Dumb previous owners
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 470
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Dumb previous owners
So since I've had my truck its had an auxilary horn switch, hard wired from the solenoid to the switch to the horn. This scared the crap out of me so I unhooked it. Well for Christmas I got a Grant steering wheel so I replaced the old one, the previous owner did the above mod because the inside of the steering wheel was dirty!! So I hooked up the horn the way it was supposed to be, re-connected the cut wiring and pulled out the fire waiting to happen. Can you believe the stupidity?
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
Of course. My previous owner told me I just hold the gas to the floor when I start the truck but at times it's hard to start. Little did he know all you had to do was pump it a few times and it will fire every time.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Davison, Mi.
LOL. Good point. Makes you wonder if someone has thought none to highly of some of the mods you've made.
I can guarantee someone has.
Though two "fixes" are just plain dumb, the above mentioned complete rewiring of the horn when one easily repaired item is all that's wrong. And doing the same to electric fans. Probably way easier and cheaper to just change or repair the defective component.
My California 87 Mustang had both.
I fixed the horn but I can live with the fan setup for now. The horn fix cost me nothing.
I can guarantee someone has.
Though two "fixes" are just plain dumb, the above mentioned complete rewiring of the horn when one easily repaired item is all that's wrong. And doing the same to electric fans. Probably way easier and cheaper to just change or repair the defective component.
My California 87 Mustang had both.
I fixed the horn but I can live with the fan setup for now. The horn fix cost me nothing.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,326
Likes: 48
From: Middle TN
When I buy an old truck the first thing I do is pull out all the added wiring. It's a fire hazard for sure. Then I repair anything that doesn't work. Most of the time it is dirty connections or loose ground.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: southwest WA
Mine had the same fix as well. But the horn didn't work because the horn bar was screwed up. But my truck is an electrical nightmare. Every time something went wrong, he just spliced in some new wire and called it good. My favorite was I guess the horn quit working, he tried to fix it by pulling the column apart. When he couldn't figure out how to get the harness out, he cut it at the top AND bottom. Why? I don't know. At the time, I couldn't afford a new one so I rebuilt mine properly with solder and shrink tube. What a PITA. And there are all sorts of fixes like that all over the truck. I agree PO's suck.
PS: He was the original owner and was about 95. He sold it because they took his license.
PPS: You would think someone that old would have wanted to do stuff right.
PS: He was the original owner and was about 95. He sold it because they took his license.
PPS: You would think someone that old would have wanted to do stuff right.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
PPS: You would think someone that old would have wanted to do stuff right.
Problem with that is, that everyone was young and stupid once, and some never grow up, just grow old.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 968
From: Near Yosemite CA
I Did start doing things better/smarter, ,,,, I think!
Actually, the guy I sold my 99 4x/CC to, was blown away with all the stuff I had for him, I use the extra checkbook registers I get for my trucks, so I can write date/mileage and what was done, (I do fill-ups also when I am tracking something, or on a trip) and had all the info of stuff done for him, he was jazzed.
So I felt like a good PO,,,
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 32
From: southwest pa
the previous owner of my truck was a low budget fire company in the middle of nowhere. there was lots of stuff they needed that they had to add to the truck. it was probably done by someone who could make it work. god the wiring in that truck was a nightmare. cost alot of money to fix it. i should have just rewired it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 1
From: Goliad, Texas
yeah, my previous owner took the F100 Custom badges off the truck and patched the holes with bondo. then instead of taking the original radio out he put the radio in the glovebox.....I don't mind this so much cause it keeps it out of the eyes of people with sticky fingers.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: southwest WA
I like to think I do stuff right. If possible I buy OE parts, wire things correctly, I don't just JB weld things and call it good, ect.
Id prolly be a good PO... If I ever sold
As far as Im concerned, blue is here to stay. Others have come and go and some will prolly come and go in the future but Im way to attached to let this one go. Is that a bad thing?
Id prolly be a good PO... If I ever sold
As far as Im concerned, blue is here to stay. Others have come and go and some will prolly come and go in the future but Im way to attached to let this one go. Is that a bad thing?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
From: Clermont county, Ohio
How 'bout this one. Someone gave them a bedliner for the truck, only problem was it was for a Cheby. Solution, cut the sides out of the bedliner. Doing this, the bedliner presumable would not stay put so they threw a bed mat in there and for extra insurance shot the perimeter full of inch and a half long quarter inch sheet metal screws. It litteraly had stuff growing underneath the mat and liner!
judging by the paint it was a good bed before, now the center is rusted so bad I have to plan where I put things to make sure they are still there when I arrive.
judging by the paint it was a good bed before, now the center is rusted so bad I have to plan where I put things to make sure they are still there when I arrive.