Apparently sometimes it doesn’t matter when working in dirt and gravel. Mine was off the ground way too long. Since November.

 

[Josh B]

I just use those factory Ford jacks, I must have at least a half dozen or more. When I was messing around at Picker's a couple years ago they were selling them for $2.50 I think it was, and most never even been out of the cradle. I have several of the crank handles too.
They're easy to use, and they work well, I even trust them fairly well

 

[Peter Griffin]

Try "compressor manifolds" when searching. Where did you source the compressor? They may have the manifolds for it.

Besides a junkyard, try 4Seasons or Vintage Air. I'm sure there's probably other sources for the small "pain in the ass" parts, but those two come to mind.

Maybe a forum member???

Good luck!

Thanks AGAIN @RobbieD! I had no idea what they were called (obviously!) but I found a used compressor on a junked car on eBay that might work (not sure if the manifolds are included and I'm waiting to hear back) and using a reverse search of the Ford FS6 compressor part number that I verified fit my BII through an AutoZone parts search, I found THIS kit.

While it doesn't need the high pressure relief valve and suction/discharge compressor fittings since they're elsewhere on the system, it should still work.

Looks like this completely preventable mistake is gonna cost me time, which I have plenty of, and between $75-100 depending on taxes, shipping, etc. Oh well, not the first mistake and not gonna be the last, as long as I can fix it and learn in the process it's a win!

 

[RobbieD]

I did a quick search too, and found the same kit, NP1614, at nostalgic ac for cheaper ($66), but it was out of stock.

Hopefully the eBay seller will pan out, or your "in search of" ad here will produce. A junkyard would be the ideal, but good yards are few and far between these days.

Don't beat yourself up over it. I'm definitely my own worst enemy at times. I've kept the most worthless shit for 50 years, yet a week after I throw something out, all of sudden I need it.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Murphy’s law, as soon as you throw it out, no matter how long you’ve kept it, you’ll need that exact thing. I tend to be particular with what I get rid of because it’s usually just waiting to bite me in the arse

 

[Peter Griffin]

Another half day + of solid work today, felt like I actually made some progress after discovering my A/C manifold mistake yesterday...

Before getting into that, I forgot to mention that I decided to finish on a strong note last night and wanted to get the new tank and l/p pump/sender installed, throw some gas in and see if my hard work paid off.

Since my inner filler/fuel line had significantly deteriorated I ordered some 1-inch fuel to replace it. I got the tank in position and plugged in the wiring harness before raising it into position...NOW I understand why so many people cut out a trap door! It's not too late I may still do it but MAN what a pain in the arse getting the fuel lines on and clipped in. I had a new vent and gasket and ended up zip tying the hard vent line instead of futzing with a hose clamp, which would have been near impossible. I got the top end of the filler hose exactly positioned where it was previously...which left the tank end quite a bit short with the hose not even reaching the top of the tank filler neck. I ended up splitting the difference and got it firmly in position on both the tank filler neck and up by the fuel door but it was quite a show. I ended up throwing a 5-gallon jerry can in because I didn't want to full tank in case there were any problems and it kept puking gas back at me, but the jerry can's nozzle was pretty janky so I tried a Roto-Pax can with a couple of gallons and it wasn't a problem. I won't know if the line is kinked or there's another problem until I take it to get filled up but that's gonna be a while so I decided to test fire it up...

I primed the fuel system by key on/off a few times and I could hear the pump (in the tank) spinning up each time. I was actually quite audible, much more so than previously but the entire interior is gutted so it didn't bother me. Moment of truth and and it fired right up and quickly settled into a smooth 850 +/- RPM idle pretty quickly. I'm still a lil nervous about maybe needing to drop the tank again and address the filler line and inner fuel hose but for now it's fine. Fuel gauge was now properly working and was reading accurately around 1/4 tank...

So today I decided to install my manifold-less compressor and properly wire in my e-fan. With the exception of a power wire issue that was quickly remedied the e-fan was humming along and working fine, the rat's nest of wires now gone along with upgrading the power/ground wires with 10 gauge wire to handle the 30A.

Although I never knew what an A/C orifice tube was prior to completely redoing my system, I do now and MAN am I glad I changed it out. From the looks of it it was likely the original and while you can make out the metal shavings still on it a whole bunch more slid out of the tube along with it and fell off the tube while I was handling it. With a new accumulator, compressor, condenser and lines it's cheap insurance while you're at it to change it out. The only thing that bummed me out was the "high ambient temp" rated orifice tube would NOT fit, even after trimming off the installation tabs as directed. What chapped my arse about that was it was both a 4Seasons line and orifice tube so using different manufacturers wasn't the issue. Fortunately the rebuild kit I ordered had a new one so I used that...

 

[RobbieD]

Nice work. You're making great progress.

Keep the shipping caps on any new AC components that you install, especially the accumulator/drier. You want limit as much as possible any exposure to the atmosphere, of the insides of the new components.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Nice work. You're making great progress.

Keep the shipping caps on any new AC components that you install, especially the accumulator/drier. You want limit as much as possible any exposure to the atmosphere, of the insides of the new components.

Actually I'm doing EXACTLY that, even though I live in the desert and it's extremely arid I recall reading/hearing that doing that is important during installation, especially in a case like mine which is...AHEM...an "extended" process...!

I just bought the eBay junkyard compressor so hopefully that'll work. I have an O-ring rebuild kit for the manifolds which came with the compressor (THAT should have been a clue) so I'll have an extra A/C compressor when all is said and done. The one I took off was almost certainly the original, I'll see what kind of shape this one is in and might add it to my ever growing pile of usable parts that I'm going to end up selling when I'm done...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nice work for sure!

So a little about the orifice tubes…

My 92 Ranger someone had hacked part of the A/C out before I got it. When I ended up replacing the 4.0, I wanted to fix the A/C, so I got a variable orifice tube for it. I tried to make it fit, I really did, but it would not fit at all. Ended up going with the stock replacement (wish I would have gone to the next step up for cooling, the stock type are color coded for hotter or colder climates). I still don’t understand what was preventing me from using the variable one. The tube that came out of mine looked pretty nasty like that.

My 00 when I pulled it out was about as bad as yours and had some big metal chunks. I’m really surprised it put out cold air at all. The variable orifice tube fit in that truck perfectly. I don’t know how well it will perform yet.