Brake wiring questions

87 MJ, 4.0 MT
SO I'm sitting in the truck with the wiring diagrams but I can't arap my head around this problem.
When I bought my MJ the PO had ran a 12v wire from the fuse block to the brake light switch. I''m trying to sort out the root of the problem. THe PO took the easy way out. Here's the rundown
I've got 12V at the fuse block. I have continuity from the fuse through the hazard flasher socket and to the pink wire at the brake sw. I connected the pink wire back together and no brake lights.
My turn signals also are odd, and the problem is related I believe. Turn signals do not work unless the hazard switch is pulled. When I turn on the parkin lamps both of my dash turn signal indicators light solid. So the circuit is somehow grounding through the dash indicator lights. At least that's what I believe is happening.
I have checkd the ground at the rear of the truck, It is ok, I even took it off cleaned it and put a new self tapping screw into the sheetmetal. I had to drill out the old one to get the ring terminal free. My backup lights work, and they share the same ground.
That's where I'm at. I don't understand how stalk works properly, but I suspect it may be in there.
Any ideas?

did some more troubleshooting.
Pulling the hazard/stop fuse gave some interesting results. If the stop fuse is pulled and you turn on the parking lamps then the blinker element in the front signals is on, rear is not. Pull the hazard switch and the front dims to normal level. So it looks like I've got to track down something in the front signal wires.

I had a problem very close to that in my Cherokee.

I had a short under the drivers side kick panel. Right where the plastic met the metal trim piece under the door. Hazards worked, Reverse lights worked, no brake or turn signals.

The front and dash harnesses are the same from XJ to MJ. The plugs are under the kick panel, and that is where the differences start.