Satan, 1992 pickup build

[meigsrock]

Made some progress today. Put in new spark plugs, installed new wires and started putting the air cleaner back in. I want a second battery under the hood but until I can figure out how to do it I am just going to put the stock on back and hook it back up for now.

I installed the extra pulley wheel and started to put on the belts but the AC belt was too long so I need a new/different belt before I can finish those..

I also started to put the steering linkage back together but it was WAY tow out when put together. By changing from non PS idler and pitman arm to PS ones which are longer somehow managed to make the tie rod ends too long. I cranked them to shorten them to the max but I think they are still too long so back to the parts store to get tie rod ends and adjuster bars for a PS truck to see if they are shorter.

I also switched out the steering column today! Sweet!. I took out the whole column, removed the ignition key plug from my truck and installed it in the tilt column. Then I installed the tilt column which has the intermittent wipers. Tilt works and all blinkers and wiper functions worked. It was plug and play. I will have to use the new SR5 steering wheel that came with the tilt column because the intermittent switch and horn are slightly different and it will just be easier to use the SR5 wheel than modify it any further.

So if anyone needs to do a similar swap it may be easiest to just switch out the whole column like I did.

When I was under the hood working on the plug wires I noticed this broken wire. Does anyone know what this vacuum unit?/switch? that the broken goes to wire does. Vacume switch? on the top of the engine right in the middle, just after the oil filler cap. You can see it in picture 2 also but I show the broken wire in picture 3.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

That's a vacuum switch, probably part of an idle-up circuit for the AC, or Power steering... There shuld be a part number on it, and looking that up may tell you exactly what it's job is.

 

[meigsrock]

No part number on it. I will have to take it off and check the bottom for a part #. I would not think it would be for the power steering because it did not come with it.

There are two others that do have part numbers so I will have to look into this further once I get it back on the road again. I will have to have the dealership or an electrical shop fix it, but I would like to know what it does.....or does not do as the case is now.

 

[meigsrock]

Picture of tilt steering wheel on. I am going to wait to put the plastic back on and finish that portion because I need to get in there and fix the parking break cable.

The front lift is just about all done, although I know I will need to trim pinch welds and possibly fenders before all done. Still need to fill with diff oil, engine oil, and install steering dampener but I could not wait to put the 35's on and start on the rear.

I figured out the steering problem I think. I bought inner and outer tie rod ends and TRE adjuster bars for a 4x4 with PS at NAPA the other day. The inner TRE were just a bit longer than the ones I had so I did not install them as mine are still fine and I think I need the short ones on. The outer TRE were the same length and my TRE boots were bad so I replaced them. The new TRE adjuster bars were about 1/4" shorter than the ones on the truck so I switched those out and I believe that it should fix my toe-out problem. Looks straight now with them twisted all the way in to the shortest position. I hope it is enough. First stop once done is an alignment shop.

 

[meigsrock]

I started on the rear today too. I removed the axle and the DS spring. The TG 4" lift spring had 7 leafs but the PO removed the short 1" bottom leaf to make it flex and ride better. My old set up had 5 leafs and an overload flat spring. I installed a short 1' flat overload spring on the bottom to help out when I load the truck up or tow with it. I hope this is a good choice. I still want a good ride and hope the springs flex OK but I did not want them to negative arch or W under a large load. I guess I can take it out if I don't like it.

I installed 5" shackles, poly bushings, and the TG 4" lift spring. I tack welded in the new forward spring hanger back 5" from the stock location as per TG instructions but I am not sure fully about the location. http://www.trail-gear.com/pdf/110038-1.pdf Under weight the shackle angle is only 23 deg. and when at dead droop with no load the shackle angle is -18 deg. I may move it rearward slightly to 4.75-4.5" from the stock location. I am not sure how much more negative angle I can get from the shackle when under full flex/droop. Any thoughts on these angles?

I will have to play with this and measure some more tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it all sorted out and burned in tomorrow.

 

[meigsrock]

Both sides tacked in place. Front of rear hangers mounted 5" forward of the old position. It is about perfect as it sits but I am wondering how much the rear tire will move rear ward (1" I think). Rear 5" shackle angle is 20 deg. and not as much as I had hoped but will do. I could scoot the axle forward 1" but then the shackle angle would be pretty steep and ride quality would suffer. I could move the shackle mount location also to increase the shackle angle.

I could weld a spring perch tab on that has three holes to allow me to shift the axle forward without changing the spring mounting points.

Any thoughts or comments on the rear axle position?

The lift is pretty high. At least I will be all set up in the rear for a possible future SAS with 38"s. I saw some Swamper bogers in a 38.5x11x15 that were pretty cool looking.

The truck stink bugs a bit and is noticeable so I think I am going to remove the overload spring I just put on. I did it to save time but that back fired, so I am going to remove it. The over load spring does arch up just a bit and once the weight of the truck is on the springs it is almost in contact with it so it is going to stiffen up my ride quite a bit. Any little bump and that spring will come into play. By removing it I will drop it about 1/2" and get it a little closer to level.

I have been wondering if my drive line angle will be too steep because I did not rotate the rear axle up toward the transfer case. I don't want to cut off the old perches and re-weld on new ones terribly bad and have been thinking of adding a 12 deg. weld on ship as a possible option. I have some extra drive lines around and think I will put a double cardan u-joint at the top if it acts up after I am done and can give it a test drive.

 

[meigsrock]

Well st! I jacked up the truck as much as my floor jack would go and hung a string off of the corners of the fenders.

The front of the rear fender had just over an inch of space before it contacted the tire and on the rear edge of the fender the string overlapped the tire by about 2 inches. So if I want the tire to be more centered in the wheel well I will need to move the axle forward about 1". I will have to move it 5.5-6" forward of the original shackle mount and not the 5" like the TG instructions suggested. I will let you know the end amount I moved it once I get it all sorted out.

So it looks like I will be cutting the tack welds and moving it forward. This will likely make my rear shackle angle too steep and I will have cut off the shackle mount, buy new ones and move them forward a bit.

Does anyone know how these creeper joint mounts handle on road and off? Tacoma Shackles | Toyota, Suzuki Samurai, and Jeep Off Road Parts
I would not mind more flex off road but don't want to sacrifice too much roll for on road driving.

 

[meigsrock]

I finally had a chance to get back to work on the truck and it felt I good to make some progress again.

Did did an oil change and filled the front diff with oil then got to work on the real stuff. I also did a bit of welding on the muffler too.

I cut the tack welds and moved the new rear leaf hanger forward the full 6" of the original stock location. I previously had it a 5" but it left the rear tire too far back. After moving it forward the tire was slightly forward (.5-1") in the wheel well but I know at compression when the leafs flatten out and elongate it will come up and center off in the wheel well with much less chance of contacting the fender corner.

I then dropped the axle off again and removed the flattish overload spring on the bottom. I then put the axle back on and put the tires on to see how it looked and lined up. Much better now except the rear shackle is almost vertical. I will have to cut off the rear shackle hanger and move it forward 1-1.5".

But before I do this does anyone have any advice about putting creeper joints on instead.

I also removed the rear break line and moved it to the front. I installed it directly to the caliper bypassing the hard line. Has anyone done anything similar? It looks like it will work fine but want to make sure it is safe before I do the other side. Any thoughts? (picture #2)