Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitz
^^^^Hein,
I'm on it! You are right, it looks bad, thanks for pointing it out.
The black spots you see are me previously applying the coating you reference to the various electrical grounding screws SMB installed during the build. On my list is gathering up the grounds and running them all to the Blue Sea Systems 2300 bus bar that I have sitting on the workbench waiting for the appropriate time...
Once done I'll be sure to go back and coat everything that's visible from the outside.
Question: Any thoughts on what to use in the holes once I remove the various screws? I'm currently thinking of simply plugging them with SS threaded bolts.
For reference, here is what it looks like from the inside:
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Hey Fitz...those SMB grounds are pretty bad. Not sure how I missed that when I had my head in there last time around. If you haven't already done this, let me know...I've got some tips for you....
Basically, don't rely on the bolts or washer as a conductor between a ring terminal and the body. Washers, unless copper or brass, are horrible conductors electricity and are generally unreliable. The same is true for bolts. Tooth washers is a great trick for attempting to get a lower power ground through paint... But for a high current connection like an inverter or anything over 10 or 20 amps, it needs to be clean metal and it needs to be a bolted connection. I always smear some dielectric or anti-corrosion electrical grease on chassis connections as well. The ring terminal needs to be tinned and ideally as marine rated... Bare copper is a big no-no as corrosion may develop between the copper and metal surfaces.
If I recall the 2300 requires a short jumper between the bar and chassis return. Let me know if you want me to make up a short jumper... I've got some extra ultra flexible 1/0 and 3/0 cable and appropriate terminals. For cable that large will need to make sure we've got the appropriate bend radius... Ideally we'd use a 5/16 bolt as that ring terminal has quite a bit of shoulder on it for good conduction. I can't remember if that's also the chassis return for the house battery bank as well (all the alternator current flows through that connection to charge the batteries?) I'm not active on here all that much anymore... so when you get ready to do the mod, text me.
Oh by the way, the windshield washer wiper clip? Mine's been loose or broken pretty much since I got the van. A UV stable zip tie works wonders.
Great post on the lower radiator hose. Thermally, I don't have near the number cycles at your van has (mileage), The calendar wise my van is older. I'll have to put that on the list for the next maintenance round.
And one more thing, as you know I have the van compass lift on my van. The back of my van is sometimes lighter and sometimes a great deal heavier than yours.
In one instance, I heard some pretty bad metal rasping/scraping sound... Thinking I dragged a shock mount or the pumpkin, I looked for damage. Didn't find any. A few days later, happened to noticed the driver side rear wheel well (front of well) pinch seam was bent/mushed down.
I bit noticed the axle moving forward in the wheel well on one of the videos my wife took of a creek crossing...In the latest trip, we went on some fairly aggressive tracks...(lots of good size boulders, lots of tripoding, and lots of fun). And lots of airing down. The amount of ground clearance the lift plus the 35 gives our vans is insane...
Since I'm running a true 35, my tires are quite a bit closer to the fenders than yours. It occurred to me that the movement required to catch the seeem did seem like a bit much. I thought the van compass additional leaves would resist enough axle wrap, but no longer believe that's the case. Combined with the typical slop of a center pin and a leaf spring, the center pin on a lift block and the usual movement in a OEM rubber leaf spring bushing, It makes sense that the axles are going to move around quite a bit. I think you and I use our vans quite a bit harder than most - and therefore doubt most folks would ever see this as an issue.
I'm thinking that a Deaver Spring pack and VC valved Falcon Shock upgrade is a likely mod that will happen in the not too distant future.