My 63 Unibody

[BobbyFord]

I got the springs from Eaton yesterday. I'm a little disappointed. The rear eye bushings they installed are 2.75" wide, the correct rear bushing measures 2.5" wide.
I cannot mount these springs. Correct bushing is Harris #62504 that measures 2.5" wide X 2" diameter.

[BobbyFord]

Had the day off today. I took the steering box back apart and exchanged the Chinese worm bearings for some NOS Ford bearings, reset the bearing preload and sector mesh and filled the box with fresh 00 manual box grease. I got the box and column back in the truck and finished the wiring on the brake light switch.
I’m waiting on the correct leaf bushings so I’m going to see about getting the wider rear brakes installed.
Should get my spindles back from the machine shop tomorrow.

[BobbyFord]

Got my spindles back from the machine shop. The pins fit perfect.
I can't wait to get the front axle back on the truck.

[BobbyFord]

In case anyone is interested, E5TZ-5A636-A leaf spring bumper (on the left) can be trimmed down to replace the stock front leaf spring bumper.

[BobbyFord]

Got the axle back in today. Only one new leaf is in because I'm still waiting for the bushings from Eaton Detroit. I used one of the Harris bushings that I already had.

[BobbyFord]

Got everything mocked up today. The disc brake kit was used, it came on the axle that I bought off of Craigslist. Although the kit was fairly new, the calipers were painted black with non-high heat paint and the rotors already had surface rust on the hats. I sandblasted the calipers, painted them with extreme heat header paint and rebuilt them. I also stripped off the surface rust from the rotor hats and painted them with ceramic high heat paint, just in case you can see them through the wheel. The rotors came with Chinese bearings and even though they're new, I'm replacing them with Timken or SKF bearings.
I also found out that 1995 Impala SS brake pads will fit in these rotors and they have more pad surface than standard D52 brake pads. So I ordered a set of those, too.

[BobbyFord]

Check out the difference in brake pad surface area. Both of these are D52 brake pads. The ones on the bottom are 94-96 Impala SS, semi-metallic.



I drove the truck to the liquor store just like this to get a celebratory six-pack (and to center the steering wheel.) I set the toe with a tape measure.



Words like, unbelievable, incredible, remarkable come close but cannot accurately describe the difference in the way this truck drives. The brakes are insane and I only gravity bled them. I'll put the pressure bleeder on it tomorrow or I'll get the neighbor kid to lend a foot. This truck hasn't driven this well in the 35 years that I've owned it. I'm really at a loss for words. I only got up to about 35mph. I'm going to put some sheet metal on it tomorrow and take it up on the freeway. This completely renewed my love for this truck; nothing like a straight axle, leaf front end.

I'm going to buy a trans case off of Ebay tomorrow and make plans to get the 429 ready.

[Day 2]

"nothing like a straight axle, leaf front end."


I agree. I've had my 63 for 25 years and I rebuilt the front end much like your doing 22 years ago when I did a frame off rebuild, and like you said,
"Words like, unbelievable, incredible, remarkable come close but cannot accurately describe the difference in the way this truck drives.":

is very true. Love my straight axle Uni..one thing I will recommend and that is the teflon strips between each leaf, never a squeak!!!

Robert

[BobbyFord]

"nothing like a straight axle, leaf front end."


I agree. I've had my 63 for 25 years and I rebuilt the front end much like your doing 22 years ago when I did a frame off rebuild, and like you said,
"Words like, unbelievable, incredible, remarkable come close but cannot accurately describe the difference in the way this truck drives.":

is very true. Love my straight axle Uni..one thing I will recommend and that is the teflon strips between each leaf, never a squeak!!!

Robert

Thanks, Robert. These leafs have the plastic discs at the ends, just like the stock ones had.

[BobbyFord]

Here’s a list of parts for anyone wanting to avoid aftermarket booster/master combos:
1972 F100 brake booster brackets
Cardone 54-73515 brake booster
Cardone 13-1617 master cylinder (75 F100 disc.)
Carolina Classic Trucks disc/drum proportioning valve (73-79 F100/F150.)
Standard SLS66 brake light switch
Moog 8455B king pin set
I’m not sure what brand disc kit I have because it came on a straight axle that I bought off of Craigslist.

[BobbyFord]

I've got a nice box of goodies sitting here from Summit Racing, brake drums, shoes, updated hardware, wheel cylinders, etc.
I'd like to get the wider rear brakes installed but mother nature still isn't cooperating. Raining again tonight and tomorrow.
Hopefully get something done this weekend.

[BobbyFord]

Make sure you grab the axles too if you’re planning on widening the rear brakes with later model backing plates and drums. Something I didn’t realize. Axle bearing offset changed after 1967.

[Zax63]

I've got a nice box of goodies sitting here from Summit Racing, brake drums, shoes, updated hardware, wheel cylinders, etc.
I'd like to get the wider rear brakes installed but mother nature still isn't cooperating. Raining again tonight and tomorrow.
Hopefully get something done this weekend.

Did the backing plates come from Summit Racing as well?

[BobbyFord]

I've got a nice box of goodies sitting here from Summit Racing, brake drums, shoes, updated hardware, wheel cylinders, etc.
I'd like to get the wider rear brakes installed but mother nature still isn't cooperating. Raining again tonight and tomorrow.
Hopefully get something done this weekend.

Did the backing plates come from Summit Racing as well?

No, I got them from a donor truck.

[BobbyFord]

Here's a list of parts that I used to update and increase the rear brake shoe width from 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 (...and upgrade from manual adjusters to auto adjusters.)
1969 axles and backing plates. 68-72 should be the same. Make sure you get the brake adjusters, adjuster cable and guide, adjuster lever and parking brake strut from the donor vehicle.
Wagner PAB263R premium rear brake shoes.
Bendix PDR0141 brake drums.
Wagner wheel cylinders - WC17508 (R) WC17507 (L)
Carlson H7041 spring combi kit.
National 51098 axle seals.

Axle bearing offset changed after 1967. Both axles are 28 spline, 30" from wheel mount surface to spline tip. Here's the difference in the bearing offset...1963 is about 1-7/8"


1968-1972 bearing offset is about 2-3/16"


Tomorrow I'll clean up the donor axles and press on some new axle bearings.

[BobbyFord]

It’s really difficult to find non-Chinese bearings anymore, even some of the Timken bearings are now made in China. I was able to buy some Japanese axle bearings yesterday and finally get my axles installed.

[BobbyFord]

I want to put this list of parts here for my records. This is part of what's been done on the truck since Dec. 2018


Moog 8455B King Pin set
Cardone master cylinder 13-1617 (1975 F100 Disc/Drum)
1973-1979 F100 Disc/Drum proportioning valve
Cardone FT7 brake booster 54-73515
Standard electric brake light switch SLS66
Rebuilt GM D52 brake calipers
Wagner ZX614 front brake pads (1996 Impala)
Bower BCA L68149, LM11949 front wheel bearings
Monroe OEM Spectrum Front shocks 37186
Eaton Detroit Spring ML-2742 front leaf springs
C1TZ-5304-E Rear of front leaf spring bushings
C1TZ-5304-G Front of front spring bushings
E5TZ-5A636-A Front leaf spring bumpers
C2AZ-3571-A Worm gear bearings
C2AZ-3552-A Worm gear bearing cups
National 472560N Sector shaft seal
Moog ES416R, ES416L tie rod ends

----------*1969 F100 rear axles and brake backing plates*----------
Toyo 514003 rear axle bearings
Wagner PAB263R premium rear brake shoes
Bendix PDR0141 rear brake drums
Wagner WC17507, WC17508 rear wheel cylinders
Carlson H7041 brake spring kit
National 51098 rear axle seals

-----------------------------------Engine---------------------------------------
Derale 16828 Electric radiator fan assembly
Summit Racing 384025 Aluminum Radiator
Auto Cool 85 PWM Fan controller
Gates 20431 Lower radiator hose
Gates 20046 Upper radiator hose
Anchor 2141 Engine mounts
7127-9 10SI GM 3 wire alternator

[BobbyFord]

Got the left backing plate installed this afternoon and the other axle. The brakes are awesome. The truck is off the jack stands and finally back on four wheels. I also made some new hard line across the back of the diff.

[BobbyFord]

I finally got the sheet metal temporarily back on the front end so that I could take it up on the freeway. It's really incredible how well it drives. I used to have play in the wheel from about 11 to 2, sawing back and forth. I have to get used to holding the wheel steady now.
I had to do a little metal work on the left fender. The bottom spot welds had come loose on the rear inner bracing and cracked the bottom rear edge where the fender meets the door...


Welded up the edge and put a little red oxide primer on...

[BobbyFord]

At some point before I owned this truck, it was hit in the right rear tail light.
The repair was not very good. The light isn't straight, it's slightly tilted to the right and the outside edge is bulged out.


This has always bugged me. Today I was digging around in the shed and came up with this




If it's not windy this weekend I'll cut the damaged 1/4 end off the bed and weld in the replacement piece.