SUGGESTIONS WELCOME for an EA to FG forum sections, tips and how to's

[deankxf 21,673]

post your suggestion below, and I'll find some time to add them into the forum. 

 

there will be a detailed and specific AU section for sure, as i am a new owner and would like to see info easy to find for Myself any anyone else lucky enough to find themselves a non skidder classic to own and enjoy. 

so should we have an EA to ED,  EF and EL and AU, BA BF and FG section added? 
is there any structure you'd like to see or just a facebook style rolling Q&A style for the moment (much easier initially for Me/admin to establish) 

 

Thanks for your time and input, 
Dean.
 

[JackFrost 61]

Welcome to 2025 with a good suggestion Dean.

 

We have sections for F-Trucks, Cortina and Escort so I think it is a good idea to expand into the E- Series and AU.

 

The three Falcons my father drove in his lifetime were XD, EA and AU so I have a bias towards those three generations which aren’t always well received. It does hurt every time I see an AU getting tuned into a budget skidder.

[2redrovers 22,437]

If it's easy enough to set up, then I'd say the three generations in their own sections would make searching/finding easier. There could be a rolling Q&A thread for people to use then copy paste into the relevant pages if desired.

[XF EDDIE 249]

This forum is (in my opinion) one of the best out there when it comes to active users as well as the quality of information on the site. It would be nice to bring that to some of the newer stuff.

[deankxf 21,673]

Cruise control has a thread here 
 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

sticking this here for now, 
@SPArKy_Dave seen or  got  one of these tools?

Ball Joint Lower looks fairly easy with this tool
(link to ebay tool that looks posibly the one )
 

 

[SOHCDriver 33]

Very good video. Thank you. I'll be watching this space. (EA to FG sections)

[deankxf 21,673]

1 hour ago, SOHCDriver said:

Very good video. Thank you. I'll be watching this space. (EA to FG sections)

if you have any requests,  i might come across some more specific to your needs that will help others

[deankxf 21,673]

LOWER BALL JOINTS LOWER IN THE CAR (this post may be edited with uppers also later)

AU (and probably same for E series and B series to some degree) 
assuming your lower control arm bushes are ok, you can do the lower ball joints in the car

This is a HARD JOB

2nd time writing this up, i'm going to add the pics now and edit the details later. 
disc needs removing, but you can rebolt the caliper back on

 

grease the tool before using

 

make sure you have enough height on your stands to wind the tool.. (i used a shifter for ground clearance)
i just sat it over at first to be sure




this needed changing, i ended up using a socket. you'll see later


this almost worked, but the washer pulled through

the 1/2 drive socket jammed on the threads. so i decided to make it a square shape, i was tempted to chop it off, but wasn't sure if i'd need the length to beat on it if i had to. 

 

the tool was turning with the force, so i needed to jam it with the breaker bar. 

 

once the ball joint moved even 1mm there was a POP/THUNK noise.. it was fairly freely moving after that.

 

 

the new one pressed in fairly easy, (next time i'll freeze it first so it's possibly easier) but i wasn't sure when it was finally all the way home, the tool seemed to just get hard to turn any further, and that was it.. 

 

 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

AU upper ball joints 
i bought a spare set of arms for this job, because i didn't want the car disabled if i had some kind of issue.. $60 the pair including postage on ebay with "tight" ball joints. (i was tempted to use them, however when i removed one of the ball joints, it did actually have some play in it, easier to feel with the boot removed i bet also) 
the bushes, i was tempted to leave in.. they were probably fine but "new is new" (Mackay brand bushes i fitted, genuine ford ball joints)

the same ball joint press was used as the lower in the previous post. ($48 incl post ebay) 

THIS JOB IS HARD! I'm going to assume the upper ball joints could be done in the car, and it might be useful to do it if you don't have a vice (hard job to refit the ball joint, and the vice wasn't strong enough to push it in either)

one of the hardest parts of this job is finding the right spacer ring/socket, pressing die etc to fit your application. the 10 provided aren't enough. 

i'll run through My list of things i did for this job, then provide pics that might be useful. 

the pressing out socket. 

 

TIGHT to press out, one made the familiar POP sound, the other just moved easily.  first one i set the shifter on it to stand on at first and it just came out, but it ended up in the vise as standing on the shifter wasn't working.

 

BUSHES NEXT
i used mapp gas to head the outside of the bush housing, and beat them out with an extension bar. EASY..
(hard part was refitting them)

 

 

I tried to set the ball joint using the vise, but it went a bit cockeyed and needed to be punched out again, vice had no hope of pushing the ball joint in, and i even heated the arm and had the ball joint in the freezer for a good 30mins..

 

 

this was the START of the refit of the bushes
i found a bolt with washer in the arm and using a press cup on the other side was the best way to fit these. Nolathane would be easy.

 

decided i might clear coat the ball joint tops.. after painting the arms black
 

 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

SEATBELTS.. (Front) AU 

need a T50 torx and 10mm and phillips head. 
here's a link, because you guessed it.. the Haynes manual shows nothing..

https://www.fordmods.com/fordmods-technical-documents-diy-f38/photo-essay-au-bf-falcon-driver-seat-belt-replacement-t124557.html

[SOHCDriver 33]

I recently fitted a new SRP driver's side front seat belt to my AUII Falcon. Works well but the lower nut on the SRP is held in with a thin sheet clip arrived already broken in the packaging. I TIG welded the nut in place and was good to go. (The original nut was pressed or welded) It pays to inspect even new parts before fitting them!

[deankxf 21,673]

@SPArKy_Dave @Thom

anyone else who might have any clue from a ford factory manual?

 

when i fitted these arms, the ball joint post that is clamped can be slid up or down a bit. (i thought the through bolt would lock it in one spot) 

I can't remember if i positioned it in a particular spot for a reason but would be easy to change.

would this affect camber either way(doubt it) 

ALSO 
when i removed the left upper arm, a shim fell out.(didn't notice where from). 50/50 chance it was from the front or the rear side of the inner upper mounts to the inner guards.. i guessed it would be on the front edge to give more caster? but it appears packed out further looking at it and i did 200km and the tyres are now feathering on the outer edge (toe in)
i have one more lower ball joint to change, before going for a wheel alignment.  i'm guessing it could have been shimmed in the past to compensate for rooted lower ball joints or even bush wear? 
any idea on that shim?  (needs the arm mounts unbolted completely to remove it, it's not a slotted one)

[deankxf 21,673]

Note to anyone doing ball joints, get a wheel alignment VERY soon after. (tyres will chew out fast if it was aligned with stuffed ball joints)

**speaking of.. next time you get a wheel alignment or new tyres and an alignment. ask them if they check the suspension for wear before doing it.. (most don't check anything)
 

30 years ago i had an alignment done, the tyres were stuffed in a week (600km).. took it back, ripped into them and for them to reply "it's within spec" and after questioning if they would give  Me a new set of tyres(from memory, they gave me some second hand ones after telling me to get a pedders check.. confirming lower ball joints were buggered, along with idler arm.. )

 

[SPArKy_Dave 9,474]

15 hours ago, deankxf said:

when i fitted these arms, the ball joint post that is clamped can be slid up or down a bit.
ALSO 
when i removed the left upper arm, a shim fell out.

 

Shims usually live behind the upper arm front mount I thought,

used to increase caster, by pushing the top pivot point back?

 

The upper arm clamp, should self center on the ball joint recess, when fully tightened?

 

And yeah, lower ball joint wear caused excess toe/camber on my BF.

It had been previously aligned to compensate, but when I fitted new ball joints, I didn't think to re-adjust.

Note -

After not adjusting the alignment, it wore the front tyres, within around 15,000km's.

When later fitting new tyres, I located whiteout marks for the factory toe settings, and set to those points.

Further confirmed, with a DIY string/tape measure arrangement.

[deankxf 21,673]

putting this here for now, 
Door trim removal, speaker removal, grab handle etc. (door mechanism and window switches )

 

i found a better grab handle for the door trim at the wreckers the other week, and needed to figure out how to get the door trim off My car to fit it (already removed at wreckers)

 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

had an issue with the AU today, 

rear door wouldn't unlock, or open.. 

then later when i was cycling the locks with the lock/unlock button it unlocked and opened, and now won't close (car can't lock either now)

guessing i'll be pulling an actuator apart tomorrow . (i have spares, so should be able to fix it in the same way this guy did)

 

 

[2redrovers 22,437]

Had that happen in the rangie but the door wouldn't open. Actuator had shat itself and basically stuck the child lock halfway between open and closed. I had to dismantle (destroy) the mechanism from inside the closed door after getting the trim off. They're essentially a ford part as well.

 

 

[SPArKy_Dave 9,474]

18 hours ago, deankxf said:

had an issue with the AU today, 

rear door wouldn't unlock, or open.. 

 

 

Left Rear?

Mine did that yrs ago... still doesn't lock

[deankxf 21,673]

5 hours ago, 2redrovers said:

Had that happen in the rangie but the door wouldn't open. Actuator had shat itself and basically stuck the child lock halfway between open and closed. I had to dismantle (destroy) the mechanism from inside the closed door after getting the trim off. They're essentially a ford part as well.

 

 

 

mine initially wouldn't open.. from either door. now you mention it, i did check the child lock, and it seemed sus also.. but i think it was possibly unrelated to the issue. (found it today, partly fixed)
I think the CAUSE is possibly from pressing the lock button (has to be with the remote or central locking) while the door handle is trying to open .THIS ISSUE is due to the outer door handle rod puller sticking in the open position.. (I'm uploading pics for a detailed post now)

 

2 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said:

 

Left Rear?

Mine did that yrs ago... still doesn't lock

if it doesn't lock, check back soon on My next post. It could be the outer handle sticking. .
this is the drivers side rear, but it would easily be possible on the rear doors (front door handles are a different actuation )

 

[deankxf 21,673]

STICKY DOOR HANDLE ISSUE (outside rear right in this case) could cause your door not to open or close (see above post for possibly more notes on the issue)
NOT AN ACTUATOR ISSUE, but Could have been a locked up actuator due to the door handle sticking (not sure)

 

 

knee pad, look after your knees, you'll miss them when they are gone.

 

I THINK it's a T30 torx.. 
these screws can be super tight (rusted) i had to drill the heads off some spare doors here to remove the mechs (haven't tried fixing them, but the mech may have parts so i kept them)

 

front left and rear right mechs.. I am working on the rear door, but thought i might need to use parts from the actuator.. (the front one had the stuffed mounting bolts, so it was the sacrificed one if needed.. not needed in this case)

 

not much to see here, but this is the drivers rear one before I cut the zip ties and before the handle lever rod fell out. (take photos, so you know how to put it back together)

 

there was nothing wrong, but i forgot to heed the warning in the video a few posts back about the spring flying off when you remove those geared parts and motor..
(took me 2 minutes to reassemble after looking at this picture of how it was meant to be.)

 

THE OFFENDING DOOR HANDLE (from the inside, rod lever disconnected, and you can see the lever arm stuck down, it should spring back to the top, the rod shouldn't have tension on it when installed)

 

even closer pic 

 

arrow pointing to the tight area, I'm going to sand this down and grease it.  as long as the lever arm isn't going to be affected by sanding some clearance, i'll give it at least 1mm of clearance if it's easy to do.. (going to try not remove the handle to work on it, as the mounting bolts can also be a problem to undo on these cars)

that center pivot screw i don't want to mess with, i can't see how it would be too tight? (however, if it was too tight, i'd mess with it )




and a crap video of My observation for your viewing pleasure. 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

fixed the sticky handle today. 
was actually tight on the pivot spindle (under that screw, torx T20)

 

decided to try remove the handle, it's risky, the bolts came out though with ease (they have a locking compound on them)
access through the door by removing a grommet

 

 

once i got the handle out, the area i thought it was catching on, already had clearance

 

T20 torx for this self tapper (could probably cut a slot in it and use a flat head screw driver)

 

washed the handle up, taking photos of how the spring went together

 

 

 

 

sanded the spindle with 320 grit 

 

sanded the inner hole .. got sick of that fast after testing it several times with no change

 

taped the sandpaper to a bit and used it like a flap sander in the hole for a while until it was a loose fit. 

 

crap video of it not sticking anymore.
i wiped some engine oil on it, because i couldn't find my grease tub.. (should probably have put silicone spray on it?)  it appeared to have NOTHING on it from factory though?

 

works perfectly after refitting it. 
also took the opportunity to wash out the dirt from the inside of the door and clear the drains (found some rust also, but door trim covers it fine, non issue) 
 

 

[deankxf 21,673]

SELF SERVE WRECKERS
I thought i'd post up something mildly concerning . parts are getting hard to find cheap. 

 

wrecking yards and parts getting hard to find. 
I spotted this car on pick a part's facebook page last weekend(less than a week ago) figured i'd go sus it out yesterday (been sick with some spicy cough/flu/cold thing for 2 weeks and finally came good) 
this car is almost stripped bare in only a few days. nothing useful for Me in there. 

Victoria lost a GREAT wrecking yard last year (imlach's in Clayton) they were a self serve wrecker with good stock and prices.. 
Jolly's Geelong when i went there last year had what i assume were RESELLERS walking around with garden trolleys filled with parts and tools, likely taking advantage of the same price regardless of brand (like a BMW headlight same price as a Kia one for eg.. potential upside to resell?) 
anything i wanted was basically stripped bare.. 
same seems to be happening at other yards now, well even more than ever. 
(the old saying, "they aren't making them anymore" comes to mind..)
so consider stocking up on parts that might be hard to find as they wear out (things like steering wheels, seat trim, console lids, tail lights and headlights etc.. )

 

 

[SOHCDriver 33]

Yes Imlachs were a great resource, very sad they are gone. On my last visit a week ago Jollys Dandenong had cars stripped very early on as well. I did get a nice power steering pump that looked quite new so happy with that. I want to try Harvey's at Langwarrin next. https://www.harveywreckers.com.au/

[deankxf 21,673]

1 hour ago, SOHCDriver said:

Yes Imlachs were a great resource, very sad they are gone. On my last visit a week ago Jollys Dandenong had cars stripped very early on as well. I did get a nice power steering pump that looked quite new so happy with that. I want to try Harvey's at Langwarrin next.https://www.harveywreckers.com.au/

Harveys is/was very good still, being further out makes it probably less popular for people to risk heading out to (fuel prices so high, probably $25 plus any toll road fees and half a day gone just to have a look if nothing is there)

that's where i got My headliner for My AU wagon,  far cheaper than even redoing the one i had myself.