flagmanruss

To test the front end components, you need to take the weight off the tires. The old school mechanics would lift one wheel at a time & go under each wth a pry bar while watching what moved. The tie rod ends can & must rotate & swing as they must move through out the travel of each wheel in turns and over bumps. It's not just tre's but also ball joints, steering box & pitman arms. Before you buy anything, I suggest you have the front end instected by someone who knows how... or you might replace good parts & still have out of spec parts remaining.

Get your FP gauge installed. Plan your upgrade before the towing season starts.Do it right. Get rid of the intank pump. Mount your choice of pump back on the frame. lower & closer to the tank. You have a 24 valve which uses the VP44 lift (injection) pump. VP44s were designed for Low Sulfur Diesel NOT the current ULSD... are proving to be a bit fragile. A lot of us run TCW3 2 cycle oil as an additive to improve the fuel lubricosity. 1oz/fuel gallon. This modern outbard oil is designed to burn clean. In my truck it seems to improve mpg slightly... about 1.

I'm running an AD150, big line kit, through the OEM filter housing & retaining WIF function, better cartridge (I forget the number), I replaced the banjo fittings on the stock filter & throughout as they are terribly restrictive... silly to big line it & leave the banjos. I used the JIC fittings from Vulcan that Mike mentions. If you use a 100 pump, you don't need a new pickup. With a 150 you do (OEM is too small).

I've gotten the 2 catch tabs to release in the garage door compartment. There appears to be 2 hook tabs in the glasses compartment (rear) and appears it must slide to the rear... But danged if I can budge it. I tried pushing plastic wedges to 1/4" height under the front console sides but nothing is moving. Of course every time you tug on it the tabs lock in again. I was thinking of trying clothes pins on the tabs or maybe a thin blade or a narrow feeler guage or shim stock (to keep it from relatching) & maybe climb into the back seat to pull!! Or maybe a rubber mallot if I can find some place to bump it.

Reg GAS is hovering just below $4... diesels closer in price than usual, only +.10 or .12 I'd be dancing in the street if I got 25mpg from my truck. I might even get rid of my daily driver. The better mileage is making 12 valves worth keeping up!

All is good!

I did pull the #11 fuse & checked with an ohm meter. 0 ohms. Lower pin in socket has 13.8 volts with engine running... I used the edge oth e dash frame for the voltage ground. I guess the next thing is to pull the overhead console. I'm not finding any screws. THere are a couple of snap in tabs in the Garage door comparement. I think squeezing them & unhooking the front will drop it enough to unplug the various harnesses.I checked on ebay... not seeing any such units for sale right now. I don't know if it's totally fried. No idea what I'll find. I know from my experience in the Marine Electronics company shop that circuit boards can be cleaned gently with rubbing alcohol & Q tips. I won't know until I get it out. The power to the dome lights (which often use a door switch to ground) is likely separate from the computer.

I wonder if the tire pressure has been tried. My thought is that if the tires are distorting, you might only be getting a small contact patch. Since there's no cost, I think it's worth trying to optomize your suspension.

I haven't found what I was looking for. I was thinking of a oval slotted rail inside the truck bed... they are often used as a toe rail on sailing yachts... But everthing I found was crazy money. Anybody have any experience with something like this? http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/TrackSystemInstall

I'm sure there have been discussions here about working on the overhead trip computer / console. I'm doing something wrong when I try to search for them.I have power on #11 fuse socket & the fuse is good, in the driver's side dash end. I'm wondering if the clearance lights have leaked on me. Wife used the truck last... says the overhead WAS working.

My tail pipe rotted out. I remoded it as it was banging around under there... then the whole back of the muffler rotted out. I replaced it with 4" stainless. I think my front pipe was 3 1/2", so 4" was already a step up. The 4" in/out stainless glass pack that came with my kit gave a nice sound until I hooked a trailer on. In the end I added a 36" swirl FTE resonator behind cross member. I could have skipped the "muffler" & just gone with the FTE unit.

Most vehicles have a "parasitic draw" small loads that will eventually drain your batteries. Unless you use it fairly often, keep a battery maintainer on it or a small solar maintainer. I learned my lesson, although at 7 years the batteries have outlasted every one I've owned.

The overhead was working last time I used the truck. Today it's out. Totallty dark & dead. Does not respond to it's buttons. The interior lights on the overhead & flashing alarm light still works. I pulled the fuses in the driver's side of the dash/door & all 'appear' perfect. I've been reading on line, trying to figure out the wiring. What info I have (check me... you never can be sure) is #11 fuse (10A) is supposed to be the overhead console. I pulled the fuse & inspected it visually. Now that I (think I) know which fuse, I'll check the fuse with a meter & the socket for power... tomorrow in the daylight. Any other suggestions? Thanks,Russ

Glad you are still with us.Russ

There are lots of canister filters that would work, just don't put a restrictive element in it. Put your fine strainer/separator on the pressure side of the pump.

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! (statement of acclaim & respect, Colonial version of hurray)Russ

Good Luck!! Hope it's not a matter of luck. You'll be in my thoughts & prayers.Russ

I don't believe Flex-a-lite electric fans are recommended for HD use. I used a Flex-a-lite flex blade with no clutch on my 1/2 ton for towing... it brought the temps under control. It's been a while but think it went to a 6 blade. I didn't notice any MPG difference. With my C30, 454 gas & etc, the only thing that mattered was the AC.

Just a thought... how they set up the alignment... devises on the outside of the rims. Wider rims & greater offset puts the alignment laser further out from the ball joints where the action is. As the tie rod ends swing through their ark, the alignment is supposed to shift. With the offset rims the percent of change changes. You've changed the lever on one side but not the other. So is the greater wheel track messing with the toe in. I don't know the answer but maybe someone here does?

I think the 4 wheel alignment on our trucks would check frame straightness, wear on the rear spring bushings, axles on the springs w/o shifting. I've followed trucks down the road where the rear was not tracking behind the front... stock work trucks, not lifted.

Did you get a 4 wheel alignment? What are you running for tire pressure? If you spred the sidewalls wider with wider rims, are you gettng the correct footprint on the ground?

I found a fuse that came on with the key in the fuse panel by the driver's door.

There should be possibly 2 wires from the front... one from a brake controler (not included but the harness plug in for it is above the ebrake mech.) The other would be a battery to the trailer. Some trailer harnesses include a ground & some do not.

Steering box lash? Cracked steering box mount?

Hi Again,With the recent monsoons... Sheila was in the camper during the rain. Water did again get into the gutter, but drained out without building up. Except that there seemed to be leakage at the seam in the gutter where the oval joined... she thought maybe around the screws as well.What the heck is going on?