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Ryoken's 89 Crew Cab Tubebed build... aka Mutt....

I have been curious about if the tinned cable was worth getting. Sounds like it's a good idea.


if you happen to like soldering your lugs, you can't ask for better cable.. i generally prefer crimp connections, per my CG regulations... but tinned absolutely rules for soldering lugs.. hands down... been there, done that... tho there are pitfalls to that too...


CG doesn't want us doing it for high amp dizzle starter draw applications.. but any snotty gas V-8 ain't gonna create those amps.. no matter the compression.... ;)
 
if you happen to like soldering your lugs, you can't ask for better cable.. i generally prefer crimp connections, per my CG regulations... but tinned absolutely rules for soldering lugs.. hands down... been there, done that... tho there are pitfalls to that too...


CG doesn't want us doing it for high amp dizzle starter draw applications.. but any snotty gas V-8 ain't gonna create those amps.. no matter the compression.... ;)
Well mine is for the diesel I think I will crimp.
I also am getting the tinned copper lugs and the shrink tubing
 
I was once taught to crimp then fill with solder then adhesive lined heat shrink so that is what I have always done.


i don't solder.. well, I do radar connections., that's it.. cuz i have to... since doing quality CG crimps, I find the drawbacks of soldering to be not worth it most of the time. you will gain corrosion at the surrounding areas from what i've seen, with no resistance benefit.. and the time added is far from worth it.......
 
not sure if i've tried to cancel an Amazon order before.....


the UHMW came today.. it's neat, and looks perfect... the fabric shrinktube looks like it might be perfect too...

tho i think the one hardware i got is gonna be too short.. anxious to get going.. come on layoff! :haha:
 
not sure if i've tried to cancel an Amazon order before.....


the UHMW came today.. it's neat, and looks perfect... the fabric shrinktube looks like it might be perfect too...

tho i think the one hardware i got is gonna be too short.. anxious to get going.. come on layoff! :haha:
Which hardware will be short?
 
the ones to bolt the UHMV to the tray, no big... just need to order a different $8 box...
 
components of mischief......


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loving the fabric shrink.. think I'm gonna double it up like that sample...

also figured out I need/want at least 6" of room, after the wires leave the holddowns at the end of the track to turn.. as crudely notated.... that's how the ceiling will work, not the tray...

that tends to make me want to have the top mount just a tad forward of the tray mount... just a couple inches, that allows for the the ceiling having more room than the tray, front to back.. than have the track backed up to about an inch from the backwall... hopefully i end up with about 8" of room in front of the holddown for smoother bends...

and the UHMW looks like the perfect choice... bought a new countersink just for it to make sure i get a clean cut....

with x-mas shipping and work being closed x-mas to new yr, I'm waiting till the 26th to place my wire order and have it sent to the house....

but with the info i now have, i can rip the tray out and start modding it.... than when the wire gets in, the holddowns...
 
scratch some of that.. just did final mesh.. it's tight... i've 6" on the top and 5" in the tray in front of the track.. it'll work, but only in a pretty small window....
 
just to give you an idea of how tight schit is......





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doable, but definitely a tad tighter than I would like....... but as you can see, cable routing will be critical... the 90* lugs are gonna be vital.... the thing is, other than 3 leads down from the posts, everything else needs to tuck down the sides of the switches.. ya wanna be able to get to the manual switches...
 
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Just to throw a random idea out there, have you considered stacking your 3 switches on a multi-level bracket, with the dials all facing outboard?

Using your picture as a guide:
The cable bundle would need to arc 180° out of your track down and to the right, then the bundle would transition from being flat: _ to being vertical: | as it completes the 180° and transits to the back of the tray, running in-between the battery and the switches.

With the switches stacked and offset perhaps 2-3 inches back from the tray exit, you would have twice the distance between the switches and the batteries (to be consumed with cable and assorted brackets and hardware to ensure nothing moves)
Additionally, all the actual connections would be facing the back of the tray, and not normally visible (making for a cleaner appearance)

I could see such an arrangement making the appearance of the cables on top of the batteries a bit cleaner too.


No idea if you have enough vertical clearance though.


If you're interested though, I could probably throw together some mockup files in CAD to better explain my idea.

I might do it anyways.. keep me entertained tonight :thinking:
 
Just to throw a random idea out there, have you considered stacking your 3 switches on a multi-level bracket, with the dials all facing outboard?

Using your picture as a guide:
The cable bundle would need to arc 180° out of your track down and to the right, then the bundle would transition from being flat: _ to being vertical: | as it completes the 180° and transits to the back of the tray, running in-between the battery and the switches.

With the switches stacked and offset perhaps 2-3 inches back from the tray exit, you would have twice the distance between the switches and the batteries (to be consumed with cable and assorted brackets and hardware to ensure nothing moves)
Additionally, all the actual connections would be facing the back of the tray, and not normally visible (making for a cleaner appearance)

I could see such an arrangement making the appearance of the cables on top of the batteries a bit cleaner too.


No idea if you have enough vertical clearance though.


If you're interested though, I could probably throw together some mockup files in CAD to better explain my idea.

I might do it anyways.. keep me entertained tonight :thinking:



hmmmm, hadn't even considered mounting them anywhere other than on the bottom.... i think i can do it with em laying down.. but it's only cable width on each side.. the one side of the switch would need 2 stacked.. the biggest issue is getting proper angles with the lugs off the studs on short stout cabling......


not 100% picturing what you mean..

BUT, you did just give me an idea to investigate... i am also trying to figure out the bat tray and holddown method... basically i'm gonna pad out the right wall a 1/4" to keep the bats out of the slider hardware... than i was just gonna run a 1/4" wall, front to back.. the height of the existing walls on the left side...

BUT maybe i should consider making that inner wall much taller.. :thinking: like 1/2" from the top of the case... and mount the 3 switches vertical.... that certainly frees up a ton of space down at the bottom, and between the track... it might make the wiring easier too... and obviously the manuals would be even easier to get to... not sure that the bats are tall enough tho..


I'll investigate that, thanks.... :bow: and yeah, feel free, even a crude MS paint drawing would be killa...
 
oh, and as of right now.. the bat holddown idea is to make a full perimeter upper frame, from 1" angle... than to have 2 stud holddowns.. possibly at one rear, and one front corner... have to figure out where those are doable..
 
we may have a winner folks.....


height is fine.. it would actually sit a tad lower than this to allow for the holddown...



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it also affords a bunch of room down low..... also i could prolly just use straight lugs......






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i might wanna add a couple gussets for the wall.... i had already been planning on trying out a "new for me" method of fab on that wall.. a slot A, tab B kinda deal.... now I'm certain I'll try that....



to be continued...




* as per the norm..... no royalty check is in the mail * ;)
 
What I had in mind was something more along these lines:

(mocked up with no dimensions for your fabricated parts, but it looks good enough)
MockupSnip.JPG

Where the cables would route between the switch stack and the batteries, but to be honest, I like your mockup even better.

You could re-purpose that 'wall' that the switches are mounted to to be part of the battery hold-down structure too.
 
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