Builds Finally got my own...Meet BeBe

[Slow Left]

Since I am a complete idiot when it comes to electrical (think which end of the hammer do I use now?!) for the second (bottom) lead how do I make it so it is switched for IGN/ACC?

So you want to make the bottom circuit (that runs the iPod etc.) switched through the Ignition switch instead of having a dash switch for it?

The way it is shown in the image is basically he's added two additional relays in front of the OEM (I think when it says 'Relay for Headlights' it is referring to the OEM headlights, right? or not...?) headlight relay....the OEM Headlight circuit runs off a fusible link that isn't switched through the Ignition switch...so we'd have to come up with a way to add this Relay to a switched circuit...

I'll be happy to help you try and figure it out as best I can...also might consider flying it by SLCF62 once we've got a better idea of how it might work...

Also, you referred to a link where you got that image...can you post up link to that link? Thx.

 

[Oaks]

Yeah I know I keep looking in hopes that it is there and I can nab it and throw it on my dropbox account (thus I will always have it!)..

Ok so here is something you can help me on as this will be a project with the nephew I am thinking.
As I said I have one of the Ultimate kit Headlight upgrades from SLCFJ62 (had someone build for me). So it has to extra fuse circuits that I can use for auxiliary items.

So this is the setup from Ks thread...

Since I am a complete idiot when it comes to electrical (think which end of the hammer do I use now?!) for the second (bottom) lead how do I make it so it is switched for IGN/ACC?
From there I will run it from the engine compartment back into the cab to a small fuse block that will power a couple things; but mainly there for the stereo.

Greg,

I am not an electrical genius but might be able to help here.

The bottom lead you just tie it into the ign/acc this could be the same wire that runs to your radio ect. You don't need to have a switch on the dash but you could. Example: turn your key on and then flip the switch on the dash and you would get power to turn on that respective relay. This powering the fuse block you want.
Alternatively, wire the same but don't have as dash switch. Then when you turn your key on you would power the relay and thus the fuse block.

Not sure the best place to splice into your ign/acc but I would say directly were the radio comes out of factory fuse block would be great.

Hope this makes sense and is helpful.

J

 

[gregnash]

So my understanding is that the way the auxiliary box is wired it is a switched HOT. The headlight upgrade section actually utilizes the existing headlight system to plug into for switching but not for power. The systems power is drawn straight from the battery and then plugs into the passenger side headlight plug to get the switch signal (for lack of a better term). So for that, that would be the switching portion.

For the other two auxiliary sections you can plug whatever in but you have to build your own switching/relay if you want it that way (not constant HOT. So what I would do is run a constant HOT wire to a new incab fuseblock. This block would be occupied by a few items (radio, usb plugs for charging, other small items, limiting to 5 items), which would then be individually switched I am thinking ( as needed). For the radio I would want to splice into the ACC/IGN switch so that when the ignition is turned on that item would get power. Can I differentiate when certain items get power?
@slcfj62/ @Slow Left left does what I say above sound about right? I have spools of 12ga wire at home that I had planned on running from the auxiliary box to the new fuse block in the cab, run will probably be about 8ft but would have to double check to measure so not sure if I would need to up to 10ga or not. In cab runs would be fairly short so I am sure that the 12ga would be fine and have the idea to run 1 run to the rear that would be probably 10ga (would be a USB charger and cigarette adapter).

 

[TallCanDan]

Greg, can you please figure out this scary ass wiring crap so that you may go on to funner stuff please? PLEASE?!
Seriously, I wish I was of more help, any help, to you.

 

[gregnash]

LOL... I think @TallCanDan is trying to tell me to $%^# or get off the pot!!

 

[micruz60]

Electrical stuff IS daunting, keep things simple. You are on the right track with dedicating HOT feeds to the headlight and radio... Splicing into existing wiring not so much... On my Forty, I ran 12 ga. directly from ACC to power the radio, with an inline fuse (usual for newer radios).
HTH

 

[gregnash]

It is not necessarily that it is daunting but I would rather do it right the first time than have to go back multiple times to "fix" issues. As I have said in other threads, there are two ways of looking at these trucks; As an investment vehicle that you will have for the rest of its life and Just another vehicle.
The main difference between the two is that the first one does not expect to have an ROI other than those items that are not really tangible. You purchase the vehicle for the purchase and emotional investment. While the second just purchases the vehicle as another mode of transportation that may or may not stick around for a while.

The other part, as I have said before, is that I am an analyst by job and nature so I over analyze things and look at them from every conceivable angle prior to doing anything (unless it is a straight forward need, e.g. leaking knuckles require a knuckle rebuild). So by doing this I want to set myself up for the ability to add other things into the cab (hence the new fuse block) and position the auxiliary box for proper usage. Since I have little to no experience with doing any sort of wiring I want to be sure that I am doing this right and not constantly having to hunt down gremlins and what not.

 

[micruz60]

Have you seen @woytovich 's thread on a secondary box under hood?

 

[cruisermatt]

If I'm not buried in my 62...

I feel bad for whomever has to deal with its electrical system!

 

[gregnash]

Have you seen @woytovich 's thread on a secondary box under hood?

Yeah I have seen his thread @micruz60 and was using that are part but since I am a complete newb at doing this I don't really understand how things are working. So I am trying to start it from there, as though if another electrical newb was to grab this they could take it and use it as somewhat of a guideline.

I ended up starting a thread in the electrical section because I was hoping to get some more detailed help from there without clogging up my build thread with chat and no pics. (here is the thread for those interested https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/newbie-electrical-help.828251/)

So this weekend while driving my nephew around we had an issues (starting on Christmas) where the strangeness of the radio power reared its head again. What this turned into was the radio working fine (no symptoms whatsoever) until we stopped to grab gas for the truck. Shut the truck down fine and got gas and when I started her back up again we had nothing, no power whatsoever to the radio. There was no power for a few more shutdowns and then randomly as we were turning a corner to my house the radio suddenly came on. No pop, no nothing, just powered right on as though I started the truck up.

The next day we go out to take the dogs to the park and radio works fine, go to start the truck as we go to leave the park and same thing all over again, no power to radio. So we get back to the house and dive into the stereo, use the multi meter to check all the wires. Stereo plug is wire so that OEM ACC is connected to ACC on the plug (check, with key in off position there is no power and with key in ACC or Run there is 27V). We then confirmed that the line labeled BATTERY is a constant hot. This is the line that goes to the brake pedal switch and is spliced in there. We were not getting a reading at one point so I traced the line to ensure that I had the correct one. I tested that OEM line to see if it was a constant hot and it is. I then cleaned up the routing of the BATTERY line for the stereo to ensure there were no issues there and suddenly the line was reading HOT (reading was 27v, same as ACC when ignition was on). So with the new routing we plugged the stereo in and NOTHING?

Went through and retested all the wires and all were reading properly. Plugged the stereo back in and it was working properly now. This made me think that maybe the ground on the stereo plug, it is the OEM ground, was not good so we tested that and got good readings no matter what. So this leads me to believe that the BATT line is the main problem here and means I need to get on properly wiring up the stereo.

Here is the bottom of the harness that is from SLCFJ62s builds..... I am not sure how this is wired up
View attachment 1010020

Since I got some Amazon giftcards for Christmas from the family I decided that I would purchase a good fuse block and some Hella Driving lights to get this project moving. They should be here sometime this week.
Here is the fuseblock http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000THQ0CQ...UTF8&colid=JH92U9CF9K19&coliid=I1HHRW281KLCD0

 

[gregnash]

New toys arrived today. Looks like I got some stuff to do this weekend.

 

[TallCanDan]

Good luck Greg, I really hope you get through this soon. If I remember correctly the radio deck is new, no? If not, could you possibly just need a new one? I know, I'm really fishing for the simple fix here, but maybe...

 

[gregnash]

@TallCanDan yeah the deck is relatively new (bought when I got the truck) but there is a chance it could be the issue (not something I have ruled out). Hopefully setting up a reliable (read not spliced) power/BATT source will solve this issue. After messing with it with my nephew last week it has not had the same issue again. So this is leading me to believe that the power wire is the main issue and it is either eating through the wire it is spliced into or something else.

 

[gregnash]

Ok after doing research all this week I think I have this figured out. Got to get some parts and redo a couple things I had done to the harness previously before I am going to install it. Got to grab some heat shrink, but connectors and some TechFlex to cover everything but think I am going to skip the 100amp breaker switch for the fuse block. Still deciding on that though.

This has been the best video for me at explaining/drawing how the circuit should work.


Got a piece of cardboard and somewhat mapped out the harness, fuse block and leaving enough room for the 100amp breaker. Will fab that up with some small pieces of metal I have laying around the garage to hold everything. Next few days should be fun!

 

[gregnash]

Alright so the stereo worked for a few days and then on Sunday some shorted and when I turned the ignition I got NOTHING. Then slowly a buzzer from the passenger kick panel started to faintly beep. Gave it a few minutes while I poked under the hood and checked fuses and she suddenly started right up. Of course the stereo was reset so I am seeing the common thread is constantly the stereo so tonight I am going to dig around in the dash to find a new constant hot, which I am hoping will come from an existing plug that is not utilized. If not then I am running s damn fused wire to the battery and callin it good.

On a better note, in November I found a guy on CL that was selling a full set of re-arched and AAL'd leafs for $100. So he happened to be headed out of town for work when I contacted him and we finally got together. Picked up the springs from his wife today!!

Can tell they have been outside for a bit but are in good shape and definitely have more arch than mine. This will be a spring/summer project as I need to get new shocks, bushings and u-bolts.

 

[gregnash]

Ok so now on to the research for the rest of the parts that will go along with the springs.
I will need;
- new bushings
- new shocks (anyone know the dimensions on the front stud and eye?)
- new u-bolts

You all know me and I am cheap so I want to keep this as cheap as possible and run it for a few years and then down the road I will do a full blown kit from Kurt or the like.

Bushings - thinking standard Energy Suspension, friends own a truck accessories shop so I can get them at cost.
Shocks - thinking of going Skyjacker M95, again one of the brands my friends shop sells. For suspension stuff they sell; TrailMaster, Rancho, Fabtech, RCD, Revteck, Superlift, Belltech, SkyJacker, ProComp, and Ground Force. Out of all of those I believe that Rancho, SkyJacker and ProComp are the only ones that make shocks that will fit the stock front (stud/eye) setup.
U-Bolts - Not sure where to go on this, see that Kurt sells a kit for stock trucks for $125, are there others? Does anyone know if OEM are still available?

 

[skidooman]

You should be able to get ubolts made there in town or in Reno for cheaper than that. At least I would think so.
And subbing.

 

[gregnash]

Ok so pulled the sash apart to attempt to find the new HOT for the stereo and I was unable to find an open plug. So off to the LAPS I went and grabbed a fused link and some 12awg wire. Ran anew line direct to the battery and stereo fire up just like normal. Will see if the random problem rears its head again but with the funky splice connector that was on there I am thinking this is the last of this problem.

New button for the Hellas should be here this Thursday so I will see if I have time to do the install this weekend.

 

[gregnash]

You should be able to get ubolts made there in town or in Reno for cheaper than that. At least I would think so.
And subbing.

Yeah I am thinking of calling Bayshore (who the guys on Reno4x4 recommend) to see if they have dimensions to build them or what I need to get them to be able to make some. Really $125 for a set (both axles) isn't that bad, cheaper would be nice but then again I was looking at doing 4Plus' u-bolt flip kit that may wait until I do a full kit though.

So far no issues with the stereo this morning, truck fired up like normal so no super draw on the batter or anything. Hate seeing the random wire in the engine bay now (did tuck it into the fender as best I could to hide it) but whatever.

 

[cruisermatt]

Ruff stuff has u-bolts in a bunch of sizes, I think they're pretty cheap. I'm getting new rears from them when I do my rear axle swap.