Big Blue's Transformation

[BigBrother-84]

For instance, [...] And yesterday I [...] Oh, and I [...] And then I [...]

Well, Big Blues' transformation looks to be exactly the same of each member's own truck project, where D.O.N.E means Definition Of Never Ending.

But I don't think y'all really want to read about all of that trivial stuff so I won't tell you.

Wrong assumption Gary, we LOVE to hear about all these "tweaking" tasks, which we all have and about which we can learn some nice tricks!

Please don't stop!

 

[Gary Lewis]

For instance, [...] And yesterday I [...] Oh, and I [...] And then I [...]

Well, Big Blues' transformation looks to be exactly the same of each member's own truck project, where D.O.N.E means Definition Of Never Ending.

But I don't think y'all really want to read about all of that trivial stuff so I won't tell you.

Wrong assumption Gary, we LOVE to hear about all these "tweaking" tasks, which we all have and about which we can learn some nice tricks!

Please don't stop!

Definition Of Never Ending = DONE. I like it!

As for telling you what I've done, what if I post the tweaking things in WHYDTYTT? Updating the firmware and testing the power ports would go in that thread. But true "transformation" things, like adding the Koito headlight shells and high-powered bulbs could be here in Transformation.

Thoughts?

[BigBrother-84]

Definition Of Never Ending = DONE. I like it!

As for telling you what I've done, what if I post the tweaking things in WHYDTYTT? Updating the firmware and testing the power ports would go in that thread. But true "transformation" things, like adding the Koito headlight shells and high-powered bulbs could be here in Transformation.

Thoughts?

Well Gary, this is my very humble opinion... I'm not playing in the forum for long time, so my experience is worth what it is worth.

For me, WHYDTYTT is a topic where we should post very short description, such as «hey! yesterday I changed my transmission, was a mess but finally fit ok, see this topic for more details».

Or «after some search, I finally decided to install a front cam, I am very happy even if not perfect, see this topic if you want more details and the full journey».

I consider that WHYDTYTT is not a good place to describe and discuss in detail about different things we make to our beloved machines. Not easy to follow up each storyboard in this catch-all topic...

For example, much easier to follow your cam journey, models pros and cons analysis, protective waterproof front case, software and firmware upgrades, etc, if grouped in a specific topic.

So, if after 7171 posts and 3 1/2 years, Big Blue has finally reached the end of its transformation (but not the end of projects at all, we understand -and hope so- ), maybe each tweak to come could have its own topic, such as the new beams and their high-powered bulbs.

- Big Blue's new headlights.

- Big Blue's GPS wiring.

- Big Blue's New-Little-Project-I-Didn't-Imagine-Before-But-Decided-To-Do...

But who am I to suggest you how to organize your papers!

[Gary Lewis]

Well Gary, this is my very humble opinion... I'm not playing in the forum for long time, so my experience is worth what it is worth.

For me, WHYDTYTT is a topic where we should post very short description, such as «hey! yesterday I changed my transmission, was a mess but finally fit ok, see this topic for more details».

Or «after some search, I finally decided to install a front cam, I am very happy even if not perfect, see this topic if you want more details and the full journey».

I consider that WHYDTYTT is not a good place to describe and discuss in detail about different things we make to our beloved machines. Not easy to follow up each storyboard in this catch-all topic...

For example, much easier to follow your cam journey, models pros and cons analysis, protective waterproof front case, software and firmware upgrades, etc, if grouped in a specific topic.

So, if after 7171 posts and 3 1/2 years, Big Blue has finally reached the end of its transformation (but not the end of projects at all, we understand -and hope so- ), maybe each tweak to come could have its own topic, such as the new beams and their high-powered bulbs.

- Big Blue's new headlights.

- Big Blue's GPS wiring.

- Big Blue's New-Little-Project-I-Didn't-Imagine-Before-But-Decided-To-Do...

But who am I to suggest you how to organize your papers!

Jeff - Thank you for that. It really does help me decide how to do this, and there aren't really any rules.

I do like being able to search in Big Blue's Transformation to find what I've done to the truck. It helps to know where it is, even if there are "several" pages, and the system will check out all of those pages in a heart beat. So you have a very good point.

And towards that end, I may have discovered that New-Little-Project-I-Didn't-Imagine-Before-But-Decided-To-Do. If you look at this post in 40/20/40 In An 86 Regular Cab you'll see that I realized today that we have measurements from Ford for the proper seating position. And that comparing those measurements to Big Blue I've found that the driver's captain's chair is leaned back twice as much as it should be. Further, that explains why the top of the seatback hits the rear window before the seat gets all of the way back in the track, which is why I'm short 1" in leg room.

So I've been doing a bit of math to figure out what to do about it. Ford shows the seat bottom angled back 8 degrees from horizontal and BB's is at 16 degrees. But 8 degrees would mean the rear of the seat should go up by 2 1/4" or the front down by that much. The front can't go down more than 1" as that's the thickness of the spacer that's in there, so the rear will have to go up some. However, that will also raise the seat bottom, and it is essentially where it is supposed to be now.

Which brings me to what might be the right solution - make a new seat base/platform. I'm going to have to do that before Dad's truck can be finished as Big Blue is currently using the base that is intended for Dad's truck. (As well as the seats, but that's another story.) So if I build the base for BB then the factory one will be available for Dad's truck.

And the beauty of that is because it looks like the approach I laid out in the 40/20/40 thread of using the seat mounts off BB's bench seat and adding angle iron to them will lower the seating position by an inch or so, meaning that I can tilt the seat forward and still keep it at the right height. In addition, I want the console to be moved back a bit and that would be easy to do when making the new base.

[Nothing Special]

Jeff - Thank you for that. It really does help me decide how to do this, and there aren't really any rules.

I do like being able to search in Big Blue's Transformation to find what I've done to the truck. It helps to know where it is, even if there are "several" pages, and the system will check out all of those pages in a heart beat. So you have a very good point.

And towards that end, I may have discovered that New-Little-Project-I-Didn't-Imagine-Before-But-Decided-To-Do. If you look at this post in 40/20/40 In An 86 Regular Cab you'll see that I realized today that we have measurements from Ford for the proper seating position. And that comparing those measurements to Big Blue I've found that the driver's captain's chair is leaned back twice as much as it should be. Further, that explains why the top of the seatback hits the rear window before the seat gets all of the way back in the track, which is why I'm short 1" in leg room.

So I've been doing a bit of math to figure out what to do about it. Ford shows the seat bottom angled back 8 degrees from horizontal and BB's is at 16 degrees. But 8 degrees would mean the rear of the seat should go up by 2 1/4" or the front down by that much. The front can't go down more than 1" as that's the thickness of the spacer that's in there, so the rear will have to go up some. However, that will also raise the seat bottom, and it is essentially where it is supposed to be now.

Which brings me to what might be the right solution - make a new seat base/platform. I'm going to have to do that before Dad's truck can be finished as Big Blue is currently using the base that is intended for Dad's truck. (As well as the seats, but that's another story.) So if I build the base for BB then the factory one will be available for Dad's truck.

And the beauty of that is because it looks like the approach I laid out in the 40/20/40 thread of using the seat mounts off BB's bench seat and adding angle iron to them will lower the seating position by an inch or so, meaning that I can tilt the seat forward and still keep it at the right height. In addition, I want the console to be moved back a bit and that would be easy to do when making the new base.

I'd also encourage you to keep posting about Big Blue in his own thread. I think you'll like having it one place and I think for everyone else it works better too. The "what have you done..." thread always gets so choppy. It's fine for what it is, but I don't think it's as good at being a build thread as a build thread is.

[Gary Lewis]

I'd also encourage you to keep posting about Big Blue in his own thread. I think you'll like having it one place and I think for everyone else it works better too. The "what have you done..." thread always gets so choppy. It's fine for what it is, but I don't think it's as good at being a build thread as a build thread is.

Bob - That's true, but there aren't that many that are following Big Blue's Transformation. Or at least very few reply.

So I'm wondering about Jeff's idea of starting another thread about Big Blue's Seat Platform and linking to it from this thread. I see pluses and minuses for that approach:

• Plus: First, it keeps everything about that subject together. For instance, I know that I put the stuff about the Sky RSK in that thread and I can refer others to it easily. Second, more people will see it and, therefore, more might have suggestions that would help.

• Minus: A search will find the link but not the discussion itself. But that doesn't seem like too much of a minus.

I may be missing something, but I think I'm going to start a thread on Big Blue's Seat Platform. There are so many people that ask how to put 40/20/40 seats or buckets/captain's chairs in these trucks that a thread on that would surely be good.

[Nothing Special]

Bob - That's true, but there aren't that many that are following Big Blue's Transformation. Or at least very few reply.

So I'm wondering about Jeff's idea of starting another thread about Big Blue's Seat Platform and linking to it from this thread. I see pluses and minuses for that approach:

• Plus: First, it keeps everything about that subject together. For instance, I know that I put the stuff about the Sky RSK in that thread and I can refer others to it easily. Second, more people will see it and, therefore, more might have suggestions that would help.

• Minus: A search will find the link but not the discussion itself. But that doesn't seem like too much of a minus.

I may be missing something, but I think I'm going to start a thread on Big Blue's Seat Platform. There are so many people that ask how to put 40/20/40 seats or buckets/captain's chairs in these trucks that a thread on that would surely be good.

That works too!

[Gary Lewis]

That works too!

Well, so much for thinking BB might be done. Yesterday when we were coming back from the driving instructions we tried the Midland GMRS radios. We had taken two vehicles so initially fired up the walkie talkies between them. But then I tried the "base" unit and the crew in the other vehicle said they couldn't understand me, that the transmissions were garbled.

Today we did some more testing when part of the crew went for a walk and took the walkie talkies. This time they could understand me on the base unit, although they said that the volume from it was slightly lower than with the other walkie talkie.

However, I noticed that the Pormido display/camera unit turned off every time I hit the transmit button on the base unit. So since they are on the same circuit apparently I either have a bad connection or way too small of wire to them. And I'm guessing that low voltage would cause the transmission itself to be less than desired.

[Gary Lewis]

Well, so much for thinking BB might be done. Yesterday when we were coming back from the driving instructions we tried the Midland GMRS radios. We had taken two vehicles so initially fired up the walkie talkies between them. But then I tried the "base" unit and the crew in the other vehicle said they couldn't understand me, that the transmissions were garbled.

Today we did some more testing when part of the crew went for a walk and took the walkie talkies. This time they could understand me on the base unit, although they said that the volume from it was slightly lower than with the other walkie talkie.

However, I noticed that the Pormido display/camera unit turned off every time I hit the transmit button on the base unit. So since they are on the same circuit apparently I either have a bad connection or way too small of wire to them. And I'm guessing that low voltage would cause the transmission itself to be less than desired.

Just ran a large jumper wire from the battery to the Midland MTX115 and it worked well. And the mirror didn't turn off nor have any ill effects either. So I obviously have a wiring problem. But at least I know what needs to be done.

[grumpin]

Just ran a large jumper wire from the battery to the Midland MTX115 and it worked well. And the mirror didn't turn off nor have any ill effects either. So I obviously have a wiring problem. But at least I know what needs to be done.

Good job! But, dang!