1988 Bronco II Virginia Trail Build

[bobbywalter]

"vehicle is still 33 years old, so axles, transfer case, wiring, interior, that type of stuff is still junk but I don't think it'll be on the road much longer, getting ready to get rid of it, tired of dealing with the worn out front end even after several thousand dollars in front end work, its still horrible to drive on the highway, it wanders all over the place after a few weeks having the front end work done, its right back to how it was before."







I will take it bill ....you can have that powertrain too

 

[bobbywalter]

Fan is wired up under the hood, and now to make and run the power supply harness into the cabin. Waiting on a few components but plan to run wire this weekend. Slowly but surely plugging away to get this thing on the road!

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Nice wire management

One step at a time

 

[wildbill23c]

"vehicle is still 33 years old, so axles, transfer case, wiring, interior, that type of stuff is still junk but I don't think it'll be on the road much longer, getting ready to get rid of it, tired of dealing with the worn out front end even after several thousand dollars in front end work, its still horrible to drive on the highway, it wanders all over the place after a few weeks having the front end work done, its right back to how it was before."







I will take it bill ....you can have that powertrain too

I don't want it either. Yet apparently there are people dumb enough to be paying $6k+ for them as the values keep going up LOL.

Just noticed both front wheels are sitting at angles again, apparently the camber is screwed up on it once again.

 

[bobbywalter]

I don't want it either. Yet apparently there are people dumb enough to be paying $6k+ for them as the values keep going up LOL.

Just noticed both front wheels are sitting at angles again, apparently the camber is screwed up on it once again.

Ya know. That's why they have a bad rap.

Once you learn how to tweak them your golden. If you can't do that shit yourself...it's almost always a costly pia.

If it's destroying tires rapidly that is one thing ...if it's not eating up tires...then when it's rolling under load it's actually Setting itself in the place it wants to be. And at rest the coils are just clapped.

Often people get talked into variable rate coils.....and for ttb...unless they are already well worn...that is a bad idea....unless you opted for lifetime alignments.

They don't handle right....with it floppy right where the arc in the transition is greatest ....


I don't know how many times I swapped in single rates for people that were about to junk the truck....and we're more then happy to live with the harsher ride once the truck drove what I consider normal.


Of course .... My axles on my trucks are from the 60,s and 70,s and the bronco is drums all around still. With captain cavepig suspension technology...

Extremely cost effective for daily use.

 

[wildbill23c]

Ya know. That's why they have a bad rap.

Once you learn how to tweak them your golden. If you can't do that shit yourself...it's almost always a costly pia.

If it's destroying tires rapidly that is one thing ...if it's not eating up tires...then when it's rolling under load it's actually Setting itself in the place it wants to be. And at rest the coils are just clapped.

Often people get talked into variable rate coils.....and for ttb...unless they are already well worn...that is a bad idea....unless you opted for lifetime alignments.

They don't handle right....with it floppy right where the arc in the transition is greatest ....


I don't know how many times I swapped in single rates for people that were about to junk the truck....and we're more then happy to live with the harsher ride once the truck drove what I consider normal.


Of course .... My axles on my trucks are from the 60,s and 70,s and the bronco is drums all around still. With captain cavepig suspension technology...

Extremely cost effective for daily use.

Hmm, seems like it could be the coils and/or that TTB pivot that's worn. Interesting, I'll have to check that stuff out when better weather hits. Never thought about that, always thought those issues were camber problems due to worn camber bushings. Although here lately I've not been the least impressed by the local tire shops, so I guess its time I learn this stuff myself.

I don't really notice it chewing up the tires, but there's times the camber looks way off then there's times it sitting where it looks just fine, so maybe it is just depending upon how its setting and nothing really wrong. Although the wandering is a totally different issue I'd think. Have to get into that stuff when the weather straightens out. My 87 Ranger has none of these issues...luckily, the downfall is its only 2WD, and my driveway is a mess, and most of the side roads are as well so I've been stuck in the Bronco 2 this past month, and my Explorer has been stuck in the shop waiting to hopefully get fixed somehow with a bad ABS control module...which is NLA.

 

[RumPunch]

Waiting on a relay panel to get this finished but needed my gauges and power source for the fan so I can start running the engine. Mostly mock up and wiring the gauges yesterday. Need to figure out how to mount the console, will be digging in the scrap bin at work this week. Also ran main power supply (4 ga) and ground into the cabin to divert supply to different needs. This console will be a busy place but it will be nice to have everything accessible.

 

[Uncle Gump]

My Tuffy console directions suggest drilling holes in the floor and using nuts and bolts for installing. I'm opting for rivetnuts. My wife let me pick out my own Christmas presents this year... I was delighted to see Santa had brought me and new heavy duty rivnut gun and a bag or three of inserts.

My electrical will be far less then what you have going into your command console... I'm still wondering exactly how I will bring the my wire bundle into it. I'm thinking I will bring it in from the dash on top of the carpet for now... maybe go underneath when I install new vinyl flooring. I guess it will depend on how thick it is. What are your plans?

 

[RumPunch]

2 4 gauge wires brought in through rubber grommets in the firewall just below the heater box. Came in just to the right of the tunnel and ran under the carpet to the right of the shift console( I will get pics tonight). I am connecting the positive to a bus bar and negative to the fuse panel directly. I am adding a cooling fan in the console as well. The positive will get distributed to the fuse panel, relay panel, as well as the rear (10 ga +/-) for a pair of switches for rear lights, air compressor, and 12V supply ports. There will be a 30 Amp circuit breaker in the rear for the compressor the other components will be separately fused/controlled by relays. Up front I am planning, fog lights, fan override, roof lights (front), roof lights (side), interior lights, manual reverse lights, and possible spare. The rear will be interior lights and a spare switch unless I add reverse lights to that as well. Compressor will be on a heavy duty throw switch, with pressure switch in the circuit or possibly just a blow off valve.

The Rivnuts is a good idea. I may use those for fastening the console down, I like that idea. My goal is to be able to disconnect 2-4 wires from the console and remove it for any service need. Did not want the thing permanently forever fastened with 8000 wires going into it.. I will probably add the winch controller into it just to keep it neat.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Well it sounds like you have a plan... that's gonna be a busy box for sure. I'm from Detroit... I need arm armrest for the Detroit Lean... lol.

I need to sit down and draw up a schematic and see what all I'm going to need. I'm going to try and keep anything high current under the hood (old school off road lights) and the console for the lower current work.

 

[RumPunch]

I should have drawn mine out first to keep from ordering/returning stuff. I just jump at an opportunity to work on the thing so its usually last minute and ends in not having what I need when I need it. That is not a bad idea though! I do like an arm rest but maybe I can fab something up if I decide I need it. Your box has one correct?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yes... I bought a Tuffy 23-01. 6 1/2 inch wide... I thought the 8 inch was going to be to tight.

It's really a console more then a switch box/electrical center like yours.

My current plan it to use a switch box like the one I put in the Ranger but with 6 switches. They're heavy duty enough to run LED lighting without any relays.

Amazon.com: 6-Gang 12V Rocker Switch Box [40 Amp Max.] [12 AWG Wires][12 Volt DC] SPST On/Off Rocker Toggle Switch Panel Box for Auto Automotive Lights Car Marine Boat Truck Vehicles & More : Automotive

 

[ecgreen]

Waiting on a relay panel to get this finished but needed my gauges and power source for the fan so I can start running the engine. Mostly mock up and wiring the gauges yesterday. Need to figure out how to mount the console, will be digging in the scrap bin at work this week. Also ran main power supply (4 ga) and ground into the cabin to divert supply to different needs. This console will be a busy place but it will be nice to have everything accessible.



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Your my hero...that is so freekin cool

 

[RumPunch]

Thanks @ecgreen I honestly felt the same about your truck lol. And @Uncle Gump here is the power supply coming in. Take in mind these are not secured or connected so it is fairly rough routing and placement.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Weather pac's... pass through grommet's... braided wire sleeve... heat shrink... etc... All of it says it isn't your first rodeo and it sure looks like you have a good plan.

I had never used the braided sleeve loom... I always used convoluted tubing. But I bought an assortment of sizes to use on my project. A little weird when I first started but didn't take much to get the hang of working with it. I pre built my gauge harness using it...

I also have a pair of these grommets that I plan to use to get my wire bundle(s) through the firewall. Pretty slick for moving a larger bundle...

Amazon.com: Universal Firewall Boot Pack of 2, For Wire Bundles 3/8" to 1", Quick & Easy Grommet for Running Cable Through Firewalls & Bulkheads Safely, Compatible with Any Vehicle : Automotive

 

[RumPunch]

Those are pretty neat! Never seen them before. Amazon is amazing is it not...? And I was just about to post a question about gauges/sending units. Where should I post that Gump? Which forum? The gauges and harness you have look nice as well! And first time really wiring my own vehicle sorta but plenty of experience with major harness repair, diagnostics, and building on large equipment...

Wiring harness replacement and repair have been in my life for a long time Most the time combine harnesses just burnt up and you had to splice them back together. This was YEARS ago. Quite a few service trucks back as well..