IH 1969 Scout 800A Dilapidated Ranchmobile

[BrickRunner]

New horn relay, new high-beam switch, new flasher relay, and I opened up and fixed the hazard switch. The turn signal switch itself was OK.

The contacts in the hazard switch were quite corroded. I drilled out the rivets and cleaned up the corrosion. I also sanded the red plastic switch piece with 220 followed by some steel wheel; still some red under there! The mounting screws hold it together pretty well, but I used my soldering iron on the corners to hold it together for re-installation.

The two mounting bolts for the housing were also loose, causing the hole thing to spin slightly one way or the other when I would use the turn switch. I also cleaned up the horn contact just in case I or the next guy decide to get an OEM horn switch (right now its on the dash).

I think that's it for wiring, I just need to get a CB antenna.

 

[BrickRunner]

Satisfaction!

 

[BrickRunner]

Not quite period correct, but a Firestik works and is easy to tune. Borrowed a buddy's tuner and got it tuned to 1.5 SWR. I could pick up some chatter on a few stations, but haven't tested transmitting yet.

I also re-installed the front drive shaft with some fresh grease. It was loose on floor pan when I got the Scout. I think it was broken and my uncle had someone weld it up, but hadn't gotten around to reinstalling it.
Unfortunately, when doing this I discovered the driver's side locking hub was missing a few springs. I haven't found any rebuild kits as it seems like most people replace the factory IH ones with Warn's or similar.
Working on this thing makes me appreciate my Toyotas even more...

I also welded up the hole in the muffler. Not my best work, but welding thin rusty metal upside-down isn't the easiest. It'll do for now.

I also think I figured out my fuel problem. The tank selector valve appears to be leaking. Not enough to pool on the ground, but enough to stink up the garage and create an air gap between the pump and tanks and lose prime.

 

[BrickRunner]

I installed the new fuel selector valve. The difference is telling. The old one had considerable play while the new one has no play and has positive clicks every 90 degrees. In the process of cleaning the parts, I discovered that there is a face plate that indicates which tank is selected! Who knew!
The old valve looks like it might be serviceable so into the parts collection it goes.

Unfortunately, I still could not get it to prime using the right tank, only with the left tank. I think this is because of the extra length and hump over the drive shaft that the right fuel line has.

I also took another stab at the brakes. It pulls to the right if you stomp on it (and you do have to stomp on it if you want to slow down), so I pulled off the left front drum. It came off way too easily, as it was very far out of adjustment. The shoes were also covered in grease. I cleaned the shoes and drums with some brake clean, adjusted the star wheel and slapped them back together. I repeated the process for the right front, but it was adjusted ok-ish already and not covered in grease.

The brakes still suck, just less.

I did not do the rears. The drums are apparently swedged onto the hubs. Odd design choice, but so are a number of things on this jalopy...
Because of this, servicing the rear brakes requires removing the wheel hubs with the drums. That's a project for another day.

After lunch, I took a cruise out by the lake.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

I installed the new fuel selector valve. The difference is telling. The old one had considerable play while the new one has no play and has positive clicks every 90 degrees. In the process of cleaning the parts, I discovered that there is a face plate that indicates which tank is selected! Who knew!
The old valve looks like it might be serviceable so into the parts collection it goes.

Unfortunately, I still could not get it to prime using the right tank, only with the left tank. I think this is because of the extra length and hump over the drive shaft that the right fuel line has.

View attachment 3914354View attachment 3914355View attachment 3914356View attachment 3914357

I also took another stab at the brakes. It pulls to the right if you stomp on it (and you do have to stomp on it if you want to slow down), so I pulled off the left front drum. It came off way too easily, as it was very far out of adjustment. The shoes were also covered in grease. I cleaned the shoes and drums with some brake clean, adjusted the star wheel and slapped them back together. I repeated the process for the right front, but it was adjusted ok-ish already and not covered in grease.

The brakes still suck, just less.

I did not do the rears. The drums are apparently swedged onto onto the hub. Odd design choice, but so are a number of things on this jalopy...
Because of this, servicing the rear brakes requires removing the wheel hubs with the drums. That's a project for another day.

After lunch, I took a cruise out by the lake.

View attachment 3914359

You still have the original dual 10 gallon fuel tanks? That's incredible. With the '66 I owned back in the 80's, both tanks were already rusted out!
Of course there's lots of rain, snow and road salt here.

 

[BrickRunner]

You still have the original dual 10 gallon fuel tanks? That's incredible. With the '66 I owned back in the 80's, both tanks were already rusted out!
Of course there's lots of rain, snow and road salt here.

Yup! I think they are 6 each for a total of 12 gallons. There are reproduction plastic one's nowadays, but if I was going to get a new tank I would get a single that fits in between the frame rails in the back, with an in-tank pump! One has to deal with many annoying things living in California, but rust isn't one of them.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Yup! I think they are 6 each for a total of 12 gallons. There are reproduction plastic one's nowadays, but if I was going to get a new tank I would get a single that fits in between the frame rails in the back, with an in-tank pump! One has to deal with many annoying things living in California, but rust isn't one of them.

I only had one tank, so that would explain why I visited a gas station regularly. 6 gallons! Sheesh. That doesn't provide much range. Even the wimpy IH 4 cylinder didn't do much better than a Land Cruiser from that era for MPG , if at all. My Scout was very loud, somewhat reminiscent of a small aircraft. I remember selling it for $650 in the late 1980s.

 

[BrickRunner]

I only had one tank, so that would explain why I visited a gas station regularly. 6 gallons! Sheesh. That doesn't provide much range. Even the wimpy IH 4 cylinder didn't do much better than a Land Cruiser from that era for MPG , if at all. My Scout was very loud, somewhat reminiscent of a small aircraft. I remember selling it for $650 in the late 1980s.

Not quite into the gallons per mile territory, but definitely terrible. It sure is loud too! I drove it a couple of times without the transmission tunnel cover after I finished the wiring; it was a cacophony!

 

[AirheadNut]

Nice work! I've been putting off doing the front RH brake on my Loadstar, it is a messy, heavy job. IH was never much for fuel economy; fuel consumption they were masters at! If I remember correctly the Scout II we had when I was a kid could manage mid teens for mpg. I can totally believe they use 2x 6 gallon fuel tanks, the stock single tank in a Loadstar was 15 gallons, luckily mine has an 80 gallon saddle tank instead. It will still only get around 300 miles between fuel stops.

 

[BILT4ME]

I installed the new fuel selector valve. The difference is telling. The old one had considerable play while the new one has no play and has positive clicks every 90 degrees. In the process of cleaning the parts, I discovered that there is a face plate that indicates which tank is selected! Who knew!
The old valve looks like it might be serviceable so into the parts collection it goes.

Unfortunately, I still could not get it to prime using the right tank, only with the left tank. I think this is because of the extra length and hump over the drive shaft that the right fuel line has.

View attachment 3914354View attachment 3914355View attachment 3914356View attachment 3914357

I also took another stab at the brakes. It pulls to the right if you stomp on it (and you do have to stomp on it if you want to slow down), so I pulled off the left front drum. It came off way too easily, as it was very far out of adjustment. The shoes were also covered in grease. I cleaned the shoes and drums with some brake clean, adjusted the star wheel and slapped them back together. I repeated the process for the right front, but it was adjusted ok-ish already and not covered in grease.

The brakes still suck, just less.

I did not do the rears. The drums are apparently swedged onto the hubs. Odd design choice, but so are a number of things on this jalopy...
Because of this, servicing the rear brakes requires removing the wheel hubs with the drums. That's a project for another day.

After lunch, I took a cruise out by the lake.

View attachment 3914359

When adjusting the drum brakes, typically you adjust them until they are tight on the star adjusters then back them off 8 clicks.
Do this for all four corners. That will make them as equal as they can be. If you have shoes or drums that have been oil contaminated, they need to be cleaned well with brake cleaner before assembling.

My Studebaker has a LF that has pads previously contaminated and in spite of several soakings with Brakleen, the shoes still remain "sticky". It will pull hard left on first applying the pedal then after it warms up they stay even unless you stab the pedal multiple times, then it grabs and releases.

The proper way is to do a slight cutting on the drum and to install fresh uncontaminated brake shoes, then adjust accordingly.

I have found doing the brake adjustment with the wheels off the ground allow me to feel them by hand and tell when they are fully released (8 clicks). The number of clicks depends on the "coarseness" of the teeth on the star adjuster in the drum. My Studebaker are very coarse. My son's 70 GMC K2500 are very fine, so his are more clicks. Go with pedal feel as well as if they get too hot and feels like they are too tight.

 

[BrickRunner]

When adjusting the drum brakes, typically you adjust them until they are tight on the star adjusters then back them off 8 clicks.
Do this for all four corners. That will make them as equal as they can be. If you have shoes or drums that have been oil contaminated, they need to be cleaned well with brake cleaner before assembling.

My Studebaker has a LF that has pads previously contaminated and in spite of several soakings with Brakleen, the shoes still remain "sticky". It will pull hard left on first applying the pedal then after it warms up they stay even unless you stab the pedal multiple times, then it grabs and releases.

The proper way is to do a slight cutting on the drum and to install fresh uncontaminated brake shoes, then adjust accordingly.

I have found doing the brake adjustment with the wheels off the ground allow me to feel them by hand and tell when they are fully released (8 clicks). The number of clicks depends on the "coarseness" of the teeth on the star adjuster in the drum. My Studebaker are very coarse. My son's 70 GMC K2500 are very fine, so his are more clicks. Go with pedal feel as well as if they get too hot and feels like they are too tight.

Thanks. Last week I did adjust the rears, but too much so they were dragging. It did, however, brake much better, but also pulled even harder to the right.

I've ordered new wheel cylinders and shoes for the fronts, and will try backing out the star wheels on the rears. I was considering disc brakes for the fronts, but I don't really intend to drive this thing very much or on the highway for that matter.

 

[BrickRunner]

Back at it. I replaced the shoes and wheel cylinder on the passenger side first. Both appeared to have been replaced sometime during the Scout's life, the wheel cylinder was still made in the USA! The shoe plates had worn grooves into the backing plate, so I kissed the surfaces with the sanding disc on my angle grinder.
It went together about as smoothly as drum brakes do... not so. Rube Goldberg's got nothin' on drum brakes!

 

[BrickRunner]

The driver's side was a bit more interesting. There was clearly fresh fluid on the shoes and drum since I had cleaned them a few weeks ago. The wheel cylinder was seized on one end and leaking from both ends. This is most likely why it pulled to the right. The shoe's hadn't worn groves into the backing plate, however, as there was ample 'lubrication' everywhere.

The shoes were not retained with the coil spring/slotted washer POS's, but had spring clips that were much easier to remove and install. This seems like a less fiddly and annoying way to do it, but there is probably a reason it isn't done anymore.

But, the most interesting thing was the ID on the wheel cylinder. Wagner Lockheed. From what I've read, this was one of the OE brands, so this wheel cylinder could be original to the truck. Into the parts collection it goes.

 

[aztoyman]

If those original cylinders aren't pitted, you can probably find NOS American made seal kits and put them back in service. My 52 Ford is still running a few originals.

 

[BrickRunner]

Wen't to bleed the brakes and...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHhhh!

 

[BILT4ME]

Wen't to bleed the brakes and...

View attachment 3931698

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHhhh!

Time for an easy-out......


Those old wheel cylinders are showing the classic excess moisture in the brake fluid.

The Wagner (they were the good ones) was most likely an aftermarket part. We could buy those every day from NAPA in the early 80's.
I assume that your wheel cylinder on the right side straightened out after you got the backing plates cleaned up.

I prefer the round clips that you have on the RF vs the spring clips used on the LF. The round ones are very easy if you have the tool made for them. Some of the new replacement round kits have poorly made stampings and they don't hold the pins as well as the originals.

I usually place a smear of white lithium grease on every shoe contact point and swivel part inside the brake drum area. White lithium doesn't melt and drip like regular grease and it can handle the higher temps seen inside the drum.

 

[BrickRunner]

Time for an easy-out......

I'm sending it back for a refund. New replacement one loosened without breaking this time but was still super tight...

Those old wheel cylinders are showing the classic excess moisture in the brake fluid.

Considering how long it sat I'm not surprised.

The round ones are very easy if you have the tool made for them.

That's a big if!

I usually place a smear of white lithium grease on every shoe contact point and swivel part inside the brake drum area. White lithium doesn't melt and drip like regular grease and it can handle the higher temps seen inside the drum.

I used some Bosch synthetic brake grease in little packets that I had laying around.

 

[BrickRunner]

Cleaned up surprisingly well with some soap, minimal polish, and wax. I also got the brakes adjusted to be adequate.

 

[BrickRunner]

Took it to cars and coffee this morning (Survived the trip there and home!)

Lots of domestics, a few Triumphs and Porsches, and then this...
Mmm....

 

[aztoyman]

Are you going to keep the Scout or just getting it going to sell?