Gary Lewis

Good point. I don't think I have any 1A mini fuses, but I'll get some. I'm anxious to get started tomorrow.

From my research, Daystar cradles are needed to allow full articulation or droop when using air bags. Bob pointed out that limiting factor when I started considering air bags to pick up the load capacity on Big Blue after I remove some spring leaves. Otherwise the air bags constrain the suspension. So I inquired about them at 4 Wheel Parts and Cory, the manager, said they use them routinely and they work well. I asked about the statements from the air bag manufacturers that using cradles voids the warranties, and he said they haven't had any problems.

Sam - Glad to see that they were fairly simple to install and that they smoothed out the ride. You'd had the airbags on before, right? Is it the airbags or the cradles that smoothed out the ride?

Made some progress today. Got all of the connections within the PDB made. And, along the way I found an error in the wiring plan and corrected it. Then I fired up the lab power supply, connected the test light, and put it through its paces. It passed with blinking lights. And tomorrow I start installing it on the truck. So, here's the wiring diagram. Note the fuse sizing. What are your thoughts? And here are shots of the fuses and relays installed as well as the wiring. The 30a breaker is for the low beams. Yes, 30 amps is overkill, but I wanted to use the breaker, so....

Any chance you have a bad cable or bad ground?

Jim - I agree, it may well be the PS pump. I've just not run into that. I'd suggest taking the belt off for a test, but as we know, that would just cause the C-II pump to puke fluid all over everything. So I'm not sure what to suggest. Randy - I'll bet the clunks are due to the radius bushings. They aren't all that hard to replace, and sure made a big difference on my '82. As for fixing one thing and having more pop up, yep. That's the onion-peeling drill. Some day you'll have enough for a Bloomin' Onion.

Shaun - Got it. Thanks. Dave - The tranny looks good. And I agree with you - I've not seen that shifter before.

I don't know any answers, but I would like to know as well. On Big Blue I'm going with headers, and my old horrible exhaust system with cherry bomb mufflers will bolt back on to break in the engine and then get the truck to an exhaust shop - which hasn't been selected yet. There I'll have a mandrel-bent system put on, and it will include Magnaflow mufflers.

Shaun - I like it. But is everything going to be black?

That IS a big ship. For sure! But it is the truck I like. Sure looks good! And I'll bet you get both the starting and vibration issues sorted soon.

Yep, that diode should work well. And at $.43 from Digikey they are cheap, except they don't have them in stock. Yes, a fuse is sounding better.

Those look great, Jim! Especially for the way you flog it. Sure isn't too rich.

You are causing me to THINK, and that hurts: 1. Yes, that looks would work, but I don't see the need for a schottky diode. Those are just fast diodes. As for amperage, just enough to pull in the relay, which is less than an amp. 2. Yipes! To protect the diode it needs to be larger than the fuse. But unless you are going to be pushing a lot of buttons at the same time, 3 amp may be enough fuse. At 500ma/relay, as many are, you can do ~6 at a time. 3. Yes, I know you didn't have a #3 identified, but it is there nonetheless. From memory, the headlights are served by a 16ga fuse link. (L?) (Don't you wish that was a fuse? With the load being carried by the headlight relays that fuse could be fairly small. ) You really can't protect your wiring here unless you make it #12, which is enough to carry the current supplied by that fuse link. But, Ford didn't really protect the wires running to the headlights as they are way smaller than the fuse link. So maybe that's a risk you have to take. Your wires will melt, but long before the switch burns, in my estimation. Yes? No?

Turns out that's a DEEP subject, and I don't want to fall in. You have to go through the applications table, come up with the parts list #, and then interpret the parts list in order to figure it out. But maybe this will help. They suggest that the forged axles got king pins and the stamped sheet metal axles got ball joints. Which fits because Brownie had stamped axles. As did the '82 white F150 Explorer and it had ball joints.

Brownie, the '82 I parted, had ball joints. But if I remember correctly Paul/Rogue_Wulff's '80 has king pins. Let me look.......

Numberdummy has an opinion and expresses it? Yes, Bill does. And he'd be the first to admit it. He's a friend of mine, and has even been in my home. But I have been told I'm wrong - more than once. (Between you and me, I wasn't.)

I had something about this typed in last night, but decided to keep the response simple so deleted it. In the EVTM there's a pink/light blue wire going from the compressor itself back to the ECU. My guess is that it is in the engine harness along with the injector wiring given the location of the compressor. But I'll check in a bit to make sure. On the evap system, I'm not running canisters. And I think that is turned off, but I don't remember for sure. Having said that, it wouldn't hurt to include that wire in the harness going across the radiator support in case I decide to add canisters later.

Kinda 'spensive for not running. Who knows if the turbo and GVOD are any good. But I like the wheels.

It is DRW, right? So they sectioned a bed and widened it?

That IS a nice truck. And I was loading up for a trip to get it when I saw the "Price is $15,000 OBO not 1500 please read description!" Not sure why he doesn't edit it, but anyway I'm unloading. Seriously though, that's not a bad price for such a pristine truck.

If by "quite a serious project" you mean A LOT OF WORK AND EXPENSE then I'm with you. But, I hear 4-door Broncos are the in thing.

Welcome, Bill. But it is the rest of y'all that have made this site what it is. As for gauges, have you seen this: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/gauge-pocket.html

In spite of our proximity Randy and I've not met. But we have emailed, texted, and talked on the phone - social distance? But I didn't address the hard-to-turn problem. I don't understand what would make that happen and have no experience with it, so I'll defer to you.

I do not, no. They are only the shorty headers that fit in place of the stock manifolds, so they're no closer to the starter than the manifold was, although I'm sure they radiate more heat. However...with ambient temps being only 41-42 degrees, I can't imagine that it was getting that hot under the hood? Sitting in traffic in the middle of summer, sure, but now barely above freezing? In any case, it is a good point... I'm pretty sure Scott @ Parkland told me to set it at 17deg BTDC, but maybe that is just a touch too far. I guess it's free to dial it back and see what happens. I was hoping to not have to touch it since it is running so well now. I agree that 17 seems like a lot. But, if Scotty recommended that then that's what I would try initially. However, your description sure seems like the engine isn't liking it during starting. In my experience not all DS-II ignition systems have the retard feature built in. When I got Big Blue it started quickly when cold but struggled when hot. So I tried a different ignition box and it started easily hot. I swapped back and it struggled. And that box said Motorcraft on it. If you have another box you might try that. If not, or if it doesn't help, then dial the initial timing back a few degrees and see if that helps.

Chris - Four years will let you think through the approach you want to take very carefully. And the approach makes all the difference. My suggestion is to create a Word document that sets out your goal for the truck and then gets into the approach. It doesn't have to be nearly as elaborate or detailed as I've done with Dad's truck or Big Blue's Transformation, but if you embed it in your to-be thread on the truck the rest of us can review it and offer suggestions. And there's a LOT of experience on here that could surely help. And, with it embedded your changes show up. Plus, it gives you a check list that can help you focus. And, it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you check things off.