Gary Lewis

Yes, there is/was a bracket and it looks like this. Note the holes in the sides that then should go to the bracket supplied by the radio manufacturer. Here's how it was done on Big Blue, which is wrong. Instead of attaching the radio's bracket, which you can see surrounding the radio, to the truck's bracket they bent those tabs out, which sorta attaches that bracket to the bezel. So, just like in your truck, the bezel is the mounting point for the radio. And all of the weight is hung out behind. Plus, it is a sloppy fit so the radio bounces on each bump. But that'll get changed in the transformation. The radio's bracket will be attached to the truck's bracket and the radio will then snap into its bracket. And the bezel will just be a trim piece that covers things. And to do that I'll probably turn to Crutchfield.

Bill is right - make SURE you get a windshield that shows the VIN. Otherwise it is a real problem when you register the truck somewhere. Don't ask. And Page 43-11-1 of the '85 FSM says "Procedure No. 1 should be used with butyl kit (19562) packaged with 5/16" diameter butyl (round type). DO NOT use this kit if adhesion of the existing butyl-to-pinch weld flange is unreliable, as indicated by a surface which is not smooth and free of excessive skips, bumps and contamination. Procedure No. 2 should be used with butyl kit (19562) packaged with "I" beam type butyl, where complete replacement of existing butyl is necessary."

Mule Days? I think I like the sound of "Pioneer Day" better, which is what we have. There's ALWAYS more to be done. So many layers to these onions! Good luck on getting some painted and some installed today.

Thanks. That's easier than having to catch something like POR15 while it is still soft. Let us know how it goes, please.

That's probably one of the best solutions to this problem. No chance of bits of Teflon getting loose from the tape nor the paste dissolving and contaminating the carb.

Fords4life - What are you top-coating with? I've not used that Rustoleum product, so don't know the drill, but does it have to be top-coated within a certain time? POR15, for instance, has to be top-coated while it is still soft or you have to scuff it to get anything to stick to it. Chris - I had essentially the same compressor as well, although mine was the horizontal config. But it was probably the same other than that. Worked well, but I got the big, quiet unit and finally gave the Craftsman to my brother. He still uses it.

I powder coated my aluminum wheels clear and they came out great, with no fish eyes. And I've powder coated a couple of pieces of windshield trim black and they didn't twist and deform as I thought they might in the heat. So I think it is doable. However, as with all aluminum products, they need to be pre-heated for maybe an hour at 400 degrees to drive off whatever is in/on them or there will be fish eyes. Been there, done that and it is UGLY!

I'd seen that one as an option a few months ago when I was looking for a jack stand. But it wasn't what I was looking for so passed. Now, having looked at it again it might be an option. But make sure you try the one you get as apparently some of them leak. However, there are always problems with anything and the 4 start rating is pretty good.

Now that's an endorsement!

I have some long flights in the not too-distant future. May try the 3M's on that. Amazon still says they'll be here tomorrow, and the weather is holding out, so I may get to try them mowing.

P&S will make a big difference on the doors. You'll like it. Can't speak to the painting as I'm not au fait with that. As for the alternator and PCM, the new stuff is a pain. When it works it is great, but when it breaks it is tough to fix. Good luck!

Bose makes good headphones, but from what I've seen they are lots more than $50. Right? And do they have a microphone? As for content, I have lots of music on my phone. But I also have SiriusXM in Blue, which entitles me to listen on a mobile device. (Hence the desire for a Bluetooth head unit in Big Blue. )

Yes, and no. Or Jein in German. They might be able to be chromed, but they weren't chrome to start with. They are anodized aluminum. They can be stripped to bare aluminum, and initially they'll look good but you'll have to polish them frequently. Then you could have them re-anodized. Or you could have them powder coated clear while polished and that'll last a few years. Or powder coat them black and create an XLS?

The missing plate isn't too serious. But you should be able to find one at a salvage since it was used for many years on that transmission. The tie rods are a bigger issue. If there's slop side-to-side they need to be replaced.

Thanks, Bill and Jim! I hope to use this approach across the board - over time.

Thanks, guys. Christopher - The URL bit is a given when you are on a web page. If you hover over a URL it'll show up at the bottom left. I don't think there's any way to turn it off.

You are lacking the plate that covers that opening. I think there are supposed to be two screws holding it on.

Ok guys, another Wordpress question. What ways can pdf's be put on a Wordpress page? I ask because we have 10's if not 100's of pdf's on the site. They are hosted on my OneDrive and embedded on pages on the Weebly site. But, apparently because they aren't really on the site Google doesn't crawl them so they cannot be found in a Google search. What we need is a way to get Google to crawl the pdf's so people can find them. I've been reading about Wordpress and I've found two different ways of placing them on - the iframe approach I'm using now and things like PDF Embedder Premium. Does anyone know about the ability for Google to crawl pdf's embedded that way?

You really should start a new thread on this issue. It doesn't have anything to do with vacuum, although the switch is on the same piece of plastic as the HVAC vacuum switch. Having said that, the EVTM has a section on the fan switch. See pages 147 and later here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/ac-heater.html

Huh Are you thinking the introduction of the little Ranger changed the base part number? I guess it could have done, but haven't seen that in other situations. Or did I misunderstand?

I will let y'all know what I think. but my phone is always in my pocket, so if I keep my head on my shoulders the distance problem shouldn't be too bad.

Chris just drove through Hays on Sunday. In fact, I think he got gas there.

Yup, now that you mention it.

The problem with Teflon tape is with it getting into the fuel and clogging passages. But I've used it w/o problem by keeping it one or two threads back of the leading edge of the fitting. Sometimes that means it has to be out on the flats, but whatever it takes I make sure it doesn't get into the fuel stream. For things like fuel systems I'd rather use tape than paste as I'm afraid the paste will dilute and get loose. For other things, like air fittings, I use a combo of tape and PTFE paste. The tape is kept one or two threads back and the paste is used on those exposed one or two threads. This combo has worked extremely well for me.