gprguy
Well-Known Member
Glad to see they are clearing out the backlog.
The new packaging is interesting too, very minimalistic.Good idea. For my camper I put a fan behind my older Orion and I used this little controller to run it automatically.
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4500 Camper/Jeep Hauler Build
- Thread starter gprguy
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- 4500 camper chassis cab jeep
The new packaging is interesting too, very minimalistic.
Nice thoughts on the controller. I wonder if I could design an adaptor to a fan, and get someone to 3D print it. Or break down and finally buy a 3D printer!Glad to see they are clearing out the backlog.
Good idea. For my camper I put a fan behind my older Orion and I used this little controller to run it automatically.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Probably would be pretty straightforward. The issue might be what temperature it needs to withstand - I know the XS is supposed to not get nearly as hot as the old Orions but I'm sure it still gets warm. Might need to be printed out of something besides normal PLA, like PETG or ABS. If it needs to be ABS you are supposed to use an enclosure due to the fumes. I haven't done anything with ABS yet but I do have access to an enclosed printer if needed...
The manual says the back plate will never exceed 90C, so definitely pretty toasty. That said, the mounting feet of the Orion are plastic, so nothing it’s mounted to should ever see that high of a temperature. It looks like PTEG has a glass transition temp of between 80 and 100C, so it would probably be suitable.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
My folks are in town so not too much truck work going on, but my Dad and I found some time to finish up 99% of the plumbing - air and hydraulic.
The only plumbing left is the 3 short air lines on the driver's side, and those will just be in my way at this point. All of the cross box wiring (for now at least, I will probably run an AC outlet over there later) should be done as well. Other than a VE.Direct cable I suppose.
Next project will definitely be back to the aluminum skin and trim.
The only plumbing left is the 3 short air lines on the driver's side, and those will just be in my way at this point. All of the cross box wiring (for now at least, I will probably run an AC outlet over there later) should be done as well. Other than a VE.Direct cable I suppose.
Next project will definitely be back to the aluminum skin and trim.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
As promised, back to the aluminum. So naturally step 1 is - plastic?
There's a design flaw with my frame, probably only one of many, but it has to do with how thin the front wall is (only 1"). I knew I had an unsolved problem as to how to deal with all of the angles but I ran out of ideas and figured I'd work it out later. Well later is now. There's this gap between the side panels and the square tube that makes up the front wall:
Might not look like much but I am concerned when I run rivets down the corner it will either pull in, or worse make a bad rivet/connection. Since I can't go back in time and make the front wall 2" thick like I should have with an extra angle to mount the skin to, I need to find something to fill the gap. After a lot of pondering I decided on Delrin since it machines/cuts well. I made a bunch of 13 degree angle 3/4" strips and here they are cleco'd in place.
And with countersunk flat head rivets.
Now with that same panel back in place everything sits nicely.
I need to repeat this on the driver's side, but I'm going to finish the passenger first. On to aluminum for real, building the remaining trim around the bottom.
That's as far as I made it today, I need to drill for all the rivets next and then make yet more trim.
There's a design flaw with my frame, probably only one of many, but it has to do with how thin the front wall is (only 1"). I knew I had an unsolved problem as to how to deal with all of the angles but I ran out of ideas and figured I'd work it out later. Well later is now. There's this gap between the side panels and the square tube that makes up the front wall:
Might not look like much but I am concerned when I run rivets down the corner it will either pull in, or worse make a bad rivet/connection. Since I can't go back in time and make the front wall 2" thick like I should have with an extra angle to mount the skin to, I need to find something to fill the gap. After a lot of pondering I decided on Delrin since it machines/cuts well. I made a bunch of 13 degree angle 3/4" strips and here they are cleco'd in place.
And with countersunk flat head rivets.
Now with that same panel back in place everything sits nicely.
I need to repeat this on the driver's side, but I'm going to finish the passenger first. On to aluminum for real, building the remaining trim around the bottom.
That's as far as I made it today, I need to drill for all the rivets next and then make yet more trim.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
I appreciate it - it's taken a lifetime to get to this point, I still remember laying outside in the gravel under my first Jeep with my dad, shortening the t-case output shaft literally with an old Black & Decker circular saw we put an abrasive blade in. We managed to cut it straight-ish. Things have come a long ways since then..
Couple of photos from last night, it's going to be several days of tedium making and fitting all the trim.
Might have to move the box off the table to get at some of the inside trim. Still figuring that out.
Couple of photos from last night, it's going to be several days of tedium making and fitting all the trim.
Might have to move the box off the table to get at some of the inside trim. Still figuring that out.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Pinhead, Ram edition.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
More progress but nothing too interesting - just catching up on the driver's side to where the passenger is with the trim. Tomorrow I should be digging into new stuff, starting work on some of the upper sides. If I can get those done and the associated trim (some of which requires some impossible geometry, so I'm just going to have to figure out how to make it work the best I can) it'll be ready to go on the truck.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Today was getting back to work on the skin, fitting up the front side pieces.
Next up is the big problem.. Fitting trim around this corner made from compound angles:
I don't think I can bend it properly, I may have to try to weld two pieces together as I really don't want a sharp seam there. Will have to see what's possible. I probably will also have to get the local sheet metal place to bend up some longer 6'/8' bits of trim, best I can do is 4' with my brake.
Once I get these front trim pieces made and fit, I can rivet all the new panels and trim on and it'll be time to put it on the truck.
Next up is the big problem.. Fitting trim around this corner made from compound angles:
I don't think I can bend it properly, I may have to try to weld two pieces together as I really don't want a sharp seam there. Will have to see what's possible. I probably will also have to get the local sheet metal place to bend up some longer 6'/8' bits of trim, best I can do is 4' with my brake.
Once I get these front trim pieces made and fit, I can rivet all the new panels and trim on and it'll be time to put it on the truck.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Got sidetracked. Decided to make the roof panel. That way when I do the trim I can go all the way around the front edge.
Won't have time to work on it again till Sunday, but the trim has to be next - there's nothing else left before it goes on the truck.
Won't have time to work on it again till Sunday, but the trim has to be next - there's nothing else left before it goes on the truck.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Now I feel like I am getting somewhere. Been making and fitting trim the last few days. First up was the roof trim across the top, not trimmed to length yet in this photo.
And today I fit up the front side trim pieces with all of their goofy angles.
They still need the majority of the holes punched and drilled, that will be tomorrow's chore. After that it'll be prepping for sealant and rivets for all these new panels and trim.
And today I fit up the front side trim pieces with all of their goofy angles.
They still need the majority of the holes punched and drilled, that will be tomorrow's chore. After that it'll be prepping for sealant and rivets for all these new panels and trim.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Holes all punched and drilled. Tomorrow I'm going to start riveting panels on starting with the roof.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Got the roof done, went together pretty well. Needs some cleaning but that can happen later.
I have some work ahead of me to prep the remaining panels before they can go on permanent-like, but I'm on hold for a few days anyway since I am nearly out of Sikaflex. I've been trying to reorder for weeks now but Amazon has a batch which is labeled (from the factory, bar code and all) as Aluminum Gray, but is actually white inside the tube. Hopefully I'll get the right stuff sometime this week, I've ordered from a few places out of desperation.
The way things are going I may be mounting the box over Memorial Day weekend. Fingers crossed.
I have some work ahead of me to prep the remaining panels before they can go on permanent-like, but I'm on hold for a few days anyway since I am nearly out of Sikaflex. I've been trying to reorder for weeks now but Amazon has a batch which is labeled (from the factory, bar code and all) as Aluminum Gray, but is actually white inside the tube. Hopefully I'll get the right stuff sometime this week, I've ordered from a few places out of desperation.
The way things are going I may be mounting the box over Memorial Day weekend. Fingers crossed.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
So far this week has been pretty unproductive on the truck, too much life getting in the way. Until today that is. My Sikaflex orders arrived and both are what is on the label for once.
With that in mind, I glued and riveted the passenger side on today.
Still need to clean up a little excess sealant. The clamps are to help hold the edges that do not yet have trim made for them - I'm trying to just get done what will be inaccessible when it's on the truck.
Hopefully tomorrow I can get the driver's side done to the same point and then it'll be ready to go on the truck this weekend.
With that in mind, I glued and riveted the passenger side on today.
Still need to clean up a little excess sealant. The clamps are to help hold the edges that do not yet have trim made for them - I'm trying to just get done what will be inaccessible when it's on the truck.
Hopefully tomorrow I can get the driver's side done to the same point and then it'll be ready to go on the truck this weekend.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
Driver's side done, just need to wait for the sealant to dry so I can clean it up.
Tomorrow I need to clean up the workshop and clean the back of the cab since it'll be tough once the box is on.
Tomorrow I need to clean up the workshop and clean the back of the cab since it'll be tough once the box is on.
gprguy
Well-Known Member
"Insert Tab A into Slot B":
I had originally hoped to lift the box up with the 2 post lift, but the arms are too long and it just wasn't going to work. So back to old trusty:
We took our time and everything went to plan.
Not the easiest spot in the garage to get a good overall shot, but I just have the bolts in loosely. I'll move it tomorrow.
I'm really pleased how it came out. Hopefully I can speed things up from here even though there are still a million things to do.
The bare minimum to hit the road - build the door frames and doors, skin the back of the box, and build the flatbed and tailboard. I can start working several of these in parallel so hopefully things move along quickly enough to salvage at least part of the summer. I'll probably do the bare minimum wiring as well just to get on the road.
Also, my extended/rerouted CHMSL wiring and camera extensions finally get their time to shine. The door flexi boot worked great:
I suspect the CHMSL mount will get temporarily sealed up for now since that's going to be a fiddly project to make it look nice. But at least the cable is long enough.
Overall I am really pleased - the bolts lined up easily, the box looks great to me, and the ground clearance is plenty. The DPF hangs down probably 4-6" more than the box does. Onward...
I had originally hoped to lift the box up with the 2 post lift, but the arms are too long and it just wasn't going to work. So back to old trusty:
We took our time and everything went to plan.
Not the easiest spot in the garage to get a good overall shot, but I just have the bolts in loosely. I'll move it tomorrow.
I'm really pleased how it came out. Hopefully I can speed things up from here even though there are still a million things to do.
The bare minimum to hit the road - build the door frames and doors, skin the back of the box, and build the flatbed and tailboard. I can start working several of these in parallel so hopefully things move along quickly enough to salvage at least part of the summer. I'll probably do the bare minimum wiring as well just to get on the road.
Also, my extended/rerouted CHMSL wiring and camera extensions finally get their time to shine. The door flexi boot worked great:
I suspect the CHMSL mount will get temporarily sealed up for now since that's going to be a fiddly project to make it look nice. But at least the cable is long enough.
Overall I am really pleased - the bolts lined up easily, the box looks great to me, and the ground clearance is plenty. The DPF hangs down probably 4-6" more than the box does. Onward...