Old dogs can learn new tricks.

Anybody know what an Actuator is? No? Don't feel bad since up until 3 days ago, I didn't either. Now that I know what it is, what it does, and how important it is, I wish I didn't.

It's one big pain in the bohunkus, that's what it is.

Located deep in the bowels of the steering column, this cheap piece of junk connects your ignition to the ignition switch. It also has a very important roll in the whole 'neutral safety switch' thing. Basically if this Actuator doo dad is broken, and your in park, your staying where you are.

I drive a 1991 Ford F-150 and proud of it. It's a good truck. We paid $1800 bucks for her 8 years ago last November and the list of things we have had to fix on the old girl numbers about ten.

Wiper motor, brakes, fuel pump, U-joint, ignition barrel, blower motor, squirrel cage fan, a resistor, some relay thingy under the hood that almost took out the west end of Father dears garage, and this actuator. I also see a starter and upper ball joints in the future but she's a good girl and giving me the signals and I have a starter in the mail...or almost...as soon as we get paid I'll have a starter in the mail anyway.

She's not quite strong enough for our camper but like I said, other than that, she's a good truck.

However I had exhausted my list of expletives whilst attacking this actuator.

It requires special tools, strong muscles and little fingers. I had to buy the special tool and then borrowed a 15/16th deep well socket but provided the muscles and little fingers myself.

3 days, 2 actuators (don't ask), and the sacrifice of the blinker return and tilt later, the truck starts.

Kind of proud about that. I'll look at that whole blinker thing later.

I once told my Dad after and incident with a lawn mower, 'I broke it I'll fix it. Just tell me how' he responded with being glad he raised..uh..daughters or some such smart remark. I have a beautiful Sista who is equally as competent as I. I also have a handsome brother whom can fix, make, manufacture, invent, or afro engineer anything. What can I say, we're a do-it-yourself kind of family.

In this day and age most daughters know nothing about vehicles and most sons know nothing about cooking.

This needs to change right now.

If you need to learn something, learn it!! Don't be afraid to ask someone. I didn't know what what wrong with my truck but with the help of the parts store, my 'phone a friend', Google, and you tube I got it figured out.

You can too!!!

Try new things and see how it opens your mind.

Thank you for reading,
Barbara <3