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Getting nickeled and dimed by F150
Man am I getting sick of it. I have a '93 F150 4X4 which I have dumped too much money into recently.
New 4X4 hubs New front brakes, rotors and bearings Full engine rebuild (302 V8) New dual gas tanks Rewelded bed supports New tube headers and exhaust Used offroad tires Today I noticed the passenger front end is sitting a little lower than the drivers side. I pulled the tire off and noticed the shock and spring tower, which is welded to the frame rail, has rusted way and collapsed. I feel like I keep getting kicked in the teeth by a truck which sees little use but to pick up hay and drive through the snow. I am thinking of cutting my losses as I could be making vehicle payments with what I have spent on this truck the past 12 months. Rant over.
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1983 944 guards red with 16" Fuchs, Host of Wisconsin area timing/ balance shaft belt tensioning party 1987 944S Purchased from Legion. Corvette LT-1 V-8 conversion with Mega Squirt II Check on progress ---> www.porschehybrids.com/gallery/speedracing944 Favorite Road = www.tailofthedragon.com 318 turns in 11 miles (11 min 20 sec best run) |
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12-27-2010, 11:12 AM
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Somewhere in the Midwest
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: In the barn!
Posts: 12,499
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My ol'Blue '94 having lived in the rust belt was going to need the front spring "perch"'replaced at some point...in a couple years maybe. I didn't like they way they welded it on there, but figured it was a replacement that once done would last another 15+ years.
Not a whole lot left to go wrong with your truck now, right? |
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12-27-2010, 11:18 AM
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meister member
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That is what I thought. I was hoping for a reliable truck I can drive once in a while.
Speedy 
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1983 944 guards red with 16" Fuchs, Host of Wisconsin area timing/ balance shaft belt tensioning party 1987 944S Purchased from Legion. Corvette LT-1 V-8 conversion with Mega Squirt II Check on progress ---> www.porschehybrids.com/gallery/speedracing944 Favorite Road = www.tailofthedragon.com 318 turns in 11 miles (11 min 20 sec best run) |
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12-27-2010, 11:24 AM
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Make Bruins Great Again
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Price out a new 4x4 with the same equipment online and calculate your payments. Figure tax, tag, and license fees will wipe out some (all?) of what you can get for your current truck. You can factor in new tires, brakes, etc but maintenance will still be the same. Unless you need a reliable DD then you'll probably be better off fixing it since it will take a lot of repairs before you break even. Besides, you have the added bonus of not worrying about where you park it and no worries with not wanting to sling old rusty stuff into the back of a pretty new truck.
That said, the best time to trade is the day before the motor or trans blows up.
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-------------------------------------- Joe See Porsche run. Run, Porsche, Run: `87 911 Carrera |
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12-27-2010, 11:39 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Linn County, Oregon
Posts: 48,510
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Quote:
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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12-27-2010, 11:42 AM
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Yea, I just dropped $700 on my F-150-based '01 Expedition to fix a head with blown spark plug and a couple of coli-on-plug ignition things.
OTOH, $0/month car payment is pretty sweet.
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1979 911 SC Silver 2002 996 race car 2005 Ford Excursion |
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12-27-2010, 11:51 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Valencia Pa.
Posts: 8,844
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That bracket is not welded, it is rivetted on. You can buy a replacement, from ford, chisel out the rivets, and replace it. You will end up replacing the front brake lines as well, as they rarely come off in one piece. I cant remember how much the spring plates are new from ford, but I would guess over $100.00 per side. It is also a little bit of a pain in the arse rusty dirty crappy job, but I have done lots of them. Check the rear spring hangers, and shackles as well while you are at it. They usually rust out before the front.
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No left turn un stoned |
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12-27-2010, 12:02 PM
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Somewhere in the Midwest
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: In the barn!
Posts: 12,499
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When I did the rear leaf spring brackets (also rivoted on) I used the blue wrench to burn out the rivots, then I bolted the replacements on. It took me longer to find the right bolts I needed, just the right length.
Eta: I mentioned welded for the front, but my recollection was that that weren't bolted on....so foggy memory equated that to welded! Fastred has done a few from what I read of his posts. Last edited by MotoSook; 12-27-2010 at 12:18 PM.. |
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12-27-2010, 12:16 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,482
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You can buy the front spring/shock housing brand new from Ford for $63-96 (my cost anyway) depending on configuration. Right side is cheaper than left side for some reason.
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12-27-2010, 12:17 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Valencia Pa.
Posts: 8,844
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You can burn them out, but I usually take my cutoff wheel and cut a + in the face of the rivet, and then air chisel the head of the rivet off, and then punch the rivet through after that. That is the fastest way I have found yet. The smoke wrench will be a whole lot less noisy though.
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No left turn un stoned |
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12-27-2010, 12:18 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,416
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12-27-2010, 12:40 PM
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Registered ConfUser
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Waterlogged
Posts: 23,456
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18 years of salt-encrusted winters. Guessing it lives outside, rarely gets cleaned up, etc. What could you have bought 18 years ago and treated the same way with better results?
Someone's gotta stick up for a good ol' Ford. Sheesh. You didn't mention the odometer, but I'm guessing this isn't a 45,000 mile garage queen. Just sayin'.
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Mike “I wouldn’t want to live under the conditions a person could get used to”. -My paternal grandmother having immigrated to America shortly before WWll. |
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12-27-2010, 02:23 PM
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Make Bruins Great Again
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Quote:
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-------------------------------------- Joe See Porsche run. Run, Porsche, Run: `87 911 Carrera |
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12-27-2010, 03:07 PM
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FUSHIGI
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: somewhere between here and there
Posts: 10,734
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same fork in the road from the same issue (why plow when you can SALT again?) with a '96 F-150. 56K miles. 6 cyl. 4WD. rear spring perches look scary, exhaust has parted before the muffler, even the oil pan looks like it's going to perforate. $300on brake lines last week. I don't think I want another P/U. Maybe another outback and small trailer next time. I don't have anything huge to haul and my inner red-neck has pretty much evaporated.
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12-27-2010, 03:31 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 18,162
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12-27-2010, 04:53 PM
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Cars & Coffee Killer
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: State of Failure
Posts: 32,246
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You've got a good job and haven't had a car payment in a long time (ever)?
I understand the desire for reliable transportation. Especially with three kids and being miles from anything.
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Some Porsches long ago...then a wankle... 5 liters of VVT fury now -Chris "There is freedom in risk, just as there is oppression in security." |
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12-27-2010, 05:01 PM
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Registered
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The obvious answer is to get another identical truck. One will, hopefully, be running at any given time.
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12-27-2010, 10:21 PM
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Cars & Coffee Killer
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: State of Failure
Posts: 32,246
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Quote:
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Some Porsches long ago...then a wankle... 5 liters of VVT fury now -Chris "There is freedom in risk, just as there is oppression in security." |
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12-28-2010, 05:03 AM
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UnRegistered User
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Why have a $30,000 truck when you can have 30 $1000 trucks?!
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Bill K. "I started out with nothin and I still got most of it left...." 83 911 SC Guards Red (now gone) And I sold a bunch of parts I hadn't installed yet. |
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12-28-2010, 05:30 AM
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Cars & Coffee Killer
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: State of Failure
Posts: 32,246
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Quote:
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Some Porsches long ago...then a wankle... 5 liters of VVT fury now -Chris "There is freedom in risk, just as there is oppression in security." |
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12-28-2010, 05:45 AM
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Max
2015 
1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2
1983 Porsche SC
