Ricks Bronco: 1and 1/2

[rookieshooter]

Thought I'd share some vital statistics with ya. These numbers were taken when about 15 miles from my house driving winding roads and then climbing up a 3000' mountain with two switchback turns. And towing the 1000# trailer

Gauges....AutoMeter UltraLite. I got the best I could afford to monitor engine and tranny.
Top row L to R
Fuel .......Near empty, nothing new here.
Oil pre.....50 lbs
Water......145 F Note: no T-stat, Install around October. 4 row aluminum
Ford Racing radiator.
Oil temp....180 F Note: This should always be higher then water. Oil filter
relocated to radiator support with fresh air directed to
it. Cooled by ambient air temp.

Bottom row L to R
Tran. fluid..140 F Note: C4/C5 hybrid. This one is extremely important to the
longevity of the tranny. B&M Super cooler.
Vacuum.....15" Note: Needle steady at idle and driving. Goes to 20 when
letting off. This was under load.
Volts.........14.5v Note: Powermaster, one wire alternator.

I would like to point out that the engine compartment was designed for plenty of incoming and out going air. A working hood scoop along with a lot of work altering the firewall so air can either come in through the window cowl vents or exit same.
Not shown is the tach. 2500 RPMs and the truck is doing 65 with 33s/3:73 highway.

[rookieshooter]

40 cent fix. What a pain trying to get melted ice water out of recessed cooler in trailer/camper. There was no drain in the bottom. Went to local hardware store, bought cork stopper, drilled bottom of cooler with step bit to give it that cone shaped hole so cork fits snug.





My pre oiled K&N filter for the carburetor came in today. Then I called Outerwearsracing and explained how I would like one of their pre filter wraps for the end of my snorkel. I told them how I removed the filter media material and just need a pre filter wrap around the filter less K&N cone. They fixed me right up and and after making it will ship it out in about a week. They asked me what color I'd like it, "blue I said".
Very nice people to deal with.
It has not rained in days and days, and you can see that fine dust on the snorkel at filter housing and radiator hose. The high intake of the snorkel really helps in getting good clean cool air as opposed to hot and dirty air around the dusty engine compartment. The pre filter wrap at the higher snorkel level in conjunction with the K&N filter at carb. should work well together in only letting clean air in. So now that snorkle serves anther prupose then just for water crossings. Cleaner and cooler intake air.

[rookieshooter]

I'm done with Fords infamous whining power steering pumps. Saginaw power steering pumps are noted for their quit operation. This one I got from Auto Zone and it's for an early 70s Chevy 350 pickup.
Just have to make some brackets or modify Chevy's brackets along with some custom supply line from pump to steering box.

[black91EB]

Originally Posted by rookieshooter

I'm done with Fords infamous whining power steering pumps. Saginaw power steering pumps are noted for their quit operation. This one I got from Auto Zone and it's for an early 70s Chevy 350 pickup.
Just have to make some brackets or modify Chevy's brackets along with some custom supply line from pump to steering box.

Take that one back, and buy one for a early 90's ford e-150. They used saginaw pumps on ford brackets due to space constraints. Should just bolt in.

[rookieshooter]

Thanks for that info black91EB, I need to go to Auto Zone today and I'll check that out. The link below gives the ford part # for the PS pump. I did do some research after reading your post and it seems that it comes on the larger trucks if it's a Saginaw. But if it's a different bolt pattern I'll just use the one I got. Here's a nice write up on the Saginaw used on a trail rig.

http://wt4x4.net/tech/saginawswap.htm

[rookieshooter]

OK, went to AutoZone and I'm go to exchange the one I got for a E-van 302 pump which looks about the same style pump. Should be in later this evening. It should be easier to install with the new high pressure hose that I ordered for that pump to connect to steering box. The Chevy PS pump had different type HP connection and there was no hose to make it work. Not that I could not have had a pneumatic place make me one up. But I'd rather have all Ford anyway.

[black91EB]

glad I could help. I actually found that out when we swapped a 351W out of a 94 E-250 into my buddies f-150 that had a 300 I-6 originally, and we thought it looked like the one in his s-10, so we did some research. They actually used those for a long time on the e-van, back into the 70's.

[rookieshooter]

Thanks again 91EB,
OK, the Ford E-250/302 power steering pump came in. Just called Ford and this dealer can not get the PS bracket anymore, why does that not surprise me.
Might look around at some salvage yards or just make my own.
This pump is listed for an 86, 302 Van and I would need one without AC.

Also I've got a torn rotator cuff in my left arm and have to go get a MRI next week.
Have to see how this plays out as far as getting this mod done.
Kinda hard to do anything when I can't raise my left arm too far from my waist.

[rookieshooter]

Going to hopefully fab up my own brackets. I want it at a certain spot. I used some spray primer to help locate the two holes for the pivot bracket. Could not get the scribe down between pump and bracket.



The furthest bolt to left is the one that aligns with hole in back so it can pivot to tighten the belt.



Now I'm fabbing up the piece that goes around to the other pivot bolt.





Well, at least it's a start. I'm doing this with .250" steel plate and 230V rod.
Not going to clean up metal and paint untill this thing works.
I'll most likly use the existing threaded holes in heads and some water pump bolts to secure this pump.

[rookieshooter]

This bracket here is where I can lock it into position after rotating back to tighten belt, I'm thinking, of course like everything else on this build The tail should start wagging the dog soon Really need to go to salvage yard and try to find a V groove pulley with a 3/4" hole for shaft.



Once I get it all roughed in I'll start rounding corners and get it somewhat presentable.

[rookieshooter]

My much awaited pre filter for my snorkel came today Not only does it look good, it will pre filter the air and also no more leaves in air cleaner.
Now like I said a few pages ago, there is no filter media in that K&N cone filter, I discarded it, but there is a K&N filter in the aluminum housing on top of carb. I was looking for some kind of pre filter to wrap around it that would not create a lot of static pressure, then techiman33 chimed in and told me about Outerwears filter wraps. I called them up and they made me this one in, what else,blue.
Have some other goodies coming in tomorrow.

[techieman33]

That looks pretty cool. How well is it attached? Is there any chance of it blowing off while your driving down the road?

[rookieshooter]

I think it looks cool also.
I just can't imagine it coming off. I had to really work at it to get it over the rubber top and bottom. Then it slides a little over the widest part and back down to a slightly smaller dia. part of the top and bottom. You can see what I mean on the bottom.
It is very small mesh.
I even breathed through it to see how much restriction. None that I could notice.

[techieman33]

Good deal, I didn't know how tight they fit over the filter.

[Scott B.]

I have one of those for my K&N under the hood. I use mostly on dusty roads - keeps the filter cleaner a lot longer than not having it.

[rookieshooter]

Scott, I might even put one around my K&N filter in the air filter housing on the carb.



Back to the power steering mod. Had to think out of the box on this one.
Could not find an 86 E-250 in the salvage yards to get the correct pulley, not that we have that many salvage yards anyway. That's the the year and vehicle the power steering pump is for.
So I call up Ford and they no longer make them. Then I call Dorman who is noted for caring hard parts like pulleys. No luck.
So this is what I did. I measured the output shaft of the steering pump and came up with .748. Knowing that I went to Dormans on line catalog and spent a fair amount of time checking out all their pulleys. This was very time consuming. Not only did I need one that would slip over the shaft, but needed a V-groove. Most were serpentine style.
Low and behold I found a Chevy truck pulley that fitted the bill and had the .748 inside diameter.
Went to AutoZone and they ordered me part #300-122 Dorman pulley.
It was a tight fit and had to heat up the pulley and then it went on using the supplied bolt and nut to draw it on the shaft. The white powder is from heating it up.



And here is the box it came in.




Here is a plate I made to attach to the head. I can use this to come off of for my PS support brackets. Just weld where I need them.

[LostSoul86]

I applied your access door idea over the fuel tank on my BII, sooooo much easier to work with Need to run new lines and wire up my pump now that it's easier to get to all of that stuff.

[rookieshooter]

Glad you like that mod.



Going to weld this DOM tubing to that plate that was on the aluminum head.
Had some extra tubing laying around and thought this would really give it some support. Just notch the flat metal arm around the tubing and bingo, one support arm for the pivot bolt.



Here is one of the most critical measurements on this PS pump mod, getting both pulleys exactly aligned. It's hard to see but the arm that the pump pivots on is now welded to that DOM tubing and lays fairly close to the head.
Then the bolt that the pump pivots on is at the far left side of that red cap.



Thought that it would be prudent to force new fluid in the steering box and flush that quarter of a century old fluid out.



Had to get a new High pressure side hose to match the port on the new pump. The steering box side was the same. Had to tweak the steel part of the hose to get it to fit right.
Had to open a few boxes before finding the right one.



That turn buckle really makes securing this nice. It has right and left hand threads, so all you have to do is twist the barrel part to shorten or lengthen.



And here it is all done. Except to clean some rough edges, prime and paint.

Now for it's first run with new pump. WOW! I was not expecting this, it did not even squeal when sitting still and turning steering wheel lock to lock. I did not expect that. And this is with 12.5" wide tires mounted on 12" rims. Now during slow turns their is absolutely no noise.
It used to squeal near 60mph also...no more.
This ranks right up their with the best mods I've made on this truck. Remember this pump was for the heavier E-250 van and it is also made by Saginaw.

So this year I installed a new 8.8 with disc brakes. Junked the other rear with drums.
Took out leaf springs in rear and installed Fox Coilovers with #200 springs.
Made a torque arm suspension or radius arm suspension in rear with a quick release pin for flex on
trail rides.
Tore out old Brake booster and master cylinder and installed a larger booster and master cylinder
from a 97 X

Wish all you guys who have helped in this build or have been following it could drive this beast.
At my age I've driven many hot rods and a few 4x4s, but none come close to this on as far as a cool ride.

[Willard]

Great work with the steering mod. Just one question though, why did you stick with V-belts instead of converting everything to a serpentine belt system?

I really do love this rig to death. If for any reason I am ever in WV, I would love to stop by and see it. Just seeing the pictures is almost like porn to me. Like many people, I have a special place in my heart for BII's. Just hope someday I have the privilege of owning one.

[rookieshooter]

I just really don't know if I could get it all aligned up right. The fan had to be just right to clear the radiator and I made the bracket for the alternator and so on.
It would be nice to have a serpentine belt system one day.
I guess I'm just so Old School LOL

Your more then welcome to come over and drive this if your in the area. You'll have to get used to people waving at you and turning heads.
Sometimes it's just too much and I just stare straight ahead, like tunnel vision.
Kids go bonkers over it and are not inhibited to stick their heads out of their parents car and wave. But that's the priceless part of this build and it warms this old mans heart.