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"Gredda's" Build / WTF / Help Me! Thread

hmm, not sure how you cant tell what my pictures are...maybe you can read this?

edit* well if you are gonna remove his useless post, then you should take this one too ;)

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What is this? Is it stock?

Can I tap into it for power? I am looking to install a coga pa system, and want something with constant power.

k5 under hood terminal.jpg
 
That is a junction block. You should be able to tap that for constant power. Be sure to put in a fuse close to that point. If unsure just ask. Wouldn't you want that power feed switched so as not to drain the battery? Unless it's like a stereo where you need one constant feed and one switched. I dunno, never hooked up a PA before.

I'll bet your original cig lighter socket, or at least the power feed plug, is hanging behind the dash near the ash tray. Mine had an internal fault which would pop the fuse so all I had to do was replace the socket. Maybe yours did the same and the p.o. just replaced the socket and ran new power wires cause he didn't know what else to do. The new socket, available at most part stores, is universal and comes with new wires. I just cut the original plug off and crimped a new terminal on the end of the wire and plugged it right into the new socket. Threw out the new wires that came with the new socket, there was no need for them.
 
thanks, I am going to check the cig adapter tonight. I hope you are right, that sounds simple.

the only reason I thought i need constant power is that the unit allows you to store favorites, as well as your own custom sounds. Also, I would like to be able to use it with the car off. (varmit calling might work well) but I dont want to worry about it draining power...maybe it should be on switched?

this is what i ordered...with the upgraded mega loud speaker
http://www.cogapa.com/

mainly because it has a dixie horn ;0
 
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Update

So, i thought the truck just wasnt running like a 350 v8 should (even tho Ive never owned one)

Here are the spark plugs that the previous owner supposedly "recently replaced"

I went ahead and replaced with platinum plugs and all new wires.

She runs better now, I am hoping that will cure the smell of unburnt gas....I feel like thats what I can smell out of the exhaust. Do TBIs need to ever be cleaned or anything? I havent driven enough to know yet, but surely all those plugs werent burning right and allowing unburnt fuel to pass?

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No to get ahead of my last post...I would still like to hear your thoughts on my spark plugs, and if they were the cause.

But.....what am I, and am I supposed to be bent? I think I bent this steering arm thingy at the ranch....fix? replace? ideas? This would explain why my already loose steering was a bit scary on the way home.

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somehow....i knew it ;)

so, where to find one? what to pay?

steering is bad even before that....what should be replaced at the same time. I am still waiting to find an xj steering shaft if that changes anything. How do I replace it?
 
doesnt someone like rock hopper, or something like that make a heavy duty one? might as well put a HD one on there. I am attacking my steering issues right now, with some tax returns. what do i need? tie rod? tie rod ends? etc?

suggestions? I want the xj steering shaft...just need to find one. does it matter if I plan on a 4" lift and 33" tires (just keep that in mind with steering suggestions)
 
opened the rear diff today (was a first for me)

here is what I found. 3.42 gears, no "gov bomb"....now, to see if the tax return money is enough for a 14bff rear and something in the front.

do most people sell their old 10 bolt axles whole? with wheels (since I will need 8 lugs anyway)

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dieselndixie said:
doesnt someone like rock hopper, or something like that make a heavy duty one? might as well put a HD one on there. I am attacking my steering issues right now, with some tax returns. what do i need? tie rod? tie rod ends? etc?

suggestions? I want the xj steering shaft...just need to find one. does it matter if I plan on a 4" lift and 33" tires (just keep that in mind with steering suggestions)
Click to expand...

I would go with this one if you are not able to find a stock one at a junkyard for $20-$30 or if you don't have a buddy with a welder that likes beer. You can make one for pretty cheap if you just go to a steel shop and buy the DOM and get some weld-in bungs from a local 4x4 shop or order them online from a place like Ballistic Fabrication.
http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/HDsteeringlinkage.htm
1.5"x.250" wall is probably stronger than the knuckles on the 10 bolt anyway. My tie rod is 1.5"x.375" but I have a ram welded to it and I drive by braille in the rocks. I'm pretty sure I will break the ends off before I bend it unless I really try to do it.

I personally would ditch the steering stabilizer or you could weld tabs to the tie rod for it like you would for hydro assist. ES2233L (your drivers side TRE) is pretty weak, and I prefer to run ES2234R on both ends. These trucks are very easy to adjust toe so it really isn't an issue to have two RH threaded ends. If you prefer to run a right and left hand thread, ES2234R, ES2010R and ES2010L are your best choices. The 2010 ends are Dodge 4500GVW W-series truck TREs. They are the same as 2234 but have a slightly shorter threaded section (they could be used interchangeably). I use 2234R because locally I have trouble getting 2010 ends without special ordering them and I am impatient. Obviously, the parts stores sell a lot more TREs for K5s/K10s/K20s/Suburbans (thats the application for ES2234R) than they do for old Dodge 1-tons.

You will probably start hearing a lot of people and off-road shops referring to "Chevy 1-ton tie rod ends". These people don't know what they are talking about. The ends that are commonly referred to as 1-ton ends are the ones I just described above. Chevy 1-ton ends are actually 1"-18 thread vs. 7/8"-18 and the drivers side TRE is actually the whole tie rod...and is pretty much useless for any kind of application we're talking about for offroad.
 
So, I called a junkyard for a tie rod, and was told that they have them, but that by the time I drove all the way out there (45 mins away) that I could just buy one at advanced auto parts for $12-15. Does that sound right?

should I get new tie rod ends too? I cant tell if mine are ok or not, they are so covered in grease/everything else, that they are hard to tell.
 
you are going to have to take the TRE's off to replace that thing, replace them while you are there. I know money doesn't grow in the backyard, but this IS your steering we're talking about here ;)

ditch the stabilizer and learn to understand what your truck is telling you through the steering wheel, you'll be better off for it.

as for the "what do people do with their old axles" question, I say craigslist :) I BLEW my 10 bolt, so all I really had was a housing. I kept it for a while, then gave it to a friend for purposes I don't want to know about...

KP
 
dieselndixie said:
So, I called a junkyard for a tie rod, and was told that they have them, but that by the time I drove all the way out there (45 mins away) that I could just buy one at advanced auto parts for $12-15. Does that sound right?

should I get new tie rod ends too? I cant tell if mine are ok or not, they are so covered in grease/everything else, that they are hard to tell.
Click to expand...

They were talking about the ends, not the actual link. A lot of vehicles use the same setup as the GM Dana 60s where the ends are the whole actual tie rod. The idiot on the phone probably didn't realize that GM 1/2-3/4 tons have a tie rod with replaceable ends and a reusable link. I am 90% sure that you cannot buy a new OEM tie rod link at any parts store for these trucks.

You check tie rod/drag link ends by grabbing the tapered stud portion and moving it in/out (should be zero movement), side-to-side, rotate, etc...They should be tight and difficult to move by hand. If you can feel any wiggle or looseness in them, the liner is worn down and they need to be thrown away. Cheap ones are only ~$15, good Moog ones usually run me around $45 here, but they also have a lifetime warranty. I personally have used Chinese ones from time-to-time due to availability, and have not had complaints considering the price, but I remove everything and inspect things way more frequently than most people do. Biggest thing to any of them is keeping them greased. Even the best ends will wear out if they get contaminated and neglected.
 
so my local autoparts store starting showing me that i needed pitman arm? inner and outer Tie Rod Ends, and they showed me 2 separate rods attached by some coupler thingy? It looked wrong to me, so I walked. But with my bent tie rod...and plans of an xj steering shaft conversion, what EXACTLY do I need? and can I order it online somewhere?

pic from earlier, showing bent tie rod.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=114257&d=1298944462
 
To have all new stock tie rod parts, you need ES2234R (1), (1) ES2233L, and you will need to get a tie rod link from a junkyard. I don't know the part number for the adjustment sleeve, but between yours and the one from the junkyard, you probably won't really need to buy one, although they're probably only a few bucks.

If I were you, I would just order a tie rod from here http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/HDsteeringlinkage.htm and tell them you want to use two of their tie rod ends with it. Otherwise, you can use ES2010L and ES2234R/ES2010R OR you could just tell ORD to make your tie rod with RH thread on both sides and use ES2234R on both ends (this makes sourcing parts much easier/always locally in stock). Setting toe is negligibly more time consuming with this, but a lot of us do it. In the end, I think you're probably only going to be saving $30 or so by doing stock parts, and you obviously are able to damage the stock stuff.

I wouldn't even bother with a stabilizer, but if you're determined to use one, ORD sells a bracket for it right there on that same page I linked for you.

You can also make a tie rod really easily, but it sounds like you'd be happier with something that's ready to go already, and you won't save a huge amount of money since the DOM is usually around $10/foot.

There is no reason to replace the pitman arm, and I'm not sure you can even buy a replacement. The people that told you that are morons. To do a draglink on a stock steering system for these trucks, you will replace ES2026R and ES2027L, and the adjustment sleeve.

So to recap, if you were to overhaul the entire steering linkage, these are all the wear items/replaceable items for a stock 1/2-3/4 ton K series GM.

Tie rod:
ES2234R (passenger-side tie rod end)
ES2233L (drivers-side tie rod end, very long and has hole for stabilizer)
7/8"-18TPI adjustment sleeve
*actual link (about 50" long) is not a normal replacement item*

Drag link:
ES2026R (drag link end)
ES2027L (drag link end)
7/8"-18TPI adjustment sleeve
*pitman arm and steering arm are not normal replacement items*
 
Not sure if I will do all this, but if I got this, would I be missing anything? And is this worth doing if I am slowly building this thing up to be a tough/reliable machine? Its like my dirtbike, I dont mind going the extra mile in the beginning. I would rather do this work in the garage before a trip, than be stuff fixing cheap stuff out in the woods.

I just want good tight steering!

Gear.gif
Steering : Tie Rod EndRelated Parts
MOOG Part # ES2026R
$27.89$27.89
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MOOG Part # ES2027L
$27.89$27.89
Remove.gif
Gear.gif
Steering : Tie Rod End Adjusting SleeveRelated Parts
MEVOTECH Part # MES2004S Steering Tie Rod End Adjusting Sleeve
4WD; Front
$3.36$3.36
Remove.gif
Subtotal$59.14

and then from ORD
GM D44/10 bolt 1.25" tie rod
$85.00
Pair of ORD tie rod or drag link ends
$95.00
 
or do i not need the drag links from rockauto with the tie rod ends from ORD?

sorry, obviously i dont have a good grasp as to what parts are involved and what does what:dunno:
 
Think of it like this, you've got 2 drag links, both have 2 tierod ends on them. A short one that goes from your pitman arm to your steering arm, and a long one that goes from knuckle to knuckle. The longer of the 2 is your draglink. They come in a few different forms. You need to replace the whole thing, from TRE to TRE, then get your truck aligned. The tie rod ends (TRE) are a Napa/autozone/whomever part, the tube or sleeve down the middle, what's frowning at you right now you need to buy from ORD. Really you are starring down replaceing 3 parts. That's it. Would be worth it to buy a tie rod fork while you are at the parts store, even though I've always made it work with a BFH to get those out.

You can baseline align your front end with a tape measure till you can get it to a front end shop for a proper alignment. Personally, I usually stop at the tape measure, I can get it close enough, and with 36" unbalanced swamps, I don't really notice anyway :haha:
 
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