Larry the Lariat - My 86 F150 4x4

[chirkware]

Waiting on parts and I'm rained out from bleeding brakes so I took the tires and got them mounted and balanced. Wheels are really wide (8.5") for 235/75r15's. 8.5" is within spec but I'm not sure how I feel about them. Honestly I'd have rather had a nicely painted set of factory 6" steel wheels (or, gasp, some 6.5" 1980's Dodge truck wheels, which look very similar to the Ford wheels).



They need some polishing, but they look shiny when wet. 😂


DEFINITELY am improvement over this rotten rubber.

[mat in tn]

most people would not even know that those were not ford wheels. they look as though they fit the tires well so I would just run them. i expect they are going to look great actually.  a bit wider stance.

[chirkware]

mat in tn wrote

most people would not even know that those were not ford wheels. they look as though they fit the tires well so I would just run them. i expect they are going to look great actually.  a bit wider stance.

They definitely LOOK wide and maybe that's gonna look good since Larry is a 4x4. I'm chomping at the bits to put them on but bleeding brakes is easier without the rubber in the way. Hoping I can bleed them Tuesday when there's no rain in the forecast.

I'm trying to decide what to do with the Western center caps. They are awful scraped up from being installed and removed so many times (since fronts are open for the locking hubs). I'll try to clean them up but I may just run the wheels with open centers and see how it looks.

[mat in tn]

they are a little rough. I would give a half hour and a few Brillo pads a try since it will look more complete with them. maybe even a little chrome polish to finish.

[chirkware]

Just waiting on the lock cylinders to come in.

[mat in tn]

it looks as if someone is about to dig into the tilt column. do you have your third and fourth hands ready?

[chirkware]

mat in tn wrote

it looks as if someone is about to dig into the tilt column. do you have your third and fourth hands ready?

Yeah, I think I need to buy some more bungie cords and vice grips to be extra hands for me.  I'm dreading tearing into this thing but it needs to be done.  Tomorrow evening I HOPE to get it done.

Any other parts in there I should have on hand/plan to swap "while I'm here"?  I only want to do this ONCE.  

[chirkware]

Hope these fit right... Same key works the ignition and door locks, like every other vehicle I've ever owned!

[chirkware]

Well looks like I'm gonna be bleeding brakes, installing rubber, and testing the 4wd tomorrow doing some yard cleanup after this big ole cedar came down in the storm we had today.



Landed on my 70 F250 frame, but just the tip of the tree and I don't think it hurt it, just shoved the hood sitting on it a bit.


I'm hoping I may be able to get a friend to mill some of the trunk for me. 😃

[Gary Lewis]

Wow!  That’s a lot of tree. Hope you get the truck going, the tree cut, and find no damage.

[chirkware]

Had to replace the front left brake like with I apparently cracked in getting the old hose replaced a few weeks ago.

New one is Nickel Copper. I managed to slip the spring like guard thingy off the old line and onto the new line. Taught my son how to flare lines … told him he’s gonna have to know how when his 68 F100 finally gets here.



Didn’t get to start till 4pm today unfortunately, as I had to go into work due to internet issues that has several of our offices down. REALLY frustrating when it’s 65 and sunny and I’m inside at work…on a Saturday.

 Got the brakes repaired, bled, and the wheels on. That’s as far as I got.

[Gary Lewis]

That brake line looks great!  And it should last nicely.

It is good that you are teaching your son. It’ll help him significantly with that project. And it should be a fun one.

[chirkware]

For future reference: Bolt size for steering wheel puller is 5/16” fine thread (5/16”-24).

Of course I didn’t have any and they are $1.25 each at the Orange big box store.

[chirkware]

I needed this video to get my speedometer cable loose…Says foxbody but it’s the same as our trucks.

[mat in tn]

I equate the removal of this in the dash very similar to "bra clasps in the dark"
 you only know if you know! I have gotten very good at it!

[chirkware]

Progress, slow progress…putting things back together. New turn signal switch, new ignition switch, new ignition cylinder.



(Turn signal switch was still loose in this pic).

Got too cold, so I went in the garage and prettied the cluster up a bit. Not perfect, but good enough for a daily driver.

Before:


After:

[Gary Lewis]

Cluster looks good.  I think you'll like it a bunch, especially if you put new LED's in.

[mat in tn]

you missed a spot right there

[chirkware]

mat in tn wrote

you missed a spot right there

LOL...I probably missed a BUNCH of spots.

[chirkware]

Did I do this right? I didn't pay much attention to the position of things when you turn the key before taking the column apart, and I swapped in a new cylinder while everything was pulled apart. Does it look like I've got this back in correctly?