Thermostat question - I currently have the stock system with an OEM gray thermo. It's been working great, no complaints, over the last 3-4 years. Now that we're in summer, idling at a stop light will typically push temps to 199. It oscillates between 195-199. Once I start driving temps fall back down to the usual 188. Will this mod prevent the stopped 199 peaks or should I expect those to remain?

 

Unless the thermostat is stuck closed or partially closed, it has no effect on max temps.

Once the thermostat is open, temps are a matter of the cooling capability of the radiator (presuming the water pump is moving coolant), and at idle, the fan and the viscous fan clutch.

The temps you report are similar to my truck, and are just fine. Very normal. I replaced the fan clutch just a few years ago when the water pump failed and had to be replaced. Remember too, that the auxiliary fan doesn't start running until the coolant temp reaches 212°F.

 

Aye, shoot, rookie move and posted this in the wrong thread. Meant to drop it in the Extinct thermostat thread haha. Anyway, thanks for figuring out what I was referring to and answering the question.

 

Sounds like your factory design stat is beginning to suffer from the bypass bleed through. An inline thermostat will definitely lower both your idle and you highway temperatures, typically by 10 degrees but maybe more if you run the 170 (won't throw a code in a 99-02 truck). It may still be prone to temperature creep at idle depending on your fan clutch and fan installed. Lifetime warranty on all of it, so send it back if you are not happy and I will refund the kit cost and the shipping. BTW Aux fan comes on immediately if the AC is on, as I would expect it to be in the summer months.

 

I got an air grease gun. It makes greasing the drive shafts so much easier. The grease is pushed through in pulses with high pressure which results in faster and better greasing. With the hand grease gun I had to pump forever until grease came out at all four needle bearings.

 

How boujie!

 

I installed the beefy track rod and drag link from Terrafirma and an OME steering damper. Checked the steering alignment. The steering wheel needed some centering but the toe didn't need any adjustment.

 

Can you explain how that is checking the toe-in please?

 

@mollusc The idea is to measure the distance between two bars attached to the front wheels. I used the caliper to make sure that the bars are correctly aligned with the rims and not something else. The pictures don't show the complete setup and measurement of distance of the two bars at the ends. I should have taken more pictures of that to make that clear.

 

Okay, that's the method that I use except for the depth check that you did.