'90 K5 - The Nevada Blazer [Post 1437: School me on alternators)

[shady]

The whole window breakage thing is why I leave my truck unlocked. Bolt down and lock the tool box. Then have a cheap stereo that sounds decent and burnt discs to play. If it gets stolen who cares. But they wont have to break a window and they wont even fiddle with the tools. One of the best cd players I ever had was a $45 road gear.

 

[colbystephens]

As long as pawn shops are still in the area they will. That stucks about the break in colby. I have been a victim as well, and same thing as your break in. My radio was like 6 years old and didn't even have a detachable face. Our old trucks are easy to get into and most of the time do not have an alarm.

Pawn shops in Reno are like Starbucks in Seattle...

The whole window breakage thing is why I leave my truck unlocked. Bolt down and lock the tool box. Then have a cheap stereo that sounds decent and burnt discs to play. If it gets stolen who cares. But they wont have to break a window and they wont even fiddle with the tools. One of the best cd players I ever had was a $45 road gear.

I've thought about that. I just think the thieves are probably too stupid to look first.

 

[warrpath4x4]

leaving your truck unlocked so they wont break the window wont always work, ive seen people cut a soft top on a jeep to steel the stereo when all they had to do was unzip it.

 

[K85 Octane]

leaving your truck unlocked so they wont break the window wont always work, ive seen people cut a soft top on a jeep to steel the stereo when all they had to do was unzip it.

agree, had a poor night guard at my place of work that always had his truck broken into. There was nothing in it to start with, no radio, no speakers, nothing! But we'd get a lot of recently released criminals walking through at night looking for some cash. His doors would be unlocked too. Last count was 8 times, but that was maybe 5 years ago.

Had a bum break into my father's truck just for his POS jacket sitting in the back seat. Window cost and apparent jacket value = $150

Sorry Colby. Anything out of sight is best. A radio would be hard to do, but a cheap radio isn't missed at all. Just the window.

 

[colbystephens]

leaving your truck unlocked so they wont break the window wont always work, ive seen people cut a soft top on a jeep to steel the stereo when all they had to do was unzip it.

That's the reason for my concern. Maybe once the weather gets consistent I should just leave the windows open, though.

 

[colbystephens]

Spent the morning yesterday doing this:


lumber rack-1 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Still need to build the mounts, clean it, and paint it. Mounts will probably be the toughest part. I'm real happy with how this is turning out. It's not very heavy, made from 1/8" wall 1.25" HREW. That's about 37' of tube. Need to add one bar to span the middle so that stuff doesn't sag onto my hard top. At some point, I'd love to get some aluminum expanded metal to go across the whole bottom, but I can't spend money on that right now.

I'll probably finish it up tomorrow.

Also, those are my replacement windows sitting in that top. I might pull them today to avoid any potential accidents.

 

[max 02]

Your lumber rack design looks cool...not to bulky.

 

[colbystephens]

Thanks. I want to keep it real simple and sleek. I didn't make it a full 8 feet long. If I remember right, the dimensions are 7' long, 54" wide. Should allow me to crate my wife's paintings which are 8'x4' and still be able to put them up there.

 

[miniwally]

Spent the morning yesterday doing this:


lumber rack-1 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Still need to build the mounts, clean it, and paint it. Mounts will probably be the toughest part. I'm real happy with how this is turning out. It's not very heavy, made from 1/8" wall 1.25" HREW. That's about 37' of tube. Need to add one bar to span the middle so that stuff doesn't sag onto my hard top. At some point, I'd love to get some aluminum expanded metal to go across the whole bottom, but I can't spend money on that right now.

I'll probably finish it up tomorrow.

Also, those are my replacement windows sitting in that top. I might pull them today to avoid any potential accidents.

I would add some vertical legs between the two bars on each side. Little strength gain but mostly they will help with tying things down, if you had to run a strap or rope at an angle with the way it is the tie down would just slide down the tube. You will want to tie something down with angle straps at some point trust me.

 

[colbystephens]

I'm thinking of adding tabs or even picking up some of those permanently mounted ratchet straps. But I hear ya! I may add some more uprights like you suggest in the future, though, because I want to mount some side lighting up there. Doing uprights might make for some nice contoured spaces for them. But, since I haven't selected those lights, I'm reluctant to do it now. Also, wrapping a strap around the mounting feet of the rack would allow me diagonal stability in strapping.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

as far as just tie down points, why not get some small u shaped hooks from homey depot and burn em on every so many feet. i think you can get them only like an inch or two big and would be pretty small/uninvassive to the design. probably wouldnt hurt to the uprights as well just spitballing. other idea would be maybe some eyelet bolts. and just run them thru the tube and put a nut on the otherside.

 

[dhcomp]

Or, as a more design oriented approach, have one of our vendors cut you out some side panels with whatever visual graphic/logo/text you want, and be able to just hook tie downs wherever.

Those permanent ratchet strap things are cool, but will look goofy. Might as well do something that will look good when you aren't using the rack.

 

[colbystephens]

Or, as a more design oriented approach, have one of our vendors cut you out some side panels with whatever visual graphic/logo/text you want, and be able to just hook tie downs wherever.

Those permanent ratchet strap things are cool, but will look goofy. Might as well do something that will look good when you aren't using the rack.

I like that idea! I'd thought about it for sliders, but not this. I'll have to think on it. Maybe I could have it cut out of aluminum and bolt it into the space.

 

[dhcomp]

I like that idea! I'd thought about it for sliders, but not this. I'll have to think on it. Maybe I could have it cut out of aluminum and bolt it into the space.

I'd think steel would be easier. I'm visualizing a Chevy bow tie, or a K5 logo or something.....

If you are getting it cut out, have a bottle opener opening cut too...just in case.

 

[colbystephens]

Today I dug into my dash wiring a bit to see what I could find as far as my short in my horn/dimmer lights is concerned. Couldn't find the problem under the dash, but I did come up with lots of interesting knowledge/info/whatever.

First, the PO has jumped this connector with some sort of resistor. What is this thing, and where does it actually belong?

Wiring-3 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

From dremu's wiring diagrams at http://brochures.slosh.com/ in the chasis 1 section for R/V trucks, 89-90, it looks like it's something to do with the ignition module. I was thinking maybe a neutral safety switch? Never have tried starting it in gear. Why would it be jumped with a resistor? Most importantly, where does it actually belong? I didn't see a missing connection under there, but thought it might belong on top of the steering column, which would be hard to see.

Next question: Where does the DRAC unit belong? The previous owner had it just dangling in there, tucked up around some other wires.

Since the thief stole my stereo, I'm looking at this wiring and trying to figure out what they connect to? The stereo, I presume, but that's a lot of plugs for the stereo. Can someone shed some light on this? I'm not seeing these listed on the wiring diagram (Chasis 1 or 2):


Wiring-1 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Here's a wiring connection that I know the Previous Owner spliced into the stereo, I just don't know much about it. The fuse in this particular connection was blown:

Wiring-2 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

That fuse connection was joined with this wiring harness... what a disaster. You'll note the upper right end of that wiring harness is where it was connected via the fuse in the last photo:


Wiring-6 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

WTF is this sh*t?

Wiring-7 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Honestly, WTF? That's messed up. Spliced and hacked and crap. Uggh. Check out the 1" long splices. So, is this a modified stock harness, or was this a harness that would've gone with the after market stereo?

And now just a couple more photos to make you laugh at this half-ass work:

Wiring-5 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

This was the power to the stereo:

Wiring-4 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

 

[Fordum]

Well, you need to pull the duct tape off and let us see what that is under it. Knowing the value of the resistor might give a clue.
What color are those two wires? I looks like one is white, but the other could be purple or blue.
And, is that ground wire cut off, or just folded really sharp back under the mat?

 

[ryoken]

this is without a doubt a stereo harness...

 

[colbystephens]

Well, you need to pull the duct tape off and let us see what that is under it. Knowing the value of the resistor might give a clue.
What color are those two wires? I looks like one is white, but the other could be purple or blue.
And, is that ground wire cut off, or just folded really sharp back under the mat?

That's a purple wire with a white stripe, and a white wire. I'll go out an look at what the resistor is after dinner.

As to the ground wire, if you're talking about that round style connector bolted to the firewall, there's no wire in it at all.

this is without a doubt a stereo harness...

Right. Is it a stocker or just an after market one that comes with a stereo?


Thanks for the input, guys!

 

[82355]

That is an aftermarket stereo kit. You should be thankful he used that instead of cutting up your original harness like most jackasses do.

These three connectors originally connected to the back of the OEM radio.

They will now plug into that large yellowed connector on the left (in the picture) end of that aftermarket stereo connector.

Martin

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I'll backup 82355 on the stereo connectors.

The rest is scary.