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Ok the earth idea makes sense,
As far as the other thing your saying, the side and brake light is one unit, it has 3 wires, white = earth, brown= side, red = brake. So not sure if what your saying would help.
Will definitely try the earth idea as i linked all the earths on 1 side together then earthed it to the bolt that holds the panel to the truck and also wired it to the rear loom. If that makes sense
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Really enjoying reading this one, nice to see someone making something cool out of an often neglected workhorse.
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Jan 10, 2020 20:01:33 GMT
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Well tonight I had a play with my rear lights again. It turns out that my rear side light wires and brake light wires are making contact with each other somewhere in my wiring loom.
I checked all the wires and there is continuity between them, this is why every time I turned my side lights on my brake lights would come on. So i pulled out the rear light wires and cut them short, then i cut the wire from the brake light switch and i run a fresh bit of wire right to the rear lights.
I run a new wire for the side lights and gave it all a try. I now have side lights, brake lights with or without side lights on, reverse lights, indicators.
So next job is to add some resistors inline for the rear indicators as they flash very fas. Then fit some new connectors and tidy the loom up.
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I spent about an hour after work last night and i re wrapped the loom from the tank to the rear light wiring, managed to keep al the standard wiring clips and the wiring is now all clipped up along the chassis rail. So next job is to tidy the rear light wires and clip the wiring up then make up a sub loom for the towbad and add some superseal connectors. I am aiming to get the wiring and hopefully the new lower suspension bushes and bolts fitted by friday. Not sure if it will happen as i want to modifie the bottom arms before i add new bushes. Nicked the pictures of fb but shows what i wanna do, the rear bushed are under loads of tension with the van lowered so the rear bush mounts need cutting of and re-welding flat to the arm to take the stress out of the bushes. More as it happens     |
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Jan 16, 2020 19:58:55 GMT
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Managed to get a few hours this evening to try and get the wiring wraped up, nearly all done now, all the wire have been cut back, new superseal connectors have been fitted. All i have left to do is fit the resistors for the rear LED indicators and sort out the connection on the brake light switch. I'm really happy with how its turned out, the lights are bloody bright, and they all work.  |
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Jan 22, 2020 21:28:06 GMT
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I had a play this evening and i attacked the sub frame bolt, i cut the bolt above and below the bush, pulled the bottom arm of and pressed the bush out and new bush in place. I chose not to modifie the bottom arm as i want the truck back on the road. I put the arm back in place and pushed a new bolt up, went to start doing it up and it was just spinning, the nut inside the chassis rail had no threads left. Scrambled around and found a new lock nut, could get a washer and the nut inside the chassis rail and started to do it up but i needed to get a spanner to hold the bolt. I could get the spannner inside the rail but not in the right angle, i had to cut a slot into the rail. Got the spanner in right done the bolt up and finished fitting the arm, will weld the small cut tomorrow evening.  |
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Jan 31, 2020 21:33:30 GMT
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I have been pottering away with my truck trying to get it back on the road. After a bit of thinking and measuring it turns out that the new bolt i fitted in the rear suspension was the wrong diameter, i ordered a new genuine bolt from fords and swapped it into the truck. I run a tap through the captive nut and the threads came good.
This evening i pulled the calipers apart and freed up the sliders and gave the brakes a general clean up. No more sticky brakes. I also swapped out a worn bottom ball joint.
Last job i done this evening was weld in some rear outriggers. They now give the rear light panel something to fit to and will also be a rear support for the flooring once i work out what i will be using.
So over all I'm nearly at the point i can start using the truck again. Just wanna check the tracking and rivet the light panel to the new outriggers to stop any flexing.
No photos as i was rushing to get everything done.
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Feb 26, 2020 18:53:45 GMT
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Well its been ages since i done an update, not much has happened until this evening. My mate popped into work and we spoke about how i wanted my rear mudguards and how i planned to mount them. So he took some measurements and headed of, i got a message this morning. It was some pictures of a mock up mudguard, my mate had left it outside his unit for me to collect. I went and grabbed it on the way to work. So after work i had a look and play about. It seems a little of but as i don't have any mountings fitted it would still work. Just need the real ones made and get them fitted. The real ones will be made alot wider, to fill the gap right up to the chassis rail What do people think.         |
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Well what a day, we was out in my mk6 X-rac transit van had to take the wife and kids to a birthday party, when we where driving i started to smell a burning smell, suddenly the battery light came up and i lost the power steering. So we pulled over and turned the van of. Had a look and the auxiliary belt was missing and the belt tensioner had twisted.
Well long story later van back home kids back home after the party. Kinda back on track.
Run a friend who gave me a lift to work and i picked up the truck. Fired it up and started to head home. Got a bit up the road and the truck was really struggling. I pulled over and the bloody front right caliper had stuck on.
Arrrrrrr. Well after a bit of curse word about in the petrol garage i managed to jack the front of the truck up, get the wheel of and un-bolted the caliper, spun the hub and it was free. So i used some brake cleaner on the caliper pistons and managed to get them to push back a little bit. Caliper back on everything bolted back together and i drove home.
The worst part of this is i had the calipers of about 2 weeks ago to clean up the caliper sliders as i thought they might be stuck after sitting for a few months. So what to do now, rebuild or replace the caliper.
If it wasn't for bad luck i don't think i would have any luck.
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Well more progress, last night i swapped out the tensioner and belt on my orange van so fingers crossed thats ok for now. With regards the truck, i stripped the calipers and the dust seals, (outer seals) where rusty and all out of shape, the pistons and the inner seals where nice and clean. Gave everything a wash and wire brushed the parts where the dust seals sit and fitted a new seal kit, the pistons slide in and out nicely now. So they are ready to go back on the truck along with a new belt and tensioner and hopefully it will be drive able again.  |
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Mar 21, 2020 19:18:59 GMT
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Well i have finally got around to fitting my rebuilt calipers amd new belt along with the tensioner and new idler pulley. I also fitted a new power steering pulley as mine was a bit cracked.
I was hoping to have it sorted a week ago but work had other ideas, they had booked me in for 4 day intensive driving course for my class 2 lorry licence. My test was Friday 13th, i passed the driving test with only 2 driver minus, so very happy with that.
The plans where to pass my class 2, wait for my licence to come back and then have another 4 day course for my class 1. Unfortunately i found out today that all driving tests have been cancelled for the next 3 months, not very happy but i cant change it. Anyway more as it happens
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Apr 11, 2020 19:21:54 GMT
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Well a bit of an update, i fitted the calipers and drove up the road, got about 1/4 of a mile and the brakes started to bind.
Turned around and got back to work, the next morning i went in and ordered some new rubber flex hoses. Why i was waiting for them to turn up i had a quick look at the brake pedal, i gave it a pull upwards and the brake light switch moved about 1/2", well thats strange.
Anyway had a think and a chat with the boys i work with and we all came to the conclusion that the brake light switch was pushing the pedal down just enough to push fluid down the lines. Hence when the brakes got hot the fluid couldn't go back up the lines. Took it for a run up the road and guess what the brakes where fine. I then sat and thought when i was doing my rear lights i had the switch out and just shoved it back in with out any thoughts. Just goes to show you what can happen. Every day is a school day.
The next issue i have had is also another easy fix. It was my alternator belt, it kept on jumping forward on the pulleys and it wrecked 2 belts, time to sort this out, i new my tensioner was good, my idler pulley was new, power steering pully was new. So why was it jumping, well if you don't know there is ment to be a gasket behind the timing case cover that spaces the viscous fan pulley forward, seems like the previous owner didnt fit the gasket.
I measured the gasket and it was about 2 mm thick so i found some washers 2mm thick and fitted them behind the viscous fan pulley. Fitted a new belt, fired her up and it was better but not right.
More thinking and i should have only put 2 washers on but i put 3, its only the 2 bolts that bolt through the timing chain cover the 3rd bolt bolts to the block. I removed the belt pulled our the washer and refitted everything.
BINGO we have a winner.
Its been a trying few weeks but finally got a break and can move forward with my build.
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
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Apr 11, 2020 20:49:23 GMT
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One other thing to check on the belt is the crank pulley, most of them had a damped pulley, the hub and outer ring are bonded by rubber and kept concentric with a bearing, the bearing wears and the outer part of the pulley runs at an angle.
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Apr 11, 2020 21:30:00 GMT
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Yeah i have checked the crank pulley as i had heard they brake apart but apparently they aren't fitted to mk6 vans only mk7's so most people are fitting the older style on the newer vans
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No updates for a few weeks but i have been getting bits done, i have been making up my new metal outriggers. This evening was the day the wood got removed and the new metal ones got welded on. Need to add some triangular supports to add extra strength but theres no rush until i have the floor ready to go. Next big job is to remove the standard chassis top plates and replace them with new metal as they are showing there age and rusting away. Anyway a few pictures before and now. Hope you like     |
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May 16, 2020 19:31:18 GMT
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Well only another small update, I didnt like the open ended parts of the outriggers so i ordered some plastic end caps, they turned up and i tried on witch failed miserably. Seems they where to big so i sat and trimmed the inner parts down and tried again. Result they fitted and look loads better. Just need to order a few more to replace the first one that i destroyed. don't worry about the mudguard its just resting on the top of the tires as I'm working in new mounts.    |
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May 22, 2020 14:35:48 GMT
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Well i have now fitted the last of the end caps to the outriggers. I have also made and fitted 2 brackets to mount the new mudguard. I need to get some more metal as i have run out, i used some 50 × 50 × 3mm angle that i heated up with gas, then i squashed it in a vice to get me around 45°, i then set a row of 3 holes in one side and 4 holes in the other side. Then the 3 holes had some M8 nut inserts fitted, i transferred the holes to the mudguard and to thw outriggers, i drilled the 4 holes in each of the outriggers and fitted nut inserts. Drilled the holes in the mudguard and bolted it all together.   |
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May 27, 2020 20:42:34 GMT
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Well i have finally got around to making my other mudguard brackets just gotta get them and the mudguard fitted. Also a massive leap forward to as my checker plate for the bed turned up. I have been a good husband and brought basically a new bathroom so my wife said I should sort the back of the truck out. Happy wife, happy life, lol. Anyway I'm hoping i might make a start on the tray this weekend. I'm waiting on some nutserts and loads of s/s counter sunk bolts and washers then i can get it all bolted into place. Had a bit of a mess about just to get the idea. Even had the approval from the wife.     |
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May 30, 2020 13:55:30 GMT
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May 31, 2020 11:09:46 GMT
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