Yeah better safe than sorry

 

This weekend I scored a reverse rotation steering set up from a guy who reminded me of the Lorax (I speak for the Dodges...) up near Ithaca NY. He sold me the cradle, steering box, Pitman arm, and center link for $80! The steering box turns just fine, and could probably be used as is, but I'll have it rebuilt. The Pitman arm is being difficult to remove but I have time to fool with it.
I will most likely send it to Power Steering Service in Reeds Spring MO. It seems like people are pretty happy with his work.
I'm pretty stoked about finding this stuff!

 

Cool. It has got to be better than the stock steering.

 

Less prone to crack the frame. No stupid little metal plate "adapter" to break either. The cradle is a big chunk of cast iron or steel. NJTman did the conversion on his truck and loves it. It is going on the back burner for now though. Too many other things that need to be done first.

 

I have the reverse rotation steering factory parts stashed that are needed to do this conversion.
I am planning on using the parts on my white lifted '85 crew.

 

Time to blow the dust off this thread! Today I cut a hole in the heater box, cleaned it out (a couple inches of leaves in it) and installed the Beckson screw out deck plate to make future clean out easier. I saw this idea in the sticky by Carrnut. I sealed it in with RTV.
I also dropped the spare tire and removed the tire carrier for better access the bed bolts.
Over the winter I built up an HX35/40 hybrid with a 14cm waste gated housing and Banks big head actuator.

 

Cool, I have been wondering how you are doing..
My heater box was just packed with oak leaves. I think I might put some screen/hardware cloth over the vent under the cowl. Maybe it will slow the filling process.

 

I saw that exact style fix on a dump truck that was used for wood chips fired out from a chipper.
It would fill the fenders and heater box with wood chips and rot things out.

 

Heater box had relatively little junk in it. Surprisingly little actually.
This past weekend I took the goose neck hitch that the PO installed out of the bed. It hadn't been lubed or moved in years an is rusted tight. I didn't plan on using it anyway. I ended up torching off the bolts to get it out. Progress proceeds at a snails pace.
I drove it up and down the road a few times just so I don't forget how it feels!

 

Glad to hear you got to drive it a bit.
I am itching to get the 1st gens out on the road again too.
The white haze of salt on the road, is starting to wash away...

 

It always takes longer to do things then I think it will. With me It is the famous project extender words."While I am at it I might as well".......

It least you got to drive it a little though

 

Yeah that's starting to happen to me too. I have to drop the tank to fix frame rust. While I'm there I should fix the fuel gauge sender. Maybe I should put larger fuel line in too. While I'm there (WIT) I'm going to replace the fuel lines and brake lines. I'm going to going to pull the bed to accomplish this since I also have to work on the DS cab corner. WIT I'm going to paint the frame with Chassis Saver....And the project has BLOSSOMED!!!

 

Glad your making some progress, some is better then none. But I know it can be frustrating with self imposed time frames, but better to take your time and do it all right once, then race through to get it done quickly, and have to re-do things soon afterwards.

At least you got it up and down the road...a quick little drive can sometimes refuel the motivation.

 

The truck ain't exactly road legal but I live in the boonies and take it up and down the road at night on occasion.

 

"At least you got it up and down the road...a quick little drive can sometimes refuel the motivation."

That's exactly why I do it!