Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

The group 65 is one of the biggest, the old 27F may have been a little bigger, that was what my 1971 Colony Park took. Parts store told me they were no longer available (lied) and sold me a 24F, 15-20 mins loading the car and it wouldn't crank, 2 dome lights, 4 under armrest door lights and a cargo light in the back pulled that little battery down where it couldn't even turn the 429 over.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I've got a group 65 in my truck Gary.
After messing with my tiny PDB, i think the wires are fine there

If you need some pictures of the Brick battery box (as stock) please just LMK.

[Gary Lewis]

Shaun - I don't know what I was thinking.  It needs support.

Bill - These big engines need big batteries, even with the PMGR starters.  So I certainly want to go back with the monster I have.

Jim - Thanks for the offer to grab a pic, but I think I've had an epiphany.  The old battery tray is rusty but was working.  It bolts to fender where the later one does, comes up under the fender liner, and also bolt to 16A236 - Reinforcement Assy (Front Fender Apron To Radiator Support).

So, why couldn't I put those back and sandwich the fender liner 'tween the old and the new?  I'll surely have to cut the ears off the old one where it pokes through the fender liner so the j-rods can grab it, but that's no biggee.

Thoughts?

[kramttocs]

I have 65's in all my trucks also. They are a little too wide to sit perfectly flat for the 80-86 but work.
Yours is smaller than those, right? The odyssey, right?

Personally, I wouldn't mess with making something work when it's a common part.

[Gary Lewis]

Scott - You may be thinking of the aux battery, that is smaller.  The main battery is:

        L        W          H
56:  10 x 6 1/16 x 8 3/8
65: 12 1/16 x 7 1/2 x 7 9/16
Mine: 13 x 6 3/4 x 8 1/2

So it'll be interesting how it fits.  

As for not reinventing the wheel, I think you are right.  I went looking for spare battery trays and braces and found none.  But, I did find this!  




So I took a look at the battery tray and brace that came off of Big Blue.    Looks like a trip to the salvage is on tap, at some point, whichever way I go, and I may as well get the brace that goes with the later battery tray.  

Here's a shot of the two pieces off Big Blue where you can see how bad they are, and then them sorta in their natural habitat.  However, in that pic the Bullnose battery tray would come up under the fender liner, which is probably why they rusted out so badly since water and mud would be trapped there.  And the brace would come up a bit and bolt to the radiator support on the left and through the fender liner to the battery tray on the right.  But obviously that's not happening with these pieces.

[1986F150Six]

Hmmm?

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/Battery-Tray-Support-Bracket-80-86/productinfo/38020B/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLAs-$50_orless&utm_term=TRI%20PLUS&utm_content=BroncoGraveyard&msclkid=66aa612d1c88150eeddb3f568f2c48c0

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks.  Yes, that's 16A236, the Bullnose battery tray support.  But I'd also have to have the Bullnose battery tray itself since mine is hopelessly rusted away.  And then I'd have to modify the new tray by taking the ears off so it won't hit the upper/later tray.  Then it should be powder coated or its going to deteriorate and look like the one I have.

If I'm buying new I'd be better off buying the 1987 and later brace (E7TZ 10769-A or the replacement, F4TZ 10769-A) and hope that it fits the Bullnose frame or radiator support, whichever it attaches to.  The illustration appears to show it with holes that are likely to go to the radiator support.  But, will it attach to a Bullnose radiator support?

With the unknowns I think I'd better wait until I can get out and go with Bruno to the salvage as we'd planned before the lock-down hit.  There I'd hope to not only pull the later brace but also a decent Bullnose battery tray and brace.  Who knows, I may need to go back to that setup.  

[1986F150Six]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-96-Ford-Truck-F-150-250-Bronco-Battery-tray-brackets-5-Mounting-bolt/362886437535?hash=item547db79a9f:g:3L4AAOSw6GJeIzgT

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

If I'm buying new I'd be better off buying the 1987 and later brace (E7TZ 10769-A or the replacement, F4TZ 10769-A) and hope that it fits the Bullnose frame or radiator support, whichever it attaches to.  The illustration appears to show it with holes that are likely to go to the radiator support.  But, will it attach to a Bullnose radiator support?

Yes, it bolts to the same holes on the radiator support as the 80-86 support does. No need for any modifications. The 80-86 version is inferior, never consider going back to it unless you're building a show truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, guys, I'll buy the one David found!  But, ebay's server is down.  So, I'll get it ASAP.  Thank you!

[1986F150Six]

[salans7]

Looks like it's coming from sweet home Alabama. That's where Florida man's cousin is from.

[Nothing Special]

I remember watching a movie, but unfortunately can't remember which one.  And I mostly remember a line from it, but I can't remember for sure which way the two states were aligned.  So with that convoluted introduction...

The two main characters in the movie were sort of misfits.  One of them called the other "Mississippi" once (or was it "Alabama"?).  Anyway, the other guy asks why he called him that.  The first guy says "Mississippi's (or or was it Alabama's?) only purpose in life is so Alabama (or was it Mississippi?) doesn't have to be the worst.

Anyway, it would be funny if I could tell it.

[Gary Lewis]

salans7 wrote

Looks like it's coming from sweet home Alabama. That's where Florida man's cousin is from.

Oh no!  I just bought it before seeing this!  

Seriously though, this will be a great solution to the issue.

Now for today's efforts.  I got ready to bolt the core support in and pulled out the bushings that were in it - the ones shown on the right, below.  Then I went to our page (Documentation/Suspension & Steering/Body Mounts) and looked at that, but what I had didn't make any sense.  So I went to the LMC catalog.  Still no dice.  Finally I turned to the FSM and in Section 47-30 I found what I was looking for - the way it goes together awa the torque values.

(And, having vowed I'd not look stuff up in the FSM w/o scanning that section in for all y'all, I scanned this one and more in.  But that's for another thread.)

Turns out that when  put this thing together he used more pieces than he was supposed to use.  What is supposed to go in is as shown on the left, with the two pieces sandwiching the bracket on the frame and the core support sitting on top of it, with shims below and a spacer, washer, and nut above.




Here's what it is supposed to look like, and I now have new upper and lower absorbers installed.  But that rubber hex on the upper absorber wasn't enough to torque one of the bolts in, so I had to resort to one of those rubber strap wrenches to get it tight.

Now I need to figure out how to align the core support and the fenders properly.  Do you know?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Gary Lewis wrote

So, why couldn't I put those back and sandwich the fender liner 'tween the old and the new?  I'll surely have to cut the ears off the old one where it pokes through the fender liner so the j-rods can grab it.
Thoughts?

I think the 5/16 (8mm?) head bolt that tightens the hold down wedge at the front of the Bricknose tray is going to hit anything underneath.

But, you're a belt AND suspenders kinda guy.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, but I've moved on from that approach.  Now a new Bricknose tray and brace is on their way here, due in on Tuesday.

[1986F150Six]

Nothing Special wrote

I remember watching a movie, but unfortunately can't remember which one.  And I mostly remember a line from it, but I can't remember for sure which way the two states were aligned.  So with that convoluted introduction...

The two main characters in the movie were sort of misfits.  One of them called the other "Mississippi" once (or was it "Alabama"?).  Anyway, the other guy asks why he called him that.  The first guy says "Mississippi's (or or was it Alabama's?) only purpose in life is so Alabama (or was it Mississippi?) doesn't have to be the worst.

Anyway, it would be funny if I could tell it.

I was raised in Alabama and each morning, we thanked God there was Mississippi!

[kramttocs]

Have those ceramic headlight connectors come in yet? Spoke to Mr. Stern about the DRL-1 yesterday/today but am curious about those when you get them in hand. Specifically if they are short jumpers/adapters or if they are just the connector you slide the female terminals into.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Scott,
Usually if you need ceramic sockets the wires are insulated with silicone and fiberglass braid.

105C PVC insulation like is common in harnii is not going to cut it.
In extreme situations stainless wire is used instead of copper because of its lack of reactivity at elevated temperatures.

[Gary Lewis]

Just got a note back from Daniel last night saying:

Hi, Gary. I can advise you your sockets (finally!) left Atlanta yesterday, so should be in your hands within the next day or two, but the tracking number isn't in the system -- I'll see if I can dig it up for you tomorrow when the warehouse opens.

But they are supposedly the ones where you put your own wire into the connector and either crimp or solder.  I'll post a pic when I get them, but I'm kinda hung up w/o them which is why I chose to scan the big doc yesterday.