What have you done to your CUCV today/lately - Part 2

[MarcusOReallyus]

I always crimp connectors with channellocks but whatever you have that crushes really well.

That's the worst advice on electrical repairs I've ever heard. That is exactly the reason that crimped connections have a bad reputation with some people.

Channel locks won't press down hard enough to get a good crimp, and if you ARE getting a good crimp with channel locks, then you're using a low quality connector or you're a body builder, heh.

Ratcheting crimpers aren't that expensive, only about $30... and if you want to use a tool that you already have, use vice grips, they will crimp in a pinch, although I don't suggest it as you can chew through the insulation.

That, and you still won't get a proper crimp. It's not just about how hard you squeeze it, it's also about the shape of the die.

No pliers of any kind can do a proper crimp. Period.


One mistake I see on both of those videos - neither one paid any attention to the orientation of the crimp. There is a seam in most connectors, and that seam will often bust open (weakening your crimp) if it is not respected. The axis of the crimp must be at a right angle to the seam or you risk splitting it. Higher quality connectors are often soldered after being rolled (and before being inserted into the insulation), and these are more forgiving. A few connectors are actually made of a seamless tube, and these don't care about orientation, but they are few and far between.

 

[98G]

Oops duplicate

 

[NovacaineFix]

Do yourself a favor. Pop off the radiator cap. Drag out your multi meter, stick that black lead on a good ground point, and dip the red lead in the coolant at the radiator neck. Don't touch the radiator itself, just the coolant.

I'm guessing you'll see a few volts. If you do, your radiator is probably not far behind. It's being eaten.

Time for a good flush, replace radiator, and make sure the radiator and the heater core are well grounded. Don't assume they are grounded just because they are mounted. I did this recently on my van to cure the same kind of problem. Ran a ground lead right from the radiator itself to the main ground point where the battery grounds to the body. No more voltage in the radiator neck.

I see what you're getting at and yes, that can happen. I think in my case the 1st 2 cores went bad due to overpressurization from a slightly bad T-stat, by the 3rd core replacement, the T-stat had been replaced. Everything else in the cooling system is new, within 6 months, radiator (plastic/aluminum), water pump, T-stat, hoses, and of course several cores, lol.

I have placed a few newer ground straps from the engine to the chassis, part of my headlight/electrical upgrade, one of them was definitely not doing it's part. But now that you bring that up, I think I'm going to check that just to be safe.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Here's a good video on crimping connections. The first connection he makes is with a really junk crimper. I don't recommend those at all, but it does show the proper seam orientation I mentioned. He doesn't talk about it, but you can see him adjust the fitting so that the seam is correctly oriented in the die. While this is a ring terminal, and it's more obvious with them, the same thing is true of all of the other crimp fittings commonly used in vehicle and marine applications. Butt, ring, flag type, whatever.

The last thing to mention on this is the quality of the connector itself. Junk connectors give junk connections. I prefer the nylon connectors (which are usually translucent) to the vinyl. There is really no comparison. Stick with a good name brand like 3M. It's just not worth the few pennies you'll save to go with El Cheapo connectors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DPtyfIm_LE

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I have placed a few newer ground straps from the engine to the chassis, part of my headlight/electrical upgrade, one of them was definitely not doing it's part. But now that you bring that up, I think I'm going to check that just to be safe.

It can't hurt!


By the way, I can relate to the emergency heater core bypass. Did one in a parking lot with the whole family inside, last day of vacation trying to get home before a snowstorm hit, just a few months ago.

 

[Another Ahab]

By the way, I can relate to the emergency heater core bypass. Did one in a parking lot with the whole family inside, last day of vacation trying to get home before a snowstorm hit, just a few months ago.

I'm sure that was a great way to get some relaxation in on the last day of your vacation.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Yeah, followed by a 4 hour drive, the last half in a snowstorm, trying to navigate amongst Virginia drivers!

 

[cucvrus]

Same old thing here in Pennsylvania. Spent the week end cutting fire wood at the farm. Today I had some monster walnut logs to cut up and the loader was handy. Been using the Crown of Thorns M1009 in the field for the past month. The trailer has been connected since then. I will probably just let it hooked up to haul mudflaps and supplies up to Rausch Creek in 2 weeks. I like the long drive across the field when the trailer is empty but when it is full I have to take it real easy so I don't break anything on the trailer or the M1009. Handles the weight well and drives well. The Good year MTR's are the ticket IMHO. Never have any issues in mud or snow and this vehicles is used hard primarily off road and utilitarian. Last week I did get a call to pick a guy up at the airport. I was on my way to cut wood so why not I drove to the airport with the mud covered Crown of Thorns M1009. It is nice to have the wood cut for winter 2017-2018 on the first day of spring 2016. Have a great day.

 

[Another Ahab]

That walnut is beautiful. What are you going to do with it; slab it?

Man, please don't tell me it's firewood!!

 

[cucvrus]

OK I won't tell you. I will just burn it. I could not pay a saw mill to cut that wood. They will not take any farm wood.Look at the pile closely. You can see the split walnut and the trailer is loaded with that walnut wood. That trailer loaded with wood weighs more then the Crown of Thorns M1009 when it is loaded going for wood.

 

[Another Ahab]

OK I won't tell you. I will just burn it. You can see the split walnut and the trailer is loaded with that walnut wood.

Walnut. Long, clear growth. Straight grained.

For. Firewood.

I'll be alright. Just give me a minute. I'll be fine. Just give me one second....

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Walnut. Long, clear growth. Straight grained.

For. Firewood.

I'll be alright. Just give me a minute. I'll be fine. Just give me one second....


View attachment 614025

Yeah, looks a lot like my woodworking brother when I showed him pictures of the nice red oak I was splitting for firewood.


Good looking wood, there, Rick!

 

[CUCVLOVER]

Yeah, looks a lot like my woodworking brother when I showed him pictures of the nice red oak I was splitting for firewood.


Good looking wood, there, Rick!

Eww. That last part is just messed up

 

[cucvrus]

You are a sick demented little man Chase.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

You are a sick demented little man Chase.

That I am Rick.

That I am

 

[Another Ahab]

Yeah, looks a lot like my woodworking brother when I showed him pictures of the nice red oak I was splitting for firewood.

He gave you one of these didn't he:

 

[cucvrus]

Red Oak is one of my favorite woods to burn. It smells so good and really loads up the CUCV real nice. I still like the M1009 / trailer combo best. Easier to load and unload. No climbing up and down and it stacks so much easier with the flat square sides vs the wheel well housings i the pick-up. I would never throw wood of this size in my new truck. Each tool has a purpose. To keep it simple and less labor intense the combo works best. And disconnect and go if you want to use it for anther purpose. It's all the same in the end. Firewood or wasting wood. I see alotof nice wood piles that people let go to waste. Not at my base camp. I burn the twigs.

 

[Durango_USMC]

After getting the driverside turn signal socket replaced the driverside was extremely dim.... replaced that one, now turn signals dont want to work and its alternating on fiddling with it. Ugh.

 

[RobM36A2]

Still no luck on the passenger side window..
Looks like I need to take it apart..

Need to finish before half april, for a charity ride.

 

[howardc]

When you inspect tires, note the date of manufacture. My spare was original factory equipment, 33 years old. It had never been used except once, this summer, when I had to run an errand in the middle of rotating my tires. When I tried to use it again in the bitter cold, it crumbled. I now know how to read the date of manufacture of a tire, and I'll replace any that are over 10 years old, even if the tread is new.

View attachment 612721
2 different mechanics inspected this spare and judged it to be in great shape. They didn't check the date codes either.

Yea, I told the tire shop to inspect the spare before they put it on (had to have it towed, stranded in snow with no tools!) The shop said the spare was fine, should've taken a pic of it but I forgot.