H311RA151N : 1986 Ford F-250 XL

[F22Chris]

What the fuck?! The wheels aren't even dirty man!

[H311RA151N]

Because the pic was taken prior. Thought about taking a video while crossing but I needed to have my mind on what I was doing. I've dropped a tire off the side of the concrete before in my Powerstroke. Didn't go too well. It's only one lane concrete.

[Jarrett]

That's asphalt.














I'll show myself out.

[H311RA151N]

No the bridge under the water is concrete. I'll take pics in the summer when the water is down.

[Jarrett]

Ah. Wait, this contractor messed up horribly! It's supposed to be the bridge that goes over the water! Not the other way around!

[H311RA151N]

Ah. Wait, this contractor messed up horribly! It's supposed to be the bridge that goes over the water! Not the other way around!

No kidding, I guess at the time it was put in that's the only contractor the county could afford!

There are actually quite a few like that around here. Pretty dangerous this time of year.

[F22Chris]

Because the pic was taken prior. Thought about taking a video while crossing but I needed to have my mind on what I was doing. I've dropped a tire off the side of the concrete before in my Powerstroke. Didn't go too well. It's only one lane concrete.

Okay that makes sense. And wow that's super sketchy sir. Be safe x_x

[H311RA151N]

No choice around here. One way in and one way out. I can swim well though.

[H311RA151N]

Parts ordered this morning:

Holley Red Electric Fuel Pump 12-801-1 7psi
Quick Fuel Fuel Pump Wiring Kit 30-199
Holley HP Billet Fuel Pressure Regulator 12-841 4.5-9psi 3/8NPT
Holley Analog Fuel Pressure Gauge 26-500
Summit Racing SUM-G3116 3/8" NPT To Hose Barb 4/8 Summit Pack
Spectre Performance SSteel-Flex Fuel Line 29425 50' (2)
Russell Tube Seal Hose Clamps 620270 Red .375 (12)
Helix Line Clamps HEXLC2375 12

That Holley Red pump is supposed to be a bad mofo. Should feed the 460 quite well. This fuel system is overkill but it should be reliable and provide all the fuel ever necessary once set up. And most of all, safe. Which the current one is not. I'm setting this up like you would a race car. Which is about the best idea I have came up with.

My next order will be the tank and such. I found out I can use an 80-84 fuel tank from a tuck without the hot fuel system. The fuel pump on the block style. Which my block doesn't have provisions for. But this will work great. Can't wait to hear the fuel pump kick on like a race car. Should be a cool by product of all this.

38 Gal. Steel Tank,Pick-Up
1980-96 Bronco Gas Tank Breather Valve Seal
1980-96 Bronco Gas Tank Breather Valve
Sending Unit Seal 2
Sending Unit Lock Ring 2
19 Gallon Sending Unit 80-84 Ford Truck
Sending Unit Repair PigTail 2 Prong

38 gallon tank should be quite helpful. I actually think I'm getting close to 8mpg... Which is pretty awesome. I'm going to have a pro tune it ,custom carburetor metering rods, step up springs and jets along with the ignition timing perfected. Which should net me close to 9.5 to 10mpg if they do it right.

Next up after all this fuel system stuff is done is a set of headers, a new breather and Spintech 3000 series mufflers. New exhaust ran just like it is currently.

[H311RA151N]

Hayden power steering cooler kit came in. OEM line cracked on the cross member so instead of just looping it I'm adding a cooler. For some reason Ford thought the power steering needed fluid cooled so I'm installing one. The OEM one is just a line looped around. This, although smaller and a reduction in volume, should work much better. And prevent it from leaking like an SOB like it is. Every 30 miles I have to fill the reservoir on the power steering pump. Not fun. This will be a nice fix.

[H311RA151N]

2,000RPM 50mph in top gear (4th).

[H311RA151N]

New pic and another video. Nothing much has changed. Other than I love driving this thing more and more as time goes on.

[F22Chris]

Is your steering loose? Looks loose.. Thing sounds good man, gluglugluglugluglug.

[H311RA151N]

Is your steering loose? Looks loose.. Thing sounds good man, gluglugluglugluglug.

It's a little loose. I could tighten the worm gear in the steering box a little as that's all it is. Heavy trucks (especially 4x4's) are hard on steering/power steering components. These trucks will actually crack the frame where the steering box mounts to it. Moderate off-roading or over sized tires are prone to cracking the frame in this way. The solution is a little welding and a steel plate(s). They just need some reinforcement in that area of the frame before doing anything very radical. I have yet to tackle this on mine but it's stock height and stock tires size. And I don't off road much, only when there is a valid reason to.

Here is where the frame cracks if you do too much off-roading or put too much lift/tire on them. These first two pics are of a half ton by the way. They are a bit weaker. F250/F350's will do it as well in the 80-86 generation although it takes more abuse to do so.


PICS FOR REFERENCE ONLY, NOT MY VEHICLE





Here is the fix. This is on a Ford Explorer but it was the pic I found the easiest. Pretty cheap and takes a few hours. But well worth it. After this little mod there are no other frame issues to worry about. You can pretty much do whatever you want with them frame wise at this point.

[H311RA151N]

I have the Hayden power steering cooler set up in the location I want it in. This is in no way a finished product. I had something come up and was unable to finish it but I plan on finishing it in the afternoon today.

It's a bit small but it also has cooling fins to dissipate heat. Which the power steering fluid on this truck I have never felt get very warm anyways. As I stated previously in this thread, the factory hard line had a crack in it from me flexing it too much during the power steering pump install. So I cut the section of hard line out which had the crack and installed this in it's place.

I didn't want to place the cooler directly in front of the cross member as it would not receive air flow with something behind it. So I placed it up a little using a factory bracket. Precautions will be made as for ensuring no damage comes to the cooler during the rest of the install or the finished product as for the factory bracket and keeping the cooler in place. I also took a random bracket I had and made the device you see on the right that goes around the hoses. This is kinda in the shape of a D and keeps the hoses in place and also keeps the cooler at the angle I want while I fab up a bracket for the right side of the cooler. It may stay or it may not. But I will paint it flat black if it's decided that it will stay.

After this no more power steering fluid leak and I can finally get all that gunk and crap out from under there with degreaser at the car wash. Almost 30 years of crap built up under there. I will likely wear a rain poncho when I do it. I'm going to be under this thing for a while getting everything off.








This is just temporary until I'm able to focus on this truck only here in a few months. It will have a power steering cooler about 2x this size in front of the radiator.