Baseline maintenance for "new" farm truck

[LWJ]

So the old,truck gave out recently and is gone. Rust killed it. A 1963 international that grandpa bought new. It had 32k total miles.

We replaced it yesterday with a 1986 F250. Bought from a car guy who seems to have mostly taken great care. This truck will run few miles and be used by many different family members. Most of whom are maintenance idiots.

Here is what I am intending on doing proactively to give this truck a good start at its new life:

change oil / coolant / brake fluid / transmission fluid / t-case fluid.

Inspect both diffs but not change them unless they are dirty.

Grease anything that wants grease

Wax paint

Sand out small rust spot and cover with polyurethane pant

Inspect belts and visual check under hood for anything weird.


What did I miss? It is a 351/c6 4x4. It has a carburetor.

Thanks in advance!

[Dantilla]

I would change the belts and hoses.

[ckelly78z]

Fords are notorious for rusted brake components, replace all the brake lines with braided, and flush system.

Replace every fluid, and filter.

[javadog]

I'd go ahead and change the diff fluids. Likely original and not designed to last this long.
Air and fuel filters.

Spark plugs?
Coolant and heater hoses?
T-stat?
Check the age of the tires.
Check the brake pads.

[wdfifteen]

Why not add a lift kit and 20" tires? Everybody else does.

[LWJ]

WD. Funny! I said to my FIL that one of the things I liked about the truck was normal sized tires.

The PO put in a bunch. Spark plugs, filters, silicone hoses, said brakes - need to look further at this.

I think it has newer hoses and t-stat.

Thanks!

[Nostril Cheese]

351/C6 is a great combo. Basic maintenance and it will run forever. 2 or 4BBL?

[LWJ]

Thanks Cheese.

Not sure yet. Carb is a little cold blooded and needs a little attention. We tried to buy something sort of bulletproof and simple.

[Jrboulder]

Fuel filter, possibly all fuel hoses under the hood.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

I would change the belts and hoses.

Generally good advice but I would inspect everything and put your $$ where it's needed. I consider myself a maintenance freak but sometimes I miss something, like the rear pads on my old F-250 that I could have sworn I looked at recently but ran down to nothing. I wound up doing rotors, rebuilding calipers, etc.

It sounds like the PO did some maintenance, so I would go through and see what it needs. It can be hard to really see the condition of diff oil unless you can do the finger test and it looks like new. Still, if it's been changed, I never know if the last guy put the right oil in it unless there is a record or you can ask. Ford and most other ltd. slip axles are sensitive to oil if you want to LSD to work properly.

Just to really complicate things slightly, Ford specifies an additive that they sell in small bottles as a friction modifier for their LSD axles, at least on my generation truck, (early 2000s Super Duty). If you use off the shelf GL-5, which already has a friction modifier in it, then add the Ford additive, you will wind up w a limited grip rear axle instead of a ltd. slip. A one-wheel-wonder, as we used to call open diffs when I was a young guy.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by speeder

Just to really complicate things slightly, Ford specifies an additive that they sell in small bottles as a friction modifier for their LSD axles, at least on my generation truck, (early 2000s Super Duty). If you use off the shelf GL-5, which already has a friction modifier in it, then add the Ford additive, you will wind up w a limited grip rear axle instead of a ltd. slip. A one-wheel-wonder, as we used to call open diffs when I was a young guy.

+1

Should be 90W for the diffs. ATF for the transfer case

Had the 351/C6 in our old motocross box van. Put that thing through serious abuse and it always got us home from the desert.

[techman1]

With the path the International took to the grave, a trip to a lift and underbody corrosion treatment?

[ltusler]

Get the family members over and put a wrench in their hands.

[LWJ]

Yes. I think a work party is appropriate!

The PO did a full cab off rehab on this. He painted the frame rails. Rebuilt the engine. Did a bunch of stuff a while back, all of which seems good and appropriate. And, he is a car guy. He showed me his 7 year El Camino project. It really helps to find a PO that isn't an idiot.

The fluids are mostly black however...

I appreciate kicking ideas with a bunch of car guys. Just what was needed.

Thank you!