cbechtold's Long Travel IFS Crawler Tacoma Build and BS Thread

A while ago I had a close call when I was wiring up some stuff in the cab and had an unfused 16ga wire short to ground while connected to the battery. Smoked like a mfer and almost melted through other wiring bundles which would have escalated quickly and potentially burnt down the truck in the garage.

All it takes is a scary fuck up like that to make you realize how important small details like that are for wiring.

 

So what would the recommendation be? Since even if I were to put the fuse/relay panel in the engine bay, I'd still need to run wires to the bed to connect everything and I would prefer not to put the whole setup in the bed.

 

Main wire fusible link in line right off the battery before the main panel.

 

Depending on how many amps you need:

https://www.delcity.net/store/EATON...Ke2SJh_-pOAAzNfEODv9kWjLUjtUxy44aAvxsEALw_wcB

https://www.finditparts.com/product...-QSrdPBIHrGjhqH9pL29ZI6ulSi0vYnwaAp42EALw_wcB

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/min...dtSb6UCMsiMRO_XUWrgaAsjCEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Super easy to put in line for protection on a heavy gauge feed that would 100% burn the truck down if it ever shorted.

 

I put these

If I were just starting my wiring I would for sure go the route of a switch pros.

Also, as someone who grew up with photosensitive epilepsy be careful with strobe lights and driving.

Not many people have it and if they have it they most likely don't have a driver's license but that would still suck.
Police lights can also have this effect so you'd probably be the minority in strobing lights.

Apparently 3-30 hertz is the range to avoid if you want to avoid triggering seizures ranging from causing confusion and not knowing who or where you are (this was my version of photosensitivity) to full on tonic-clonic which I also had but not from lights.

Flashing lights can also trigger migraines which I also had the pleasure of experiencing.

I no longer have epilepsy but flashing lights still fuck me up the point I avoid concerts and things.

 

Just add either a big fuse or a breaker within 8" of the battery to whatever larger cable is running into the cab or to the bed.

The idea here is if anything bad happens anywhere downstream of that fuse for whatever reason. That guess/relay will pop. Which will keep your truck from burning down(duh).

But you always want a fuse/relay close to the battery as that limits the amount of wire that is always hot.

So for your panel in the cab, add up your total accessories of power and give it a bit if headroom. So if your stuff pulls 60amps when all on, a 100amp fuse will be good.

Huh never thought of that. Good to know.

The strobe pattern I have mine on is 3 or 4 quick flashes with a 1-2 second pause in between. It's very similar to what an emergency vehicle would have on. Or snow plow.

 

That sounds fine to me.

 

that said there is a flash setting too, but its a bit faster than the normal emergency flashers on the truck. But not like a crazy strobe. Probably for that reason?

 

Okay. I see what you mean. I'll have to look more into that then and see what I can come up with.

So would you still recommend a breaker at the fuse panel then or would the breaker or fuse at the battery cover that? I can definitely add up what I already plan to add there, but definitely as you said, I'd need to make some head room so I can still add to the panel if needed.

 

In other news, all the fun parts for the steering have shown up. I'm taking care of the LBJ weakness as well since I'll be in there. Just need to get the steering links painted and I should be ready to get things installed in the beginning of May.


PXL_20230421_020802880.PORTRAIT by Cory Bechtold, on Flickr

 

Interested to see how the heim steering works out for you. My heim inners are pissing me off and I feel like the angle is super steep between my lca pushing the tire forward and the alignment tabs maxed out forward.

How are your alignment tabs set and how is your tie rod angle to the rack?

 

I'm interested to see how everything works out as well.

Current alignment specs are +2.5 degrees caster, -0.5 degrees camber, and 1/16" toe out. Drives great and I still have some room to push the tires forward, but I'd rather not compromise on drivability since I still daily this truck. As of right now the there is a 8.7 degree angle on the tie rod at ride height. For reference, I'm zeroing out the level on my IFS skid plate and my lower control arms are at a 18.1 degrees.

 

nope. Technically you do not need to fuse/relay it at the panel. Unless you want to. Can't hurt, but I don't see it as necessary. That's how my Bussman is setup in Frank. Fuse at the battery(100amps since thats all a bussman is rated for) then runs into the cab.


sweet steering setup. That's the dream right there. Plus a steering slider.

 

Gotcha. I might just save myself the headache of trying to find space for the breaker in the cab and just figure out how to mount it near the battery. Just some quick maths, but I think 150amp might be as I'd ever need, and that presumes everything is pulled in, powered up, and at max power draw.

The steering rack slider might come eventually, but I'm going to see how all this plays out as is.

 

Sorry my question was confusing. Should have asked I more along the lines of how far forward is your outer tie rod on the lbj than the inner at the rack?

I’m pretty confident from mock up the camburg clevis at the rack would make the heim bind trying to angle it too far forward somewhere in my travel when steering. Need to bump the lowers back some but I want to keep the clearance for tires.

Made some god awful angled inners to keep it from happening and they seem like an accident waiting to happen.

 

I'm measuring just about 3.5 inches forward from the steering rack.

 

Always so nice having the fresh OEM steering rack. Are you going to try to figure out a boot solution to the rack? I was talking to another member about that recently too and he said he wants to find a solution but hasn't come up with one yet. I'm thinking you might even be able to stretch an oem style boot on there with a constant tension clamp right before the heim.

And as far as the second breaker in the cab it would be pointless IMO. The first one closest to the battery will always trip first, so just better off having that and call it good. The other bonus of the breaker vs big fuse I found that's been super nice is when I want to cut power to my fuse panel in the bed I don't need to unhook the battery. I just open the hood, disconnect the breaker and get to work.

 

It's a tight fit, but the OEM boot will fit still.

I'm planning on putting a battery disconnect on the main battery. I'd urge not using the breaker like a switch since it can wear out the breaker faster, but it's not the most uncommon thing I've heard of.

 

Dang it fits? Alright well that just opened up that as reality for me. I need it here on the east coast for sure. Good to know about the breaker It's rare I need to work on that line but I'll avoid it if needed.

 

I'll get a photo up once I get everything installed, but y'all can thank @Robmonster117 for all the brain work on this setup. I'm basically copying him. I think the only way this will work is with the Kartek chromoly links since they're using 1 1/8" diameter tube. If you decide to weld your own arms with 1.5" DOM they might not fit.