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Old 12-29-2016, 07:23 AM   #221
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawghandler View Post
It is a very loud whistle!
Use the wipers and see if you hear a difference when they're on. The problem with tracking down whistles is that it can be something really small that just needs a bit of material added to it.

You may need to put some type of larger deflector lower down on your hood (like those big plastic bug deflectors), or rig up some type of ramp below your lights to breakup the airflow before it gets to the light bar.

If you're down for a bit of experimenting, you could get some modeling clay and start adding bits to the mounting plate and hinges to see if that damps it enough, or changes the wind flow just enough to stop the whistling.

Ultimately, you'll either need to break up the airflow before the light, or you'll need to better dampen the lighter itself. The tricky part is figuring out what needs to be dampened.

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Old 01-01-2017, 06:47 PM   #222
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A friend who has a Jeep with a similar light bar told me to get some "light bar isolators" and that will stop the whistle. I went to the 4 Wheel Drive parts store in town and they gave me a couple to try and sure enough they work! The whistle is gone! The light bar doesn't make a sound when driving on city streets and the highway!

I'd post photos but apparently I'm too new to post photos in a post. I sent them to Fitz so he can post them!
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Old 01-01-2017, 07:13 PM   #223
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Pictures of Dawghandlers elegant solution to light bar wind noise. Simple and effective, what's not to like!






Dawghandler, thanks for sharing!
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Old 01-02-2017, 12:18 PM   #224
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Sand Ladder Recovery Ramps

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From Post 177 above: The next planned addition will either be a set of Maxtrax or aluminum sand ladders, I’m still researching to determine which will be the best fit for us.
There are lots of opinions out there as to the best style of recovery ramp - the old-fashioned aluminum sand ladder vs. the new-style Maxtrax or one of the many variants that are currently available.

When I thought through this I decided that I wanted to serve several purposes (don't we always?) - recovery ramps for use in sand, the ability to carry either one pair or two, storage out of the way up on top of the van, a low-profile storage solution that will allow for use of Thule crossbars (the top of the crossbar is just over 4" high) so long loads can be carried over the top, and finally, strong enough such that I can use the final assembly as a platform on top of the van when desired.

All in all, I am pleased with the design and solution. Each sand ladder is 12" wide by 48" long and weighs 10 lbs., the bracket and hardware weighs 16 lbs.

On to the pictures!

Here is the bracket sitting on my workbench as I was laying out and drilling the mounting holes.



Construction is fairly simple - basically an aluminum pan with the ovals water-jetted out to reduce the weight. My basic design, but definitely beyond my capability to execute in aluminum. For that, I brought on Moose Metal.

Here is the bracket laid out on the roof of the van. I spaced it far enough away from the solar panels to allow for an additional Thule crossbar in the center if ever needed in the future.



And here it is with the sand ladders in place. The tray is deep enough to accommodate an additional pair of sand ladders nested on top of what you see.



And here is the finished assembly mounted alongside the solar panels.



A few detail pictures:





The rails mounted on top of the van are Thule, but the method of attachment is this Landpad kit from Yakima, with longer stainless cap screws and 1/2" aluminum spacer blocks that I added.




Locking the sand ladders in place was a simple matter with a lock on each end, just enough to keep the honest people honest!



Here is the finished installation.



And finally, the in-service proof test! There is no issue with the final assembly carrying my weight, thus I now have a nice spot to watch the sun set or to tie something on that for whatever reason needs to come along for the ride.

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Old 01-02-2017, 01:03 PM   #225
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Looks good Tim. Wonder if a d-ring or similar type of hardware can be welded to the Yakima parts to create tie down points on the rails...? Are they easy to install and remove? I'm thinking of tie down points for a tarp to create a shade structure in place of a fixed awning.
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Old 01-02-2017, 01:29 PM   #226
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Michael,

It should be a simple matter to add a tie down point on the rail. I can see where a threaded eye bolt with a shoulder or an attachment to the spacer block could easily work.

The attachment to the van is simple. The threaded plate from the Yakima kit is slid into the Thule rail from one of the ends and the bolt is then screwed down into it. The threaded attachment draws the plate up tight against the underside of the rail and all stays in place. In my case I used a lock washer under the head of the cap screw and Locktite blue on the threads.
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Old 01-03-2017, 08:39 AM   #227
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Nice work Fitz! I wish that fabricator lived next door.
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Old 01-03-2017, 05:00 PM   #228
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Thank you for this thread - it inspired me to put a deposit down on a Sprinter 4x4. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I read everything I find and start asking some questions myself, so thanks in advance for the advice!
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Old 01-03-2017, 06:05 PM   #229
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mikemikemike,

Good for you! Congratulations, and welcome to the forum.

Ask away, one of the great things about this forum is that it's a great resource when questions come up.

We are in Walnut Creek, just over the hill from you in Berkeley, feel free to contact me if you want to go through Flint as you go about the process of making all of your decisions.

I assume your build will be done in Fresno, if not by yourself. If SMB, what kind of dates did they quote you?
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Old 01-03-2017, 06:51 PM   #230
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Thank you for this thread - it inspired me to put a deposit down on a Sprinter 4x4.
One of the best endorsements of this forum I've ever read.


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