What have you done to your ride lately?

[Silverback]

I have been working on the Taco wiring some more. Managed to build a bracket for the Spod, the large fuse for the stereo and the Blue Seas ML-ACR.. Its made from 10 ga and it pretty stout.. I gusseted the bottom side where the ACR mounts. I used two existing holes in the inner fender mount (although I think they are some funky bolt size that only Toyota uses.. M8 was too small.. M10 was too big. So I also used two nutserts for other bolts. I still need to pull unused wires back through the firewall and get the ACR hooked all the way up. Batteries are connected but the control wires are not. I also need to pull the Spod harness through the firewall and connect it. Baby steps. But its coming along and looks 100x cleaner than it did before. Oh and I managed to break my 10 year old fuse holder for the stereo... it cracked. Its mounted but I ordered a replacement for it. When I mount the new one I'll add some spacers below it so I can get to the factory fuse box easier. Damn space is at a premium under there! Anyhow, pics.

 

[Taco Loco]

I have been working on the Taco wiring some more. Managed to build a bracket for the Spod, the large fuse for the stereo and the Blue Seas ML-ACR.. Its made from 10 ga and it pretty stout.. I gusseted the bottom side where the ACR mounts. I used two existing holes in the inner fender mount (although I think they are some funky bolt size that only Toyota uses.. M8 was too small.. M10 was too big. So I also used two nutserts for other bolts. I still need to pull unused wires back through the firewall and get the ACR hooked all the way up. Batteries are connected but the control wires are not. I also need to pull the Spod harness through the firewall and connect it. Baby steps. But its coming along and looks 100x cleaner than it did before. Oh and I managed to break my 10 year old fuse holder for the stereo... it cracked. Its mounted but I ordered a replacement for it. When I mount the new one I'll add some spacers below it so I can get to the factory fuse box easier. Damn space is at a premium under there! Anyhow, pics.

View attachment 5233 View attachment 5234

couple more batteries needed for old school trail welding

 

[Silverback]

I have two. But I like your thinking.

One of these years I'd like to get one of these. Ready Welder » Products Page Don't really have a need at this point but have always thought they were neat.

 

[Taco Loco]

I have two. But I like your thinking.

One of these years I'd like to get one of these. Ready Welder » Products Page Don't really have a need at this point but have always thought they were neat.

that could come in handy for a rancher out Wyoming for sure, but could be a nice to have item...

 

[Oswego]

Those Spods have leaky lids or at least mine did. If you're going under water might want to throw a bead of caulk on the underside of the lid where the metal meets up in the corners. I was not impressed with that when I got mine and the lack of any gasket on the bottom where the wires run out - the rest of the kit was amazing. I could see daylight through my lids.

 

[Silverback]

Yeah its not sealed at all.. the bottom is pretty much wide open where the wires feed in and out. I'm not planning any water crossings where the water would be that deep anyhow. I like the idea of sealing it though. Maybe once its all wired up I'll look into that.

 

[Oswego]

Yeah its not sealed at all.. the bottom is pretty much wide open where the wires feed in and out. I'm not planning any water crossings where the water would be that deep anyhow. I like the idea of sealing it though. Maybe once its all wired up I'll look into that.

I caulked the lids but never finished the install for obvious engine bay issues so I never worked out the wire hole issues on the bottom. Hard part is letting them "breath" when sealed.

 

[the_white_shadow]

i meant this, based on where i am currently in the world. im an engineer.

 

[Silverback]

i meant this, based on where i am currently in the world. im an engineer.

LMAO.. that was the first image that popped in my head when I read that yesterday. LOL

 

[the_white_shadow]

LMAO.. that was the first image that popped in my head when I read that yesterday. LOL

haha yeah. Im currently on a FPSO installing its new mooring system.

 

[Anathollo]

Well I was really rocking and rolling in the garage working on the roof rack. I was starting to clamp a few pieces down and noticed that it was not lining up right. In my enthusiasm to get stuff cut fast and removing material from the 1/8" flat stock I managed to wrap the piss out of it. So I am backing up and rethinking my process for these sides.

I also installed new windsheild washer heads on my '01 4Runner. The new ones are from a 4th gen 4runner and are a direct fit install. The difference is the stock 3rd gen 4Runner head has two spray holes and the 4th gen has 3 spray holes. They work much nicer now.

Can you heat up the steel with a torch and then put weight on it to flatten it back out?

 

[tx_shooter]

Can you heat up the steel with a torch and then put weight on it to flatten it back out?

I was able to use a hammer to massage it back flat. The second part of the problem is that it pulled the length of it out of square. It yaws off about 3/4" over the length of it. I spent the afternoon going over different ways to rebuild it so as to avoid the problem and think I have a better end design now. I am going to pick up some 1"x1" angle iron this week to get started on it. This method will actually be a lot faster than the detailed cuts of the first design. So on to Roof Rack 2.0 build.

 

[TacoXpo]

i meant this, based on where i am currently in the world. im an engineer.

View attachment 5235

 

[taco4x4rar]

I was able to use a hammer to massage it back flat. The second part of the problem is that it pulled the length of it out of square. It yaws off about 3/4" over the length of it. I spent the afternoon going over different ways to rebuild it so as to avoid the problem and think I have a better end design now. I am going to pick up some 1"x1" angle iron this week to get started on it. This method will actually be a lot faster than the detailed cuts of the first design. So on to Roof Rack 2.0 build.

And the prophecy comes true

Na plasmas not that much faster, there's still significant grinding to do not to mention the inevitable mistakes that scrap a whole piece of material.

 

[Silverback]

LOL

 

[tx_shooter]

+1 for cheap material. It was still better than trying to use a cutting disc on an angle grinder.

 

[Silverback]

So I did a little more wiring today. Got the Neco shore power 4 amp charger hooked up... finally. Cool thing is with this blue sea ML-ACR it will sense the power from the solar panel or the shore power charger and top off the starter battery and then disconnect and only charge the house battery. Kinda cool.

 

[the_white_shadow]

i like it.

 

[Silverback]

More wiring.. I may be done in May. I am being a little OCD on all this. Today I hooked up my bumper light bar and LED fogs to the Spod, everything in weatherproof connectors and heat shrunk as well as split loom zip tied and electrical taped along the way. Added some more protection to the wires going to the winch as well... didn't like the protection they had. Also did some wiring on the Blue Sea ML-ACR wiring that needs to go into the cab, got them ready to pull through the firewall at least. Spent about 4 hours doing this, so yes I'm probably being overly OCD.

 

[Oswego]

More wiring.. I may be done in May. I am being a little OCD on all this. Today I hooked up my bumper light bar and LED fogs to the Spod, everything in weatherproof connectors and heat shrunk as well as split loom zip tied and electrical taped along the way. Added some more protection to the wires going to the winch as well... didn't like the protection they had. Also did some wiring on the Blue Sea ML-ACR wiring that needs to go into the cab, got them ready to pull through the firewall at least. Spent about 4 hours doing this, so yes I'm probably being overly OCD.

With all this OCD wiring being done I have to ask...hows your frame? You're not on or need to be on the recall list are you?