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kishy's 1985 Country Squire

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    Alright. So if I use the power lock to lock the tailgate, it doesn't lock. It gets alllllllmost locked, but doesn't pull just that tiny little bit more that it needs, and won't engage. I think if I were to flip the power lock and manual lock rod connections it would give the actuator more leverage and work better, but I haven't studied it too close. The key consistently locks it every time, it's just a linkage geometry issue.

    Also, the window only occasionally works with the key, in either direction. Very irritating. I may apply power to the spare tailgate (I have a complete spare one) and see if it behaves better. I don't really want to put the mismatched tailgate on but having this work would be nice.

    I received one of my packages from China, and am pleased with what it is enabling me to do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzfY7e4UkCc

    Not implemented in the car yet, but soooooooooon...

    Current driver: Ranger
    Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
    | 88 TC | 91 GM
    Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
    Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
    | Junkyards

    Comment


      That is pretty cool. I never seen a wagon modified with those type of turn signals. I also like the back up light switching from clear to red.
      Hope the Made in China stuff is durable.

      Comment


        I despise working on the tailgate stuff. I had to do a hinge rebuild and latch adjustment on my 88 back when I was twenty and had more patience for such things. It's like throwing five dice on the ground and trying to get them all to read the same.

        LED's are nifty. I suppose one could do an amber/white switchback for those countries which require the amber turn signal.
        1990 Country Squire - weekend cruiser, next project
        1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - waiting in the wings

        GMN Box Panther History
        Box Panther Horsepower and Torque Ratings
        Box Panther Production Numbers

        Comment


          A handful of us have done sequential turn signals on Mercury sedans, because it's just such an obvious thing to do with those tail lights. That one guy did sequential front turn signals on his Ford wagon...I decided to do the rears instead. Of course, it all hinged on being able to get my hands on a red/white switchback LED bulb.

          This is my second attempt with this. The first set of red/white switchbacks I bought did not behave as desired; the white illuminated immediately but the red was delayed by just long enough that the sequencing did not look right. This second set of switchbacks behaves as desired (instant-on for both colours). Both the troublesome ones and these ones are advertised as being for 2015 and up Mustangs and the Chevy Volt (and similar sorts of vehicles) to enable you to mod them to have a rear fog light combined with the reverse light.

          These are the ones that do not behave as-desired: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32814612998.html and https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000041535899.html

          These are the ones that do behave as-desired: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000106102890.html
          I also have two other variants still in the mail because I got a little click-happy with the buy button. I will test them for suitability as well.

          Amber/white switchbacks are significantly more common so absolutely, if someone wanted an amber turn signal in the reverse light housing while retaining functioning reverse lights, that's a good way to do it.

          I think I'm going to hide a small incandescent bulb somewhere still wired into the brake light circuit, so my cruise control will work. Preferably I'd get some sort of centre brake light that I like, but I find the proper Ford one for 86-91 wagons kind of bad looking, so I'm not sure if I want to go that route with it.
          Last edited by kishy; 06-15-2021, 04:11 PM.

          Current driver: Ranger
          Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
          | 88 TC | 91 GM
          Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
          Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
          | Junkyards

          Comment


            Originally posted by Tiggie View Post
            LED's are nifty. I suppose one could do an amber/white switchback for those countries which require the amber turn signal.
            I was thinking the exact same thing, LOL.

            Very nice mod by the way.

            Still waiting on the border to open. Would be cool to do another Detroit/Windsor meet. Will asked me if we were doing another meet and I told ComputerFreek to keep an eye on the forum.
            Vic

            ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
            ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
            ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
            ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

            Comment


              I'm down for another meet. Maybe I'll bring the Lincoln and Ash will bring the van.
              1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
              1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

              Comment


                Amazing job. Those will look great on the wagon.
                ~David~

                My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                Originally posted by ootdega
                My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                Originally posted by gadget73
                my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                Comment


                  +1 down for a meet once travel is unrestricted again. The major hangup is the requirement to isolate upon return and as I have continued working (in the office/at the workplace) steadily through all of this, that is obviously not an option.

                  Very excited about the sequential signals. Hoping to get that wired up in the car ASAP.

                  The tailgate window motor gear finally let go. What an inconvenient thing to repair...I pulled a motor out of the parts stock, verified it was in good shape, tossed that in and all is happy. The motor I used is the "newer style" motor, however it came out of a Fox something-or-other, maybe a Mark VII. As sort of expected, the third screw hole was not aligned, but 2 screws is probably fine for these anyway. Of course I mis-drilled the first access hole too, but on this tailgate (significant rust damage) I'm not too bothered by it.

                  I relocated the mount point of the tailgate lock actuator to be about a quarter inch lower than original, and this seems to have significantly helped both the power lock functionality as well as the lock cylinder actuating the window switch. I think the actuator was reaching minimum travel before the mechanism was fully engaged, which I have now corrected.




                  Current driver: Ranger
                  Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                  | 88 TC | 91 GM
                  Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                  Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                  | Junkyards

                  Comment


                    Blegh, I really dislike making wiring mods this permanent, but there just wasn't a friendly way to make it somehow be unpluggable and not still a big mess. The result is good though!

                    Now installed and functioning:
                    - WebElectric STS-1 turn signal sequencer modules (not wired with the optional control wires - may add them later)
                    - Gtinthebox (via AliExpress from China) red/white switchback LED bulb replacements
                    - Tekonsha Tow Ready 119147 trailer light power module (a combined module that relays all the trailer lights, not related to the turn signal mod but done at same time)





                    Stock on left, modified on right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhsUQ4oe_qE

                    Mod complete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WYCSQgVVFU

                    Not really going to do a step-by-step here, it's straightforward if wiring comes naturally to you...the red/white switchbacks are a critical component for the following reasons:
                    - Sequencing lights with only two segments are Less Cool™. It is a scientific fact.
                    - Making the reverse light act as a brake/turn lamp adds additional lighting surface area which should increase safety and visibility.
                    - Between aging housing and the inherent properties of LED retrofit bulbs, the intensity of the low/high brightness change is not always as obvious as it should be, so more light is better.
                    - Having the reverse lights remain functional as reverse lights means no need to stick additional lights on the car to keep their function.

                    Bonus, it seems the Tekonsha module fixes the problem where 1) LED-only tail light bulbs will glow gently on the brake light circuit due to the workings of the cruise module and 2) cruise does not work when using LED-only bulbs on the brake light circuit. I can only imagine this is because the Tekonsha module contains a relay coil on each side brake/turn circuit, and the relay coil is serving the function of letting the tiny sensing voltage flow where it needs to go. I had been prepared to add in a load resistor but it did not end up being needed, seemingly due to the Tekonsha module.

                    I ran a 14ga (I'd have preferred 12 but didn't have any) from battery positive, through a fuse, all the way through the car to the back to get power to the module. My trailer has all LED lighting, but in the event I tow something with incandescent lighting, I will now feel less concerned about that current coming through my crusty factory harness and instead coming through the new 14ga wire with 15 amp fuse. Not to mention a trailer wiring fault is no longer capable of doing something stupid like burning a fuse link in the car. Thanks to 87gtvic for the pointer on that module, it's cleaner (or at least more convenient) than trying to put a block of individual relays. Not serviceable if a relay inside fails, but that's a risk worth taking in this case in my opinion.

                    Current driver: Ranger
                    Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                    | 88 TC | 91 GM
                    Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                    Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                    | Junkyards

                    Comment


                      yep, coil completes the path to ground and the cruise servo is happy. I really think thats an incredibly stupid way of doing it, looking for loss of ground vs looking for positive voltage, but whatever.
                      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                      Originally posted by phayzer5
                      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by kishy View Post
                        Thanks to 87gtvic for the pointer on that module, it's cleaner (or at least more convenient) than trying to put a block of individual relays. Not serviceable if a relay inside fails, but that's a risk worth taking in this case in my opinion.


                        Looking really good.
                        ~David~

                        My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                        My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                        Originally posted by ootdega
                        My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                        But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                        Originally posted by gadget73
                        my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                        Comment


                          I'll be the dissenter here, seems strange when done vertically as opposed to the traditional horizontal style where the lights sequence in the desired direction.
                          1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                          1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
                            I'll be the dissenter here, seems strange when done vertically as opposed to the traditional horizontal style where the lights sequence in the desired direction.
                            May be strange, but way more visible than the old factory stuff.
                            Plus unique is good



                            87 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Country Squire Station Wagon. 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, Boxed LCA's, Explorer Intake, 65mm T-body, 'Stang Cam, 'Stang Air tube, K&N, GT-40X Heads, 1" Spacer, 1 5/8 BBK's, 2.5" Pypes X-pipe w/high flow cats, Single Chamber Thunderbolts, B&M 'vertor, Po-lice Swaybars.

                            91 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park Station Wagon. K-Code, 4.10's, Repacked Trac Loc, MK VII LSC Engine, 'Stang Upper Intake, Stang Air Tube, K&N, 65 mm T-Body, 'Stang Headers, 'Stang Cat Pipe,'Stang Torque Convertor, 2 Chamber Thunderbolts.

                            Comment


                              I am noticing more and more vehicles that have brake lights that flash for the first few seconds. I like what you did.
                              ~David~

                              My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                              My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                              Originally posted by ootdega
                              My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                              Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                              But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                              Originally posted by gadget73
                              my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                              Comment


                                Counterpoint: "traditional sequencing" could be considered dangerously unclear as to the driver's intentions. Consider the use of traffic advisor devices on emergency and utility vehicles, which functionally resemble a sequencing turn signal. The lights flash towards the direction that they want you to move your vehicle so as to pass the vehicle with the blinking lights on it. Consider the even more troubling scenario where a vehicle with a traffic advisor is wired so that it acts as a sequencing turn signal when it is not turned on to direct traffic (and there are builders who wire vehicles in this way). We could dissect this topic for a while. Has this ever been tried in court? Could be very interesting if some idiot out there passes a car with factory-equipped sequencing turn signals on the side which the signaling vehicle is turning towards, causing a collision. It would not take a top dollar lawyer to rip apart the function of sequencing turn signals because of the use of similar light patterns for very different purposes.

                                I had considered an option where I lined the housing with LED-laden PCBs, wired into 3 circuit segments, so that the lights could sequence inboard-to-outboard. Ultimately I decided to do this instead because I felt it would be more obvious, and a mod to critical safety equipment should increase its visibility, not risk making it more obscure. A couple reviews from friends who've driven behind me now confirm that I have dramatically more obvious brake lights than I had before, and I've noticed that I have less nose-diving late brakers behind me, which is always a problem I notice when driving things without third brake lights.

                                I would recommend the red/white switchback brake light mod for the reverse lights (minus the sequencing) to anyone with a vehicle that lends itself to it well, e.g. the reverse lights are grouped with the tail lights, and located outboard, which would cover Ford and Mercury wagons, and Ford sedans among our cars (and maybe kinda sorta the 88-89 Lincolns, but they might look funny). 85 Town Cars (specifically 85 because no third brake light) would essentially gain a third brake light doing this mod to them, given the centre mounted reverse light. Mercury wagons are sorely lacking in brake light surface area and would likely benefit dramatically. I've now bought a handful more of the specific confirmed-good LED bulb product so I'll have spares on hand, re: the fact that I tried others which do not behave as desired so these could potentially get hard to find at some point in the future, or they could make a production change that makes new ones of the same no longer behave as desired.

                                Current driver: Ranger
                                Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                                | 88 TC | 91 GM
                                Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                                Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                                | Junkyards

                                Comment

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