Elmhurst, IL - 2018 Land Cruiser "Tiny" - Build Thread

[CharlieS]

If my bumper ever gets here I’ll be running my winch behind a fuse and a switched relay.

Many winch manufacturers are recommending a physical switch at the battery. A few are even including it in the box. I guess that big fat hot wire on the front of the rig had them nervous in a potential front end collision. That switch is typically under the hood and I didn’t love the thought of stop and pop at the beginning and end of each trail, so I’m running a switch ‘on’ in cab which activates the control box, and a large ign switched solenoid (500a continuous) for the relay.
Bonus - without cab access my winch won’t be able to be spooled out by the mythical street joker who wants to. Though in reality this would almost always be some prankster in camp.

I fuse all positive wires. I don’t see how the winch is special and wouldn’t need one.

I have a high amperage mechanical kill switch (Comeup branded), that I'll install one of these days. I toyed with using a high amp relay like you are doing, but was dissuaded from it by experienced people that seemed to know a lot more about it than I do. I don't think I've heard of a fused winch power cable though - something to do with the high start up amps doesn't play nice with the amperage fuse needed to protect the wire. Definitely lots of different approaches possible.

 

[grinchy]

I have a high amperage mechanical kill switch (Comeup branded), that I'll install one of these days. I toyed with using a high amp relay like you are doing, but was dissuaded from it by experienced people that seemed to know a lot more about it than I do. I don't think I've heard of a fused winch power cable though - something to do with the high start up amps doesn't play nice with the amperage fuse needed to protect the wire. Definitely lots of different approaches possible.

I admit to laziness on the fuse sourcing, I had a class T 300A fuse sitting on the shelf from a battery project I wasn't able to implement. It should never blow under the working load of the winch, but should blow on a short. I guess we'll see.

If I have to bypass the solenoid in the field, that would be doable of course.

Warn sells a kit, they include a 120A continuous solenoid in the kit. I wonder if the issues folks have seen have been due to inadequate spec.

 

[Eric Sarjeant]

@Eric Sarjeant - Is there an easy way to wire up the switch-pros trigger when you unlock the car. I want to turn on the rock lights when I press the unlock button on the key. Also thanks for the inspiration on the fuse block design.

Nice work! Unfortunately, it's not that easy (on a 2016+ because of the variable voltage), we have to grab the signal from all the doors/hatch and use diodes / solid state relays to make that door light trick work.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Thanks man. Its been pretty low effort thus far but I imagine to reach the next level like the @Eric Sarjeant's work is 5x more effort.

I am sure you are being modest! I have been re-working the accessory wiring on my 470 and it is a huge time sink!
Seeing your build plan, yours is very well-thought out!

 

[varun bhargava]

This is the week I finally start ripping up the interior and running cables inside the vehicle! In non-LC updates, its summer companions (E39 M5 & E30 vert) are finally out of hibernation. This morning I really noticed the sensation of speed differences between the M5 and LC200 when travelling on the same road at the same mph.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

This is the week I finally start ripping up the interior and running cables inside the vehicle! In non-LC updates, its summer companions (E39 M5 & E30 vert) are finally out of hibernation. This morning I really noticed the sensation of speed differences between the M5 and LC200 when travelling on the same road at the same mph.

View attachment 3029336

I used to have e39 manual wagon and still miss it to this day. These days I switch from my 100 to an 06 manual 530xi to get my thrills!

 

[varun bhargava]

Hit a major milestone with my overland build. Got my switching system, wiring to the roof rack and camping lights installed. Ran the power cables through the firewall, through the body and up to the roof rack. I still have a lot to do and clean up before being done,

It was a good learning experience in 12v electrical and making it easy to troubleshoot.

 

[varun bhargava]

95% there with Phase 1!!!

I held off on the last step since it meant tearing apart the interior and running the cabling which I expected to be difficult. Luckily with the help of IH8MUD and youtube it was a fairly easy process.

Phase 1 Completed:

1. Switch-Pros + two control panels
2. Slee Switch-Pro control panel mount
3. 8 x STEDI rock lights (L,R, Rear) + Rhino-Rack adapters
4. 2 x KC rock lights for the tailgate
5. 2 x KC rock lights under the hood
6. 8 x KC rock lights as rock lights
7. PowerTrays universal standoff tray
8. AUX fuse panel
9. Battery fuse block
10. Main battery upgrade
11. SLEE terminals
12. Two-channel dash cams
13. STEDI/Rhino Rack limb risers
14. KAON Maxtrax Mounts + Maxtrax

Remaining Phase 1:

1. Baja Designs LP9 Pro driving lights
2. 270 degree Awning ... hopefully

 

[varun bhargava]

 

[vsatking]

Prius!

 

[vsatking]

Really nice build. I have not seen you out on the road yet. I have an old 80 and just pick up an lx.

You have a lot of work invested. Well worth it!

 

[Croozur]

Good looking rig!
Who makes the dash cams and how are they controlled? Always on?

 

[rlynch356]

If my bumper ever gets here I’ll be running my winch behind a fuse and a switched relay.

Many winch manufacturers are recommending a physical switch at the battery. A few are even including it in the box. I guess that big fat hot wire on the front of the rig had them nervous in a potential front end collision. That switch is typically under the hood and I didn’t love the thought of stop and pop at the beginning and end of each trail, so I’m running a switch ‘on’ in cab which activates the control box, and a large ign switched solenoid (500a continuous) for the relay.
Bonus - without cab access my winch won’t be able to be spooled out by the mythical street joker who wants to. Though in reality this would almost always be some prankster in camp.

I fuse all positive wires. I don’t see how the winch is special and wouldn’t need one.

It doesn't, just wire it though a manual Kill switch, and your done.. Most winches can pull 400 + amps on the 1st wrap at max load. You need to have some head room on that as well.
Never count on a relay actually turning it off when your hands are in the winch removing a birds nest of rope....

I personally do not use remote, and have the winch controller on an accessible cable plug so I can pull it and have it 100% disconnected if I need to put my hands in there... yes its extra steps but I like my fingers.
it only takes a second to loose them with a winch.

 

[grinchy]

It doesn't, just wire it though a manual Kill switch, and your done.. Most winches can pull 400 + amps on the 1st wrap at max load. You need to have some head room on that as well.
Never count on a relay actually turning it off when your hands are in the winch removing a birds nest of rope....

I personally do not use remote, and have the winch controller on an accessible cable plug so I can pull it and have it 100% disconnected if I need to put my hands in there... yes its extra steps but I like my fingers.
it only takes a second to loose them with a winch.

I agree there is no messing around with them.

My plan is to have the control box ground switched in the cab, along with the winch +v switched (via the contactor). I also have it hardwired In the cab, Where it’ll likely be controlled from.

If for whatever reason the contactor fails, that has nothing to do with the controller/ control box. It’s easy enough to fix it to the battery in that rare case, since I installed it I know what goes where.

And agreed, no one should ever put their hands in a live winch, which is why mine is full off (+12v) with the ignition. And also full off (via the control box ground) via a separate in cab switch.

If you are trying to say that an additional kill switch is required on 12v I think I’ll roll with the contactor. If it fails closed I can still lift the ground for the control box, and that would mean the winch relay would also have to fail closed (and get grounded in another way). I think that a fairly unlikely set of circumstances.

 

[varun bhargava]

Really nice build. I have not seen you out on the road yet. I have an old 80 and just pick up an lx.

You have a lot of work invested. Well worth it!

Does your rig normally have a black CVT RTT? I see one on Mineral Point all the time and have waved to the female driver.

 

[varun bhargava]

Good looking rig!
Who makes the dash cams and how are they controlled? Always on?

I went with the BlackVue mostly due to form factor and it seemed like people appreciated their customer support over the other brand I was looking at. Check out r/dashcams - https://www.reddit.com/r/dashcams

Amazon product ASIN B08D99FZ29

 

[Tex68w]

The Cruiser is looking great, excellent progress on the build. BlackVue makes some of the best cameras, excellent choice.

 

[CharlieS]

It doesn't, just wire it though a manual Kill switch, and your done.. Most winches can pull 400 + amps on the 1st wrap at max load. You need to have some head room on that as well.
Never count on a relay actually turning it off when your hands are in the winch removing a birds nest of rope....

I personally do not use remote, and have the winch controller on an accessible cable plug so I can pull it and have it 100% disconnected if I need to put my hands in there... yes its extra steps but I like my fingers.
it only takes a second to loose them with a winch.

Agree 100%. Comeup makes a cost effective and simple manual winch cutoff switch that I use and highly recommend.

 

[CharlieS]

I agree there is no messing around with them.

My plan is to have the control box ground switched in the cab, along with the winch +v switched (via the contactor). I also have it hardwired In the cab, Where it’ll likely be controlled from.

If for whatever reason the contactor fails, that has nothing to do with the controller/ control box. It’s easy enough to fix it to the battery in that rare case, since I installed it I know what goes where.

And agreed, no one should ever put their hands in a live winch, which is why mine is full off (+12v) with the ignition. And also full off (via the control box ground) via a separate in cab switch.

If you are trying to say that an additional kill switch is required on 12v I think I’ll roll with the contactor. If it fails closed I can still lift the ground for the control box, and that would mean the winch relay would also have to fail closed (and get grounded in another way). I think that a fairly unlikely set of circumstances.

Disagree completely, but it's your fingers. You'll only know when it is too late.

Edit: Sorry, that came off as rude and harsh. I should say that I don't fully trust the electrical bits myself and the consequences of failure could be catastrophic.

 

[grinchy]

Disagree completely, but it's your fingers. You'll only know when it is too late.

Edit: Sorry, that came off as rude and harsh. I should say that I don't fully trust the electrical bits myself and the consequences of failure could be catastrophic.

And I’m saying that there are two independent controls (contactor on ign, control box gnd on a manual switch). That would both have to fail. At once.

While we’re on the topic of unlikely failures, it’s possible to weld the contacts on any switching device, including a manual high amp switch.

Good use and safe practice is always most important.