SquareD Part 6 Bumpers, Winches, wiring, lights, assembly

[Flyin6]

And here it is starting to go back together again:

[Flyin6]

Finally got the hood to close properly but not fitting perfectly. Ya know what?? It's a truck...This is going to be good enough!

[Flyin6]

Lights back in and done for now

[Flyin6]

That's all I had time for today, and the conclusion of build day 247

[Flyin6]

Now pushing ahead, we are about to get into either the bumper projects or the longer rear springs and shackle flip...any suggestions??

So I have been looking across the inter-sphere at different designs and have compiled some candidates from which I might use some features to come up with my own stuff.

[Flyin6]

My favorite so far is this combo bumper/grill guard

[Flyin6]

Found this universal design someone worked out for Ford Broncos. Again, food for thought

[Flyin6]

And some RS (Ranger sightings)

Unfortunately the red dog stopped chewing up my screwdrivers and started on Ranger parts. I predict this activity won't last long as the little black face of deaf is growing like a weed and will soon be snackin' on the red dog!

[wilsonphil]

longer rear springs and shackle flip...any suggestions??

Is there a reason you want to run a different setup in the back?

[Pulley]

I'm really loving the way it looks, awesome job. I would end up using it as a daily driver if it was mine. I actually saw a pretty cool bumper build on duramax forum that looks like a ranch hand. I'll put the link here. http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/exterior/151149-my-bumper-build.html

[Sammconn]

I really like the mounts he made. Don, I like the look of your current favorite as well. Simple and strong looking. The bus guard lends itself to the exoskeleton also.

[JR]

Don, I like your bumper Idea but I would use square lights, it just fits! Full frontal protection and you have a spot to run safety wires up to the rack.

Keep the rear in the same fashion, squared off. Protection is the idea.

I love the way the hood looks but what do you think about running the black over to the edge? Little work and you have a full non reflective bonnet  ;D

Kinda like this;

[Flyin6]

longer rear springs and shackle flip...any suggestions??

Is there a reason you want to run a different setup in the back?

I like the flexability and overall increased range of travel the longer springs can provide. Plus, I have noted leaf springs seem to work well within a given range of travel. So if you are working a 52" spring up and down some 12" it goes to it's limit with each stroke. It seems to stiffen up quite a bit right there when it is about to hit limits.
If you take a 64" spring and work it the same 12" it remains well within the normal range of travel it can accommodate, really only reaching about 60%-70% of design limits so it is working less.

Further I have to believe, although I have no proof, that the longer spring will see less fatigue from extreme ranges of travel that the shorter spring will have.

I think Dodge chose the shorter spring because of a packaging concern. Looking at it, things are tucked in there nicely with not a lot of extra room in some areas. A 52" spring solved the packaging issue along with saving on overall costs through just using less steel, while providing an acceptable degree of comfort and performance.

Since my vehicle is built for extremis, I am punching out everything to handle a whole bunch more of anything.

[Flyin6]

I'm really loving the way it looks, awesome job. I would end up using it as a daily driver if it was mine. I actually saw a pretty cool bumper build on duramax forum that looks like a ranch hand. I'll put the link here. http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/exterior/151149-my-bumper-build.html

Well if we ever have a Real Man meet and you show, you go take SquareD for a cruise...I'll buy the gas!

[Flyin6]

I really like the mounts he made. Don, I like the look of your current favorite as well. Simple and strong looking. The bus guard lends itself to the exoskeleton also.

What I was thinking
Simple, strong, growth potential...

[Flyin6]

I love the way the hood looks but what do you think about running the black over to the edge? Little work and you have a full non reflective bonnet  ;D

Kinda like this;

Disapproved!

Apply later for final disapproval

Ya know JR, it's good enough for now.

But if I ever see some reflective issue, it will become asphalted if necessary!

You were the one that drove the black hood, so thanks goes out to you my retired law enforcement bro, for that strong look we got with the front end.

[KensAuto]

FIRE it up!
what's all this bumper nonsense! !!

[Flyin6]

FIRE it up!
what's all this bumper nonsense! !!

Oh yea, that...

[KensAuto]

Haha.

It would be killin' me, if I was in your shoes (or mandels). I would want to know how far that sucker will lay rubber, and how many gears it will do it in, and at what speed!

[Sammconn]

I'm with ya Ken! Can't be that far away realistically.

[Flyin6]

Haha.

It would be killin' me, if I was in your shoes (or mandels). I would want to know how far that sucker will lay rubber, and how many gears it will do it in, and at what speed!

I'm a law abiding citizen, Ken ;-)

[Flyin6]

I'm with ya Ken! Can't be that far away realistically.

Well, just yestertag I was playing with it...couldn't get a fuel system prime. Need another 5 gal of juice to get gravity to do it's thing to the pumps

[Nate]

let be honest here.  one of our members named bear owns a bumper building business, even went to school for it.  i believe he even commented on kens build...........?!

[Flyin6]

let be honest here.  one of our members named bear owns a bumper building business, even went to school for it.  i believe he even commented on kens build...........?!

OK, let's hear from him!

Bear, you there?

Hey I rhymed...

[BobbyB]

let be honest here.  one of our members named bear owns a bumper building business, even went to school for it.  i believe he even commented on kens build...........?!

OK, let's hear from him!

Bear, you there?

Hey I rhymed...

I PM'd him about the possibility of a bumper for XJ. I think he's busy building/finishing some from tax return time.

[JR]

FIRE it up!
what's all this bumper nonsense! !!

I agree and may have heard it before,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Tommy13]

Lookin' great Don!  Following all of your builds for a long time.  I've learned a lot that I may never use, but the longer this goes on the harder I look at some of those old square Chebbys I pass on my way to and from work.  Keep up the great work.  I can't wait to see Square D rolling under it's own power.

[Flyin6]

Lookin' great Don!  Following all of your builds for a long time.  I've learned a lot that I may never use, but the longer this goes on the harder I look at some of those old square Chebbys I pass on my way to and from work.  Keep up the great work.  I can't wait to see Square D rolling under it's own power.

It's coming along

Might even be done some day!

[Tommy13]

These projects NEVER finish.  They evolve.

[cudakidd53]

These projects NEVER finish.  They evolve.

THIS is NOT a project, it's a fluid change and basic maintenance to make it road worthy!  Could you imagine if this had been a full on restoration, the number of boxes still blocking the view of that Japanese Maple!  ;)

[cudakidd53]

Love that final photo of "Ranger" sporting the look of, "is that all you two big dogs got?" ;D

[Flyin6]

These projects NEVER finish.  They evolve.

Affirmative

[Flyin6]

Love that final photo of "Ranger" sporting the look of, "is that all you two big dogs got?" ;D

I'm pleased that he is NOT a high drive Shepherd. I think a "normal" disposition black faced Shepherd will be plenty enough, thank you very much!

[Flyin6]

I worked some on the Dodge today.

I actually got quite a bit finishedized

But, I was in the groove and forgot to take pics of a lot of things, so with abbreviated pic postin', here's the info:

First I wanted to get that under-hood light working. There is a factory hole in the fender up front that is perfect for the light switch

[Flyin6]

I had laid the wire in under the hood pad which effectively glued it in place so I used some of those wire bundle looms and secured everything

[Flyin6]

Then the wiring harness was put together. It has weather-pak connectors to make removal possible without cutting

[Flyin6]

So, it is kid tested and pre-Ranger approved!

[Flyin6]

You might not be able to tell, but I worked on securing the under hood wiring harness to make it look a lot more factory

[Flyin6]

There were a couple wires left to run to the cab switch panel, so I finished those up, and sorted and zip tied all the various wires behind the panel, and mounted that thing for the first time. This is the part where I forgot to take the pics

[Flyin6]

But after the panel was secured it was looking like this:

[Flyin6]

The fit was perfect and it is secure and rattle free

Pic doesn't show it well, but the gages are illuminated and switches are on and the thing is actually working!

[Flyin6]

Obviously there is work yet to complete. I will have to figure out why some lights aren't illuminated in the dash, secure the lower wiring harness(s), paint some stuff, and yank out those horrible seats and awful vinyl flooring.
But the inside is getting pretty close to where I want it to be to launch this ship.

[Flyin6]

And with that, ends another build day, #248

[BobbyB]

I'm pleased that he is NOT a high drive Shepherd. I think a "normal" disposition black faced Shepherd will be plenty enough, thank you very much!

Oh the the energy level is going to come on strong and fast...

[Flyin6]

I'm pleased that he is NOT a high drive Shepherd. I think a "normal" disposition black faced Shepherd will be plenty enough, thank you very much!

Oh the the energy level is going to come on strong and fast...

Bear will have someone to play with when you guys stop by

[KensAuto]

Good job cappin'!

[OldKooT]

I like the under hood light idear. I saved that in my memory for when I actually have a hood to mount it on.

On your spring theory. I aim to test some 64" 3/4T  rears in our truck and see just how well they work to improve the "hobby Horse" issue that club cab and crew cab Dodges have. It's a wheelbase deal that is largely absent in a standard cab truck. If it wasn't for this issue, I wouldn't change the rear springs in ours honestly.

I feel the OEM W250 springs in my daily driver standard cab are too soft really. Then again it most likely often hauls more weight than you intend to for your project. But 1000lbs in the bed and you can feel they are soft. I wouldn't want less spring rate.

Just added the above for food for thought....

[JR]

It is getting close, nice work.

If there is still room up there in the overhead for other things, are you going to put something to keep stuff from sliding into the back side.

[BobbyB]

Bear will have someone to play with when you guys stop by

He may be good on roadtrips around the area, but I doubt he'd appreciate a trip down south then back with a detour to Kentucky. Especially considering I don't stop, except for gas.

[Flyin6]

It is getting close, nice work.

If there is still room up there in the overhead for other things, are you going to put something to keep stuff from sliding into the back side.

No, no more additions up there
Not really a storage shelf, but an avionics shelf...
The shelf unit from Jim has a lip formed in the front and back already if you wanted to throw your Oakley's up there