The Road Ranger. 1997 SEMI

[Snoranger]

That’s Winnie the Pooh.

 

[Rick W]

That’s Winnie the Pooh.

Of course, how did I miss that. But my installation strategy still holds!

 

[Rick W]

I got most of the pieces for the bumper assembly cut over the weekend. I picked up the receiver today, so I started out with this:

Three hours of welding later, I had this:

It came out like I wanted, but I welded the one shackle support on the wrong side of my mark. I’m not sure it’s a big enough problem to fix, I’ll worry about it later. I also still have to do a lot of cross bracing underneath.

The second set of springs and the U-boats to mount them came in today too.

Now I think I can get the second axle done in one night (I have to take 2-1/2” out of the middle of the axle), and I think I can get all the cross bracing and the bracing I need for the deck in another day. Then I’m going to wire everything while the bed is open. Then I have to slap some paint all over it, and then install the deck. I also have to build the upper deck. And finally, I still have a bunch of wiring and accessories to do in the truck.

So I was wondering, you guys have a good relationship with Carlisle, could you call them and just ask them to postpone it for about a month so I don’t have to rush to get the rest of this done?

 

[sgtsandman]

I don’t know if you had plans to do it already or not but when I did my trailer wiring, I wire loomed everything and installed connectors for easy plugging and unplugging. It has made life much easier when a light needs replaced and eliminated much of the wiring issues many have due to chaffing and what not that many trailer owners complain about. After the wire loom was installed, I electrical taped the entire length of the wire harness as well.

 

[Rick W]

I don’t know if you had plans to do it already or not but when I did my trailer wiring, I wire loomed everything and installed connectors for easy plugging and unplugging. It has made life much easier when a light needs replaced and eliminated much of the wiring issues many have due to chaffing and what not that many trailer owners complain about. After the wire loom was installed, I electrical taped the entire length of the wire harness as well.

Of course that’s the best way to do it, but are you crazy? Do you expect me to spend an extra 15 or $20 in fabricating this tractor trailer to make sure the thing works?

Seriously, I try to do that level of detail at critical points, like where the trailer connectors are. As described next, I always go to a good level of detail on functionality and durability, but I’m not too concerned with cosmetics for things that are concealed.

As regards light replacement and such, I always leave a good bit of extra wire, and I curl it up and hang it off the frame somewhere in mid air with zip ties, no stress. That way, if I do have to change a light or such, I’ve got plenty of wire to just clip and replace. With the mild leather and no salt in Georgia, that has proved plenty adequate.

I use my best eagle eye to spot any places where the wire may chafe, and I make sure there’s protection, whether that is wire loom, a split piece of rubber tubing or whatever.

As far as hanging the wire, I generally use zip ties to hold it close and steady against a smooth part of whatever. Sometimes I use a short piece of wire, shape it like an omega, and a zip tie that to the body of wire and use the resulting loop to attach it to a frame part.

When I run through a metal part, when drilling the hole, I always file it down. Then I either use a grommet, make a sleeve out of tubing, or I double or triple wrap the wire, with friction tape, and when it goes through the hole, I put a little silicone around it to keep it from moving. Usually, no motion, no wear.

Overkill answer, just for anyone else who might be reading this it is just starting out.

Looping back around, are usually take a bunch of wire, losing, wire, connectors, etc. when I’m out at the scrap yard, just to keep a supply at home. I went through most of that building the missing Link and the 97 semi. I’m way overdue for a trip to the pull-a-part. It was very hard for me to go buy a new receiver tube yesterday when I could get a whole picture assembly for the same price, but the deadline looms.

Get it? Looms? Hahahaha

 

[don4331]

The second set of springs and the U-boats to mount them came in today too.

You're adding submarines to this?! @ericbphoto is going to be so jealous.

I didn't know Georgia was know for:

With the mild leather and no salt in Georgia, that has proved plenty adequate.

 

[sgtsandman]

You're adding submarines to this?! @ericbphoto is going to be so jealous.

I didn't know Georgia was know for:

Oh boy! Where’s the popcorn? The response is probably going to be hilarious!

 

[Rick W]

You're adding submarines to this?! @ericbphoto is going to be so jealous.

I didn't know Georgia was know for:

That’s too funny to correct. Maybe that’s why @sgtsandman is so insistent on sealing up the wires properly!

And hey, I agree, there is nothing mild about Georgia weather. But I was speaking in reference to things that eat up wire.

 

[Rick W]

Oh boy! Where’s the popcorn? The response is probably going to be hilarious!

As regards my mild leather comment, I am not going to discuss my sex life on line…

 

[Curious Hound]

The second set of springs and the U-boats to mount them came in today too.

I don't see any u-boats there.

But I do love the sight of U-boats in the spring.



Don't ask about the smell. Nobody loves the smell of u-boats.

 

[Blmpkn]

As regards my mild leather comment, I am not going to discuss my sex life on line…

Ah... now we know the real purpose behind the shed of miracles

 

[Rick W]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, tell me you guys don’t get inspired, fuzzy and confused and aroused when you’re sweating over trucking around….

 

[Shran]

Btw, most of the bracing is made out of Craigslist free bed frames that I’ve accumulated for the last few of years.

Make sure you double check your welds when you're using bed frame material. I've used a LOT of it over the years and it often it cracks around the edges of the weld beads. This is pretty hard to catch, on a couple cases I only found the cracks when I sandblasted the part and once only because paint soaked into the crack and made it obvious. I believe that bed frame steel is exceptionally hard, like spring steel and does not weld well. I don't use it for anything structural anymore because of this.

 

[Rick W]

Amen. Very hard, high nickel. I am the world’s worst welder, actually, I am amazed at how much my technique has improved just over the last few weeks of doing this thing, I was definitely out of practice.

While my technique is suspect, over the years of supervising so much construction, and being an engineer, I actually understand what you should do. They say that those who can’t do, teach. Maybe that’s me.

If I’m not mistaken, when welding relatively mild steel to something like a bed frame, you don’t really weld metal to metal like you would two common mild steel pieces. If I recall, the technique is to draw a little pool in the mild steel, and then jump over quickly and pull the hard steel into that pool. It’s hard to do a continuous bead. You have to build the little pool, tap in to the hard steel, and then pull away for a second, let it cool a tiny bit, then do it again. And then do it again. etc.

Nothing critical on my masterpiece is relying on the bed frames. I believe the structure is solid enough, and I’m only using the bed frames for cross supports and such. They are not holding a load, they are minimizing flexure of the main pieces. They may not even be needed, and in that sense they’re overkill.

I’m sure many will dispute everything when they finally see it. All for fun, but I am confident in the safety.

 

[Rick W]

Today I got the axle cut down and welded. It will go in in a couple days, but I want to finish all the cross bracing and welding underneath before I put more tires in the way.

I also got all the cross bracing done. I ran out of bed frames, so I used a little special conduit I had, and for one heavy duty item, I welded in some 5/8 threaded rod. I got about 30 pieces that were used for industrial air conditioners in a lot of stuff I bought when a guy was moving. I don’t even remember why I bought the lot, what materials I was targeting, but these came with it. I think it’s the first time I ever used them.

I still have to run a few side to side and front to back small sections to hold the diamond plate without sagging.

I extended the frame out about 7 inches on each side with 2 x 2 square tubing. I got those stubs welded on on both sides. I’m going to use a piece of rebar down the length of the outside for the purpose of hooking tie downs, and also to act as a bumper, so I don’t hurt the diamond plate and the sidelights underneath if I accidentally rub up against something (like a real truck).

With 2 1/2 weeks to go, I’m starting to believe I’ll really get it done. It probably won’t be finished, and I don’t know if I’ll get the other things I want to do on the truck, but it’ll be there.

I had two of the underneath tire carriers from Rangers from the scrap yard for who knows what reason. I pulled them out of the rafters tonight, and just set them on the frame. I believe I’m going to rig up one on each side in front of the front axle, to hold the spare tires for the trailer. More to come on this.