Oldie2007 - The Little Big Red Readers Digest Renovation, Revival, and Restoration Thread.

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And THANKS Brandon!

 

Hell yeah man, looks great!

 

Looks great Kurt

 

Nice work Kurt, looks great!

 

Thanks guys!

 

Phase 20 update after a few rides. It MAY have lowered the front by a 1/4" or so, but the weight REALLY improved the ride quality up front. The lifted shocks/spacers were a little harsh compared to my OEM replacements, but having this guard on really made a noticeable difference. The rolly polly 130 section down here is smooth now, and high speed highway curves feel a LOT less tipsy. Like the difference between having nothing in the back, and a little load, except it's on the steering end - so better!

 

Awesome I’m happy to hear this Kurt.

 

Me too! I was quite surprised on the trip to COTA last week. Around town, I thought, "this is better", but I had no idea how much improvement I would see on the road!

 

A Phase in the Life of Little Big Red. Today was finally the day. Was supposed to be a week ago, cruising into C&C at COTA. But life says, it's a return trip from the recycling center. Yes, it's 200K day today!

Ready?


GO!


Sticker it!

 

I need a hundred k sticker

 

Order it in FB!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Kurt!!

 

Thanks man - must have missed this notice!
Oh - no tag! I get it. I'll be back in here soon I hope. Have some simple things that won't get me in trouble.

 

One of the Last Seven EZ Downs! - Phase Twenty One; Slow Down There, Tail Gate!

This was going to be part of a bigger project, but the weather and time I had said otherwise. This has far more detail than needed - the instructions are great, easy to do, and works just fine. This is one of the last 7 Red Line Tuning will make - it's had it's production run. I found one for less on Amazon, but it sure looks cheap and flimsy. So, off we go with the little tailgate hydraulic!

Here is everything in one skinny little tube.



It was easier to just remove the Torx that holds the cable than slip the cable over it, so I did.


Then, the new stud is used to fasten over the original clip.


Cable goes over the new stud - there is a nice groove for it.


And a rubber insert is used on the cable to keep it from slipping off.


And a retaining C clip finishes it off.


Top half done, on to the tail gate. Remove the "top" Torx.


Install the new bracket flush with the gate hinge, and re-install the Torx.


Slide the bottom of the damper over the stud on the bracket, put the retaining clip on - that's it!


While I was here, I remembered the anti-meth head clamp!


And I read somewhere in TW on the subject, a couple tie-wrap heads will force the cable "outside", and keep it from chafing. So, I did.


And, that is that. I have some more phases pending in the garage, and will get after them as me and the weather agree. I did cut down all the frozen stuff in back, so I should be done out there, until the wife invents another chore for me.

As always, But Wait, There's More!

 

2013 Tails are New to Me! - Phase Twenty Two; More LED, More Cowbell!

LEDs are the rock and roll Cowbell of trucks, I am quite sure! I recently discovered that my tail lights didn't match (the HORROR!), and the one I liked better of the two (Drivers), had a broken bracket at the bottom. I was simply going to replace that. Note on the top and bottom sections of the right - you can see more red tint than the one on the left. Here is what they looked like;

And my driver side had a broken bracket at the bottom since I got it. (to the right of the white mark)

If I bought the ones that I liked better (the driver side), I would have to buy a pair. So, I bought ONE of that one on the right. Naturally, @hoverlover popped up with his '13 set, and @BassAckwards confirmed they would work. (Now, I have a pair of rose tinted tail lights to sell! And I DID already!) Anyway, what goes in is this nice looking stuff with the center LED ring....

So remove the old, load my current LED turn and LED back-up into the housings


Naturally, one of my new ones has lost a speed nut somewhere, but the sacrificial old one has a spare!


Great, after 3 years, they will have all their bolts! So quick check before doing said bolts! Sparkly!


Let's bolt 'em in - all the holes get a bolt now! Let's see how they looks! BONUS! Red interior is a great match to the Impulse Red!


That's going to be a great DRL, and BONUS side marker I didn't have!

I think they will be bright come dark! (Tail)

(Tail Brake)

(Tail/Signal)

(Tail/Reverse)


Oh, yeah - I think this is going to work. Only the CHMSL is OEM now. This was going to be the same day and phase as the tail gate drop, but what the heck. I got more things a brewing, so, as always;
But Wait, There's More!

 

Those look nice.

 

Too Many Damn Satellites - Phase Six Update; My Sirius/XM is Dropping Out Like Crazy!

A few months back, I started noticing some dead spots around town, where I would lose my signal - nothing serious, like going under a big bridge mostly. Then a couple weeks ago, on a road trip to San Antonio, I was getting drops all the way down and back, and they varied greatly from long to short, losing info on screen and not. Like the antenna wire had come loose. I was going to take it in to the shop that did it, but chasing ghosts can be an expensive thing, even if I'm taking advantage of my "lifetime warranty", I might lose a little good will.
I looked up the antenna, and it comes with a plug, so while it's possible to come loose, that's not the kind of "intermittent" that a loose terminal wire would give. Also, the antenna itself was mounted inside the cab, next to the passenger side door pillar. All my old ones were on the roof, but JR said it worked (and it did for two years), and his customers wanted them inside because they got stolen, or lost in a car wash. I pried it loose from the dash, verified it was magnetic, pulled it about 6" towards the middle, and took a test drive. Ah ha. Different dead zones, and fewer too. So, follow along as it goes to the roof!




Behind the stereo somewhere, is the XM receiver; separate from the actual head unit. I pulled the glove box, and could not get to the end of the wire from that end, so I would have to pull the center - and I've never done that. What can go wrong? Nah, not a thing. First, you have to pull the AC/Fan control panel (note it's ugly, and remember).




Well, I can't find that XM device in there at all, which means either I take the console and dash apart, or I figure out where my wiring might be. The antenna wire doesn't want to pull from the head unit area, so maybe it's somewhere under the dash? I pull and tug around the glove box, and like a very messy treasure - out comes the mess of extra wiring (because it comes with a LONG cord)! So, I don't need to go behind the stereo, just either route it up the pillar, or some other method to get out the door, and up to the roof. It's only two bolts to remove the pillar cover, so off it comes for research anyway.


Does this have enough wire to get to the center front of the roof? IT DOES! (as it should have).

So, my replacement windshield does not have enough trim on the edges to capture the wire, but it does leave me a channel to work with. For today, it's fastened with black electrical tape across the top, and down the side. I just got a roll of 3M Mastic to fasten it long term.



I thought I would come in the top of the cab, then down the pillar, but the wire would be exposed on the outside of the pillar. So, I found a new route.



I will clean up a final on the red tape, and probably black tape the wire over the gasket, because I don't have an "end" to work with.


This is what is left to clean up, which you can see I hired some old guy to come in and wrap that up, and he dumped it down into the kick panel.




I wrapped up the Maestro adapter to keep it from rattling around (I needed that space it seems, but I know how to do it now), and stuffed the head unit back in.


Remember I said that AC panel was funky? Well, I couldn't fix the bezels, but I made the panel a little nicer while it was out!




Alright, that looks a little nicer; and a quick trip downtown and back and NOT ONE drop out. Science and ground planes win again! So, it's just an upgrade, but it's a good one that works. I got the Mastic today, so when the sun comes back out, I will fasten down that wire, and clean up my tape work.

AND, But Wait, There's More!

 

Well, it was Supposed to be a Part of - Phase Twenty Two - so, it's 22B the CHMSL!

You know the tail lights were going one way, then went another, then the timing changed, so I added the CHMSL to my Christmas list, and my son got if for me! So, really all a part of one project, and I mean REALLY; TWO SCREWS? Still, going to milk everything I can out of the replacement of the very last OEM exterior light fitting! So, here goes.

The OEM CHMSL was a little worn and brittle, as we found when we replaced the lamps with LED lamps. Had to be a little on the gentle side to keep from breaking the sockets. Plastic all a bit worn.

3 LED, not great, but works.


OK, old one off, behind the shiny new one!


didn't like how it lined up with the body, so a little mastic gasket


So new one on, and the one with the LEDs on, the sun came out. Looks great. You can take my word for it.



That was fun and quick. Remember....
But wait! There's more!

 

The First "I Changed My Mind, Going to Do Something Else" - Phase Twenty UNDO - Bye Bumper Guard!

I liked it, I really did! I didn't think I would, but it changed my mind after it went on. But one thing I wanted down the road was a winch - and I got a used one (that I have since traded off for a price to be named later). And what I found that there was simply no good way of combining this particular guard with any decent looking winch holder and winch without spending a bunch.....

But, as they say, fate takes her course. I have a new plan to be named soon, as I get to take advantage of some other used materials. It will be different, that's for sure. And I helped a friend move along his path a little.

What I didn't like was getting all the wrong tools out every time I got down on the ground to get the work done. Because I don't get up so well! But, off we go. Use the jacks for support, undo the fronts, take 2 of the 3 bottom mounting bolts out, pivot down on the last, then finish!









And I took off the last of the Christmas wrap, and that's that. And coming soon....
But Wait! There's more!

 

Things That Go Bump, and the Lights! - Phase Twenty Three; New to Me Bumper and Winch Mod! (Part I)

Alright, now this one's all MODDY, for sure. Thanks to my bud @MattCowsmasher, I got a good new to me deal on his DV8/E-Bay bumper, with LED spots and LED light bar, and the 9500# Smittybilt XRC winch, with synthetic line. And thanks to him, and @Beretta4x4 , and minimal supervision and beers from me, we got it installed last Friday up at Matts, and I have been finishing out little details this week. I am really quite excited about this change, because the winch is something I have wanted to really make the capabilities of Little Big Red pretty much complete for me. A winch was not going to go nicely with the brush guard, hence this package swap.
Here's the bumper, and the details at home will be Part II

First off, check out this crew! Top notch installers, my friends.


Next up, LBR has to get nekkid in front. So, not to worry, been here before.






The heavy stuff awaits, and on it goes.






With the actual bumper done, down under for the valence, which actually took longer to do (and eliminated my old TTC OEM skid plate);




And that wrapped it up, so cue up the "WAHHHHH" music and lights;

Matt got a better pic!


And all that's left is a BIG THANKS for the guys!


And in this case, you won't have to wait long for Part II, the ugly details of me finishing up. Sleep aid? Sure!
But, WAIT, There's More!