i'm calm now... questions regarding saginaw steering lash

what's so wrong with the wiring? my stuff under the dash looks about the same... but after that it all goes into loom until it gets to where it's supposed to be

 

Yeah, the wiring always looks bad and overwhelming when you look at it all at once. Just trace through the circuits one by one. When everything works, fix any cheesy connections and lace it up with tape or tie-wraps.

 

fortunately i have the original wiring diagrams for this year and model.

but frame and steering first.

 

figured out that the slop is the cumulative effect of all the bizaar links that the po put in to match to the bellcrank.

and your right it's going.

 

thanks warloch. i really appreciate the help. i took look at them and they help. is there any problem with you going through the front member with the steering like that?

ok, first i got rid of abut 50-75% of the lag by tightening the end cap on what used to be the draglink. i tightened all the way and then backed off about 1/2 - 3/4 turn. it's now driveable. but i am driving it only around the block to check stuff out and then to a welding shop. then all that crap gets stripped off!

i have decided to take it a welding shop i know in town. the owner is exnavy and is still called out by the navy to do under water welding. he also does a lot of work for heavy equip as well as roll cages etc for racing.

i figure he will ba able to repair the damage from the po. and give me a frame that i can rely on for the street/highway and for offroad. i do NOT intend to get extreme the way i think some of you all do. just nice "old fashioned 4x4 wheeling in the mountains and desert.


i have included some pics so you all can see the compromised part of the frame. any ideas i can offer the welder from your experience would be appreciated. and i want to thank you for all the advice so far.

i have a line on a salvaged late model jeep (98 i think) and thought i might take the steering train from it. with/out the airbag of course.

advice on that plan?

the saginaw i have will be sold to a guy who rebuilds them since it's a "not too great of version"

someone here mentioned that i might as well move the crossmember and the radiator forward. why?

the po also took out the emissions air pump and the air injection manifold. and plugged the ports on the exhaust mani with bolts.

 

actually i was thinking of going to smaller tires. i like the stability and i agree with the trail feel. but i have to take it as i can afford it. i don't know what i could sell the wheels and tires i have on it now for.