BONES approved

[tasker]

nice work....looking great!

 

[broncoitis]

Glad you got it figured out! Sure is satisfying to be driving them around for sure. More and more enjoyable when everything is working well. ;D

 

[MR-CYN]

Nice find, I saw that one listed. Glad a local got it. Good looking rig. Congrats and enjoy bro. Good to hear you got her going.

 

[Vin218]

Well I haven't had much time to do any wrenching but I have had plenty of time to cruise around. Really nice long weekend in New Hampshire made for some good driving and leaf peeping and I accidentally stumbled upon some trails in Goffstown. I couldn't go too far back in them as I've been having some overheating problems at slow speeds and when idling for too long but I'll def go back and check them out again.

I also noticed a ticking started on the passenger side of the engine, thinking it might be an exhaust leak. Not a big deal though, was planning on a complete new exhaust and had already been thinking about having the engine checked out for a rebuild. My plan was really to replace almost everything at some point but its been a blast driving in the meantime.

 

[sprdv1]

Great pics man, Glad you're out having fun with it.

 

[dave67fd]

Looking good brother. Nice to see your getting some quality time spent with her.

Couple easy pre checks on the getting hot issue, what temps you seeing? what pressure cap you running? check the cap to make sure its in good condition and make sure you have the correct coolant/water ratio. You running a overflow tank and do you have a fan shroud? stock fan? Park so the front end is a bit inclined and try "burping"(cracking) the cap when it's warm but not hot. Use a large rag anyway so you don't get burnt to be on the safe side. Sometimes thats all it takes.

 

[tasker]

LOOKING GOOD! would love to do another cruise before winter hits...

 

[Vin218]

Looking good brother. Nice to see your getting some quality time spent with her.

Couple easy pre checks on the getting hot issue, what temps you seeing? what pressure cap you running? check the cap to make sure its in good condition and make sure you have the correct coolant/water ratio. You running a overflow tank and do you have a fan shroud? stock fan?

Thanks guys, temps are a steady 190 almost all the time, if I hit traffic or going slow the temp was getting up to like 230-235. Stock fan and shroud, cap looks newer but not sure what psi it is, I'll check that out. No overflow tank and my radiator doesn't seem to have a place in the top corner where it would connect to, but I'll check that out again too.

 

[dave67fd]

Your radiator should have a barb type fitting on the filler neck below the cap.

 

[Vin218]

Its been a few months since I've done anything but I got the bronco moved into a garage for the winter. My goals for the winter are; power steering, new suspension and bushings, disc brakes/front end cleanup, and redo the interior. I've been collecting parts for a while and I took advantage of the Christmas sales so I already have pretty much everything I need.

First thing I did was cut the steering shaft and remove the column. I did the grinding to the ends so I could connect the wild horses lower shaft. I also took out the manual steering box and some of the linkage. Trying to decide if I should clean up anything else under the hood now while I have the extra room.

Then took out the seats out and ripped out the old carpet/insulation. Carpet got wet a few times this summer and caused some surface rust on the drivers side but everything else looks decent.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to drop the front end so I can start cleaning up the 44 and working on the brakes. That should keep me busy for a while before I can start on the front suspension and putting everything back together.

 

[Vin218]

Making some slow progress one rusty bolt at a time. I'm trying to just get everything apart so I can get the front end off. I want to clean it up, paint it, new bushings and get those drums off.

After multiple tries I finally got the springs and spring cups out and now the radius arms are the only thing holding it together. Hit them with some blaster today and hopefully they will come off tomorrow. My breaker bar is getting a serious work out. Can't wait to get it all off and get the new stuff on!

 

[dave67fd]

Sorry I missed your last post. Looks all too familiar and your doing well. I'm getting mine back together as well. Stay on it. Will it be ready for May 14th?

 

[Vin218]

Thanks Dave, ya I'm trying to pick up the pace so its ready in time. I got the axle off, wire wheeled it and painted it today. Next weekend I'm gonna start on the disc brakes and bushings. I'm hoping to have the front end done and everything back on by the end of this month.

 

[Vin218]

Well after a long battle the front end is back on. I spent like 10 hours trying to get the stupid radius arms level after putting in the new c bushings. I'm still not even sure what I did differently on the last try.

I should be able to do the brakes, suspension and finish up the front end by next weekend (hopefully). I changed out the axle u joints but today I was looking at the driveshaft u joint and I'm not sure if it just needs a good cleaning or if I should just change that out too?

Also while I'm at it I'm wondering if its just worth taking the driveshaft off and cleaning and painting that too, any thoughts on this? I'm trying not to get too carried away but also if its easy enough its probably worth doing.

 

[Vin218]

Making very slow progress on this but learning a lot as I go. New suspension is in, it took me longer than I expected, the upper retaining clips gave me a bit of a challenge.

I also sanded down the steering column while its out, the old paint was more rust than paint. I'll paint that and start putting in all the power steering components.

Hit a little snag with the disc conversion too. Went to put the hub and rotors on and they wouldn't fit on the spindles. I'm now pretty sure I have large bearing spindles so I'm trying to decide on bringing them to a shop or looking for some small bearing ones.

Also if anyone local has any use for some rusty old drum parts let me know.

 

[dave67fd]

Lookin good.
I think we all have our share of drum brake parts, I know I do as well.

 

[Vin218]

Still making some slow progress and knocking a few things off the list. Drained the coolant, took out the radiator and swapped in a new water pump. I don't know if anything was wrong with the old one but it just looked old and rusty, new one looks much nicer. Radiator doesn't look much better so I'm going to have that checked out by a shop and see if its worth keeping or not.

I've also been working on the disc conversion the past few weekends. I have one side done but on the other side the pads are really tight on the rotors, to the point that I can't spin the rotor by hand at all. I need to figure out why its so tight and then I can get the tires back on for the first time in a few months and move on to the steering.

 

[dave67fd]

slow progress is still progress. Put a wheel/tire on the hub to get a better feel for tightness. Once you properly bleed the system and articulate the calipers a few times it may loosen them up a bit.
Inspect the thin lines on the radiator between the fins. If any of them have the same green corrosion the fins have then the lines are starting to corrode, Have it tested as you planned. Repair shops are far and few between but a few still do them. I had mine done in my other Ford years ago at Willard in Hudson. If toast go with a Aluminum Champion
http://www.championradiators.com/Ford-Bronco-radiator-3-row-1966-1967
Search around..you may find them a bit cheaper.

 

[fatboy]

I've also been working on the disc conversion the past few weekends. I have one side done but on the other side the pads are really tight on the rotors, to the point that I can't spin the rotor by hand at all. I need to figure out why its so tight and then I can get the tires back on for the first time in a few months and move on to the steering.

slow progress is still progress. Put a wheel/tire on the hub to get a better feel for tightness. Once you properly bleed the system and articulate the calipers a few times it may loosen them up a bit.

What Dave said. I put new calipers and pads on mine and I could not move the hubs by hand and actually needed a dead blow hammer to get the calipers on. I can spin the hub with the wheel on.

 

[Vin218]

Cool thanks for the tips, I'll put the tire on and check it that way. I was thinking it might loosen up after bleeding them but wasn't really sure. On the plus side I'm getting pretty good at taking apart the whole hub/rotor assembly.

There's a radiator shop in Bow, I've never been to it but its not far from me so I'm going to stop by there one day this week and see what they think.