For the front, could you make the upper mount extension a bolt on piece? Make changing the shocks possible?

 

I guess I could, but the bolts need to be in shear, so I would have to modify it anyway. I think installing it from the bottom would be better. If I move the upper hole out about 1/2", Ill remove one or both of the lower cross braces, and replace them with something better. This seems to be the best alternative.

 

I removed the bed again, and started making plans to fix these issues. Ill make an order for parts tonight, and hopefully will get some things done this week. I have to stop rushing myself for some made up appointment. I need to fix these things as they come up. So, I wont put the bed back, until its completely ready to go back. I have a few other issues I was putting off until later. Well, its later. I went crazy cleaning the garage also, because the bed is staying inside this time. I hope to have the problems fixed and back together soon.

The parts to fix it wont cost over $150. And the time to fix the rear end might be a full day. I just hate making these dumb mistakes. The front will be harder.


I dont know what I was thinking. I should have aligned it the other way. I can fix it, with a little work.

Bed is off again. Im going to fix everything this time, so when the bed goes on, its on for good

 

No work on the truck this week. Im waiting on parts, and planning a little bit. Im also doing the laundry room for my wife. While im in there Im adding a 220v switch for the welder/dryer. Instead of unplugging the dryer and plugging in the welder every time I need it, Ill be able to flip a switch. Ill post pictures when Im done, but it should be pretty nice.

I also went to a car show that happens weekly around here, and met a guy with a white and purple 71 or 72 D100, with a 440 (I think its a bored and stroked 440, but I dont remember how big he said it was), and his bed was in pretty good shape, so I struck up a conversation and took a picture or two. I have to figure out how to repair the bed on Isaacs truck eventually, and it was good to see how its supposed to look. Isaacs bed has been butchered.

Things I need to do to Isaacs truck still;
1) fix the shock mounts (waiting on parts)
2) Radiator and coolant lines (I broke down and ordered another radiator with the hookups on opposite sides). It will be easier. I ordered aluminum tubing, which Ill bend at work. The radiator I have now will work on the Ford, so its not a complete waste.
3) I will probably lower the tow hitch. It will be behind the bumper right now, so it needs to be a little lower. I havent figured out how yet.
4) Im seriously looking at relocating the battery....again. My problem is I watch car show videos and see all these great ways to mount this stuff. Its not really in a good spot, although its better than it was. I just dont want to buy more cables.
5) Im sure Ill find something else to "fix". Like I said previously, Im trying to stop rushing, and saying :Ill get to that later". I have the bed off, I want to fix it all while Im here. I might work on the frame clean up. The frame will be visible until I fix the bed, so it needs to look better.

 

I havent really worked on the truck this week. Ive been re-doing a laundry room. Again, what I thought would be 3 days, and $250, winds up taking 7 days, and over $500. Its always something, and when you tear into a wall, you never know what you will find. Anyway, happy wife-happy life.

I have been considering a few things, and getting parts together. Ill just ramble for a minute, and Ill post pictures starting next week.

1) I managed to find time to drill and tap the intake for the electric fan temp sensor. I have a few concerns-one it is probably a grounding switch, which will ground at a certain temperature (it only has one wire terminal in it) . I installed it with thread tape, so it might not work right. The second issue is it is supposed to be a 3/8-18 NPT, so I ordered a tap set that came with the drill bit and tap. I drilled it and tapped it, and it just didnt seem to tighten in a way that inspires confidence in a good seal. We will see. If it leaks, I guess Ill step back a punt again.

2) I think I have to install a step c-notch. Ill take a picture of this soon, but the new rear shock mounts need to be mounted in a way that the QA1 shock is about 14" installed. Thats where it is now, with the old mounts, but on the lowest hole in the bottom bracket. I want to be able to really lower this thing if needed. The new mount has a hole thats about an inch lower, that makes the problem worse. Plus I have almost 4" between the axle tube and the frame. Lowering it will make that worse. I know a notch guarantees I have to raise the bed floor or install a hump, but Im okay with that. Plus with a step notch, I can mount the upper shock mount on the notch, and use one of the higher holes on the lower mount.

3) Im also lowering the trailer hitch. The current location is behind the bumper a little. I could probably fix it with a drop hitch, but all the bars are coming out anyway, because of #2) above, the notch. This will give me an opportunity to fix a few other things.

4) Im really looking into the front mounts. I bought new shock mounts, and they look good, and I thought I had a plan. The more I look at it, the more I wonder if I should do something else. Im just not sure. This is what happens when you spend so much time looking at build threads and watching build videos. (Ill post pictures of this dilemma later.)


How it sits now, with everything as I originally mounted it. I might want to lower the rear a touch. I might even lower the whole truck for special occasions.

Where the upper mount needs to be, at a minimum. A notch will give me an option of a higher location, and more clearance.

This shows the upper and lower. I would like the lower to mount in the middle hole, to allow more adjustment.

 

At a previous residence, the wife decided our side entry door need some work. It was kinda loose from the wall... So, pull the trim, pull the door, see the rotten wood... Peel the paneling/lathe/plaster back some, find some more stuff that needed fixed.... peel it back a little further.... same thing.... By the time the wife got home, the entire dining room wall was gone..... (with temporary supports further into the room, so it didn't simply collapse.....) So, rebuild the entire wall, re-run the wiring, reset the door, wallboard, paint, trim... and the project was done. Three times the original estimate of cost... but, looked good. Wife got home, looked at the redone wall..... glanced around the rest of the dining room, and told us "That looks really good, get rid of the rest of the paneling."......

 

A couple of hours of grinding and the back is out. I finished the laundry room about 1 o-clock today, and went to the garage to start the modifications. I cut all the old supports and the tow hitch off, and laid out a c-notch. The upper shock mount in the position shown will give me about 15" bolt center to bolt center for the rear shock, in the middle hole on the lower mount, which is what I was looking for. It also gives me about 7" maximum clearance between the frame and the axle tube. The bad news is, this will raise the bed floor by about 3" in this area. Im going to start with a center hump, but Ill probably raise the entire floor.


All that work, gone. I should have paid attention. See the pile of metal dust in the floor?

Proposed c-notch. Ill cross brace them after install and boxing.

 

Got started on the c-notch. I cut all the main pieces yesterday, and made them match. I tacked them on today, and added the square bars in the pictures. These are sort of temporary. Ill use them to hold it all together until I get the top side welded together. Ill weld the notches on the frame, then cut the bars out and move them down, then Ill cut the notch out of the frame. The square bars will tie the sides together. They are about .100 to.120 wall 1x1, so they will be nice, and itll give me a flat top on the notch. I might not have enough of the 3/16 to finish the notches, so I may have to get more. I also need some 2x3 .120 wall box beam to lower the hitch. Im on overtime at work now, so itll be slow for awhile.

Tacked in and looking good to me. Shocks are just hanging for now.

The bars will be dropped down and tied in after I box the top.

 

A little further on the notch. I got the top plates tacked in, and the cross braces tacked in. Im not sure how to brace this. Im going to look at some pictures online. I made some gussets for the corners, but Im not sure if they are enough. I have more of the square bars so I could make corner braces out of them. I can get more of the bar and triangulate the top bars. I can get round bar, and do something with it. Im just not sure. Tell me what you think.

Next, Ill remove this as an assembly, and cut the top of the frame only. Then Ill re-install it, square it, and weld it. Then I can cut up from the bottom and meet the top cut, and the notched piece will be out. Then I can cap the bottom.


Everything tacked in. If you look closely, you can see the little gussets. Not sure if Ill use them.

Bottom left hand corner of the picture is the gussets. One is held in place with a magnet.

 

I soaked the notch in vinegar for a few hours to clean it up. It worked, sort of. I guess I should have pulled it out, and immediately wiped it and painted it. I didnt, so it rusted. Its just surface rust, but its annoying. Otherwise, I started the install. It went pretty good. I got one side completed, the other is welded, but it needs to be cut and the bottom welded up.

Im debating just going ahead and cleaning the whole thing up to make it look like the top. Grind away the welds, and make it look like a solid piece of metal. I think it looks good that way, but its a lot of work. Ill finish the other side as soon as I can. This week will be crazy. Im on overtime and my wife is helping our pastors wife out with her driving route while she is on vacation, so I might not get a bunch done this week.

On a positive note, my wife and I have decided to use the overtime money to get the Ford F100 on the road and driving. All it really needs is some work on the transmission (it shifts like crap) a tailgate, and some wiring issues fixed. Hope it works out good.


Soaking in a vinegar bath

Welds are still ugly, but getting better.

I might grind everything flush and smooth, but I dont know.