BRONCO RESTORATION UPDATED 01/07/07 PART 1

THE FIRST THING IS TO KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU MUST HAVE PATIENCE, NEVER RUSH ANYTHING AND IF PROBLEMS KEEP COMING UP ITS TIME TO TAKE A BREAK. PROPER TIME FOR PAINT TO CURE IS IMPERITIVE, ALLOW AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE APPLYING A NEW COLOR OR PATTERN. ILL MAKE EVERYTHING AS EASY AS POSSIBLE USING BASIC TOOLS, YOU WONT NEED AN AIRCOMPRESSOR TO PAINT, ALTHOUGH IF YOU HAVE ONE YOU SHOULD USE IT. I DONT KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE BUT IM SURE IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF DAYS. TIME TO GET STARTED.

ASSUMING THAT YOUR BRONCO IS IN AVERAGE CONDITION, NO MAJOR DENTS OR RUST, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT WITH LITTLE OR NO PROBLEMS. BEFORE YOU START I WOULD RECOMMEND TAKING SEVERAL PICTURES OF YOUR HORSE PRIOR TO DISSASEMBLY, THERE ISNT A WHOLE LOT TO IT BUT ITS ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO REFER TO LATER ON. TAKE NOTE OF HOW THE SADDLE BLANKET PATTERNS ARE AND THE PLACEMENT OF THEM. THIS IS CRITICAL WHEN YOU NEED TO PLACE THE STENCIL. TURN THE BRONCO UPSIDE DOWN, USE THE STAND IF YOU MADE ONE, AND REMOVE THE SINGLE NUT AND BOLT THAT HOLDS THE FOOTREST ON USING A PAIR OF 7/16" WRENCHES. SET THE FOOTREST IN A BOX AND PUT THE HARDWARE IN A CONTAINER. SEE PICTURE. 01/05 UPDATE: I HAVE FOUND THAT ON MANY BRONCOS A 7/16" WRENCH IS A BIT TOO SMALL ON EITHER THE HEAD OF THE BOLT OR ON THE NUT. AN 11 MM IS THE SAME AS A 7/16" AND A 12MM IS A LITTLE SLOPPY ON THE BOLT BUT IT WILL WORK UNLESS THE NUT AND BOLT IS RUSTED TOGETHER IN WHICH CASE IT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY ROUND OFF THE BOLT HEAD. IF THAT IS THE CASE, USE VICE GRIPS AND REPLACE THE BOLT AND NUT. IT SEEMS THAT BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS ENGLAND DIDN'T CONFORM TO SAE STANDARDS OR METRICS, THEY HAD THERE OWN SYSTEM, AT LEAST ON NUTS AND BOLTS CALLED WENTWORTH. APPARENTLY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

NOW AFTER REMOVING THE FOOT REST GET YOURSELF A STICK ( I USE A PIECE OF 1/2 " WOOD DOWELING) AND PULL UP THE SUSPNSION PART UNTIL YOU CAN WEDGE THE STICK BETWEEN IT AND THE BODY. (SEE PICTURE) THIS WILL ALLOW EASY ACCESS TO THE LEG BOLTS.

USING THE 7/16" WRENCHES AGAIN, REMOVE THE SINGLE NUT AND BOLT FROM THE FRONT LEG MOUNTS. THE LEGS ARE USUALLY STUCK IN THE MOUNT SO YOU EWILL NEED TO WIGGLE THEM BACK AND FORTH AND SIDEWAYS UNTIL THEY COME LOOSE. REMOVE THE FRONT LEGS. REPEAT PROCEDURE AND REMOVE THE REAR LEGS. WHEN REMOVING THE FRONT LEGS TAKE NOTE HOW THE STEERING MECHANISM WORKS.

SEE HOW THE STEERING BARS IN THE LEGS SLIDE THROUGH THE HOLES IN THE STEERING ARMS, WHEN REASSEMBLING YOU SHOULD PUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF GREASE ON THE ROD AND ALL OTHER PIVOT POINTS. INSPECT THIS AREA TO SEE THAT ALL STEERING PARTS ARE ALIGNED. THIS IS FOR STEERING BRONCOS ONLY.

OK, NOW THAT THE LEGS ARE OFF, INSPECT THE WHEEL MOUNTS TO SEE IF ANY ARE BENT AND ALSO CHECK TO SEE IF THE BRAKES WILL LOCK THE WHEEL. THAT DONE, REMOVE THE WHEELS.

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE AXLE AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE TWO CRIMPS THAT MUST BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE AXLE AND WHEEL. THE UPPER CRIMP CAN BE FILED PRETTY EASILY BUT THE UNDERSIDE CRIMP IS A NIGHTMARE. SO, FILE AWAY IF YOU WISH OR DO IT MY WAY. GET OUT THE NEEDLE NOSE VICE GRIPS AND ADJUST THEM SO THAT THEY ARE TIGHT WHEN HOLDING THE AXLE END. SEE PICS. PLACE THE TEETH OF THE VICE GRIPS SO THAT THEY ARE FIRMLY IMPLANTED ON BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER AXLE CRIMP. NOW MOVE THE VICE GRIPS BACK AND FORTH A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THIS ACTION WILL REMOVE THE CRIMPS SO THE AXLE AND WHEEL CAN BE REMOVED. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES PER WHEEL THIS WAY. REMOVE VICE GRIPS AND PUSH AXLE THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE MOUNTING BRACKET UNTIL THE MUSHROOM HEAD OF THE AXLE IS CLEAR AND CAN BE LIFTED OUT. BE FOR REINSTALLING WHEELS DEBERR THE AXLE. TO HOLD THE AXLE IN PLACE AFTER INSTALLATION GET 4 5/16" TINNERMAN NUTS AND SLIP ONTO AXLE. OR DO AS I DO AND DRILL A 1/16" HOLE IN EACH AXLE AND USE COTTER PINS.

IF ANY WHEEL MOUNTS ARE BENT, USE THE NEEDLE NOSE VICE GRIPS TO STRAIGHTEN THEM. PUT THE WHEELS AND AXLES IN A PLASTIC BAG OR A BOX AND PLACE WITH YOUR OTHER HARDWARE ETC.

NOW YOU NEED TO CHECK THE GAP BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE LEG TO THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE LEG MOUNT. SEE THE PICTURE. THE GAP SHOULD BE THE SAME AT THE TOP AS IT IS AT THE BOTTOM, IF THEY ARE NOT YOUR BRONCO WON'T SET RIGHT AND THE LEGS WILL RUB AGAINST THE BODY WHEN HES MOVING.THE MEASUREMENTS SHOWN WILL VARY UP TO 1/8" BUT AS LONG AS ITS EVEN IT WON'T MATTER. IF THEY ARE NOT EVEN, MOUNT THE LEG BRACKET IN A VICE AND VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY APPLY PRESSURE IN ORDER TO INCREASE OR REDUCE THE UPPER GAP TO THE SAME MEASURMENT AS THE BOTTOM. IT DOESNT TAKE MUCH SO DON'T OVER DO IT. REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS NECCESSARY. WHEN THIS IS DONE PUT THE LEGS IN YOUR BOX FOR THE MOMENT.

WITH THE LEGS OUT OF THE WAY, TURN MOBO RIGHT SIDE UP AND GET YOUR DRILL WITH THE 7/32" DRILL BIT. DRILL OUT THE FOUR RIVETS THAT HOLD THE SUSPENSION PARTS ONTO THE BODY.
THE RIVETS ARE STEEL AND IF YOU DONT HAVBE A SHARP BIT THEY WILL START TO SPIN BEFORE YOU CAN DRILL ALL THE WAY THROUGH, IF THIS HAPPENS, INCREASE THE PRESSURE YOU ARE USING UNTIL IT STARTS DRILLING AGAIN. USE A LOW RPM DRILL SPEED. WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIVETS OUT TURN MOBO UPSIDE DOWN AGAIN AND REMOVE THE SUSPENSION. INSPECT IT FOR LOOSE CONNECTING PINS AND CHECK THE SPRING SHAFT. CHECK THAT THE SPRINGS ARE NOT COLLAPSED. IF YOU NEED SPRINGS, REPLACE THEM. YOU CAN GET THEM AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE, TAKE THE OLD ONES WITH YOU AND FIND SOME THAT ARE THE SAME SIZE PLUS 1/2" IN LENGTH. NOW SET THE SUSPENSION ASIDE AND GET READY FOR SOME PAINT PREP.
TO BE CONTINUED PART 2.