Look... 
      ...in'   
           ...good   
                    ...man! 

I sure hope you record some video at start up & post it on here. I think I could speak for everyone following your build when I say we would REALLY love to see that! Start up, and a drive off scene. Gotta, gotta, gotta!!! 

Brad 

Wow..looks real good...what kinda front drive line ya gonna build?? Carrier bearing setup ??
Keep up the good work Sam,
Brian

Humm..that's crazy, if 5" will do it..it just looks so much longer than "factory". That's cool though..shouldn't be to bad..
Later
Brian

Sam...Any new pics?

Andrew

As long as the angles at each u-joint are the same, but opposite, there shouldn't be any vibration issue.  And, yep the CV helps in the extreme angles.

One word
AWESOME

Man that's cool Sam I can't wait to see it this fall.

Coming together nicely.

It'll actually read:  XD-CTD  , and the scoop will read Cummins

Thanks fellas - maybe after 'Stage II' I won't want to take it all apart again...    

Oh, and you guys convinced me to go with bigger rubber.  Sellin' the 35's (got 4 of 'em for sale), and shortly before Moab I'll have the new shoes on   .  Game on  

Happens every year. 

Well, you are correct, but I think we could promote it and advertise it a little better. The planets & stars have to align as well so a large number of people have working trucks and the ability to take off at the same time to be there. I know its not easy to put together, but other sites do, so we should be able to as well. 

Maybe Simpson & Drew will be ready truck & kid-wise by then. They are driving forces behind attendance I think as well. This last part that you wrote made me get a tear...       It would be the funnest vacation ever! 

Leaf spring corrections made and weight on wheels - I'm digin' it



The fronts had two more leafs added to handle the weight and had 3+ inches added to add more lift.  That plus the two additional leafs gave just about 4" more lift - perfect.



...and the final front leaf shackle angle



The rear shackle angle...



...and with the front lift good to go it was just a tad higher than the rear, so in went a set of BDS 2" blocks



Wiring, dash, linkage, etc, and she's that much closer to rolling.

- Sam

Looks really professional.  How's the front caster angle?

Ah, the road test.

Sam. Looks AWESOME!!!! How's that wiring going? Takin' notes I hope?

Andrew

Well it's interesting - the more I think about it I'm finding there isn't as much to worry about as I thought.  First off, talking with Andy, Trent, Dave, and others, we're finding a way to get around the PCM (computer), and that's the main goal.
As best I can tell so long as we get 12v (keyed/ignition) power to the fuel shut off solenoid, wire up the starter, and get the alternator to charge the batteries...that's pretty much it. 
There's other small stuff that I don't need, and others that I'll try to work out later on.  I'm not even messing with new gauges yet - just want to get it running and rolling, get some miles on the clock, test out the suspension and driveline, and get ready for Moab.

Dave, you mentioned you bypassed the computer for A/C, OD and charging, and that cruise control and speedo still run through the computer.  Eventually I want to have A/C, but can you review how you did the O/D and the alternator?  I'd like to have the O/D function and engage 'normally' at ~34 mph, but I do want to be able to disengage it manually - same functionality as the factory '93 harness. I can certainly retain the computer and harness for cruise - definitely want cruise, and if that is the only thing the computer controls then that's fine with me. 

Electrical items list and possibilities:

Message Display Center:  [EDIT] not Planning to use.  Lights on it are:  [Wait-to-start] [brake] [water-in-fuel] [low fuel].  I think ...using a 'low fuel relay terminal'...which I think is a stand-alone device...I can splice a circuit inline with the fuel level gauge to give me an operational [low-fuel] light.

Grid heaters:  Like Trenton, I can bypass the computer and manually using a HD momentary switch as necessary.  EDIT - If I can get them operational I would however like to have them operate automatically.

Overdrive:  Bypass computer - naww, I'll use the computer.

Alternator:  Bypass computer by using 'standard' 2-wire external regulator.  On the regulator, 1 wire goes to 12v key'd power, the other to the small {Dk Gn} alternator wire.  Regulator's done.  On the alternator, {Dk Gn} wire to the regulator, the other {Dk Bl} goes to 12v key'd power.  Done - no PCM controls, and it removes the PCM as a potential limiting factor.

Cruise control:  Not sure - Pretty sure I need the computer for it to function.

A/C:  Not used...yet

KSB:  Key'd 12 power???

Fuel shutoff, and fuel filter heater:  12v key'd power.

Gauges:  All stand-alone feeds

I'll edit this list as we get solutions figured out.

- Sam

Nope Chris, a grid heater is a heater element (mostly bare wire, like a light bulb filament) that goes in the intake manifold (typically on top of the manifold and under the crossover tube), where as glow plugs are a porcelain element in each cylinder pre-chamber. I'm assuming you are referring to the glow plugs on your mitsu diesel, right? but yeah, a momentary switch will work on both.

although Max, my dad has contemplated taking the grid heater out completely. its usually warm enough around here that he doesn't need it. Maybe not suited to your location. he could get it running on the third cylinder over in 25*F weather, before the grid heater came on.

Ryan

This is his link right to his site. It is worth checking out!!

http://www.12voltguy.com/web/

He makes some awesome switch panels!!!!!! I am going to use one of his costom units when I do my tube consoul. Similar to the one robins18 HAD in his rig.

The grid heaters definitely help in cold weather starts, they can be the difference between getting it started and walking, I'm talking around 0*F and colder. They also help old engines as they lose compression.

An engine block heater helps too.

Fortunately, I've never had an issue starting my diesel because of cold start. Defective batteries left me stranded one night! I was visiting SLC in December a few years back, and was idling in the parking lot while my Mom ran into the store. I got zero throttle response when we tried to leave. As near as I could tell, the fuel must have turned a bit slushy in the fuel lines or something... I thought it may have been too much vacuum created in the tank maybe...

Do any of you cold weather diesel fools know what really happened? If so, PM me... Just curious.

Mad Max, I haven't been following your resent redo of your rig until now.  I have gone back through your posts and of course you are again doing a great job and it is looking great.  I did see one thing that I was wondering about though.  On those front spring mounts why didn't you build them as one unit? Meaning making them together.  That way it would give support to both sides, support the frame more (not allowing the frame to twist or at least limit it).  With all that new added weight from the diesel just a thought!! 

So are you sure it is going to be ready for Moab by September?  Hope so!! puttputt56

Yes that is what I was referring to connecting both spring hangers together (box tubing or angle iron). One of the weak links in the front suspension is where the steering box and frame are attached. If the spring mounting points are tied to both sides it usually does away with that problem. With the added weight of the diesel at that corner of the suspension puts a lot of torque in that area. Since you plan on really putting your rig to the real hard test I would think more about adding something to help equal out the load at that point. Even the added support that you referred too would be a great help.  I am not saying what you have so far will not hold up but the way you always over build something it just seems it is a little lacking in that area. puttputt56

...the list of consecutive miracles for Moab 08 (and beyond) continues to get shorter.

Yet remaining are:

Drive shafts, engine and chassis electrical, core support re-fab, radiator and intercooler install/re-fab, steering re-fab, fuel line re-fab, belly/doubler mount/skid shield, exhaust, dash/gauges re-fab, flood lights, re-paint nomenclature, doubler shift linkage, wheels, tires....I'm sure there is more but that's what I can think of now.

So far most everything is 'figured out', just have to finish it all up.  We'll be there.  Definitely want to get a couple weekend trips under the belt before, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Moab is again the truck's shake-down run.  We were lucky last year that we didn't have more problems, but at least this year things are a bit simpler with the truck.  There is less voodoo going on now than there was before, and that I like. 

- M2