Cargo rack for cab of FG

[DontPanic42]

As usual I have learned something from you guys. I wasn't aware there was a lift adjustment. Could you post a picture or describe where it is before I go mucking about and start twisting the wrong thing. I have been noticing that the cab with the solar panel on the roof seems to be getting more difficult to lift . Couldn't be that I am 4 years older and my shoulders are more worn out. I swear as soon as you sign up for Medicare within a year you start falling apart.
My big box bumper and brush guard may make getting the grill off difficult but we'll give it a go.
Not 9 F here though it has been in the teens (deg F) here with 35 - 40 mph winds.
Thanks for the help.

 

[kerry]

At the pivot points on the front bottom of the cab there are two large 'cans', one on each side. On mine, the right side can has an 'ear' on the back with an adjusting bolt with the head pointed towards the front. If you tilt the cab and look over the oil cooler you can see it. I don't know if you can see the head of the bolt from the front with the cab down given your bumper. On mine, if I look just over the top of the bumper down the right side of the right frame rail, I can see the head of the bolt. It has a lock nut holding it in place.

 

[kerry]

Sorry Kerry, The 2 clips on the very end of the grill assembly which are on the side of the truck next to the edge of the doors >>>> dont pull out on those, they are different and are slotted to allow everything to move forward.

I know I'm making way to big a deal about this but if it's your first time removing these trims and panels etc, I know how easy things can break especially when they've got a bit of age to them.

Haha, I can sleep now.

I had mine off a week or so ago because I was installing a front receiver hitch so I can carry a winch and bikes up there. It took me a while to figure out how to get if off, but marvel of marvels, I didn't break it! I had to take it off because I had installed a piece of 6" steel channel on top of the frame rails to carry the receiver hitch and the grill was hitting the back wall of the channel when I was lifting the cab. I ended up having to cut off most the back rail of the channel in order to get it to tilt. It was all the tilting and holding halfway up to see how much clearance I needed that made me think I needed to find the adjustment for the mechanism.

 

[DontPanic42]

Found it. Now all I have to do is figure out if I can get to it around my ark of a bumper. I may pull off the grill this afternoon and then give it a go Monday before the temperature drops. Surprisingly, it has reached 81 today so doing the grill guard would be best done before sunset. Better get moving
Thanks for the help.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Kerry (and DontPanic42), I don't have a FG at work today but I might be able to take some pics in a couple of days. I presume the "oil cooler" you mentioned is actually the Air/Con condenser cause ours is on the lefthandside as is the adjustment. Yes > what you are describing definitely sounds like the tilt adjustment but again>>I still would be trying to do this in the up position. Maybe if you have better access when the cab is down then undo the lock nut, then put the cab back up and you should be able to adjust it with an open end spanner if it is unloaded.

Use a bit of your own discretion here. Maybe if it is a bit stiff back it out and apply some anti-sieze .

Again I don't know if I can be much more help than this. Somewhere along the path of LHD to RHD swapping around back in the Fuso factory they must have slipped up cause it should be a relatively easy adjustment.

 

[kerry]

Kerry (and DontPanic42), I presume the "oil cooler" you mentioned is actually the Air/Con condenser cause ours is on the lefthandside as is the adjustment. .

My mistake. I'll get a closer look once the weather improves. 3 below zero F right now. It may be easier than it appears.

 

[DontPanic42]

Ok, I am stuck again. Here is a shot of the grill of my 2004 FUSO. I found and removed the screws at each end of the open area of the grill bounded by the head lights and the silver and amber reflective material. I also undid the two (2) clips top and bottom at the center of the opening below the "S" and the 3 diamonds. I tried to pull it free but the whole grey piece is still attached somewhere. I found 2 grommet fittings near the amber side markers near the doors. Does this pop loose and how do you get at it? Also are there anymore clips I need to ferret out? I hate to just start pulling away at things and start breaking off pins and clips.
Looks like the colder weather is not coming this far south now, so I'll have time to work on this now.
Wow, 3 below and still dropping. Reminds me of when I was in school in Colorado in the early "60's. Stay warm.
Thanks again.

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[kerry]

Right behind the 'Mitsubishi Fuso' and along that whole grey strip are a series of clips that hold the piece in position. Once I had the bottom of the center section loose and I pulled on the ends to loosen them from the to clips which old them in and are visible if you look down the strip from back around the corner, I just kept pulling and wiggling and the rest of the clips pulled out of their sockets one at a time. You may be hindered from being in a good position to do that by your bumper.
I'm not completely convinced that removing the center section will make it easier to adjust that bolt because I think it's slightly to the left (looking from the front) of where that section comes out. Mine now comes out easily but given your difficulty it might be worth trying to adjust it without removing the center grille. Your bumper looks slightly higher and closer to the body than the OE bumper so accessing that bolt could be difficult. Can you tell if removing the grille will allow you to access the bolt with an open end wrench from the grille opening?

 

[whatcharterboat]

Kerry Obviously I am not being much help. After seeing the pics of the grill from DontPanic42 I realise that our '04 grill is also completely different. Ours are much the same as the picture of the truck with the basket on the roof. Must be different lighting rules. I took this pic today to show you what our adjuster looks like anyway.

As you can see this one has quite a lot of adjustment left in it. This shot was taken at the left hand side , in front of the tyre and looking up at a 45 deg angle. I imagine your steering box would be here instead.

 

[DontPanic42]

The pictures and descriptions are a big help. Now if the weather will co-operate. Turned off cold again. So much for the forecasters.
I'll take the time to visit Harbor Freight and look for a universal joint for my socket set. I'll try to do the adjustment as remotely as possible. Get the proper tool for the job - right! I plan to loosen the lock nut before I lift the cab. Then I'll try the adjustment.
Will let you know how it goes.
Have a great Christmas guys.

 

[kerry]

Kerry Obviously I am not being much help. After seeing the pics of the grill from DontPanic42 I realise that our '04 grill is also completely different. Ours are much the same as the picture of the truck with the basket on the roof. Must be different lighting rules. I took this pic today to show you what our adjuster looks like anyway.

As you can see this one has quite a lot of adjustment left in it. This shot was taken at the left hand side , in front of the tyre and looking up at a 45 deg angle. I imagine your steering box would be here instead.

I can now understand how adjusting yours is easier. Without the AC condenser in the way, it looks like it is quite accessible from below. I hadn't noticed that bolt in a slot above the adjusting bolt on mine. I had thought I just needed to loosen the lock nut on the adjusting bolt but from your picture it looks as if the additional bolt has to be loosened also. Now that I see that bolt it's clear to me that removing the grille will not give better access to the additional bolt. Laying on the right side tire and reaching forward to loosen it seems like a feasible option.

 

[whatcharterboat]

the additional bolt has to be loosened also

Yep

Laying on the right side tire and reaching forward to loosen it seems like a feasible option.

Sounds good.

Without the AC condenser in the way

This normally where it is. Maybe this ones has been moved to a more protected location. We normally move them to fit the big wheels , but not the case here????

 

[whatcharterboat]

DontPanic42 said

Have a great Christmas guys.

Hey. You too.

 

[kerry]

Here's my cab cargo rack. The feet are standard Yakima gutter towers. Two bars are 3/4" painted galvanized pipe. It's heavier than the standard Yakima bars. The carrier is a Yakima Load Warrior with an extension. It is temporarily mounted to the bars with cable ties at the moment. Feet are attached to artificial gutters I made with 2" steel channel bolted to the OE nuts set into the cab roof.

 

[kerry]

Ooops, forgot to attach the pictures and the edit function doesn't work for me.