Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Bill. But I think I have it worked out. If the weather was different and I could get an Amazon delivery tomorrow I might do it differently, but given the mess in Texas most of our orders have no delivery date shown. For instance, the tracking on my radio via UPS keeps saying "Check back tomorrow" and "Weather notice".

I want to be able to push the connector through an opening in the upper left corner of the dash behind the bezel, and none of the Ford connectors with enough connections would go through there. So I found these connectors that I'd previously used and am repurposing them.

They use .094" pins, so should handle the current being drawn by the various things, the largest of which is the OX locker, which is supposed to be fused at 10A. Would you agree?

Ok, time for new connectors. I've been fiddling with unsoldering the wires from the pins on these and it ain't working. I finally had the 2nd one almost done and it slipped, the soldering pin hit my finger, and the pin went flying into the nether reaches of the shop, only to be seen again when I no longer need it.

So I'm ordering new connectors just like these, obviously with new pins. But they won't be in until Monday, so I'll move on to other projects, like maybe installing the OX locker motor and cable. I'm bummed because I had high hopes to get this part of it done today, but it'll be much easier to use new pins.

And UPS is still showing no status on the new radio. It left PA on the 12th and as of 5:40 PM yesterday it was still In Transit.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bill. But I think I have it worked out. If the weather was different and I could get an Amazon delivery tomorrow I might do it differently, but given the mess in Texas most of our orders have no delivery date shown. For instance, the tracking on my radio via UPS keeps saying "Check back tomorrow" and "Weather notice".

I want to be able to push the connector through an opening in the upper left corner of the dash behind the bezel, and none of the Ford connectors with enough connections would go through there. So I found these connectors that I'd previously used and am repurposing them.

They use .094" pins, so should handle the current being drawn by the various things, the largest of which is the OX locker, which is supposed to be fused at 10A. Would you agree?

Gary, the ones I have are those exact ones, just virgin.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the ones I have are those exact ones, just virgin.

I ordered two of the 12-pin versions, with pins. So I'll have a spare. It goes nicely through the opening on the left at the top and rests snugly under the speaker bracket, that is the rusty thing you can see through the hole. The clock connector goes back through the hole in the upper right, as will the 1/4" pair of connectors for the pink wire that goes back to the relay box above the inverter.

That way I won't have connectors behind the switches, which is important as there isn't enough room for them. In fact, the wiring I've already put on the switches hits the dash a bit, so that tells me that it is all going to fit, but tightly.

[Gary Lewis]

I ordered two of the 12-pin versions, with pins. So I'll have a spare. It goes nicely through the opening on the left at the top and rests snugly under the speaker bracket, that is the rusty thing you can see through the hole. The clock connector goes back through the hole in the upper right, as will the 1/4" pair of connectors for the pink wire that goes back to the relay box above the inverter.

That way I won't have connectors behind the switches, which is important as there isn't enough room for them. In fact, the wiring I've already put on the switches hits the dash a bit, so that tells me that it is all going to fit, but tightly.

Apparently I didn't order the cable that goes between the OX actuator and the locker, but I turned the shop upside down looking for it, twice. And along the way I put some things away, so it wasn't all wasted.

Then I moved on to placing the actuator. The minimum cable length is 36" and the next step up is 48". But you have to accommodate the movement of the suspension so it can't be directly above the diff. In fact, with the connection on the left side of the diff the best cable routing to allow full suspension movement would be to make a 180 degree bend. And with a bit of measuring it seemed like 36" would be on the right side of the engine crossmember, but on the bottom of it.

Reading the installation instructions I found "The actuator is designed to be mounted outside the vehicle and will resist the harsh environment." Well, how harsh is "harsh". So I called OX and the tech I talked to said that the place I've found would be good. "The unit is waterproof as are the connections, so unless you park in a pond for 48 hours you'll be fine fording streams."

The pic below shows roughly the spot. I'm going to order the 36" cable and then let it determine exactly where I put the actuator as there's some question as to where their measurements start and stop. As you can see in the pic, it can go up ~1", but I was just using an existing hole in the crossmember to hold it. And, if the cable is long enough, as it should be, the actuator can go to the right just a bit and tilt up more, which gives more clearance to the axle.

Speaking of clearance, as best I've measured the shocks will bottom before the axle hits the bump stops. In that case there will be ~1" of clearance at full compression between the axle and the actuator. But I'm going to pull a shock loose tomorrow to make sure that's the case.

Thoughts?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Apparently I didn't order the cable that goes between the OX actuator and the locker, but I turned the shop upside down looking for it, twice. And along the way I put some things away, so it wasn't all wasted.

Then I moved on to placing the actuator. The minimum cable length is 36" and the next step up is 48". But you have to accommodate the movement of the suspension so it can't be directly above the diff. In fact, with the connection on the left side of the diff the best cable routing to allow full suspension movement would be to make a 180 degree bend. And with a bit of measuring it seemed like 36" would be on the right side of the engine crossmember, but on the bottom of it.

Reading the installation instructions I found "The actuator is designed to be mounted outside the vehicle and will resist the harsh environment." Well, how harsh is "harsh". So I called OX and the tech I talked to said that the place I've found would be good. "The unit is waterproof as are the connections, so unless you park in a pond for 48 hours you'll be fine fording streams."

The pic below shows roughly the spot. I'm going to order the 36" cable and then let it determine exactly where I put the actuator as there's some question as to where their measurements start and stop. As you can see in the pic, it can go up ~1", but I was just using an existing hole in the crossmember to hold it. And, if the cable is long enough, as it should be, the actuator can go to the right just a bit and tilt up more, which gives more clearance to the axle.

Speaking of clearance, as best I've measured the shocks will bottom before the axle hits the bump stops. In that case there will be ~1" of clearance at full compression between the axle and the actuator. But I'm going to pull a shock loose tomorrow to make sure that's the case.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't want it below the crossmember, or that close to the side of it.

But if I had to put it there I would put it on the back side of the front flange, where it isn't as likely to get crushed or have rocks and stuff thrown at it.

There isn't any room anywhere else, is there?

[Gary Lewis]

I wouldn't want it below the crossmember, or that close to the side of it.

But if I had to put it there I would put it on the back side of the front flange, where it isn't as likely to get crushed or have rocks and stuff thrown at it.

There isn't any room anywhere else, is there?

We are thinking alike as that is the back side of the front flange. And if I can I'll move it left a bit to be more shielded.

As for room elsewhere, there is one other place I thought of just now, and I like it better. (Don't know why I didn't think of it before.) It is inside the frame and back of the axle, roughly as shown below although it can go back about 2" more by bending the brake tubing just a bit if the cable will allow. That allows the cable to go forward along the path of the spring and just move up and down on the end. And, it is about 6" higher than the engine crossmember with no danger of being hit by the axle. Or a rock for that matter.

The only issue is the exhaust and it is probably 9" away from the header. But I could put a shield beside it to reflect the heat away.

[ArdWrknTrk]

We are thinking alike as that is the back side of the front flange. And if I can I'll move it left a bit to be more shielded.

As for room elsewhere, there is one other place I thought of just now, and I like it better. (Don't know why I didn't think of it before.) It is inside the frame and back of the axle, roughly as shown below although it can go back about 2" more by bending the brake tubing just a bit if the cable will allow. That allows the cable to go forward along the path of the spring and just move up and down on the end. And, it is about 6" higher than the engine crossmember with no danger of being hit by the axle. Or a rock for that matter.

The only issue is the exhaust and it is probably 9" away from the header. But I could put a shield beside it to reflect the heat away.

I can see where it is.

I think it would be more protected in the frame (certainly a lot less likely to be smashed)

[Gary Lewis]

I can see where it is.

I think it would be more protected in the frame (certainly a lot less likely to be smashed)

Yeah, I think I like this better. And, it'll be easier to run the wiring this way as well.

[Gary Lewis]

Yeah, I think I like this better. And, it'll be easier to run the wiring this way as well.

Yippee! The new radio shows to be out for delivery. So after we run some errands, inc sending a shoulder harness bolt a few towns south, I think I'll see if I can remove the skid plate on the midship tank and lower it enough to replace the gasket on the fuel delivery module.

Then tomorrow and Sunday I can install the radio and maybe even get to pair the phones to it and listen to it. But I won't be able to finish the installation, meaning installing the rear bracket until the bracket gets here, and last I knew it hadn't shipped yet as it is coming from a part of Texas that is still w/o power. But that can wait a bit as the old radio was pretty secure just using the sleeve.

The LightDims and the new Molex connectors are to be here Monday, so I can install one of the connectors and test the patches to see how the LEDs look with them. And if that isn't acceptable I'll use resistors to set the level of each LED.

And once the shift cable comes in for the OX locker I can install the actuator and cable, which should be a fairly easy job.

Then I ought to install some relays for the fog and backup lights. I have plenty of relays, so may just hang those two off the bracket of the EFI air box where the trailer relay holder goes. This is just a "for now" solution until going EFI and the associated PDB, so doesn't need to be too fancy. Oh, and I should actually get some LED lights for aux backup lights and install them.

Then the air compressor needs to be installed and the truck will be ready for adventure!

[85lebaront2]

Speaking of clearance, as best I've measured the shocks will bottom before the axle hits the bump stops. In that case there will be ~1" of clearance at full compression between the axle and the actuator. But I'm going to pull a shock loose tomorrow to make sure that's the case.

Thoughts?

Unless your shocks are designed to be used as travel stops for the suspension, bottoming them internally will destroy them, maybe not immediately but will eventually. I know that every tubular shock I have dealt with is designed to be an extension stop, but not a compression stop. Even the FWD vehicles have a rubber cushion so the shock is not bottomed, and I have seen a few where some genius wanted to make a low rider and ends up taking it out so he isn't hitting the stop cushion, then wonders why his special shocks are no longer working after a few weeks.

When I had my Shelby, it had Konis on it and the damping level adjustment was done by fully collapsing the shock and turning the rod and tube until the adjusting tab on the piston engaged the valve plate, then turning it in the desired direction until it "clicked" as many steps as you wanted, firmer or softer. The point on this, is the piston will smack into the control valves when the shock is fully collapsed.

Either put spacers between the bump stops and frame or put blocks on the axle where it would hit the bump stops. The other alternative, if one end of the shocks is a plain stud, put some hard rubber between the shock body and the washer nearest the shock to serve as a bump stop (that's what is used on Macpherson Struts).