Rebuilding the first crossmember

So on the truck, the first cross member that ties the frame rail ends together under the radiator support was so badly bent out of shape it was not even worth repairing. It had been used to connect cables, chains, and hooks to latch onto the truck to yank it out of being stuck someplace. It resulted in bent frame rails, and cracks that had to be fixed. We are replacing the original cross member which was only about 1/8th inch steel bent in an l shape with a piece of 2×4 steel tube that is about 3/8ths thick per wall. Once done, you would be able to lift the entire truck by it. Eventually a class III Receiver hitch will get welded to the center that will allow mounting of tow hooks, ball mounts, and a winch on a receiver hitch mount that will come out below the bumper.

Here, dad has the new cross member about half finished.

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Pulling the 78 front axle

Pulling the front axle out of a truck is a whole lot easier with dad’s oxy acetylene torch. Put a jack under the axle, torch off the old u bolts, and the shocks, and it simply slides right out.

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The old heart of the truck.

Ever wonder what a 7.5 Liter Ford Big Block 460 looks like after about 400,000 miles? Its going to look much nicer once it resets its mileage to zero. Once done it will about idle crawling over obstacles.

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My trucks theme song.

While working on the springs, and having a haze of rust dust swirling in the shop, I couldnt not think of this song. I think it so apropriate for this project. Its all about sheding the rust, waking up, being better and stronger than before. I think this is gonna be the official song for this truck.

The video is a bit… weird. but listen to the lyrics.

Lyrics

Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa

I’m waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I’m breathing in the chemicals

I’m breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive

I raise my flags, don my clothes
It’s a revolution, I suppose
We’ll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa

I’m breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive

All systems go, the sun hasn’t died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive

Cracks and more frame damage.

So my dad keeps blaming me that its all my fault he just had to buy a mig welder. The fact that he has wanted one ever since i can remember is apparently irrelevant. However he was quite happy to play with his Christmas present. And yes, my frame is the first thing it was used on. But I’m still not taking responsibility for this one dad.

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The frame has several cracks that will be properly welded and fixed before we get beyond much more than the frame stage. Repairs begin.

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The picture above is where the front spring perch mounts to the truck frame. It was cracked in several places, plus twisted down and in. This was caused by the use of the front cross member (which is not a structural piece) being used to yank the truck out from where ever someone got it stuck.

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Another crack in the underside of the frame from the frame rail being twisted and bent.

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This one was in the cross member that runs below the engine. Again, if your going to pull a truck out from being stuck, pull it out, don’t yank it out, and attach to the frame correctly, and pull straight not cross ways.

Ugly springs, bad springs.

We pulled the front leaf springs from the front axle of the 73 to begin cleaning them so we can mount the front axle from the 78.

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I wasn’t able to get far enough away from the spring to get it into one shot, but this is one of the front springs before dis assembly.

After getting them torn apart, and wire brushing each leaf individually, we found there were groves in the leaves ranging from light indents, to ones on the main spring closer to an eighth to quarter inch deep. A bad thing when the leaves are only about a half inch deep to begin with. Whomever had the truck before me painted springs with a rustolium paint because they thought the rust was ugly. Upon cleaning them there was dirt/rust, then black paint, then more rust, before eventually finding the original metal. The paint had turned into a tar type substance between the leaves, and the leaves instead of flexing, started digging into one another.

Some before and afters:

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Notice the lines in the spring on the right? that’s where the spring on the left was wearing groves into it. Eventually the springs will need to be replaced, but for now, we will likely just use them to get the frame on wheels so its moveable.

Pressing out the bearings on the main leaf was a chore and a half. They had warn into the gap between the eye and where it wraps back to the spring. It literally took about all of the 20 tons the press jack can put out to get them out. They would make a loud pop noise and move about a quarter to half inch at a time. The spring literally was expanding to let the bushing pass thru the gap in the spring. A bit startling the first time it happened. 😀

 

In case anyone was wondering what the original part number for a front leaf spring on a 73 F250 4×4 is its C7TA-5310AR Of course this part number is from a Canadian truck, and i believe its been superseded by another part number in later years. However this was on the spring:

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We didn’t get to pulling the rear springs apart, but just for documentation, they are only 9 leaves tall. They are also a mix of paint and rust and likely in as rough of shape as the front springs were. For now we will leave them as is, until we decide about replacing them.

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Moving inside.

While up on Christmas vacation, I spent some time with dad on the truck. We cleaned out the shop and got the frame inside, and started with mounting the new spring perches, and started dis assembly and restoration of the front leaf springs. The truck only has 6 front leaves, and nine rear leaves per side.

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The prior perches needed to be replaced. The bolt holes which should be round were instead oval. Seriously? who does not notice this? I decided it was far better to simply replace all the perches vs try to weld the holes closed, and re drill them correctly.

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The new perches on the truck. I like the black offsetting the grey. A happy mistake that is working out well. The new perches are bolted with grade 8 bolts, nuts washers and lock washers, loctite’d and torqued to 70 ft lbs. We decided against welding them as well as bolting, because honestly by the time you break these bolts, the truck is going to be having much bigger issues.

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Its been a while.

So its been a while that Ive updated the truck’s progress. We have ordered new perches to mount the springs, as the old ones were elongated from being ran loose. Who drives around with loose spring shackles? Seriously? it must have handled like crap. Anyhow, we now have replacement perches, as well as new bushings for the front and rear springs, new bolt hardware etc. so it will all line up like butter, and work as intended. Ive also ordered the full body mount kit, and if things go well over Christmas break, we may get as far as mounting the cab back to the frame.

There are still some frame cracks to weld, and re undercoat etc. the goals are to get the springs pulled apart, and get them cleaned of rust paint etc. and lube and re mount the springs on the axles,  then get the axles mounted to the frame, the power steering mounted up and aligned right, and pull the things we want to salvage out of the part trucks, and get the rest sent to the scrap yard.  There is going to be more work than time, but hopefully we can get a good start on things.

78 Front fender

Item: Left front fender (Driver side)

Pulled from: 78 F250

Status: Not pulled

Price: $ 30.00

Notes: This comes from a truck that was involved in a house fire. much of the paint was blistered off, and surface rust does exist, however the panels are solid without rust issues, or dents. Would work great once sanded down to bare metal and repainted.

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Disclaimer: It is upto you to verify that this part will suit your intended application. If you have questions about this part, please email me. Please review the terms of sale.

78 Left door

Item: Left Door (Driver side)

Pulled from: 78 F250

Status: Not pulled

Price: $ 30.00

Notes: This comes from a truck that was involved in a house fire. much of the paint was blistered off, and surface rust does exist, however the panels are solid without rust issues, or dents. Would work great once sanded down to bare metal and repainted.

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Disclaimer: It is upto you to verify that this part will suit your intended application. If you have questions about this part, please email me. Please review the terms of sale.