HanksDeuce: 8" Lift, Bobbed, External Cage, A/C and more Project!

[HanksDeuce]

It sounds like you "know your stuff" HanksDeuce. Are you maybe an electrical engineer, or something?

I'm actually a mechanical engineer. But what I don't already know (i.e. electrical stuff) I can figure out by reading and gathering information.

 

[Another Ahab]

I'm actually a mechanical engineer. But what I don't already know (i.e. electrical stuff) I can figure out by reading and gathering information.

I remember learning once about engineering:

- Civil Engineers build the targets, and

- Mechanical Engineers take them out.

Is that how YOU learned it!?

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

Just read through this entire thread.. You do fantastic work

 

[FarmerRob]

The Vanner equalizer will then do its job of balancing the 12v load of the SPAL fans and A/C blower.

Did you consider running the two fans in series with 24V to save capacity on the equalizer?

 

[Mike929]

I remember learning once about engineering:

- Civil Engineers build the targets, and

- Mechanical Engineers take them out.

Is that how YOU learned it!?

I always heard that Aerospace engineers took them out, but I might be bias...

 

[HanksDeuce]

Took all weekend to get the Lizard Skin coatings finished. On Saturday I sprayed the sound control (SC) system in multiple coats followed by a 24 hour cure. Today I sprayed the ceramic insulation (CI) system with 4 coats. Another 24 hour cure before any reassembly can happen. Each coating system came in a 2 gallon bucket. I had just enough to do the entire bottom half of the cab interior. I did not coat the upper back or under the roof of the hard top because it has a thick padding on it already. The 4 gallons combined let me coat the back wall, floor, transmission tunnel, firewall, under the cowl, behind the side vents, and inside the doors with 3-4 coats each. I had a regulator on the gun and had it set for 60 psi with the trigger pulled. Wear ear plugs because that gun is loud in the cab! Cheapest seller was on eBay and it cost $395 shipped for the entire kit (both coating systems, the gun, and the stirring rod. The gun cleans up easily with soap and water, so it's reusable for anybody locally that wants to borrow it for their use. I'm told the Lizard Skin coatings don't take kindly to daily abuse so I will probably cut rubber stall mat and lay it down on both floor sections as floor mats. I just don't see me putting carpet in a military vehicle.

Now reassembly begins for the 12v/24v systems on the inside back wall of the cab. After that the A/C evaporator unit can be installed back under the dash. A little bit of wiring and the freshly crimped A/C lines can go on. Then I can take a short drive to the A/C shop for a vacuum to be pulled followed by charging the A/C system with ~2 lbs of R-134a.

Pictures soon to follow!

 

[FarmerRob]

Then I can take a short drive to the A/C shop for a vacuum to be pulled followed by charging the A/C system with ~2 lbs of R-134a.

Fyi, you can borrow a vacuum pump and gauge set from Autozone for free with their loan-a-tool program. Might save you a little money.

 

[Another Ahab]

Now reassembly begins for the 12v/24v systems on the inside back wall of the cab. After that the A/C evaporator unit can be installed back under the dash. A little bit of wiring and the freshly crimped A/C lines can go on. Then I can take a short drive to the A/C shop for a vacuum to be pulled followed by charging the A/C system with ~2 lbs of R-134a.

Pictures soon to follow!

You've worked so hard on the A/C and you're SO close, just in time for...

- Winter

 

[HanksDeuce]

Fyi, you can borrow a vacuum pump and gauge set from Autozone for free with their loan-a-tool program. Might save you a little money.

I appreciate the heads up but I'm gonna leave the vacuum and charging tasks to a local old timer that runs an A/C auto repair shop.

You've worked so hard on the A/C and you're SO close, just in time for...
- Winter

Well, I am running heater hoses to the heater core so that will work too.

 

[Another Ahab]

You've worked so hard on the A/C and you're SO close, just in time for...

- Winter

Well, I am running heater hoses to the heater core so that will work too.

I was just busting' your chops, and I hope you know it, HanksDeuce:

- This has been a stellar thread, and your A/C project is a gold-standard template for how to do it right. I got nothing but the highest admiration for you here. Outstanding.

 

[HanksDeuce]

Finally got a chance to take another video for my YouTube page. It's a general walk around showing what I've completed to date (10/02/15).

Air conditioning is done! Next up is a storage location for my towbar.

https://youtu.be/CXesYG9uRhM

 

[Another Ahab]

Finally got a chance to take another video for my YouTube page. It's a general walk around showing what I've completed to date (10/02/15).

Clean, HanksDeuce; that is SO clean. And absolutely awesome; you "done good" right there; real good.

I love the Cummins ("rated for 30,000 lbs": outrageous!), and the gauges, and the 12v/24v set-up.

What's the story on the "safety valve, in case of runaway"? You went past that pretty quick: is there a choke of some kind or something on the air intake?

 

[HanksDeuce]

Clean, HanksDeuce; that is SO clean. And absolutely awesome; you "done good" right there; real good.

I love the Cummins ("rated for 30,000 lbs": outrageous!), and the gauges, and the 12v/24v set-up.

What's the story on the "safety valve, in case of runaway"? You went past that pretty quick: is there a choke of some kind or something on the air intake?

Thanks for the comments (as always).

Take a look at post #301 for close-up pics of the air shutoff valve. I pull a cable in the cab and it slams the blast gate shut on the inlet to the turbocharger. In order to shut down the engine you need to take away fuel/air/spark. No spark on a diesel. The fuel that most people can't shut down on a diesel runaway is a blown turbocharger inlet seal, so oil becomes the fuel. Really no way of shutting the oiling system down once the turbo inlet seal blows. The only other part of the equation to remove is air. So with the blastgate shut the airflow to the engine is cut off and the engine comes to a stop. This is all in theory of course. I hope to never have to try the air safety valve out.

 

[FarmerRob]

Ok... I have to ask. Are you keeping a tally of the money you have invested in this thing??

 

[HanksDeuce]

Ok... I have to ask. Are you keeping a tally of the money you have invested in this thing??

Not really. Any hobby costs money. If I had a racecar I would have spent a lot more. I only have one MV so that helps.

No real big mods left to do. I'm finally happy with it now. Safe. Reliable. No HH to worry about. Cruises ALL DAY LONG at 55mph with A/C + heat now. What more could a redneck ask for? A lot cheaper than a new diesel pickup with IFS. Buddy paid $75k for a black widow GMC crew cab. Ouch!

 

[FarmerRob]

So your total is less than $75k, then.

 

[turnkey]

WOW great build thread and so much detail...thanks for the great build ride and stuff....Now comes the big question....................................................................................................When is the wife going to let you really drive it>>??/

 

[Another Ahab]

So your total is less than $75k, then.

You don't owe any of us a reply:

- And whatever the total cost and final tally, it has ALL been worth it, HanksDeuce.

Because that fine rig if yours is one-of-a-kind, and superlatively S-W-E-E-T!!!

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Time to find the next project....

 

[HanksDeuce]

Finally finished wiring the 24 volt Warn Series 18 winch. As always find all of the pictures on my website listed below (modifications page / electric winch), but for now here are a few teaser pics.

Comments:
- Not sure on how much 2/0 cable was included in the kit, but I only had 18 inches left after I finished!
- Red sheath didn't shrink when heated. I used black and red tape instead.
- Warn tech support sent me a much better wiring schematic than what's included in the winch manual.
- Tested it out and it works!