WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Nickelplate]

Excellent! Sounds like you have it coming together.

I thought that base was steel but wanted to ask. There's the proof that the 351HO air cleaners didn't have the rear trap door like the 460's. And yes, the aluminum ones are fragile. I've seen very few of them that aren't cracked.

I just got done putting a Painless Trail Rocker fuse and relay panel in my Bronco! It has 8 circuits with a fuse and a relay each. My bronco has the aftermarket Edelbrock EFI system, so I had a bunch of messy wiring temporarily run, and this got it all cleaned up! I took out the relays for the headlights (2), the cooling fans (2), the fuel pump (1), the ECU (1), and I used one to switch on a few things when the key is on. All that left me with a single circuit that I can use for fog lights or something in the future!

I started by making a wooden template to attach everything to. then I put holes where they needed to go, and cut a notch out so it would fit around the vac canister. Then I mocked everything up, modified the wiring inside the Trail Rocker, and tested it all.

Then I removed everything and used the wooden template to make an aluminum plate for the final product.

Then I put everything back in place, trimmed the wires to their final length, added connectors, and here it is!

[grumpin]

I just got done putting a Painless Trail Rocker fuse and relay panel in my Bronco! It has 8 circuits with a fuse and a relay each. My bronco has the aftermarket Edelbrock EFI system, so I had a bunch of messy wiring temporarily run, and this got it all cleaned up! I took out the relays for the headlights (2), the cooling fans (2), the fuel pump (1), the ECU (1), and I used one to switch on a few things when the key is on. All that left me with a single circuit that I can use for fog lights or something in the future!

I started by making a wooden template to attach everything to. then I put holes where they needed to go, and cut a notch out so it would fit around the vac canister. Then I mocked everything up, modified the wiring inside the Trail Rocker, and tested it all.

Then I removed everything and used the wooden template to make an aluminum plate for the final product.

Then I put everything back in place, trimmed the wires to their final length, added connectors, and here it is!

That looks great! Good job!

[Gary Lewis]

I just got done putting a Painless Trail Rocker fuse and relay panel in my Bronco! It has 8 circuits with a fuse and a relay each. My bronco has the aftermarket Edelbrock EFI system, so I had a bunch of messy wiring temporarily run, and this got it all cleaned up! I took out the relays for the headlights (2), the cooling fans (2), the fuel pump (1), the ECU (1), and I used one to switch on a few things when the key is on. All that left me with a single circuit that I can use for fog lights or something in the future!

I started by making a wooden template to attach everything to. then I put holes where they needed to go, and cut a notch out so it would fit around the vac canister. Then I mocked everything up, modified the wiring inside the Trail Rocker, and tested it all.

Then I removed everything and used the wooden template to make an aluminum plate for the final product.

Then I put everything back in place, trimmed the wires to their final length, added connectors, and here it is!

Well done! I wasn't aware of that product, but it looks like it worked out nicely.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I just got done putting a Painless Trail Rocker fuse and relay panel in my Bronco! It has 8 circuits with a fuse and a relay each. My bronco has the aftermarket Edelbrock EFI system, so I had a bunch of messy wiring temporarily run, and this got it all cleaned up! I took out the relays for the headlights (2), the cooling fans (2), the fuel pump (1), the ECU (1), and I used one to switch on a few things when the key is on. All that left me with a single circuit that I can use for fog lights or something in the future!

I started by making a wooden template to attach everything to. then I put holes where they needed to go, and cut a notch out so it would fit around the vac canister. Then I mocked everything up, modified the wiring inside the Trail Rocker, and tested it all.

Then I removed everything and used the wooden template to make an aluminum plate for the final product.

Then I put everything back in place, trimmed the wires to their final length, added connectors, and here it is!

That looks great! (Much better than my eBay relay center, anyway :nabble_smiley_blush:y)

Nice clean install.

What are you using for distribution lugs at the front of your tray?

[Nickelplate]

That looks great! (Much better than my eBay relay center, anyway :nabble_smiley_blush:y)

Nice clean install.

What are you using for distribution lugs at the front of your tray?

I used a set of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087QWLSGM

And used these boots on all the cables: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BL4S5YJ

[Gary Lewis]

I used a set of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087QWLSGM

And used these boots on all the cables: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BL4S5YJ

I like those boots, but would like to find some that are similar but have the cables coming in from both sides as both batteries have cables like that. Then I could use the ones in your link on the other connections and have matched covers.

[kramttocs]

I like those boots, but would like to find some that are similar but have the cables coming in from both sides as both batteries have cables like that. Then I could use the ones in your link on the other connections and have matched covers.

Nice work Nickelplate!

Gary -

I have those boots on my alternator - they work great.

For the rest of mine (the bigger awg stuff) I used the QuickCables brand to go with the magnalugs we are using.

At the time their website worked but not having much luck with it right now.

Check this out starting with page 58: https://www.quickcable.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/x-890855_catalog_finished_cover_version_opt_23.pdf

You may be looking for the Flag style?

[Nickelplate]

I like those boots, but would like to find some that are similar but have the cables coming in from both sides as both batteries have cables like that. Then I could use the ones in your link on the other connections and have matched covers.

I wonder if you could make a shape with Paraffin wax, then apply a thick layer of plasti-dip. Cut the ends off and melt the wax out with boiling water. You might be able to get a good result that way.

These kind of two-wire boots are out there, too. https://www.elecdirect.com/battery-terminal-cover-boots-flag-style-1-pair-black-and-red-for-2-awg-cable

[Gary Lewis]

I wonder if you could make a shape with Paraffin wax, then apply a thick layer of plasti-dip. Cut the ends off and melt the wax out with boiling water. You might be able to get a good result that way.

These kind of two-wire boots are out there, too. https://www.elecdirect.com/battery-terminal-cover-boots-flag-style-1-pair-black-and-red-for-2-awg-cable

I think the majority of my terminals would be easily done with the boots from Amazon that Nickelplate posted. But not three of the four battery terminals as they have 2 or 3 wires and they aren't flag-style, which is offset to the side. Instead mine are straight through.

Here are some pics of the situation. Left, below, is the main battery, and right is the aux battery. You can see that the ground on the aux battery has three wires, but I can easily move the one with the tab, which is for the winch, to where the one next to it goes on the frame. So 3 out of 4 would need straight through boots. Or, maybe I should go to a military terminal on the posts and that way I'd only have one wire on each connection?

And the relays below the battery pics need boots as well. The one on the left is the aux power relay that provides power to the inverter and other things when the key is turned on, and its boot needs may be straight forward but the terminals are Magnalugs. And the relay on the right is the Cole Hersee Smart Battery Isolator which has two Magnalugs on a spacer. I suppose I could probably figure out how to put the two Magnalugs back-to-back, but that creates a different boot problem.

Every time I sit down to order boots for this monstrosity I wind up throwing my hands in the air and walking away.

[mat in tn]

I wonder if you could make a shape with Paraffin wax, then apply a thick layer of plasti-dip. Cut the ends off and melt the wax out with boiling water. You might be able to get a good result that way.

These kind of two-wire boots are out there, too. https://www.elecdirect.com/battery-terminal-cover-boots-flag-style-1-pair-black-and-red-for-2-awg-cable

I like the thought process on the wax/ plastidip idea. my experience with the plastidip is that it's not very strong. it holds fairly well as a coating for tool handles etc. but I never got it thick enough to not peel and tear so I'm not sure how well it would hold up as a boot without a backer/ backbone. certainly, a better insulator than nothing. which is what I end up with all too often. and it's really not hard if I would just do it. they are available on amazon for 6 dollars a pair!