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Today I had the "pleasure" to again remove the headlight and wiper knobs. Heretofore I've used whatever tool might be to hand, but today I decided to make something that would do it easily.
So I grabbed a piece of heavy wire, about 1/8" thick, and bent it until I found a shape and size that worked. It is sized such that you hold it up against the side of the knob and it'll hit the tip of that inner spring that you have to depress in order to get the knob off. It worked very well and the knobs came off easily. ![]() ![]() ![]()
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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this is the difference between engineers and rednecks. I just use a pocketknife. but then I
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Love it! I always use a hook pick, but the blunt end on yours would work better.
Erik
1985 F150 4x4 - 351W, C6 - work in progress |
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This post was updated on .
Yes, the other day I used a pointed hook and it worked, sorta. But today it kept slipping off. So I decided to design something that wouldn't slip off and picked the thick wire.
But when I cut the wire initially it left a ridge on the end, and that tended to also slip off the spring. So I filed it flat and it worked very well.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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A few years ago.. The very first bullnose I ever had.. this was day 1... the headlight knob kept falling off (because the retention mechanism had slipped out and was on the headlight "shaft").
I 2-part epoxied the knob back on because I told myself that the knob was broken and who cares how it went back on... right? I didn't know it had to come off to remove the dash bezel/instrument cluster. Needless to say I had to cut the plastic knob out carefully with a grinder to remove it when I had to remove the cluster sometime later. All I can say is I have come a long way since then on bullnose inner workings ![]() BTW, nice jig!! I bet the Ford factory manual has a "tool" for this and probably looks very similar.
Vivek
- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration - "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project |
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
I use a thin L shaped Allan key, it works pretty well. ![]() ![]()
Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022. Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel. |
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Thanks, Jeff.
Vivek - There is a release on top of the headlight switch. You might have to have a child reach up there as it is hard to get to, but there is a spring-loaded button that will release the whole shaft, not just the knob.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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Thanks Gary. Yes I have had to find that it does that the couple times I replaced the headlight as the replacement didn't come the shaft.
And if I recall correctly, on the 1980 it was a booger to install with the shaft in place so had to remove it and then insert it after the headlight switch was in place.
Vivek
- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration - "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project |
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In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
I literally have four of these free sets of picks from Horrid Fate. (Packout box, bench drawer, truck tool box and electronic/wiring kit)
The one in the truck has a blunt & bent tip on the question mark one.(Why that weird shape?) I also keep a cheap T-20 on hand for dash screws. ![]()
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
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Jim - I have used that question-mark pick with success to get the knobs off, but it hasn't been as easy as I'd like. The curve on mine is too big and hits the instrument bezel unless I angle the thing. And with the sharp point it frequently goes between the end of the spring and the ID of the knob.
So I made this thing so it is just deep enough to go in w/o hitting the bezel, and the right width so when you put it up against the OD of the knob it hits the spring.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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That's why I said I bent it and ground it down.
I keep getting them (free set) and I don't know anyone who wants another, at this point! 🤣
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
In reply to this post by mat in tn
Guess that qualifies me as a redneck...
Bradley
86 f250 supercab longbed, 4x4, 460 bored to 472 cubes, ported heads, ARP rod bolts, EFI pistons, 5.08/5.41 lift 114° lobe separation flat tappet cam, notched lifters, Smith Brothers pushrods, stock rockers, Eddy Performer intake, Holley 1850 or 3310 depending on mood, custom curved points dizzy, MSD analog 6al triggered by Pertronix module, zf5 swap, 3g alternator, custom instrument cluster, dual tanks with 38 Gal rear for 57 Gal of fuel capacity, far too much more to mention. 98 Ranger standard cab, rwd, 5-speed, 2.5L, glass pack muffler, dual plugs wired to fire at the same time, coming up on 300,000 miles before too long. Averaging 26-27 mpg. South Georgia. |
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How's that?
Make do with whatever you have at hand! I personally wouldn't use my Avalanche for removing knobs, but S30V was never meant for prying
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk
That is literally what I use as well. Spare sets of it in the truck as well just in case I come across a parts truck
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Vivek
- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration - "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project |
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Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke
You know. When my real 'redneck' branch of the family visited me once and saw all my old trucks.. some of them jacked up, they told me "man I didn't know you were such a redneck"
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Vivek
- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration - "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project |
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My little brother says "You're a ****ing RETARD!"
I wear it as a badge of honor (while I have a 172 IQ and he literally can't figure out a 3-way light switch)
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
I was doing 3 phase motor controls when I was 17
![]() Done forgetted all that now.
Bradley
86 f250 supercab longbed, 4x4, 460 bored to 472 cubes, ported heads, ARP rod bolts, EFI pistons, 5.08/5.41 lift 114° lobe separation flat tappet cam, notched lifters, Smith Brothers pushrods, stock rockers, Eddy Performer intake, Holley 1850 or 3310 depending on mood, custom curved points dizzy, MSD analog 6al triggered by Pertronix module, zf5 swap, 3g alternator, custom instrument cluster, dual tanks with 38 Gal rear for 57 Gal of fuel capacity, far too much more to mention. 98 Ranger standard cab, rwd, 5-speed, 2.5L, glass pack muffler, dual plugs wired to fire at the same time, coming up on 300,000 miles before too long. Averaging 26-27 mpg. South Georgia. |
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Just wait until you get past 60.
![]() CRS is a real thing....
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
Do you guys ever run into the situation where you had something in your hand, moved onto something else for a minute... but somehow lost that thing you had, and can't figure out where the hell it went ? My wife says its my ADHD but I sometimes wonder how stupid I can be to not remember what I had in my hand just a minute ago... I get so mad at myself. Sometimes I wish God gave me better short term memory and attention span
Vivek
- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6 - 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration - "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project |
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