atxMatt

Last week I picked up a 1989 V6. Former ranch truck. We will keep using it as a ranch truck, but I do want to make it a bit nicer. On the exterior, it is generally all good and some bondo and RaptorLiner will sort that all out. The interior is shot, which I can handle. The mechanicals are where I need help, fast.



Lots of weird stuff and half done repairs. It runs great, idles a bit high and runs a bit rich (or has an exhaust leak). Straight out of Africa, it has a cardboard MAF gasket!


Africa style cardboard MAF gasket.



Going to start with the suspension/steering and brakes.

Brakes: Well is has them. Not great. No stopping till the bottom of the stroke. MC looks bad. rear LPV is jacked up looking. I have not taken the wheels off yet, but rotors don't look too bad. Obviously will check front pads as well.

First order of business - MC and a bleed. You guys tell me what do to with this LPV. It just looks like the boot is shot, but don't know why it even has one at the bottom. Start with the MC and a flush, if it bleeds fine and pedal function is there, just check pads and move on? 4 bolt 1" MC, right?

Nasty LPV

Rough MC

After the brakes, what the heck should I do about the underside of this truck? So much west texas dust and mud caked on. I have not gotten it over to the $.25 car wash to get the power washer on it, but need to. Not sure how quick this stuff will come off. It was a southern cali/TX car it's whole life, but no idea if somebody was using it as a beach truck.

For the suspension, it offroads just fine (creaks a bit at the hard edges), but the steering stabilizer is shot. A couple ball joint boots are a tiny bit cracked, so some stuff to swap out. Shocks are all 2yo, low miles.


The Steering box seems to leak, but the PO said he always thought it looked like it leaked but also Never (in his 2 yrs) had to add any PS fluid. Not sure what to do about it. Like i said, it handles highway and low and slow crawling just fine.



So I welcome any advice or feedback. Do I just proactively tackle all the steering bits (stabilizer, U/L BJ, Tier-od Ends, Idler Arm, Pitman Arm)? if so, brands? Moog/TRQ/Autozone (not a crazy offroad rig, but some light trail use, gravel, and highway)? Then see what still sounds/feels off and address that?

I'm going to have to start another thread of just crazy ass electric. At some point it was owned by a teen boy who decided to do all sorts of stereo additions. I've counted at least 5 PAIRS of speakers (or dead speaker lines) into doors, dash, rear panels, etc. Add to that 5 random switches on the dash (and only one light bar still around). Signs of an alarm and some scketch trailer plug work. Going to need help figuring out what I can delete vs what was OEM and needs to stay. But again, another post!