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Hooked up all the power steering hoses & lines today...pretty self-explanatory (I hope), as this was the only way I could get everything to fit & line up. I added some fuel lines to protect the steel lines, and some red heater hose over the return line to protect it from chafing/rubbing (2...

The throttle pedal return spring was connected to a tab that bolted into the old manual steering box...I didn't feel like drilling any more holes, so I welded the old tab to the new reinforcement bracket. Problem solved!

The tapered ball stud needed to be removed from the steering arm in order for the the new drag link to fit in. I struggled quite a bit trying to get the stupid thing out...it's a tapered fit, but after several minutes of hammering it with a 12-lb sledge, it wasn't budging at all. I heated it...

What Gimpy said; that would give it a good "L" shaped reinforcement to provide more rigidity & less sway when loading/unloading. Nice work! Keep us posted!

Back to the power steering install! A new 1-1/2" hole is required to be drilled for the steering box adjusting nut to clear; otherwise, the box will not sit flush against the frame. I picked up a hole saw from Lowe's for less than $12, and it worked perfectly. I had a cup of water handy to...

Sometime when the steering column & box were replaced before this truck was auctioned, the firewall was cut to (I assume) ease installation/maintenance of the steering column. I couldn't have this, it was bugging the crap out of me, so I straightened out the cut/bent portions and rewelded the...

Hi Tom, yes I will slide the reservoir down to clear the hood...as it is, it will clear, but I'll slide it down an inch or so to ensure that there won't be any issues. I've taken it out of the ring clamps to paint it, so when I remount it, it will sit just right. Removing the radiator makes...

More work on the power steering conversion today. Used my cutting torch to cut off the steering shaft, then I removed the air line from the air compressor in order to remove the steering box. My goal was to install as much as possible without having to disconnect/remove many of the engine...

Looks like the same bolt pattern & hub opening as my Chevy Kodiak 4500.

Thanks Joe! It sure is a heavy ba$tard, difficult to get assembled but it works quite well! I haven't load tested it but it handled all my scrap metal without a hitch...some of the scrap metal pieces were several hundred pounds in weight, the whole truck leans to the passenger's side now...I...

Thanks Dwight, I appreciate the kind & encouraging words! I hope to be done in time for Veteran's Day, as I was invited to join another group of MVs for the downtown Las Vegas parade. I'll be hitting things hard to try to get everything done in time for it.

Started removing parts for my power steering conversion; I bought one of M-35Tom's kits (Waterloo Specialties) and sourced a rebuilt steering box from Power-Steer in Dallas, TX. As always, removing the driver's side tire & fender assembly make things MUCH easier. I just installed fresh engine...

FINALLY got the dang crane finished...it dragged out much longer than I had hoped for, but at least it's done & done right. Got it wired up via the 12-volt Flaming River battery cut-off switch (ground wire) and a 40-amp automotive circuit breaker (positive wire near battery box). I soldered &...

Been working non-stop on the boom for my tailgate crane; having to grind off rust and scale definitely slows things down. The boom is mostly done now, just have a little bit of cleanup left and then it's ready to paint. I had a like-new Harbor Freight 8-ton engine lift hydraulic cylinder that...

Just do it one step at a time Mik, and she'll be done before you know it! It looks good all cleaned out, I'm happy that you finally got your house. Now that the weather is cooler, you should load up your family & take them out in your M109 camping somewhere for a weekend. Keep up the good work!

I have access to an area nearby; I'll PM you the info.

This is typically what I start a fabrication project with: rusty old steel I salvaged last year from my Grandfather's old farm...I spent nearly 2 years cleaning his old farm up in order to be able to sell it, and I salvaged several tons of used steel from there. I grind the rust off, then get...

Thanks fellas, I appreciate it! My fab work isn't pretty, but it's strong & it works. I've had to re-design this tailgate crane several times already, as each time I mocked it up I wasn't impressed so it was back to the old drawing board. But now it seems to be coming along just fine. I...

Got the spindle base for my tailgate crane bolted in today. I used 1/2-inch Grade 8 bolts, and I made some spacers out of 1/2-inch thick flat stock to help spread the clamping force underneath the C-channel bed reinforcement. I re-used the wheel seals, as they were both in excellent shape & I...

Got the reinforcements welded in place underneath the cargo bed. I used some leftover 4-inch steel C-channel that I recovered from my Grandfather's old farm, so of course it was extremely rusty. I ground all the rust off and notched the 4 pieces to fit underneath the cargo bed. I removed the...