84 Crewcab...AKA..Patches

Took some pics of the primer and paint...but pics didn't come through on the camera. Anyway once I smoothed the body filler I gave it a couple coats of sandable primer, then two more coats of satin black paint.

Now the fun part....

You will need to remove your interior door panels so you can unplug the power mirror connection. Once that is done remove the lower screw on the side cover and move the cover up out of the way.



I first thought I could leave the bracket in place, but the wiring for the mirror is bolted to the frame on the back side...bolt is 8mm. The main bracket, and mirror are held on with three 10mm nuts.



The bolts for the clamp are 8mm as well.

Once the assembly is off the truck take the time to clean the paint under neath...then give it a wax as well. ;) But before you start assembling the new unit you need to get a couple pieces off.

Remove the wiring pins from the plug. Use a small jewelers screw driver to pop out the keeper..mine was yellow...then use the same small screwdriver to lift the tabs on each of the pins and pull them out.



Once the wiring is free remove the plastic shaft liner, and the main chrome body cover.

Then slide the plastic sleeve over the bottom of the arm, and makes sure you bracket is on good shape. There is a small ridge at the bottom of the area the arm sits in....the new arm will hit that and not slide down.



Then install on the truck....



I left the two 8mm bolts just snugged up...so I could adjust the mirror arm easier.

 
Then I cleaned up the stainless bolts, washers and nylon spacers from the tow mirrors. Gave the mirrors a quick cleaning....and installed. Don't forget the never seize on the bolts. ;)

And all done....











I'm quite happy with the way it turned out, I have much better visibility now. :)
 
You make me regret the holes in my door. I didn't put them there, but this is way cleaner.. How does it do at highway speed? I assume just fine, but does the holey tripod help stabilize it at all? The tripod can't be worth the extra rust potential.
 
Another project well done. :clap:

The only thing I might have done different is trying to use stainless so that I could buff it to a chrome-like finish. :hmmm:
 
TheIronSausage said:
You make me regret the holes in my door. I didn't put them there, but this is way cleaner.. How does it do at highway speed? I assume just fine, but does the holey tripod help stabilize it at all? The tripod can't be worth the extra rust potential.
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Haven't had a chance to get out on the Hwy yet...can't see it being any different? But will update when I head to work.

68R/T said:
Another project well done. :clap:

The only thing I might have done different is trying to use stainless so that I could buff it to a chrome-like finish. :hmmm:
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Thanks 68!

I looked and looked for aftermarket aluminum, or stainless replacement arms for the tow mirrors....found some shorty ones, 3-5", but needed a longer one. Don't have the equipment ot weld stainless properly, not bend stainless rod. So this will have to do for now. ;)
 
By the way, I didn't mean to diminish what you did.. They look great. and I certainly wouldn't have thought to do it..
 
thrashingcows said:
Don't have the equipment to weld stainless properly, not bend stainless rod. So this will have to do for now. ;)
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I have a torch set, so bending is simple. And for welding, all I have is a Lincoln 225 stick welder. For welding stainless, just use stainless rods.

Give me a torch, hacksaw and a welder and I can make anything. :toot:
 
Another job well done! Looks awesome. Can you adjust the tension on the pivots? I'm just wondering if the wind at speed will move them.
 
Yes you can tighten them up and they don't move!

BTW...Got on the Hwy to and from work last week...mirrors don't rattle or shake at all. Actually I think they are more stable then the old OEM power units.
wink.gif
 
Well I have been wanting a canopy of some sort for the crewcab. Did not really want a solid/hard shell unit, but what else was there....well one day I happened across a Tacoma with a canopy called a Softopper. So I searched to their website and knew this is what I was looking for. So finally a week or so ago I ordered one up...with the wife's blessing....Thanks Hon! ;)

Picked it up last Sunday, and took about 90 min to install it.

Pics...













 
Their claims of folding and unfolding it in under 5 minutes is true. I was helping my Mother move on Sunday, and this worked great. All the small boxes and stuff inside the canopy for the first load, then the second load was big mattresses and furniture etc. So I just folded it forward and had a box with 90% of it's previous room!









Couldn't be happier!
 
Every time I see pictures of your truck it makes me think of this song.........:toot:

[video=youtube;c1zJzr-kWsI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zJzr-kWsI[/video]
 
Pulled out the electric fans, and Put on my new Hayden clutch fan the Mr Ragu mentioned in his Fluidampr install, (over on the DTR), since it should clear things better.....which it surely does!

Well I have to say I'm not impressed with it. I may as well be running a fixed fan....the thing howls from about 1200 RPM and up. Started right screaming right from cold start up, all the way to work. And I have a 10 min drive on the Hwy too...so lots of time for it to get up to operating temperature, and hot. Not once did the tone change for the screaming fan.

Guess the old OEM ones goes back on, and will continue to "ting, ting, ting" on my fluidampr at higher Rpm's.
 
After converting to HB on Ol' Patches I had noticed that the fluid has a heck of a lot hotter then it used to be when it was just running through the PS box.

So I decided I wanted to put some sort of fluid cooler on it. Lots of after market products available, but Being the cheap bugger I am I went to the wrecker and crawled around all kinds of vehicle until I found a cooler on a early 2000-ish Dodge mini van I thought might work...$15! The cooler is for the Crack and Peanut steering system, and is mounted in the sub frame under the front floor boards of the mini van.

I have had this for a couple months and from time to time I would try and find a place to mount it. Well I finally came up with a spot I was happy with, so I got it installed the other day.

I first had to drill out the lower mounting point....used my step drill to take it out to about 5/8 I guess?



Then I removed the upper bolt for the PS/Vacuum pump unit, and installed the cooler there.





Then plumbed it up. I did find that it was easier to install the hoses with the cooler removed. I put on about 12" pieces of 3/8" PS hose, and then re-installed the cooler.

 
Obviously you will have to bleed/prime the PS system again. I jacked up the front end and turn the wheels back and forth with the engine off...SLOWLY...for about 10 cycles (LH to RH and back).

Only issue I had was I changed the orientation of the Hydroboost fluid flow. It used to be the side line on the "T" connection and would come in on the straight line from teh PS box...so I guess the fluid flow was reduced?

Anyway since I had to re-plumb everything on the return line circuit it was easier to have the fluid flow straight through and have the PS box coming in from the side. What this did was lower my brake pedal and cause my brake lights to stay on.

Now when I shut the motor off, and loose Hyd pressure, the brake pedal actually rises. I just re-adjusted the brake light switch and all is well.

I just got back from a 24 hours run...1000+ miles and the cooler works great....even better then I had hoped to be honest. The lines are now only warm, hot screaming hot to the touch. ;)
 
Keep an eye on that cooler cow. I have replaced a ton of those. They crack where the tubes are attached to the fins! I don't know if its a design issue or if something hits them because of their original location under the van. It is available new through the aftermarket for around $15.00 if I remember correctly. The aftermarket replacement doesn't have the mounting bracket though.

Great idea Cow. I just want you to be aware of what I have seen.
 
Stretch said:
Keep an eye on that cooler cow. I have replaced a ton of those. They crack where the tubes are attached to the fins! I don't know if its a design issue or if something hits them because of their original location under the van. It is available new through the aftermarket for around $15.00 if I remember correctly. The aftermarket replacement doesn't have the mounting bracket though.

Great idea Cow. I just want you to be aware of what I have seen.
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Good info...thanks for the heads up!
 
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