My Blue Beast, which is no longer blue

[tlaporte]

Just a little time spent today installing my new stainless steel battery tray from stainlesstrays.com. Couldn’t be happier.

Out with the old:

In with the new:

 

[wngrog]

Just a little time spent today installing my new stainless steel battery tray from stainlesstrays.com. Couldn’t be happier.

Out with the old:

View attachment 1641789

In with the new:

View attachment 1641816

I’m glad you posted this. I need one for my Pig.

 

[tlaporte]

I’m glad you posted this. I need one for my Pig.

I’m very pleased with it. Construction looks great and Noel was helpful answering questions I had before purchase.

I got the Optima hold down version, which worked great and was a perfect fit.

 

[Michael B]

What is the difference on the Optima version? Is it the length of the hold down rods?

 

[wngrog]

I’m very pleased with it. Construction looks great and Noel was helpful answering questions I had before purchase.

I got the Optima hold down version, which worked great and was a perfect fit.

I’ve had one on my 60 for years. Just forgot who I got it from because I’m old.

 

[tlaporte]

What is the difference on the Optima version? Is it the length of the hold down rods?

That’s exactly right. When I had the OEM holder on previously, I needed a bunch of nuts as spacers in order to get enough height to reach the threads. I think that the hold down is also slightly smaller to fit snugly over the Optima. Not positive on that, though. I just know it fits snugly.

 

[Michael B]

I look forward to seeing your pictures of the battery installed .

Thanks mate!

 

[tlaporte]

Will snap some photos tomorrow when there is light.

In the mean time, I also refreshed the badge on the driver’s side. Mine had been painted over more than once and I wanted to get the original look back. Found a cheap, used one on eBay and replaced mine.

 

[tlaporte]

I realized today that I’ve been focusing on the driver’s side portion of the engine bay for a while now.

• Windshield washer bottle
• Windshield washer pump
• Battery wiring
• Fusible links
• Radiator overflow bottle
• TLC emblem

I’ve also started gathering parts for a PS upgrade on down the line, much of which happens in that same area of the truck!

 

[tlaporte]

I look forward to seeing your pictures of the battery installed .

Thanks mate!

Sorry for the delay.

 

[tlaporte]

I had the tie rod ends replaced last week and now would like to adjust or rebuild the center arm. As @65swb45 pointed out when I first brought him the truck many years ago, the center arm has likely never been adjusted once the winch was put on:

I’ve been planning to pull the winch and give it a thorough refresh, especially since Mark noted that it likely had some issues in the PTO. Now I’m looking to figure out the best way to remove the winch.

The winch frame simply bolts to the frame rails with four bolts. Simple enough, but I’m trying to figure out if I have to remove the front bumper in order to slide the winch shaft out through the cross member or if there is a way to disconnect the shaft from the gearbox at the winch. Here is what it looks like:

Rear

Front

This is a Thomas T8000 PTO Winch.

 

[whitey45]

You should be able to find a center link on the chain coupler and simply remove the chain and lift winch up and out. I wouldn’t bother with the center arm, it gets tossed with the ps install!

 

[tlaporte]

Oh! I hadn’t even considered that the chain was a coupler—I was trying to figure out its function.

So, if I assume it’s like a bicycle chain, would I pull the center link in the chain apart and the chain would then unwrap/unravel and allow the winch head to separate from the shaft?

 

[Michael B]

Thanks for the battery picture. How long is the new tray?

 

[whitey45]

Yup!

 

[tlaporte]

Thanks for the battery picture. How long is the new tray?

Tray has the same dimensions as OEM, it’s just the tie downs that differ.

 

[Michael B]

Roger that. Except that there are 2 different sizes of stock trays.

 

[tlaporte]

With respect to a center arm rebuild vis-a-vis a PS upgrade, @whitey45 , I was going to say that you must not be aware of the normally glacial pace at which I work. Having said that, though, parts acquisition continues apace.

FJ60 PS Pump

 

[tlaporte]

Roger that. Except that there are 2 different sizes of stock trays.

Hmm. Did not know that. I believe it was the same size as the stock one in my 1883 HJ47, which I just measured as about 32cm x 18cm.

 

[Michael B]

That would have been the long version. Thanks!