Buying a New TC Hauler
I started the process today of replacing my 2010 F450 with a 2016 model. The Ford dealers here in Little Rock hardly ever have them though, and I had resigned myself to probably driving to Dallas in o...
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I started working on the heavy-duty charge circuit on my new truck today. I started by fabricating a mount for the continuous-duty solenoid and a re-settable CB. There is no room in the engine area to mount this, but I knew there was a little room behind the driver-side headlight. I had to figure out how to take the grill off, which fortunately wasn't difficult. Four bolts across the top, then lean it out and use a long screwdriver to release about six tabs at the bottom.
Everything between the headlights comes off.
Then remove the headlight assembly. I've got it secured with some wire to sit there on the bumper while I work.
I made up a couple of the shorter wires I will need today using Temco 4AWG welding cable. This is very flexible, fine strand, reasonably priced wire with a nice thick covering. I'm crimping tinned lugs on using an IWISS HX-50B lug crimping tool. This crimper works very well, but it's marked in mm's rather than AWG size so you have to figure out the correct size on your own. I found that you need to make a multi-step crimp in order to prevent "ears" on the crimped lug. If you do that, it makes a very nice crimp that will never come off.
The wires will be run inside split-loom through this area for added protection. On my old truck there was room to mount everything in the space that the second alternator would go on top of the engine, but on this truck, I can't tell where they would even fit a second alternator. It looks pretty crowded already. I fabricated a plate to hold the CB and solenoid behind the headlight, and used an existing bolt to mount it to the truck. The wires I added today are a red one that will connect to the alternator output, and runs down behind the new bracket and connects to the lower post on the CB. Then I ran a wire from the top post on the CB to the bottom post on the solenoid. The top post on the solenoid is where the wire going to the camper plug will connect. I ran the wires the way I did because they fit better and I didn't have make such sharp bends. The black wire will of course be run to a good grounding location, which I haven't identified yet.
The wires going to the camper plug will be run in split-loom through the opening to the right of the new bracket, over the wheel-well liner, down onto the driver-side frame rail and back to the pickup bed. I'll run the wires inside a piece of heater hose to get them from the frame rails, up to the plugs in the bed. I'll work on those wires this weekend.
For some reason, I just can't bring myself to take a hole-saw to the brand-new pickup bed, so I'm going to try something new. The bed already has two holes in the front wall that have a plastic plug in them. I don't mind taking a hole-saw to those.
View between the cab and the bed.
I also use a thick wooden spacer in the front of the bed to keep the camper from touching the brake lights, and to spread the pressure the camper puts on the front wall out as much as possible. I bought a plastic 6"x6" junction box that I'm going to mount on the spacer board, and then mount my two new plugs on the cover.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm going to split the TC umbilical into two cords. The +/- 12v wires will use a commercial two-pin plug that can handle up to 200 amps, and the remaining four wires for stop, turn, back-up, and running lights will use a smaller four-pin plug. The four-pin plug will not be wired entirely to "industry standard", since the ground wire will not be going through this plug.
I'm going to back under the camper tomorrow and test fit this. If I need to, I can move the box over another 3/4" or so.
:):)
Everything between the headlights comes off.
Then remove the headlight assembly. I've got it secured with some wire to sit there on the bumper while I work.
I made up a couple of the shorter wires I will need today using Temco 4AWG welding cable. This is very flexible, fine strand, reasonably priced wire with a nice thick covering. I'm crimping tinned lugs on using an IWISS HX-50B lug crimping tool. This crimper works very well, but it's marked in mm's rather than AWG size so you have to figure out the correct size on your own. I found that you need to make a multi-step crimp in order to prevent "ears" on the crimped lug. If you do that, it makes a very nice crimp that will never come off.
The wires will be run inside split-loom through this area for added protection. On my old truck there was room to mount everything in the space that the second alternator would go on top of the engine, but on this truck, I can't tell where they would even fit a second alternator. It looks pretty crowded already. I fabricated a plate to hold the CB and solenoid behind the headlight, and used an existing bolt to mount it to the truck. The wires I added today are a red one that will connect to the alternator output, and runs down behind the new bracket and connects to the lower post on the CB. Then I ran a wire from the top post on the CB to the bottom post on the solenoid. The top post on the solenoid is where the wire going to the camper plug will connect. I ran the wires the way I did because they fit better and I didn't have make such sharp bends. The black wire will of course be run to a good grounding location, which I haven't identified yet.
The wires going to the camper plug will be run in split-loom through the opening to the right of the new bracket, over the wheel-well liner, down onto the driver-side frame rail and back to the pickup bed. I'll run the wires inside a piece of heater hose to get them from the frame rails, up to the plugs in the bed. I'll work on those wires this weekend.
For some reason, I just can't bring myself to take a hole-saw to the brand-new pickup bed, so I'm going to try something new. The bed already has two holes in the front wall that have a plastic plug in them. I don't mind taking a hole-saw to those.
View between the cab and the bed.
I also use a thick wooden spacer in the front of the bed to keep the camper from touching the brake lights, and to spread the pressure the camper puts on the front wall out as much as possible. I bought a plastic 6"x6" junction box that I'm going to mount on the spacer board, and then mount my two new plugs on the cover.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm going to split the TC umbilical into two cords. The +/- 12v wires will use a commercial two-pin plug that can handle up to 200 amps, and the remaining four wires for stop, turn, back-up, and running lights will use a smaller four-pin plug. The four-pin plug will not be wired entirely to "industry standard", since the ground wire will not be going through this plug.
I'm going to back under the camper tomorrow and test fit this. If I need to, I can move the box over another 3/4" or so.
:):)
