A '54 named Busty

[Gregski]

it was a long day, so I just sat there in the end and stared her down sum

[Gregski]

doing this part felt really good, my bro got me that license frame

[6DoF]

i've seen welded pitman arms on offroad race rigs take a BEATING and never have an issue ... i've seen ppl break em with a hammer installing them too. cheap insurance to get a new one! also agree on the matchy matchy TREs, at least it was local and not mail-order.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

i've seen welded pitman arms on offroad race rigs take a BEATING and never have an issue ... i've seen ppl break em with a hammer installing them too. cheap insurance to get a new one!

Interesting, I can see that

Originally Posted by 6DoF

also agree on the matchy matchy TREs, at least it was local and not mail-order.

Well took the mismatched tie rod ends to NAPA and got the same counter guy, and showed them to him and he goes WTH totally agreed with me and pulled down another set, this time the new parts came down in two different boxes one yellow and fancy with logos the other in a plain white box (both of mine were in plain white boxes) however when we opened them up they looked mismatched just like mine, and the parts numbers are the same

here is another kicker though, both of the TREs come with Zirc fittings yet only one of them has a hole to screw it in, the other is the "zero" maintenance kind

NAPA Right Front - Tie Rod End Inner - $15.74 Part #ES443L why is this an "L" even the NAPA guy was confused




NAPA Left Front - Tie Rod End Inner - $16.64 Part #ES442L



I don't know what I'm going to do now, I may just spring for two matching MOOG ones and have an entire MOOG linkage, what you all think?

[6DoF]

MOOG is the only thing i buy for TRE and ball joints. i used to use anything cheap and i'd burn thru a set every year in the Jeep on the trail. the MOOG lasted like 10 years after i finally paid up for them. just don't buy the cheaper MOOG, they do have a "Chineseium" line too.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

MOOG is the only thing i buy for TRE and ball joints. i used to use anything cheap and i'd burn thru a set every year in the Jeep on the trail. the MOOG lasted like 10 years after i finally paid up for them. just don't buy the cheaper MOOG, they do have a "Chineseium" line too.

I hear you, and I really hate where the aftermarket is going, you can't even trust AC Delco any more, they all just want to sell you the cheapest part possible, look I'll pay more for quality, just give me quality! I will pay for made in U.S.A. too but not just because it's made in the US but because it is a quality part.

came across this fun read:

Where are Moog parts made? The answer may surprise you!

[Gregski]

the comedy continues - just ordered all MOOG steering linkage parts on the jungle website, and was greeted with this nonsense, I sure hope they actually ship it here

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Gregski

the comedy continues - just ordered all MOOG steering linkage parts on the jungle website, and was greeted with this nonsense, I sure hope they actually ship it here

this prop 65 BS is on EVERYTHING. i don't think i've purchased something in months that wasn't stamped with it. hell, bare steel has the warning!

[jocww]

Looks like fun. Too bad I forgot you were so close I could have stopped by on the way or down from Jan since she lives in Yuba

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by jocww

Looks like fun. Too bad I forgot you were so close I could have stopped by on the way or down from Jan since she lives in Yuba

Yes, please do next time

[Gregski]

me going to work on the truck wiring while I wait on the steering parts to show up

[Gregski]

today we took on the brake lights, but first a Unicorn sighting

yup that's a clean workbench

[Gregski]

we got our wiring constructions, let's see how closely an abandoned truck siting in a desert has follow them, ha ha

it appears from the diagram there are two ways to do this:

1. Brake lights and Tail lights only no turn signals (and of course trucks back then had no reverse lights)

~ OR ~

2. Brake / Turn Signals and Tail lights

we are taking baby steps, so we will go with Option 1

[Gregski]

I love the simplicity of this truck, the stock fuse block had only two fuses in it (one for the brake lights and one for the tail lights), we are going to go crazy and replace it with a six fuse one

[Gregski]

mandatory stare and compare

[Gregski]

look at all those neat yellow hard plastic connectors it came with

[Gregski]

and this is the stock headlight switch, I was hoping to use it but it looks like the springie thingie is broken, darn it

the headlight switch does play a role in the brake circuit, why I don't know but it does

[Gregski]

I figured I would mount the fuse block somewhere to get a proper gestimation of the wire length runs from the headlight switch to it etc.

I thought it and the drive by wire throttle box could share a flat

[Gregski]

gonna mount it above the trans tunnel way up high where it's difficult to get to

[Gregski]

I crimp, solder, and heat shrink all my terminals and connectors

[Gregski]

so the first thing we do is bring the Power red wire from the ignition key switch to the P terminal on the headlight switch

[Gregski]

then for brakes all we have to do is send that power on the Orange wire from the Stop "S" terminal to our fuse block like so

[Gregski]

if we were wiring up the Tail lights we would simply send the power on the T terminal of the Headlight switch

Note: I hate it that they use a black wire for the tail lights, black is usually ground

[Gregski]

so to have brake lights and tail lights our headlight switch would look like this

again, the black wire is not ground it is for the tail lights, the orange wire is for the brake lights, and the red wire brings the always on power from the ignition key switch, meaning even with the key off or no key in the ignition at all, the headlight switch still has power going to it, that's why you go to Kmart and leave your lights on in the truck

[8man]

You are going to be done soon. Also, agree with the crimp, solder and heat shrink everything.