Jump to content

Transformation


phoenix2013

Recommended Posts

Henry...do you prefer getting your trucks without the hauler bed installed, or doesn't it make a difference?

2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2019 Arctic Fox 32-5M
Cindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those backup lights are nice, Henry but not worth the $$. I spend more time backing with the trailer than anything else and not that often in the dark.The big difference between the incandescent lights that you took off and the LED's that you put on was that the old ones had built in the red reflectors that are required....and the old mud flap hangers did too. Now you have none.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, spindrift said:

Henry...do you prefer getting your trucks without the hauler bed installed, or doesn't it make a difference?

Raw frames are the easiest to deal with. Hauler beds can present a "challenge" depending on who built them and the type of bed.

Because this truck was left tandem (not by choice, more on that later) the frame needed to be extended to support the hitch over its entire length (34 inches). The front starting point was the panhard rod over the rear axle. Incidentally panhard rod moves quite a bit forward and back from suspension being all the way down to all the way up, on this truck 2 inches. So from the rod's position all the way back and keeping the hitch an inch away from the rod, we needed to add 12 inch extensions to each rail, as the picture shows. Those were bent by my steel supplier from 1/4 inch plate and welded to the frame (after removing the original bobtail lights brace). The extensions and the ends of the frame rails were V-ground on both sides (you welders know why) to get good penetration from both sides of the joint. Then we used a magnetic drill on the frames to drill the hitch mounting holes (six of them) you can see the last bolt on the extension.

I'm telling you all that so that you can see that there is quite a bit of prep to do it "right" on an open frame. All the beds I designed and built went around the ETs, either could be removed and serviced. Herron installed a bunch of ETs and knows how to buld his beds so that ETs can go in and out. Wayland Long's beds are a mixed bag, his MDT beds, or the ones on the "Super MDT" like trucks are very nice, installing Junior ET's on those was a breeze. His HDT beds are horrible, the language I used to deal with these was so bad I probably earned 500 year in purgatory before Lord will allow me into heaven. Any truck that was originally built for gooseneck (with a "tunnel") is in the same category, horrible. I did convert one of these and it cost the customer over $3 grands to make it right and ready for an ET Jr. And that's after I found a local truck fabricator who was even willing to do it and after I spent countless hours with them figuring how to do it. What we found in the area of the hitch mount was pure structural garbage, you can't see it with the deck over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, Big5er said:

Those backup lights are nice, Henry but not worth the $$. I spend more time backing with the trailer than anything else and not that often in the dark.The big difference between the incandescent lights that you took off and the LED's that you put on was that the old ones had built in the red reflectors that are required....and the old mud flap hangers did too. Now you have none.

Didn't think about that, otherwise I would have brought it up with the customer. But he's pretty handy (helped a lot with this project) and is putting on a full set of fenders, we can probably figure out a way to take care of this requirement. Thank's for the heads up.

The backup "feature" was sort of a "gimme" and a cool factor. We were after LED lamps anyway (so that the LCM Module wouldn't bitch) and these had the turn white on reverse feature built in, so we got all of these instead of just the center one. Left and right blink four on each side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So Henry the big question I have was the installation of my ET on my Kenworth at the ECR 2 years ago not as bad as I thought? Just kidding as I know each install adds a new challenge and a chance to learn and improve, still really liking my hitch probably the best upgrade done so far, thanks again.

2017 River Stone Legacy 38MB

2001 T2000 Kenworth

2009 Smart Passion

ET Junior hitch

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dblr said:

So Henry the big question I have was the installation of my ET on my Kenworth at the ECR 2 years ago not as bad as I thought? Just kidding as I know each install adds a new challenge and a chance to learn and improve, still really liking my hitch probably the best upgrade done so far, thanks again.

No, you still hold the "top honors" for a pain in the ass installation (boot camp material).

1 hour ago, lockmup68 said:

What's the yellow plug? Cameras? 

An input socket (110 AC Volts) from the fifth mounted generator to the truck AC system (shore power).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, phoenix2013 said:

No, you still hold the "top honors" for a pain in the ass installation (boot camp material).

Some how I don't think I should take that as a honor but we did provide entertainment for the week( and a bit longer )

2017 River Stone Legacy 38MB

2001 T2000 Kenworth

2009 Smart Passion

ET Junior hitch

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, phoenix2013 said:

We have a guest in our shop awaiting "transformation".

Sackett%201_zpsshtvgj4t.jpg

"Transformation" complete, how do you guys like those reverse lights.

DSC_0153_zpshjpmhrgr.jpg

Ain't she beautiful?

DSC_0155_zpsykvuqznp.jpg 

Let's say that from simple installation it grew in scope, resulting in couple "midnight departures".

Midnight Henry!? I don't remember getting out of there that early! 

Thanks again for going above and beyond on helping me out with all this. I'll start looking for some reflector ideas. 

2013 Volvo 780 "Grunt" D13 I-Shift w/ ET Hitch

2016 Cyclone 4200

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, mkvacik said:

Hmm, tamdem singles, that is a thought.  Any downside to this?  I am sure there would still be enough weight rating for me if I went that route.  

One advantage is that it's so much easier to polish the back sides of the wheels.:P

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, mkvacik said:

Hmm, tamdem singles, that is a thought.  Any downside to this?  I am sure there would still be enough weight rating for me if I went that route.  

Truck drove great like that. Did about 2800 miles.

Reason being the truck was supposed to be singled but ran into some issues with the company that was supposed to do the job. Didn't want to have to try and pack the four additional wheels back home. 

2013 Volvo 780 "Grunt" D13 I-Shift w/ ET Hitch

2016 Cyclone 4200

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Seniramsu said:

Truck drove great like that. Did about 2800 miles.

Reason being the truck was supposed to be singled but ran into some issues with the company that was supposed to do the job. Didn't want to have to try and pack the four additional wheels back home. 

So you will not be towing this way?  Scrapping the singling plan, or just postponed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I'll keep it this way, as I have the other wheels and just need to buy some tires for them. I do believe I have more than enough capacity to tow with this current setup and may have too as we have a trip planned in a few weeks. After the issues I had with this company, I'll probably hold off on the singling for now and see how I get along being tandem. Didn't want to add any more length with the hitch install was the main reason for singling. 

Henry did an outstanding job though and only had to add about 12 inches to get the hitch in. 

2013 Volvo 780 "Grunt" D13 I-Shift w/ ET Hitch

2016 Cyclone 4200

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let me know where you are or are willing to go and I may have a solution to your singling dilemma. You can email me....email in my profile.

 

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, dblr said:

Some how I don't think I should take that as a honor but we did provide entertainment for the week( and a bit longer )

The entertainment "value" for a better part of week was unparalleled. The distinct difference between this project and yours is that what you see above was essentially straightforward and just grew in scope, when "improvements" were suggested.

Yours started as this,

05_zpskh7mtzlh.jpg

quite an auspicious "beginning" to a hitch install and kept "complicating itself" as we progressed. It was akin to a birthing process that is not going too well and no, this is not a placenta that the guy is holding above. It was a prolonged delivery with many painful contractions along the way, but  in the weeks time we cleared all the breeches. Then like good pediatrician I slapped the ET on its butt to make it breath properly  and sent it off with its new parents.

18_zps4b6rzea4.jpg

20_zpsrj75fwz2.jpg

 

16 hours ago, Seniramsu said:

Midnight Henry!? I don't remember getting out of there that early! 

Thanks again for going above and beyond on helping me out with all this. I'll start looking for some reflector ideas. 

I have a solution already. A stainless strip slightly wider than reflector strip bolted through the holes holding the flap, reflectors bonded to the stainless strip.

Incidentally the boys on this forum like "entertainment", tell them about your "midnight introduction" to the fine products from Sherwood Williams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On March 27, 2017 at 11:32 AM, phoenix2013 said:

Didn't think about that, otherwise I would have brought it up with the customer. But he's pretty handy (helped a lot with this project) and is putting on a full set of fenders, we can probably figure out a way to take care of this requirement. Thank's for the heads up.

The backup "feature" was sort of a "gimme" and a cool factor. We were after LED lamps anyway (so that the LCM Module wouldn't bitch) and these had the turn white on reverse feature built in, so we got all of these instead of just the center one. Left and right blink four on each side.

Henry,

Are those LED's made by TRUX, as in Dual Revolution?

Either way, what did you think of the dual color setup?

 

John

John

Southern Nevada

2008 Volvo 780, D13, I-Shift

2017 Keystone Fuzion 420 Toyhauler 

2017 Can-Am Maverick X3-RS

 

ALAKAZARCACODEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMAMNMS
event.png

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, VegasFlyer said:

Henry,

Are those LED's made by TRUX, as in Dual Revolution?

Either way, what did you think of the dual color setup?

 

John

Yes, these were Trux lights. White LEDs were always an oddity and very expensive and bi-color ones didn't exist. Now you can buy red/white LEDs for less that 5 cents from Alibaba if you order enough of them (4,000). I like the dual color setup in one light, easy to wire and you get the running light also when not in the reverse (I didn't wire the stop/turn wire in the center light)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Henry,

Are you coming to the ECR rally next month?

I need to chat with you on another minor transformation.

Dave

2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch
2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler
Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you!

 

Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/

for much more info on HDT's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, phoenix2013 said:

I have a solution already. A stainless strip slightly wider than reflector strip bolted through the holes holding the flap, reflectors bonded to the stainless strip.

Incidentally the boys on this forum like "entertainment", tell them about your "midnight introduction" to the fine products from Sherwood Williams.

 

How about something like this:

http://www.raneystruckparts.com/conspicuity-top-mud-flap-accent-trim-3-125-x-24-by-roadworks/

 

I learned that if you see Henry with all this safety gear on...........there's probably a pretty good reason.

20170325_000236.jpg.698846ced7a2de5fbe43a31dd037ce2b.jpg

I got curious as to why he was all geared up to mix a little paint. Walked over and about got knocked to the floor from the chemical smell!

2013 Volvo 780 "Grunt" D13 I-Shift w/ ET Hitch

2016 Cyclone 4200

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...