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The Automotive Thread

Discussion in 'Permanent Threads' started by Backroom, Oct 19, 2009.

  1. Nettdata

    Nettdata
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    Mr. Toast

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    I think that's the motivation behind Ford warning that they may sell them directly to clients, bypassing the dealers.
     
  2. SouthernIdiot

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    Ford quit making small cars so that's not happening. Pretty sure all the big 3 did. Absolute morons are running those companies.
     
  3. Fiveslide

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    Ok, then. Truckloads of single cab Ford F-350 super duty trucks, with gas engines rather than diesel. Those can't be great sellers, either.
     
  4. Nettdata

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    Probably not the right thread, but oh well, sue me.

    Just spent the last 3 weeks in the Airstream... 6 days driving out West, 4 days fishing, and 6 days driving back. 11k kms.

    The one thing that I noticed that really sucked ass with the Airstream was the electrical system while boondocking. As in no shore power.

    I have about 300 watts of solar, but the battery banks are absolute shit. 1k watts for the inverter, and that's barely fuck all. It covers the main DC lights, the usb charging ports, but not much else. It'll run the TV's in the trailer, but not much else.

    Needless to say I just bought a shit-ton of LiPo4 batteries and chargers and 3k watt inverters, and they should be delivered in the next few days, just in time for me to set up a 2nd battery bank that will be my power source for the off-grid work power (laptop, external monitor, and the starlink).

    It's totally out to 600ah worth of batteries, and has a very high charge DC-to-DC charging system that will let me use the 600amp alternator on my truck to rapid charge the batteries if needed.

    I have a 5 day weekend coming up, so needless to say I'll be a bit busy getting some shit sorted out.
     
  5. Fiveslide

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    Are you actually doing a "second" battery bank, as in one isolated from the current battery that only runs that equipment? That's a common setup on boats, a bank for running everything in the boat and a much smaller bank, perhaps even a single battery, for starting the engine.

    Or are you beefing up the current system by adding batteries in a secondary location and wiring them in? This is what I did with ours, except I used 6 volt golf cart batteries.

    You'll be thrilled with the results. A big battery bank is a life changer in a boat or RV.
     
  6. Nettdata

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    2nd, separate bank. It’s simpler than trying to upgrade the existing prewired system.
     
  7. Fiveslide

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    Ah, I get it. I just needed more capacity, more amps, not more capability.
     
  8. Nettdata

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    The current system is all pretty complicated between shore power converter, pre-wired systems, etc, so I just wanted to add a 2nd, much larger bank to be able to run my laptop, monitor, and starlink for a long time. My solar controller supports 2 bank charging, so it should be easy to tap into that. The current bank is AGM and I'm moving to LiPo4. I've also got a DC-to-DC charger for the larger LiPo4 bank so I can charge up to 120 amps from my 600 amp alternator on the truck. (It will involve some additional wiring from the truck to the trailer, but it'll be worth it).
     
  9. AFHokie

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    And the front sway bar is cracked...which are back ordered til mid July...
     
  10. dixiebandit69

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    Huh, I didn't know that a sway bar could crack.

    Anyway, you can drive without it for the time being.
     
  11. AFHokie

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    The ends, the photo is not of mine, but what I'm talking about:
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Nettdata

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    Fucking hell. Worst battery leads ever.
     
  13. dixiebandit69

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    Weld it.

    (J/k)
     
  14. GTE

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    FTFY
     
  15. dixiebandit69

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    Just did a dual fan/ aluminum radiator installation on an LS-swapped '81 Camaro.
    Sorry, there are no pictures of the car; the owner had it taped off with blankets to protect the paint when I got there.
    Plus, I think you guys already know that I only care about the engine/ drivetrain/ suspension/ electricals, and don't give a shit about how the body looks.

    But it looked NIIIIIIIICE!
    The guy was really impressed by my work, and I'll be doing more stuff for him soon, so I'll provide more pictures then.

    Fans.jpg

    Fans 2.jpg
     
  16. GTE

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    Looks sharp, but why didn't he get a radiator with the inlet on the other side so the rad hose doesn't have to cross all the way over?
     
  17. dixiebandit69

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    That's how the factory F-body radiator has been setup for MANY years.

    Also, that's the pressure side of the system so the length is pretty much immaterial.
    If he used a radiator with switched ports, the return side would be on the opposite side as the engine.

    I forgot to mention that his original return hose was too short to work with this radiator; I had to take it down to the parts store and try to find something that had a similar shape; I have no idea what it's original application is.
     
  18. GTE

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    LS's have different cooling systems than Gen1's so no reason to keep the same style radiator.

    I may be biased, but I feel mine has a much cleaner hose routing setup.
     

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  19. Nettdata

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    Dayum! That is super clean. Looks great!
     
  20. Fiveslide

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    I'd kill for a friend with a lift right about now...

    Screenshot_20220625-103727-281.png