Wrenches in Tail light

[LEB Ben]

Hey fellas, some of you may have seen a thread similar to this before in other places, but I figure there are a few who haven't. Anyways, in the 23 dentsides I own(ed) I have found 4 or 5 3/4" and 13/16" dual open end wrenches in the driver's side tail light area behind the actual light its self. So I was just wondering if anyone else has found a similar wrench in the same area. I have come across 6 other fellows who have found the same wrench in the same area. It has been confirmed by a grumpy ford parts guru that the wrenches were Ford issued wrenches. Two of mine even came from a Model T tool set. So if you have any experience with this please share. Even better, if you know an old Ford production line guy who may know the reasoning behind this, ask him why. Have a good one guys.

 

[Mil1ion]

Probably because they fell in there and the assembly line moves so fast they didn't have time to retrieve it.

Today workers have 52 seconds to do their line job.


Me ! I have an extension magnet and scads of time

 

[LEB Ben]

Thanks for the info Dennis...I kinda thought it might be something like that. But if I may ask this...what in the heck needs a 3/4"-13/16" dual open end wrench in the driver's side tail light area.

 

[bucks77ford]

What would be around in that area that would need those sizes?

 

[O'Rattlecan]

You need it to take the cap off of the greasable muffler bearing.

Ryan

 

[LEB Ben]

You need it to take the cap off of the greasable muffler bearing.

Ryan

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH ok thanks...it makes it so clear now. I thought it was maybe so I could take off the nut on the blinker fluid reservoir. Or maybe Ford was just being nice and gave me a wrench that fit every nut and bolt on my '83 Vette.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Now you're in business.

Ryan

 

[TexasNomad]

OK I must be missing some thing, is that some kinda joke if it is I guess I don;t get it but why in hell would there be a wrench in the tail lights.

 

[Truckin4life]

Maybe it was a common size to attach the bed to the frame and that was a common spot for them to stick the wrench and when they hop out maybe they forgot to grab the wrench again, or the line would start ebfore they could.?

 

[LEB Ben]

OK I must be missing some thing, is that some kinda joke if it is I guess I don;t get it but why in hell would there be a wrench in the tail lights.

No this isn't a joke. I've personally found 4 wrenches in the tail light (well not actually in the tail light, but behind it), and know of 6 other guys on the other site that have found the same wrench I have.

 

[TexasNomad]

Wow thats really weird..

 

[Paco]

I'm gonna go look behind the tail light of the old 73 lol

 

[1973 F-100 4x4]

Haven't found any wrenches behind the taillights on any of the '70's ford trucks that I have had.
They were most likely used for the nuts that go on the carriage bolts that attach the bed to the frame.
When I swapped out the bed on my '73 F-100, the nuts that held it on were 3/4.

 

[radialarm]

With so many wrenches being found I'm surprised there wasn't a TSB on it.

 

[TexasNomad]

Yeah but dose any one have picture poof of said wrenches

 

[LEB Ben]

Yeah but dose any one have picture poof of said wrenches

Yep sure do...here's the two I have with me:

And here's the marking you can see on one of the clean ones I left at home:

 

[Wick246]

OOOOOooooooooohh...

Those are Detroit prayer sticks - you're not supposed to touch them!

 

[miottimouse]

cant remember for sure but 3/4" seems to be the right size to remove the box and there may be one or 2 nuts you cant get with a socket seems logical to me just another strange mystry i guess

 

[CaFordDude]

That's kinda cool. How did you happen to come across them? Routine maintance or replacing of something or hear a rattle and get curious?

Were they in some sort of holder like they were supposed to be there or just laying in their like they were forgotten?

 

[LEB Ben]

That's kinda cool. How did you happen to come across them? Routine maintance or replacing of something or hear a rattle and get curious?

Were they in some sort of holder like they were supposed to be there or just laying in their like they were forgotten?

The first one I found was in my red truck when I was rewiring the reverse lights. I pulled the light out, dropped my wrench and felt around for it, and felt what I thought was support bracing, but then it moved. I pulled out the 'bracing' and boom it was the wrench on the left.

Then from that moment on, I was always curious and checked the tail lights for wrenches. The second one I found was about 5 years ago when I got 76 250 2by.

Then the third one I found was in my Bronco when I was rewiring it from scratch. That is the other wrench in the picture.

Finally the 4th one, was in an explorer packaged truck that I picked up for parts over the summer.

As for how they were sitting, they were all sitting the same way. The bottom end was butted up against the bottom, left side of the housing and the top part of the wrench was leaning against the right side of the housing.


Everyone that I know that have found one have had the same description as I have listed. I haven't known anyone to go looking for a rattle and come up with a wrench either.

As far as why it's there, I guess mounting the bed is the most plausible reason. So thanks to everyone who has replied. In 'other' places I posted this same question, it was taken as a joke by most except the others that had found the same wrench, or could decipher the markings as Ford tools.