Author Topic: SquareD Part 5: The build continues and gets more aggressive (Read 423368 times)

BobbyB · « **Reply #1250 on:** March 17, 2015, 02:38:25 AM »

While reading the updates and sipping on my morning coffee, I had an epiphany.

I, in my own opinion, think that panel you made would look nice, in the OD like the outside, with the names/settings done in white. But that's my .02

Regardless, looking good

OldKooT · « **Reply #1251 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:06:17 AM »

I can only hope I can get half as much done in a day as you do. Looking good and getting close to a test drive.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1252 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:54:27 AM »

Quote from: BobbyB on March 17, 2015, 02:38:25 AM

While reading the updates and sipping on my morning coffee, I had an epiphany.

I, in my own opinion, think that panel you made would look nice, in the OD like the outside, with the names/settings done in white. But that's my .02

Regardless, looking good

The snorkel is going to get finished a little better, then sprayed with that Raptor urethane bed liner because I see it pushing branches out of the way a lot and suffering the increased scratch type wear.

As for the aluminum louver panels, I planned to paint them O.D. same as the truck, but keep the screws natural stainless. The lettering is the desert cammo color which I chose along with OD green to honor the warriors of several wars that we and our fathers have fought. Whenever I see that OD, I think of my dad and his fellow warriors in their B-17's tearing up the place. When I see the desert colored lettering I am reminded of Iraq and Afghanistan and all the brave warriors there.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1253 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:57:12 AM »

Quote from: OldKooT on March 17, 2015, 07:06:17 AM

I can only hope I can get half as much done in a day as you do. Looking good and getting close to a test drive.

Norm,
It's like trying to hold onto a hand full of those red wigglers. You know, the frisky night crawler type worms we use for fishing. Just try and hold on to them and one, two, or three are always managing to craw away. Well, that's truck building. You just have to keep up the pace fast enough to stay ahead of those wigglers!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1254 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:18:27 PM »

OK, just finished another day on SquareD

The objective was to get the switch panel partially installed and get the snorkel closer to finishing, which will happen this week

First up, I roughed up the snorkel then got a heavy coating of body plastic filler onto it

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1255 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:19:31 PM »

After some setting-up time, I filed it to it's approximate shape, just removing the high and lumpy areas

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1256 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:21:05 PM »

After a few hours of cure time I went after it with 40 grit and shaped it up. I think it is very close to what I want, and plenty good enough for bed liner urethane

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1257 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:22:42 PM »

The paint cured on the switch panel, so I preassembled what I could of it prior to sticking it in the Dodge

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1258 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:25:14 PM »

Next I hung it upside down and facing forward with zip ties.

THis is the maintenance position. I will set it up so that when (If) one removes it, it will hang just like this giving access to the business end to make additions/repairs, or modifications

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1259 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:26:32 PM »

Throughout the day it became more and more complete and more things began working.

This was the situation about mid day

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1260 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:27:43 PM »

While I was working on that, I mounted the rest of the CB radio stuff. It is now ready to clutter the airways with useless chatter

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1261 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:30:27 PM »

As the thing comes together I am taking painstaking steps to ensure the growing wiring bundles stay neat and tucked away. The last step will be to cover them with the convoluted tubing hiding them completely

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1262 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:31:56 PM »

Continuing along, I picked up a brass "T" and a nipple and screwed all that together to make the ARB air pump complete

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1263 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:34:39 PM »

The brown truck showed up with the 1/4" nylon tubing which I wasted no time in attaching to the pump and running to the front locker.

Then I discovered the Yukon locker has 1/8" tubing, not 1/4"...so, I guess a reducer fitting is called for.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1264 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:37:01 PM »

A little more wiring and that was all she wrote on the build clock for build day #230

Oh, and C-Max is getting along quite nicely!

KensAuto · « **Reply #1265 on:** March 17, 2015, 08:12:24 PM »

You can't keep using the same picture of cmax. We need proof-of-life and no games or we'll........
....well, we'll.....oh, just use your imagination!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1266 on:** March 17, 2015, 09:16:31 PM »

Quote from: KensAuto on March 17, 2015, 08:12:24 PM

You can't keep using the same picture of cmax. We need proof-of-life and no games or we'll........
....well, we'll.....oh, just use your imagination!

Last pic it had 4 months of dust on it. I just had it washed over at the truck wash.

You can't see that shine?

It's a purdy thing!

OldKooT · « **Reply #1267 on:** March 17, 2015, 10:38:17 PM »

LoL folks can always tell when I wash my daily driver 1st gen. It always has less paint after a good scrubbing...

I think day to day you get far more done than I do Don. You wired half a truck and did body work. I beat on some rivets and sprayed a little paint. I think I spend too much time looking at my wife's backside...I might ban her from the shop.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1268 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:43:56 AM »

Quote from: OldKooT on March 17, 2015, 10:38:17 PM

LoL folks can always tell when I wash my daily driver 1st gen. It always has less paint after a good scrubbing...

I think day to day you get far more done than I do Don. You wired half a truck and did body work. I beat on some rivets and sprayed a little paint. I think I spend too much time looking at my wife's backside...I might ban her from the shop.

I just work a lot in the garage because of the alternative.

If I was caught lounging in the house, I'd be repairing something, painting something, doing dishes, washing clothes or other things I am not qualified to do!
Since I don't like being idle, and since I choose to hide in the garage, well, there you have it...a lot of stuff gets done...

JR · « **Reply #1269 on:** March 18, 2015, 01:11:36 PM »

Quote from: OldKooT on March 17, 2015, 10:38:17 PM

LoL folks can always tell when I wash my daily driver 1st gen. It always has less paint after a good scrubbing...

Sounds like the Burb, what did they use for paint back then!!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1270 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:03:01 PM »

OK, still toiling away at the electrical stuff, but I think I am gaining ground!

Funny, but look at the pic and it doesn't look like much was accomplished, but that is after hours of work since the last photo that looked about the same!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1271 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:05:57 PM »

I need to dig deeper into the vehicles wiring harness so I can figure out how to override the light switches for the black-out-drive mode we all enjoy in the militaree

So out came parts of the instrument panel

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1272 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:08:13 PM »

Then the light switch which can be a real bugger to get to!

Once I checked that out and found out what I needed to (That is: This is not what I needed to be looking at!) I reassembled it with the proper blessings (unfortunately)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1273 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:10:39 PM »

The work continued on the overhead switch panel and it is cleaning up nicely. Remember that glob of wires hanging down from the pillar gages? Well all that got wired in and tucked away in the overhead and now is all cleaned up!

I was getting some help from one of the pre-rangers!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1274 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:12:08 PM »

I found out that I had not connected one wire for the battery switching solenoid so I fixed that and ran some more ground wires while I was at it...One can never have enough ground cables!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1275 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:13:26 PM »

Now the pyrometer and the boost gage are wired in and almost hooked up. Missing still is the final connection of the boost line to the manifold...easy!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1276 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:14:57 PM »

You might not be able to tell, but a lot of wiring has been attached and routed that was hanging loose in the breeze a day or two ago

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1277 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:16:47 PM »

The pre-Ranger was working on some rusty screws on the old headlights. Those casings will get cleaned up and hopefully put to use tomorrow holding in some new headlights

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1278 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:19:14 PM »

Here is one of the tricks I plan to create: The secondary bulb is for black-out drive operations. It will get actuated by a switch on the overhead and will throw out enough light to make very dark night NVG driving a breeze while not being visible to someone looking toward the sound of the truck

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1279 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:20:23 PM »

New vs. old sealed beam which I plan to donate to the Smithsonian museum!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1280 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:21:12 PM »

And that right there campers is the end to another buildin' day in the life of SquareD

Nate · « **Reply #1281 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:54:52 PM »

I think ken has the oldest truck of us all followed by either me or duane (I don't remember what year duanes is). so I think the 3 of us have you beat with the age of sealed beam headlights.........lol

that is just awesome that the young man is wanting to learn a little sometin sometin about ohms law

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #1282 on:** March 18, 2015, 10:27:16 PM »

Still remember the # system of color stripes on resistors to this day that I learned about that age (politically incorrect) ending in "...but Virginia Gives Willingly ........" -don't completely remember how to apply it though. Do remember not to take a capacitor from someone without touching the contacts to metal before grabbing the ends! :D

JR · « **Reply #1283 on:** March 19, 2015, 01:37:52 AM »

The blue is a nice idea but why not wig-wags too. That could really through someone off thinking it was a emergency vehicle, and blind em a little!!

Forgot, which gauges did you get? Looking at my 3 gauge pillar. Pyro, boost, trans temp.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1284 on:** March 19, 2015, 08:04:12 AM »

Hmmm, emergency vehicle masking...hadn't thought of that!

Gages that I added:

Pyrometer
Boost
Tach
Voltmeter

I thought about adding a trans temp, but with an extra couple gallons of fluid, all those lines and two coolers, I think I should be OK even out there in the desert.

OldKooT · « **Reply #1285 on:** March 19, 2015, 08:42:18 AM »

I am going to cleverly disguise our Crew Cab as a mall crawler LoL

Don without a trans temp guage how will you know how well your cooler is working? Just saying.... 8)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1286 on:** March 19, 2015, 08:46:00 AM »

Quote from: OldKooT on March 19, 2015, 08:42:18 AM

I am going to cleverly disguise our Crew Cab as a mall crawler LoL

Don without a trans temp guage how will you know how well your cooler is working? Just saying.... 8)

But you're the guy who only has 30 wires in the whole truck?
Got cha!

OldKooT · « **Reply #1287 on:** March 19, 2015, 09:00:12 AM »

I got chills reading the "30 wires" I was hoping for less than a dozen.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1288 on:** March 19, 2015, 10:23:54 AM »

Quote from: OldKooT on March 19, 2015, 09:00:12 AM

I got chills reading the "30 wires" I was hoping for less than a dozen.

You are going to be a sadly mistaken over wishin' wnder assumin' man when it comes to these two words Wiring-Easy!

Nate · « **Reply #1289 on:** March 19, 2015, 10:52:58 AM »

unfortunately don, not all of us can acquire a vehicle that has not been molested in some way, shape, fashion or form. I am very very tempted to get a new harness and have the entire truck re-done.

JR · « **Reply #1290 on:** March 19, 2015, 11:12:19 AM »

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #1291 on:** March 19, 2015, 02:20:09 PM »

JR-

Where did you find an update of Nate's favorite thing to post!!!??

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1292 on:** March 19, 2015, 02:28:51 PM »

Quote from: nmeyer414 on March 19, 2015, 10:52:58 AM

unfortunately don, not all of us can acquire a vehicle that has not been molested in some way, shape, fashion or form. I am very very tempted to get a new harness and have the entire truck re-done.

Not sure what just happened there

I was making light of the wiring thing, that's all!

Nate · « **Reply #1293 on:** March 19, 2015, 03:00:09 PM »

just givin yah a little razzin don.

wilsonphil · « **Reply #1294 on:** March 19, 2015, 05:17:22 PM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on March 18, 2015, 07:20:23 PM

New vs. old sealed beam which I plan to donate to the Smithsonian museum!

Where did you get the headlights from?

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1295 on:** March 19, 2015, 06:06:13 PM »

Quote from: wilsonphil on March 19, 2015, 05:17:22 PM

Quote from: Flyin6 on March 18, 2015, 07:20:23 PM
New vs. old sealed beam which I plan to donate to the Smithsonian museum!

Where did you get the headlights from?

Man it's been so long, and I have ordered so many things, I don't remember.

One thing, though, they are HID's

I am no longer such a big fan of HID's

I just yanked two inoperative low beam HID's out of C-Max and replaced them with some super duper LED's

One of my aux driving lights which I have wired into the high beam circuit also burned out. So that's 3 out of 4 HID's on that truck failed. And one of those bulbs had already been replaced.

Chinese junk most likely!

I think I'll just retrofit the HID housings with LED's

KensAuto · « **Reply #1296 on:** March 19, 2015, 09:04:02 PM »

Quote from: Flyin6 on March 19, 2015, 06:06:13 PM

I think I'll just retrofit the HID housings with LED's

Good choice me thinks. Mo dependable.

JR · « **Reply #1297 on:** March 19, 2015, 10:30:21 PM »

Quote from: cudakidd53 on March 19, 2015, 02:20:09 PM

JR-

Where did you find an update of Nate's favorite thing to post!!!??

Use the search,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1298 on:** March 20, 2015, 09:36:46 PM »

Evening update: The wiring continues. It is a metric ton of work, however I believe I am well past the mid point. I still need to run some wires, but most things are now wired in.
One persistent problem, though, is with the ARC switch panel. I just cannot get it to work. I have tried everything three times already!
I now believe the relay panel or cable or switch module is defective. It should have worked at some point while I sorted through it. I even double grounded the thing with no luck!
Today, I searched and searched for a LED headlight conversion, but to no avail. I am left with either running halogen bulbs or the supplied HID bulbs.
The Halogen would make sense since they would be EMP proof, but the HID's would throw a lot of light out there. The HID's, however have not proven themselves to be long lasting and are somewhat electronic in nature. Of course so are LED's so maybe halogen are the way to go. I still am on the fence about that. But I am ready to fit the headlights and wire them in.
I also decided I absolutely not only hate the seats, but also that vinyl floor mat. I think if it were rubber it would be OK, but as it is, it will not lay down flat and has some ugly good sized wrinkles, so I think I'll be swapping the carpet back in with the original bench seat. I guess I came full circle on that one!
Tomorrow I'll test the solar panels Ash sent me and see how well they work. The best of the two will get mounted on the roof

Nate · « **Reply #1299 on:** March 20, 2015, 11:07:51 PM »

So why not spray bed liner on the floor of the cab? Everlasting and it also works as a sound deadner and an insulator?