Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Good news all around!

Thanks, Dane!

Been doing other things, like helping the neighbor install UHMW skid plates on his RZR. And adding parts of the 1985 FSM to the site. So not much done "to" Big Blue of late.

Having said that, I've done something "for" Big Blue. I have a date with my nephew to do the AC system over the Memorial Day weekend. He is ordering the receiver/dryer, orifice, and new compressor. Debated on the compressor but I don't have a clue the state of this one, which came off of Huck, so we are going with a new one.

So Janey and I'll take it up to Ark City, my home town, and he'll work on it and I'll watch. Plus Janey and I'll decorate my parents' graves and meet up with my brother and SiL. Should be a good day.

Then, with AC, we should be able to go explore the GOAT. Or, at least have comfort on the way to/fro, but maybe unroll the windows while on it.

So, 'twixt now and Memorial Day I'm going to see if I can get the bed cover wired into the fuse box and the security system wired up.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Dane!

Been doing other things, like helping the neighbor install UHMW skid plates on his RZR. And adding parts of the 1985 FSM to the site. So not much done "to" Big Blue of late.

Having said that, I've done something "for" Big Blue. I have a date with my nephew to do the AC system over the Memorial Day weekend. He is ordering the receiver/dryer, orifice, and new compressor. Debated on the compressor but I don't have a clue the state of this one, which came off of Huck, so we are going with a new one.

So Janey and I'll take it up to Ark City, my home town, and he'll work on it and I'll watch. Plus Janey and I'll decorate my parents' graves and meet up with my brother and SiL. Should be a good day.

Then, with AC, we should be able to go explore the GOAT. Or, at least have comfort on the way to/fro, but maybe unroll the windows while on it.

So, 'twixt now and Memorial Day I'm going to see if I can get the bed cover wired into the fuse box and the security system wired up.

Got a bit done today, part of which I was dreading.

I ran the wires from the bed that I'd pulled into the driver's side cab corner under the threshold, under the kick panel, and up to the security system. But along the way I dropped out the red power wire at the fuse box and then wired it into the box.

That was the part I was dreading - working in the fuse box. What I wanted to do, and finally did, was to pull the 4/8/12/16 always-hot bus, which I'd already tapped into for Fuse 13, and tapped into it for Fuse 10, which is power for the bed. But boy, getting all 4 retainers released at the same time to get that bus out is a PAIN!

Anyway, I got it out, crimped the wire from #10 to it and then soldered it in. Put the fuse box back together, repopulated it with fuses, and reconnected the battery. It worked! In fact, the cover appears to run faster, probably 'cause there's no small wire in its feed now.

So Thursday I'll start wiring the security system. (Tomorrow we are helping with a funeral at church.)

Here's how the fuse box is wired:

[Gary Lewis]

Got a bit done today, part of which I was dreading.

I ran the wires from the bed that I'd pulled into the driver's side cab corner under the threshold, under the kick panel, and up to the security system. But along the way I dropped out the red power wire at the fuse box and then wired it into the box.

That was the part I was dreading - working in the fuse box. What I wanted to do, and finally did, was to pull the 4/8/12/16 always-hot bus, which I'd already tapped into for Fuse 13, and tapped into it for Fuse 10, which is power for the bed. But boy, getting all 4 retainers released at the same time to get that bus out is a PAIN!

Anyway, I got it out, crimped the wire from #10 to it and then soldered it in. Put the fuse box back together, repopulated it with fuses, and reconnected the battery. It worked! In fact, the cover appears to run faster, probably 'cause there's no small wire in its feed now.

So Thursday I'll start wiring the security system. (Tomorrow we are helping with a funeral at church.)

Here's how the fuse box is wired:

Well, I'm going to say that I'm about half way done with the security system. At this point it is really just a central-locking system as just the door locks and lights are hooked up. But it works! There's a really satisfying CLUNK when you press the lock or unlock button and the doors lock/unlock and the lights flash.

And I got the USB charger in the ash tray wired so that it comes on with the key.

So here's what is left to wire:

• Horn: The Ford horn relay pulls 600ma so I'm going to replace it with a Bosch relay and connect to that from the security system.

• Siren: Going to put the siren under the hood and run the wire to it through the firewall.

• Engine Kill: I'll put a relay in to ensure the engine can run when the security system is armed.

• Pin Switches: There will be a pin switch for the hood and one on each tool box lid. The wire to the tool box is already run, but the one for the hood will go through the firewall with the siren's power wire.

• Door Switches: I have to tap into the door switch wiring to set the system off if someone opens a door when it is armed.

• Bed Cover: I'm going to tie the "trunk open" and "optional" outputs to the bed cover so I can open or close it with the Code Alarm remote. But that's no big deal as the wires are already run into the cab from the bed, so I just have to hook them up.

Then it is essentially done save for the programming, which will take a bit. So maybe two more days?

Anyway, if anyone is doing something like this I highly recommend installing the security system where the center speaker would have been. It makes the wiring so much easier since you are working upright and not having to lay on your side or back. And there's gobs of room.

In the pic below you can see where the system is and the wiring running to and fro. I'm making the connections on the right side where the open area is and then plugging the connector into the security system. Then I'll zip tie the runs to ensure nothing rattles. It is working out nicely.

[fryntrz]

Well, I'm going to say that I'm about half way done with the security system. At this point it is really just a central-locking system as just the door locks and lights are hooked up. But it works! There's a really satisfying CLUNK when you press the lock or unlock button and the doors lock/unlock and the lights flash.

And I got the USB charger in the ash tray wired so that it comes on with the key.

So here's what is left to wire:

• Horn: The Ford horn relay pulls 600ma so I'm going to replace it with a Bosch relay and connect to that from the security system.

• Siren: Going to put the siren under the hood and run the wire to it through the firewall.

• Engine Kill: I'll put a relay in to ensure the engine can run when the security system is armed.

• Pin Switches: There will be a pin switch for the hood and one on each tool box lid. The wire to the tool box is already run, but the one for the hood will go through the firewall with the siren's power wire.

• Door Switches: I have to tap into the door switch wiring to set the system off if someone opens a door when it is armed.

• Bed Cover: I'm going to tie the "trunk open" and "optional" outputs to the bed cover so I can open or close it with the Code Alarm remote. But that's no big deal as the wires are already run into the cab from the bed, so I just have to hook them up.

Then it is essentially done save for the programming, which will take a bit. So maybe two more days?

Anyway, if anyone is doing something like this I highly recommend installing the security system where the center speaker would have been. It makes the wiring so much easier since you are working upright and not having to lay on your side or back. And there's gobs of room.

In the pic below you can see where the system is and the wiring running to and fro. I'm making the connections on the right side where the open area is and then plugging the connector into the security system. Then I'll zip tie the runs to ensure nothing rattles. It is working out nicely.

Looks great and this will help me a ton! I can't comment enough on the helpful posts in your build. I'm sure you held your breath for a second before you tested the door locks!

[Gary Lewis]

Looks great and this will help me a ton! I can't comment enough on the helpful posts in your build. I'm sure you held your breath for a second before you tested the door locks!

Bryan - I'm glad it will help you. And to help more I updated the pic above with the location of my ground for the security system. The bracket that would have held the center speaker and does hold the radio bezel was originally held to the tab on the cab with a sheetmetal nut and screw. I used a file to remove the paint on the tab, top and bottom, and sanded the bracket down to shiny metal on both sides. And then I used a 10-32 screw and a nut with a captive lock washer to hold the bracket to the tab, and enough of the screw protruded on the bottom to get a ring-tongue connector on with another nut. But I painted the bare metal with aluminum-based anti-seize compound to prevent things from rusting.

As for holding my breath, absolutely! But I held it more when I connected the battery back up. No smoke then, so I hit the button on the transmitter and CLUNK!

[Gary Lewis]

Bryan - I'm glad it will help you. And to help more I updated the pic above with the location of my ground for the security system. The bracket that would have held the center speaker and does hold the radio bezel was originally held to the tab on the cab with a sheetmetal nut and screw. I used a file to remove the paint on the tab, top and bottom, and sanded the bracket down to shiny metal on both sides. And then I used a 10-32 screw and a nut with a captive lock washer to hold the bracket to the tab, and enough of the screw protruded on the bottom to get a ring-tongue connector on with another nut. But I painted the bare metal with aluminum-based anti-seize compound to prevent things from rusting.

As for holding my breath, absolutely! But I held it more when I connected the battery back up. No smoke then, so I hit the button on the transmitter and CLUNK!

Not much to show for today, but I did get two wires run through the firewall - one for the siren and one for the hood pin switch. And I got the pin switch installed and connected. But the siren will probably require removing the grille to get it where I want it, so that's on the list of things to do tomorrow.

[Gary Lewis]

Not much to show for today, but I did get two wires run through the firewall - one for the siren and one for the hood pin switch. And I got the pin switch installed and connected. But the siren will probably require removing the grille to get it where I want it, so that's on the list of things to do tomorrow.

Got a bit to show for today but forgot to take a pic of the siren, which is installed on the right side of the radiator mounted to the radiator support. It is firing through a hole in the radiator support so can be easily heard outside. But it is wired up and works nicely.

Next up was the connections between the security system and the bed cover. That works very nicely and with a 3+ second push of the trunk button the cover opens, and with a 3+ second push of both the lock and unlock buttons the cover closes.

And I connected the wire that goes to the toolbox into the pin switch input, so when I install the pin switches there opening the lids will set off the alarm.

Last, I replaced the stock Ford horn relay with a Bosch-style relay. As previously said the Ford regulator takes ~.6A to pull in, but the security system can only sink .3A. Fortunately a Bosch relay takes ~.1A, so swapping the stock unit for a Bosch solved the problem.

The factory connector has three 1/4" female terminals, so I made a jumper with male connectors on one end and female on the other to connect to the relay. That's shown on the left below, with the little brown wire that is coiled up going to the security system so it can also pull in the relay. And on the right is how I mounted it on the speed control module using the same bolt that the factory relay uses. (Bill - What do you notice in that pic? )

And, it works! The siren has a sharp, piercing sound and the bellow from the bull horn seems to mellow it out nicely. But, I have the option of turning things off in the setup procedure, so will see about that when I get to that step.

Speaking of steps, all I have left is to connect to the power at the ignition switch and to wire up the "engine disabling" relay. Then I'll neaten up the convolute in the dash, tie everything down so there won't be any rattles, and put the dash cover back on.

[Gary Lewis]

Got a bit to show for today but forgot to take a pic of the siren, which is installed on the right side of the radiator mounted to the radiator support. It is firing through a hole in the radiator support so can be easily heard outside. But it is wired up and works nicely.Next up was the connections between the security system and the bed cover. That works very nicely and with a 3+ second push of the trunk button the cover opens, and with a 3+ second push of both the lock and unlock buttons the cover closes.And I connected the wire that goes to the toolbox into the pin switch input, so when I install the pin switches there opening the lids will set off the alarm.Last, I replaced the stock Ford horn relay with a Bosch-style relay. As previously said the Ford regulator takes ~.6A to pull in, but the security system can only sink .3A. Fortunately a Bosch relay takes ~.1A, so swapping the stock unit for a Bosch solved the problem.The factory connector has three 1/4" female terminals, so I made a jumper with male connectors on one end and female on the other to connect to the relay. That's shown on the left below, with the little brown wire that is coiled up going to the security system so it can also pull in the relay. And on the right is how I mounted it on the speed control module using the same bolt that the factory relay uses. (Bill - What do you notice in that pic? )And, it works! The siren has a sharp, piercing sound and the bellow from the bull horn seems to mellow it out nicely. But, I have the option of turning things off in the setup procedure, so will see about that when I get to that step.Speaking of steps, all I have left is to connect to the power at the ignition switch and to wire up the "engine disabling" relay. Then I'll neaten up the convolute in the dash, tie everything down so there won't be any rattles, and put the dash cover back on.

Bill - I just tagged you to the previous post 'cause I am sure you need to see it.

 

Anyway, the security system is installed. All I have left to do is to install the pin switches in the toolbox and do some more programming. I have done some programming as I turned Silent Choice on such that a single push of Lock arms the system, locks the doors, and flashes the lights. But it takes a 2nd push to get the siren & horn to sound - like if you really want everyone to know it has an alarm system.

 

But I need to adjust the shock sensor since banging on the truck didn't set it off. And there are other things I want to test.

 

Here how the wiring under the dash cover turned out:

 

 

And here's how I wired it:

 

[kramttocs]

Bill - I just tagged you to the previous post 'cause I am sure you need to see it.

 

Anyway, the security system is installed. All I have left to do is to install the pin switches in the toolbox and do some more programming. I have done some programming as I turned Silent Choice on such that a single push of Lock arms the system, locks the doors, and flashes the lights. But it takes a 2nd push to get the siren & horn to sound - like if you really want everyone to know it has an alarm system.

 

But I need to adjust the shock sensor since banging on the truck didn't set it off. And there are other things I want to test.

 

Here how the wiring under the dash cover turned out:

 

 

And here's how I wired it:

 

Looks great Gary!Nice and tidy.For anyone interested more on the horn relay - here is a discussion we had with some options.

[Gary Lewis]

Looks great Gary!

Nice and tidy.

For anyone interested more on the horn relay - here is a discussion we had with some options.

Thanks, Scott. I was pleased with how it turned out, and I highly recommend doing the wiring under the right side of the dash cover. Sure made it easier than upside down.

And for completeness, here's a link to the thread on Installing A Code Alarm ca1155e Security System.