A Creeper's Best Friend !!!

This is how I keep my tools at hand when I am cruising in my creeper.

I made this handy item from a half-sheet baking tray and four casters that I purchased at Lowes. I used Pop rivets to attach the casters to keep the profile of the fasteners as low as possible. It has a lot of strength due to the commercial nature of the tray and is very light because of the aluminum construction. The approximately 3/4 inch sides keep tools and other items from falling off.


You are welcome to email me with questions and comments.
As always you can see larger versions of all of the blog photos at my Flickr site.

Enjoy the Ride!

Steering Column and Shifter - Part 2

The steering column and shift mechanism are ready to be installed in the vehicle!

This is the before appearance of the shift mechanism complete with the overspray of the white paint from when the vehicle was previously painted.


I was able to purchase a NOS (new old stock) shifter tube and a NOS bracket. Both of the original parts were worn because of years of neglect. There were only remnants of grease on the original components and there was a large amount of free-play in the mechanism.

I was also able to purchase replacements for the spring washers as described in the previous blog entry.

After cleaning all components of grease and grime, I media blasted them. A coat of lacquer prime and three of black gloss lacquer changed the appearance of all the components.


The gearshift handle was sent out for chrome and a new knob was installed when it was ready for assembly into the newly painted shift tube.


As always, you can email me and you can view larger photos at my Flickr site.

ENJOY THE RIDE !!!

Steering Column and Shifter - Part 1

Every little project turns into something more time-consuming and involved. The steering column and gear shift linkage was one of those "little" projects.

Recently there was some discussion pertaining to the "springy, wavy washers" on the Yahoo "OldEconolines" Auto Group. Someone mentioned that they were called "spring tension washers." Someone else referred to them as "Belleville Washers" and that they were available at McMaster-Carr. Good leads both!

I visited the McMaster-Carr website and after much searching I found the perfect replacements for the "Curved Springs" used on the shifter tube.


I used digital calipers to check the original washer dimensions and a scale to determine the amount of weight needed to deflect the spring.

The original washer is on the left in the photos and the replacement is on the right side.


The replacements that I used are McMaster-Carr part number: 9715K91 and they are called "High Carbon Steel Curved Disk Springs."

The manufacturer is Gardner Spring and their part number is MU750-160. Gardner Spring calls them "Curved Springs." The cost is $10.64 for a package of 10 plus shipping from McMaster-Carr.

The next post to the blog will show the restoration of the steering column and shifter.

If you would like to contact me via email click here.
If you would like to see larger versions of these photos click here.

J-Bolts

Because the original J-bolts that held the fuel tank straps were destroyed in the process of removing the fuel tank, I needed new J-bolts. After wasting time trying to locate replacements, I decided to fabricate my own. It was suggested to me that I could use a threaded rod and bend it into the proper shape but there had to be a better way. I went to the local Lowe's store and found the perfect candidates for conversion....3/8 inch x 6 inch eye bolts. This is what I used:


Notice the original shape on the left side of the photo. The original J-bolt was cut to remove the fuel tank because the nut was frozen to the bolt. Notice how the eye bolt is very close in size to the original.


I cut the eye bolt at the spot shown in the photo. After filing the rough edge, I secured the bolt in a vice and heated the entire non-threaded area with a torch until it was bright red. The steel was then very easy to form into the proper shape with a pair of slip-joint pliers. I then reheated the bolt and quenched it in cold water to temper the steel somewhat.

After it was cool and dry, I media blasted it and painted it with lacquer prime and silver metallic lacquer. The total cost was about $2 for the two eye bolts and about a half hour time.

If you would like to contact me via email click here.
If you would like to see larger versions of these photos click here.

Brake and Clutch Pedals

I was not pleased with the excessive play nor the safety factors in the brake and clutch pedals so I enlisted the expertise of a machinist to help with the problems.

Josh W. of Kingsbury, NY owns a very impressive collection of industrial metal working machines including computer controlled lathes and milling machines. The photo below shows the current finished appearance of the two pedals but the real story about the improvements starts below.

The photo below shows the brake pedal shafts, old and new. The original shaft used a C-clip to hold the pedal assembly to the master cylinder. A brief discussion with Josh ensued and we decided that a threaded shaft with a lock nut would be a better idea.

The photo below shows the old shaft after it was removed from the pedal assembly. The removal was a matter of grinding the weld away and pressing the old shaft out. Jose took careful measurements and used a lathe to turn the new shaft. The shaft was threaded to accept a 5/8" fine thread nylon lock nut.

The photo below shows the newly welded shaft in place along with the locknut.

The old master cylinder pushrod bolt is on the left in this photo. Notice the extreme amount of erosion of the steel caused by rust. Josh fabricated a new bolt from hex stock and is identical to the factory-supplied bolt with the exception of depth of the hex head. It was decided that deeper is better.

The photo below shows the old sleeve on the bottom and the newly fabricated sleeve on the top. Notice the grooves cut into the old sleeve from many years of non-lubrication and the grinding actions of road debris.

These are new bushings for the clutch pedal. I purchased them from Mac's for a couple bucks.

This is how the new bushings look in the old clutch pedal. They are held in place with blue Locktite.

The photo below shows the new shaft and bushings in place inside the old clutch pedal assembly.

Let me conclude this entry by saying that the work that was performed by Josh exceeded my expectations. There is no more free-play in the pedals.

The fabrication of the three items cost approximately $160. Expensive? I don't think it was. It took time to measure, plan and machine these components. Now I have pedals that work like new and the brakes are probably safer than new.

If you would like to contact me via email click here.
If you would like to see larger versions of these photos click here.

Enjoy the Ride!

The Steering Box Revisited

If you remember from a previous posting (Oct 14), I cleaned and reassembled a recently acquired steering box with synthetic lube and the addition of a new sector shaft seal. No other parts were replaced.

The steering box was installed in the truck with new bolts and they were torqued to the proper setting. The pitman arm and drag link were installed, torqued and the cotter pins were installed and then.....

A New Old Stock (NOS) steering shaft assembly was listed on eBay!

The above photo is from the eBay listing.

Always looking for ways to improve the truck prompted me to bid. I was the winning bidder using my sniping software and now it was time to remove the steering box, the one that was already installed! So out came the steering box and it was disassembled...again.

The new steering shaft arrived and the grease was so old that the worm would not turn. It was totally frozen. I submerged the assembly in mineral spirits for a couple days and eventually I got it apart.

There was still some dried grease that had to be removed so out came the Dremel with a brass brush to clean the gears and ball returns.

Some of the photos in this entry are in grayscale instead of color. I had the camera on the wrong white balance setting and no amount of color correction would work.

The photo below shows all of the components, steering shaft, ball nut, return guides, clamp, screws and balls cleaned and ready to go....


This is a job that anyone can do! I never went this deep into a steering box before but it really is quite simple and definitely not "brain surgery!"

After putting the ball nut on the steering shaft it is necessary to install the balls, all 62 of them. There are two circuits of 31 balls each so they have to be carefully counted and divided. 20 balls are dropped into one hole of the ball nut. The shaft is slowly turned as the balls are dropped into the hole until 20 balls are swallowed up.

There are two ball return guides that consist of two halves. Refer to the first photo which shows all of the components.

The remaining 11 balls for the first circuit are put into a return guide half section using grease to hold them in place.

The other half section of a ball return guide is placed over the balls in the grease-filled half. The assembled ball return guide is then placed into the guide holes of the ball nut.

The second circuit is filled using the same method as the first circuit. When all of the balls are installed, the second ball return guide is filled with the remaining balls and installed.


The ball return guide clamp is placed over the ball returns and the two screws are installed. Now that you see how easy the job is I am sure that anyone can do it. It just takes some patience.

If you ever attempt to go this deep into a steering box, I recommend that you have lots of paper towels and rags to clean the greasy mess. Make sure that you have a half sheet baking pan or something similar to catch all of the small parts. Don't lose any of the balls!


In the above photo you can see what a brand new gear looks like. There is no gauling on the teeth. Usually, gauling on these teeth indicate that the sector gear was over tightened to remove free play.

I reassembled the steering box using Green Grease and another new sector shaft seal. I installed the steering box (photo below) and reinstalled the pitman arm and drag link.

Wow! What a difference! There is no free play at all now. There are no tight spots going from full left to full right. This truck is going to drive like new!


Be sure to vote in the poll that relates to this Steering Box story.

As always, there are larger versions of these photos at my Flickr site in the "Steering Box" Set. Just make sure you use your browser's "Back" button to return to this page. I don't want you getting lost in cyberspace!

Parking Brake Assembly

The parking brake assembly was a quick and easy restoration. It was simply washed, blasted and painted.


Even with three coats of lacquer you can see how rusty it was. It now has three coats of black lacquer to protect it. The shaft and ratchet pieces were finished in clear from Eastwood.

As always, there are larger versions of these photos at my Flickr site in the "Econoline Brakes" Set. Just make sure you use your browser's "Back" button to return to this page. We don't want you to get lost in cyberspace!

Rear Brake Assembly

The rear brakes are now completely reassembled. I purchased new drums for all four corners and these are photos of the rear brakes.

I purchased Raybestos PG Plus brakes for two reasons. They are made in Canada and not China for one thing. The second reason is that the PG Plus (Professional Grade Plus) has a lifetime warranty vs. ninety days for the Chinese-made PG version.

I cleaned the drums with brake cleaner and media-blasted the drums with silicon carbide. The photo below is of the inside of one of the drums after cleaning and blasting.


I used Rust-Oleum High Heat Enamel on the drums. This product can withstand 1,200 degrees so it should be OK on the drums.

I have read that brake drums will radiate more heat when painted black than any other color and that black-painted drums will radiate more heat than those that are left unpainted or rusty.

Cooler brakes work better than hot brakes....no fade!

This photo shows the left rear brakes reassembled with all new Raybestos shoes and Dorman hardware. The new Monroe Gas-Magnum shock absorbers and painted parking brake cable are visible.

The painted axle, painted U-bolts, new brake tubing and refinished hydraulic brake "Y" connector are visible in addition to a close-up view of some of the new brake components.

The parking brake cable was degreased, media blasted and painted with three coats of lacquer. It was then lubed with white lithium grease from both ends and installed with refinished mounting components and parking brake components. The components at the far end of the cable are a bit out of focus due to the large iris opening of the camera which limits the depth of field.


As always, there are larger versions of these photos at my Flickr site in the "Econoline Brakes" Set. Just make sure you use your browser's "Back" button to return to this page. We don't want you to get lost in cyberspace!

Fuel Tank Restoration

The fuel tank in my truck appeared to be OK. There were no dents nor visible holes. Since I am undertaking a "ground up restoration" I figured that it would better to play it safe.

There are not too many options with the Econoline. New tanks are not available. From what I gather from reading posts, there is a way of using a Mustang(?) tank or a Falcon(?) tank and relocating the filler pipe.

I decided to go a much easier route. I chose to have my tank restored by Gas Tank Renu. The process involves a steam cleaning followed by shot-blasting. The inside of the tank is coated with a brown polymer and inspected with a light and mirror to assure full coverage. The tank is then baked in an oven to cure the coating. The brown coating is visible around the sender hole in the photo below.


When the tank is removed from the oven and cool to the touch, it is then hand brushed with the same material in black. Black is not used inside the tank because it would be too difficult to see the coverage. Warranty tags are applied and then the tank is baked again to cure the outside.


The result is a fuel tank with a lifetime nationwide warranty! The cost is approximately $350 for the service. I had the same shop make new mounting straps with a thicker than stock steel.


I took the fuel gauge sender apart and carefully blasted it with silicon carbide. I assembled and tested it to check for proper operation and it works as it should.


When I place my next order from Mac's, I will buy a new COAF-9276-A "O" ring for $1.95. The result will be a sediment-free, rust-proof and leak-proof fuel tank and sender.

As always, larger photos are available at my Flickr page. Just make sure that you return to this page using the "Back" button on your browser.

My New Ride

Have you ever wished that your creeper easily rolled over extension cords or concrete seams? Did you ever have a problem with the creeper rolling away when you tried to loosen or tighten a nut? The answer to both questions is probably "yes."

When the caster bearings on my $25 creeper started losing the steel balls and made it hard to maneuver, I knew that I had to find a solution. I knew that there was a creeper called "The Bone" with large caster wheels but the shape looked very confining to me. Some reviews of "The Bone" confirmed my suspicions about the confinement aspect but everyone raved about how easily it moved.

Further investigation revealed a creeper with large casters and a hand brake! It is the King Crawler by REL products and their products are made in Alabama. Here it is:

Notice the large casters which makes is very easy to move around under a vehicle:

Notice the hand brake which is within easy reach of the right hand:


The construction is very heavy duty and the frame is powder coated in silver. There is a headrest that is nothing more than a raised section of the foam padding. Unlike the $25 creeper that I previously owned, the headrest does not adjust but then again, I never adjusted it anyway.

The King Crawler is available at SJ Discount Tools for $96.75 plus shipping. It cost me $104.70 delivered via Fed Ex.

Rehabilitation of the Steering Box

This is a long entry with twenty smaller photos so that it loads quicker. You can click on the photos for larger versions or visit my Flicker site for even larger versions of these same photos. Just make sure you return to this page to see the rest of the blog!

This job was not that hard to do. Was it messy? Yes. There was also the smell of 40 year old lube which I found unpleasant.

If you are considering whether or not you should disassemble your steering box....go for it! Do like I did and have some items close at hand....disposable vinyl gloves (at least 20), C-fold paper towels or a roll with the towels ripped and stacked, rags and a lined garbage can to drop the greasy towels and rags into. Mineral spirits and brake cleaner are helpful.

I find it is always helpful to have a commercial aluminum baking sheet pan or half sheet pan to put under the item being worked on. That will keep the removed parts from wandering and keep the bench clean. Commercial aluminum baking sheet pans are available at restaurant supply stores for a few dollars. I clean them with either brake cleaner or soap and water.

These pans have many uses....under axle hubs when doing brake jobs, taking things apart so small parts don't get lost, etc.

Below are the components of an early Econoline steering box. Missing from the photo are the sector shaft seal, lower bearing race, filler plug and adjusting screw lock nut.

This is the ball nut on the steering shaft. The U-shaped pieces (ball return guides) are made in two halves and they contain steel balls. On the inside of this ball nut are additional balls for a total of 62. This is a "Recirculating Ball" steering gearbox as opposed to a "Rack and Pinion" steering gear box.


The side cover has three mounting bolt holes and a threaded hole for the sector shaft adjusting screw.

Inside the side cover is a bushing with lubrication grooves. Notice the scratches probably caused by lack of lubrication and pitting on the sector shaft. The pitting was probably caused by moisture contamination of the old lubricant.

The sector shaft showing the signs of age. Notice the pitting and scoring and the grooves cut by the seal. I polished the shaft with emery cloth and 1000 grit paper but most of the defects will have to remain.

This is the empty steering box. I cleaned all of the original grease out of it. No other changes were made except for a new sector shaft seal.
An inside view of the steering box. The race for the lower bearing for the steering shaft is center, left. The bushing for the output end of the sector shaft is right, bottom.

New synthetic chassis lube was applied to the worm gear and worked into the interior of the nut.

Notice the galled surface of the tooth in the center of the photo below. It was probably caused by over-tightening of the sector shaft's adjusting screw. You can also see the taper of the teeth.

The reason that "play" is removed when the adjusting screw is tightened is because the sector's teeth are pushed deeper into the taper.
The lower bearing of the steering shaft is installed into the steering box and packed with lube. A portion of the bearing is visible on the left of center.
The steering shaft with nut is installed into the steering box.

The proper setting of the steering shaft bearing adjuster (marked with a light gray/green dot) is to measure the preload with an in-lb torque wrench to 4 - 5 inch pounds.

I made the adjustment by tightening the bearing adjuster by hand. I made the adjustment so that after there was no play in the shaft, I tightened it a bit more. Call me a "human torque wrench!"

The lock nut (marked with a dot of red paint) is tightened with a drift and hammer to insure the position of the bearing adjuster does not move.

The inside of the steering box filled with lube.

The Ford Shop Manual calls for a different method of assembly from this point on. They want the sector adjusting screw and shim installed on the sector followed by the side cover. This assembly is supposed to be installed as a single unit.

I decided a better method would be to fill the inside of the steering box with as much lube as possible with the sector installed.

I then installed the adjusting screw and shim onto the end of the sector and packed even more lube into the remaining cavities.

The inside of the side cover is coated with lube and a new homemade gasket is installed. When the cover was installed, lube squeezed out to further insure no air pockets were left in the box.

Below, the adjusting screw is visible entering the side cover's threaded hole. The side cover attaching bolts are then installed finger tight.

The adjusting screw is turned counter-clockwise to draw it into the cover. There must always be lash between the ball nut and sector gear teeth during this process.

Continue backing the adjusting screw out while finger tightening the attaching bolts. When the side cover is making contact with the steering box, make sure there is still some lash between ball nut and sector gear teeth.

Then and only then can the mounting bolts be tightened with a torque wrench to 15 to 22 foot pounds. The lock nut for the adjusting screw can be installed but not tightened at this time. The mesh load is then set and the lock nut tightened. It is a lot easier to do than it takes to read all of the steps!

The steering box is ready to be installed. If any other adjustments are necessary they can be made after the drag link is installed.


The steering box is now ready to install! Yippee!