Starting work on an old family bronco

[Beagleye]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RDEsKKYa0nI3JZqCmHO-w0a_Xtsr_Bug/view?usp=sharing

Hey y'all. I am new here. I spotted this behind a barn in the neighborhood about 20 years ago. I made the old guy an offer and it was accepted, and have been using it ever since, using it for firewood, hunting, I always took my kid to the pond to swim, they are now grown. It's been a great part of the family. It started it's life in the north, it's been rusty since I got it and hasn't really gotten much worse. I am going to start spending some money on it. I am not thinking of trying to make it look new or "cherry" or anything like that. Just address some of the really issues. It's got the 170 straight six and 3 on the column. So i have a couple of questions.

1) Are the galvanized gas tank kits from Tom's including the shield and sending units pretty good? I have been using a plastic motor boat tank behind the driver seat since I got it.

2) Where can I get a good price on good hard working set shocks? I don't do tricks with this truck but I use it in the mountains on logging roads for firewood.

3) It has started to pop out of first gear in high range and low range. Is that probably a linkage issue or time to get a rebuilt transmission issue? Are those from Toms's trusty? It's not a pressing issue cause it rarely comes out of low range and it can crawl up a steep hill in second.

Thanks in advance for any help and advise. Best, Pete

 

[okie4570]

I believe the inspection sticker on that 68' is a little overdue lol Welcome! Any of the vendor original size tanks are good. Column linkage is usually the culprit on shifting issues, but not always.

 

[SteveL]

The slipping out of gear could just be a linkage adjustment.

 

[half cab]

Welcome to the site Pete. I've been using a main tank kit from Toms for about 10 yrs now with no issues.

NAPA or any of the vendors at the top od this page sell good shocks.

 

[bronconut73]

I am running Tom's plastic rear tank.

No rust of course.
Cheap.
17 years.

 

[DirtDonk]

Is it popping out of gear while coasting, cruising or accelerating?
Either way, it's always a good idea to check the linkage and re-adjust per the factory instructions. We have them written up here that you can find, or we can run through them again. But the best thing to have is a decent shop manual that will spell it out for you.
Even the Chilton's and Haynes books have the adjustment procedure in their books.

When that was happening on my '71 it was the sliding collar springs and dogs getting a bit weak, along with a general loosening up of stuff due to old age.
A few new bearings and internal parts, along with stretching out the springs to give them more tension (at least for awhile) did the trick 100%.
In my case it worked fine for an additional 40k miles with no recurring of the problem.

Paul
Paul

 

[Beagleye]

Is it popping out of gear while coasting, cruising or accelerating?
Either way, it's always a good idea to check the linkage and re-adjust per the factory instructions. We have them written up here that you can find, or we can run through them again. But the best thing to have is a decent shop manual that will spell it out for you.
Even the Chilton's and Haynes books have the adjustment procedure in their books.

When that was happening on my '71 it was the sliding collar springs and dogs getting a bit weak, along with a general loosening up of stuff due to old age.
A few new bearings and internal parts, along with stretching out the springs to give them more tension (at least for awhile) did the trick 100%.
In my case it worked fine for an additional 40k miles with no recurring of the problem.

Paul
Paul

Paul
Accelerating. But when you go to put it in it feels shallow, and that sort of made me suspect linkage. Thanks for the tip on adjustment instructions. I will do a sight search, if I strike out I will ask for help finding that link. Are there some parts that go along with freshening up and adjusting the linkage?

Thanks all for the excellent information and advise. A good forum can be a giant help. Thanks!

Bronconut73, there is a lot of roughage on the logging roads out here, maybe plastic plus shield, what do you use? Thanks for the tip!

Pete

 

[bronconut73]

Right.

I reinstalled my factory tank skid plate.

It is real thick poly. It would be tough to puncture, in fact maybe as tough as a stock steel one.

 

[bronconut73]

Just looked at TBP.

Stock metal tanks are only $145.

Wow that's cheap.

 

[Beagleye]

BN73- is the poly tanks you are using the auxiliary tank? https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/pro...-gas-tank-plastic-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new

I appreciate your patience.

Also I am not finding the linkage adjustment procedure here on this forum. Any help in that direction would be welcome.

 

[half cab]

Here are a couple links.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256352
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215657

 

[Beagleye]

Here are a couple links.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256352
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215657

Thanks Half Cab!