My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[sly]

When I had that issue... it was the connection to the speakers. Had to clean the tabs and reconnect.

In my boxes... the head units/amps were dying. So there's that.

[Arquemann]

Well the issue didn't appear this morning...
This is the head unit I have, plus the 4-channel amp in the trunk:


Bass, treble, and front to back fader, don't see other adjustments for sound.

[gadget73]

weird, didn't realize they actually had no balance control. The other place they would sometimes hide it is you had to pull the volume knob out to get to the balance, but it would be marked on the front.

[kishy]

If its slop in the joints of the wiper linkage I think you can fix that with the same kit they use for Mustangs.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/windshield-wiper-pivot-linkage-bushing-repair-kit-1979-2004/p/HW1805/

if its the part where the wiper arm itself attaches thats cracked there isn't a part available for that. Someone on here drilled that whole thing apart and rebuilt it with JB Weld if I remember right.

This isn't the best place for me to drop this info for future usefulness, but I think I've stumbled upon the Dorman cross-reference part for this: 118-306, which is part of a multi-vehicle shop tray of wiper linkage bushings, #030-203.

Compared to CJ Pony Parts part # HW1805, the Dorman option might be more accessible/available/cost effective for some people. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on it locally and verify it works for us.

[gadget73]

You can probably get that Mustang kit elsewhere. Mine didn't come from CJ but I couldn't honestly tell you where it did come from. If you google "fox mustang windshield wiper linkage repair" it shows up everyplace including amazon.

[Arquemann]

I finally did something for the wheels. Dunno if I like it or hate it.
It's just normal center caps slipped onto the original wire wheel cover lockbolt thingymabobbers.
They're too long, but to make them any shorter would require cutting the "bracket" and the center caps, which I can't be arsed to do right now at all.

[sly]

And I think the later wire wheel brackets are too short to clear the front hub unless you do the medium or big brake swap.

It does have a lot of poke, but so does that front hub, so meh. Looks better than bare.

[GM_Guy]

You could always use Ranger or mercury mountaineer center caps with the correct lug nuts. P71 center caps (pancake style) won't clear the front hubs.
First two pics are my box, I ran both ranger styles on it, and use the more busy cap1 on my 2008 now on the winter wheels.

[VicCrownVic]

If you decide you don't want to stick with the Ford centers:

'98-ish Mountaineer centers will fit and look good, imo, with steel wheels. The right collared lug nuts and massaging of the dust cap on the fronts and you're good to go.


Lug nuts:


Link to The Ice Car with the above information:
http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post824149
And installed on '98-'02 steel wheels on The Ice Car:

[Arquemann]

I'll have to feel around more. Those Ranger caps on GM_guy's first pic don't look half bad, whatever that middle pic is weird...
Mountaineer caps don't look too bad, even though I'm not a big fan of the flying M logo.

One problem with those are my spacers, they are m12x1,5 so finding correct lugnuts might prove inconvenient. Unless I bash out the m12 studs and put in new 1/2" studs, which is a pain in the ass. The current studs also stick a lot through the lugnuts.
Would these work? https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

The same store also sells the Ranger caps, 20€ a pop. https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

[DerekTheGreat]

Not a fan myself. I like the look of just the dustcap over the rotor. I like GM-guy's idea if you must have a cover over the dustcap.

[VicCrownVic]

I'll have to feel around more. Those Ranger caps on GM_guy's first pic don't look half bad, whatever that middle pic is weird...
Mountaineer caps don't look too bad, even though I'm not a big fan of the flying M logo.

One problem with those are my spacers, they are m12x1,5 so finding correct lugnuts might prove inconvenient. Unless I bash out the m12 studs and put in new 1/2" studs, which is a pain in the ass. The current studs also stick a lot through the lugnuts.
Would these work? https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

The same store also sells the Ranger caps, 20€ a pop. https://www.nippelit.fi/1st/html/def...tmode=showprod

Oh, the flying M wasn't used on the pre-'88 models was it? In that case it wouldn't make sense to go out of your way to get a set of Mountaineer caps since the logo wouldn't match anything on the car. The explorer caps GM_Guy posted would be more appropriate then. Same lugnuts for the Explorer caps if I'm not mistaken.

The lug nuts in the link might not work, I think the ridge/shoulder thing is too far down and possibly not wide enough so the "fingers" on the backside of the caps may not grab. The lug nuts I have in the correct style currently don't reside where I do, otherwise I would go out and grab some measurements. Specifically how far up that collar is and how wide the collar is. I suppose you could order just lug nut and see if it works with the explorer caps. If it does, you'll need 3 per wheel.

[Arquemann]

Not a fan myself. I like the look of just the dustcap over the rotor. I like GM-guy's idea if you must have a cover over the dustcap.

If my car was a Ford, I'd probably be fine rockin' bare steelies, but on an MGM they feel slightly out of place. I have the best solution in the form of dog dish poverty caps, but I can't attach them to my wheels!
The more I fuck around with center caps, the closer I get to what I'd spend getting another set of steelies with the proper dog dish nubs.

I might shorten the current ones, assuming they stay attached. I've got about 900km coming up this weekend.

[DerekTheGreat]

Well, I rather like the look of those black steelies you've got going. Great contrast against the white. Dog dishes would look cool too.

[Arquemann]

Well, I rather like the look of those black steelies you've got going. Great contrast against the white. Dog dishes would look cool too.

Yeah, but even so, the steelies require some attention to look even somewhat representable. They're super scratched from the full wheel covers, dirty beyond simple cleaning and the black factory powdercoat is immensely faded.
For the work that these wheels "require", paying some bucks for better condition wheels wouldn't hurt much. Plus I'd get the dog dish nubs aswell.

For the dog dishes, I've got a set of good condition 1962 Ranch Wagon poverty caps, which would look freaking killer on this car. Dad has a set of Thunderbird steelies which have the dog dish nubs, but the centerbore is too small and they have new tires mounted, which would cost many moneys.