DIRTBIKEUSA’s Alaska Cruiser build thread (5 Viewers)

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Well….I needed a pivot for the Jerry can tray. I could buy one but..I found some old camber plates from a Tundra and parts from the push bar pivot from a blown up lawnmower from the cute neigbor lady..

I reamed out the camber bolt holes to 1/2 in and that fits just right on the post. The remaining threads should capture a bit of grease.

I mocked up the tray and swing out arm already with some round stock from the busted chair and the remaining expanded metal. The dimensions of a Jerry can are standard so it should all button up right. The swing out tray will secure with a pin hole in the bumper cover.

The trans fan is in its final position and secured. I set up all the wiring for the light bar, fogs, and trans fan. I figured out what wire goes where re and does what. bought the corresponding temp range sensor switch and inline fitting that will go in the outlet of the trans cooler.

The live coolant temp sensor will go in the lower radiator hose.

All of these accessories will be hooked up to the AUX battery. I need to cut out a strip of unpainted metal for the relays and grounds to hook to.

Just waiting on stuff in the mail..

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Wife has been working out the logistics of the trip and she says 2 weeks to get to North Pole with all the stops and visits I want to make along the way. Seems fine to me. The big stretch is really going to be driving up the ALCAN. I got plenty of friends and fam along the way down here in the lower 48 to help us along with a place to stay other than the proposed trailer. Which reminds me, wife found a potential trailer that will work out if we can come to a deal.

We will see.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Thinking of how the spare tire will mount..I disassembled the blown engine from the deck and cleaned up the deck..I think you can see where this is going..

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Testing the solar panel.
More pics of fuel can basket swing out fab
Ground strap and relay mounting bracket mock-up.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Wife has been working out the logistics of the trip and she says 2 weeks to get to North Pole with all the stops and visits I want to make along the way. Seems fine to me. The big stretch is really going to be driving up the ALCAN. I got plenty of friends and fam along the way down here in the lower 48 to help us along with a place to stay other than the proposed trailer. Which reminds me, wife found a potential trailer that will work out if we can come to a deal.

We will see.

Your final destination is North Pole?
It’s a small town near Fairbanks.
The route is pretty much a cakewalk for any vehicle, just beware of the frost heaves in the Beaver Creek to Tok stretch. Also, the inevitable road construction along parts of Alcan will slow you down.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Your final destination is North Pole?
It’s a small town near Fairbanks.
The route is pretty much a cakewalk for any vehicle, just beware of the frost heaves in the Beaver Creek to Tok stretch. Also, the inevitable road construction along parts of Alcan will slow you down.

That’s the turn around point. Then back down to CA to visit family, and then through the South West back to TX

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

I took the dead switch covers out of the left side of the dash to mock up the light bar and fog lamp switches. The AUX fan switch isn’t going to fit so I will have to return it and try another switch.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Fabbed a bracket for the duel battery switch.

Fabbing up swing out Jerry can basket. Did some nice vertical beads with 6011.

Pretty good day. Did some errands returning unneeded hose and whatnot. Still got a bit of work done.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

It’s forecasted to rain in a day or so I was reading up on the sunroof drain cleaning.

Still waiting on the battery. Had to order more battery cable as well.

I found a vendor online that can up the amperage of the Stock OEM alternator. I shot them and email and they responded with a good quote and quick turn around so I think I’m going to use them.

I load tested the charging system and 120A would be more than enough to operated any electrical accessory or the winch with duel batteries. The odds of using the winch are low. But the project won’t stop with this trip.

More and more camping outfit stuff will be showing up soon.i have a whole list of things that we don’t have. I’m trying to eliminate things we just won’t need. I’m also looking at the cost, weight, and size of each item.

I have be thinking about the organizing of it for use on the road. Roof storage is a must. So figuring out this roof rack is the next big fab project. The proposed camp trailer will have storage as well. Hopefully

Picture of us planting a rose bush.

 

[ZackR]

Looks like you've been busy!

One suggestion I have is to go on some shakedown runs on washboard roads. With all of the custom pieces you have, new hardware, etc... it would be good to know nothing will come loose or break on a long bumpy road.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Cleaned the sunroof drains with a bit of weed whip line and low speed drill. I think the issue is the seal is a bit shrunk and the truck is parked nose up in the drive way.
So the tray fills up and overflows on the headliner.

Mock up of Jerry can that just arrived. Looks like a perfect fitment to me. I will put in a little bit of sheet metal later to make a pocket.

Thunderstorm is moving in fast so that’s all the work on the cruiser for today.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Looks like you've been busy!

One suggestion I have is to go on some shakedown runs on washboard roads. With all of the custom pieces you have, new hardware, etc... it would be good to know nothing will come loose or break on a long bumpy road.

Good idea. We have just those kind of roads around these parts.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Went a different direction either battery tray. Took a bit of time but the AUX battery is sitting as it should. Ran to harbor freight for some wing nuts for the battery tie down rods I had. I need to cut another strip for the tie down and drill holes for the rods and that’s about it for that.. Another storm is rolling in so I cleaned up.

I think found the last oil leak. It was a loose bolt on the passenger side underneath the ac bracket going in the front of the oil pan. I just grabbed a socket wrench and checked for loose bolts and it was the only one. No new leaks since then and I have test drove it and idled it while doing some electrical testing. So that’s really good news.

I’m going to run this oil for about 1000 miles and put the trip oil and long life filter in. I plan on changing the filter at the Alaskan destination.

I need to find time to meet up and tow the trailer back with it. If that goes well there is a trip to our cousins place up north that is several hours away. This will be another test to see how well the cruiser does and find any new problems that may arise during long trips.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Rain held off a little longer so I was able to tidy up the electrical and whatnot. Battery hold down rods are in. Getting close..

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Replaced the front drive shaft ujoints. Came out pretty easy compared to what i’m used to. Usually in heavy duty applications by the time the u-joint needs to be replaced it’s hammered trash and takes a minute to hammer it out even with an air hammer yarding on it.

Which brings me to my next observation, I have noticed Toyota took heavy duty designs like their drive shafts for example, and scaled them down. Strapless unjoint drive shafts is a heavy duty design. Same goes for their drop out third members. That’s also a heavy duty design scaled down. Just interesting things I have noticed in my career.

 

[thetoyotaman]

FYI: I don't know if that battery is planned for the position it's in on the picture, but for safety reasons and crashes manufacturers put the ground to the back outside and the positive inboard towards the engine.

 

[BILT4ME]

Why were you using a HF buzz box when you could have been using the Miller Bobcat 225 the whole time?

 

[BILT4ME]

Also look up the "bicycle inner tube sunroof fix" there is a thread here that details using a specific inner tube to make the seal thicker and let in less water so it seals better overall.

 

[DIRTBIKEUSA]

Why were you using a HF buzz box when you could have been using the Miller Bobcat 225 the whole time?

the little flux box is super good for delicate stuff. I bought it to build up and pull broken exhaust studs out of a late model Chevy a customer had and never returned it.

So it stays around when I can’t turn the 225 down low enough.

I really need a Mig to hook up to the bobcat. But I cheap flux is fine for now. When I get more space for sure a Miller feed would be nice on the welding trailer along with a plasma and a torch and a…

 

[BILT4ME]

the little flux box is super good for delicate stuff. I bought it to build up and pull broken exhaust studs out of a late model Chevy a customer had and never returned it.

So it stays around when I can’t turn the 225 down low enough.

I really need a Mig to hook up to the bobcat. But I cheap flux is fine for now. When I get more space for sure a Miller feed would be nice on the welding trailer along with a plasma and a torch and a…

I might suggest 7018 rod on more of your bumper stuff. It will look a bit better.

The ancient tombstone DC welder I have will only burn 6013 so all my welds look like shyt. It won't even light a 7018.