In-Cab Mods (Pics)

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

Here are some modifications that I've added to the inside of the Deuce cab over the years to make the overall Deuce experience a little happier I've never posted a thread focusing on this "little stuff." Enjoy.

Mod no.1:

I drive my Deuce all year and I didn't mind not having a heater except for those times when the rain or sleet would freeze to the windshield! I was getting ready for a trip to Kublos last winter so I thought what a great excuse to add one. I kept putting off adding a Mil. heater. I absolutely hate the way the stock unit sits in the engine compartment taking up space and blocking access when it's time to do oil & fuel filter changes......

.....So I just went down to the local truck parts place and got this 24V 17,500BTU Zero Start cube heater. It mounts right to the firewall with the coolant lines also running right out through the firewall. It doesn't take up much space and doesn't get kicked by passengers. Another great thing is that the coolant lines don't have to cross over the engine, they stay on the pass. side. It has three fan settings and works great. No more foggy or ice caked windshields. Please excuse the Aervoe spray bomb job. That shade of green juxtaposed with the vietnam green makes me want to vomit!

Mod no.2:

I've been on numerous roadtrips where having a "dome light" would've been great to read a map instead of holding and fumbling with a flashlight.......So finally I purchased some "tank lights" from CARNAC at last years Rausch Creek rally and mounted one to the tubular frame of my soft top. It works great!!

Mod no.3:

One of the first mods carried out on my Deuce was the addition of a 24-12V converter so I could add a few accessories. I don't actually have a picture of it but it is mounted on the driver's side firewall to the right of where the steering column goes through. The only tough thing about it is that anything wired to needs the ground to be run back to the unit to isolate the 12V system. Its rated for 25Amps and I got from OK Offroad. I don't remember how much it wasn't much. Circuit breakers are added for each accessory.

Mod no.4:

Another great thing added very early on was a Tekonsha digital electric brake controller. I can finely tune it in tenths. I've towed anything from Vermeer chippers, dump trailers, to 12ton tag-alongs and it works great in matching the towed load...

Mod no.5:

This ones an easy one. I took out one of the gauge lights and replaced it with a 12V cigarette lighter. Its great for powering handheld CB's, charging cellphones & crap....

 

[coolnick73]

I really like the dome light idea.

All I have added is a cup holder . It does help when you are trying to get back on the road and have to turn and shift at the same time.

 

[nofearnohope]

I really like the dome light idea.

All I have added is a cup holder . It does help when you are trying to get back on the road and have to turn and shift at the same time.

I have 2 of those cup holders, with an insert in one to hold my cell phone so I can see it go off, since hearing it is out of the question.

 

[MDSA]

Thanx for posting. Good ideas, and thanx for the pics. I added my "dome" light by buying a stick-on light at Walmart. I had to add a small metal strip to run between the tube frame of the soft top.

I agree, the heater gets in the way, but I'll keep my stock heater. First Christmas parade I was in at night I would have froze without my heater.

I was told we don't need a 12v converter; just run a wire off one battery. I haven't accesorized my Deuce so haven't tried this, but it should work, right?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

It will work but there have been some discussion about drawing large loads off just one battery, some say there will be a power inbalance and other not so good things. I have personally connected one of the cigarette lighter plugs with clamps to one battery, then run the phone charger or GPS charger through the door. I switch which battery I use each trip. I am in the process of installing a dual output Humvee alt in the deuce and adding another 12v battery. Then I will run my 12v system, mostly for the camping stuff in the box of the 109.

No.2,

I've got the exact same light in the exact same spot on my hard top. I just haven't run the wires for it yet, can't find my supply of watertight connectors...

 

[frodobaggins]

I was told we don't need a 12v converter; just run a wire off one battery. I haven't accesorized my Deuce so haven't tried this, but it should work, right?

If you're just running stuff like cell phone chargers, gps, ie small things, then no problem. Not enough of a load to make much difference.

Trying to pull something like off road lights, electric pumps, 1200W sound system etc, not gonna work out so well. Your alt will be basically overcharging the non used battery to charge the one you're pulling from, cooking it.

 

[comanderfritz]

i installed a 24v-110v power converter in mine. now i can just plug anything i want it... need a stereo? plug it in. TV for the game? same plug it in. works great.

 

[mistaken1]

Great ideas. Thanks!

 

[mistaken1]

I really like the dome light idea.

All I have added is a cup holder . It does help when you are trying to get back on the road and have to turn and shift at the same time.

I've got the exact same cup holder except in gray.

 

[Armada]

I like the heater! Here's another option for locating the light.

 

[123mack]

What brand is the heater in mod 1? I'd like to have a name to give to the guy at my parts store

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

Thanks for the compliments, my Deuce doesn't get enough down time for me to do a cosmetic resto so everything looks hodgepodge. All these mods are the result of fairly constant use.

Yeah haha, I don't know how I missed putting in some type of cup holder. My friend uses coffee & bean cans painted green with magnets glued to the underside. I'll try that. I'm usually fumbling for a container of water that has been rolling around in the cab and heated by the engine.

*123mack: The brand name is Zero Start. They make all sorts of cold weather related parts.

Saving the best for last (and most expensive) I plan on installing David Clark headsets & intercom system. I keep putting it off but it is neccessary for any road trip longer than 1hr. Even fully rested I start to get sleepy with the engine drone as well as having to look through the steering wheel at an oblique angle to monitor RPMs. Looking at the tach constantly like that is extremely tiring. Heads Up Display here we come!.....

 

[ARYankee]

I'm going to balance my load off of each battery for my 12V accessories. I mounted a 10 circuit APC fuse block to the inside of the cab on the passenger side. I also have cup holders as well for mine.
I'm going to mount a gun rack in it too for when I go hunting this fall along with a CB. I also have plans for some small fans one on driver's side and one on passenger's side. I think I'm going to put some camo fabric lining in the cab as well. I'm planning on Rhino lining the floor along with adding some seat covers, dome light, and better instrument lighting.
I have a ton of ideas for the inside of the cab. It's so easy to just take off with them. I'll post some pics as I get them installed.

 

[comanderfritz]

anyone have a good source for CB radios and PA systems?

 

[LanceRobson]

Consider grounding your 12V system with a CUCV bus bar. They are cheap enough at any show and you can mount 'em just about anywhere. That saves using home runs for grounding or power. They work for 24V distribution, too. My son Chris uses the big shop vise to flatten copper pipe and line bores it on the drill press to make bus bars links for higher voltage than the stock bus bar links can take. They make a great way to reduce battery box clutter. Run one pair of wire to the bus bars and take all the loads from there.

I've got a marine rated 120V inverter that will be set up on a panel with a few extra receptacles. We've got enough bus bars to put a pair in each truck for fast hook ups That will allow just strapping in the panel to move 120V power between the trucks. It has an adjustable voltage sensing cut out to prevent draining the batteries too far.

We've also put spring seat bases with CUCV buckets in the trucks. They make quite a comfort difference.

Lance

 

[pjpiche1]

I just started on the interior of my truck. I added 2 accu-ride air ride bases. I can't find a seat that i like yet so I temporarily have aluminum boat seats on the bases. I dynomatted the firewall and trans. tunnel. I added power windows. I converted my whole truck to 12 volt. I re-arranged my dash cluster and added a pyrometer. I installed an electric brake controller. I changed my starter button to a keyed switch. My new projects are: adding a radio/dvd player, spraying the whole interior with a tintable bedliner, and installing an air conditioner. I will post pic as soon as i take them.

 

[rmgill]

Are you sure you need to isolate that 12 volt ground?

Ground is ground. 12, 24, 48, 480, it does not matter. The potential difference is between the power unit's voltage difference and the ground. If the unit was not working, it could have been that it wasn't correctly grounded to the truck when you first tried it.

My 24-12 volt unit is grounded to the chassis and the 12 volt components in some cases, run to truck ground or to the unit itself.

 

[frodobaggins]

Yes, no need to isolate the ground.

 

[DieselBob]

Saving the best for last (and most expensive) I plan on installing David Clark headsets & intercom system. I keep putting it off but it is neccessary for any road trip longer than 1hr. Even fully rested I start to get sleepy with the engine drone as well as having to look through the steering wheel at an oblique angle to monitor RPMs. Looking at the tach constantly like that is extremely tiring. Heads Up Display here we come!.....

I was planning on the same thing. Already have a 10-40 headset from my flying days. Was going to get a 10-30 set and a sigtronics SPO-22N High Noise Two Place intercom. One small problem. found out it's illegal to where headsets in this state while operating a motor vehicle on public roadways.

 

[FireFighterHill]

You can only have the speaker in one ear, ive always though. On our fire trucks we wear head sets and for the driver his set has speaker on the right ear piece and a sound protection type ear cup on the other side. Either that or you could just get the headset type that only uses the one ear speaker.