At this point I don't even wanna take it off the trailer, I need a couple trips where I bring home a running truck.
06 Ranger 4x4 Clown Truck
- Thread starter BajaKyle
- Start date
Well, an opportunity presented itself, it's kind of a chaotic and complicated opportunity but now this thing is back...I'm not in a rush to post the ranger for sale just yet but definitely open to discussion selling it the way it sits or I can finish it.. it would be cool to see it end up with someone from DR when the time comes.
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I think this thread will slowly morph into the Bronco, Ranger is 80% back together only cause I want it sold and out of my garage and it's in my way so I am forced to actually work on it...I have a chance to completely rewire the bronco so it's now going full Solid State, I am doing a Racepak PDM and have a Switchpros 9100 as well if I need it but I believe I can make this all happen with just the Smartwire, seeing as how free time is limited and it's cold as balls outside it seemed fitting to get setup and start building the sub harness tonight on the coffee table, I'm not a huge fan of the WeatherPak offerings but I had it and it'll do just fine for a firewall bulkhead, everything else connector wise will be Deutsch stuff....yes it would be nice to do a full retard rewire with cannon connectors but I am trying to stay on planet earth here and be real about the budget and timeline... I figure I can do a decent job with what I got and if I wanna reinvest in super fancy stuff later then maybe I'll do that.
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The Bronco is my "Eleanor", it's pretty special to me.Love the Ranger, but more Broncos is more better.
Also learning I need to pick up my wiring game. Didn't even know what a cannon connector was and had to google. I do Doosh connectors
..the ranger is certainly a nice truck but the bronco just hits different..
As far as wiring goes I kinda just latched onto my friend who's building a 6100 truck right now and have been trying to soak up every bit of info and advice I can...I'm pretty much his shop monkey but the opportunity to learn new tricks, see what parts are used, how the pros do it has been pretty cool.
I wired this Bronco like 7-8 years ago and technology has come pretty far in that time as well as gotten more affordable, add to that I'd like to think my skill set has improved, I didn't exactly do a terrible job round 1 but getting rid of 2 fuse boxes,a constant duty solenoid, some bus bars, and reducing the amount of wires/connections will take it to the next level, not shooting for full blown trophy truck status but reliable, clean, and easily serviceable seems to be the goal....when I am done the thing will not have a single fuse or relay in the whole truck besides what the FItech has built into it, which is minimal, add to that if I do lose the PDM in the middle of nowhere it would be extremely simple to jumper the fuel injection and lights to a power source and at least get back to the trailer.
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blue oval
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- May 17, 2022
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Excuse my ignorance, but what is the benefit of not having fuses and relays? How are things protected if there is a short? Does the PDM have something like self-healing fuses? Is it capable of switching higher loads so no need for relays?
Not ignorant at all, asking questions is welcomed and the way to learn, all good man...so, the PDM is solid state, there is no mechanical contacts/switches anything in it... basically with this PDM I will be able to identify each circuit on the laptop and then simply tell it what current to open at with the software, it sounds scary but it's really basic, it's all in the programming...the PDM will self reset that circuit once it blows as many times as I tell it to (up to 100), after the threshold of attempted tries to reset the circuit has passed it and it keeps blowing it will simply turn it off until I have a chance to examine it....it does a bunch of other stuff to but I don't wanna go into that and really confuse ya....
this thing gets battery power and ground, the racepak switches and switch module will Daisy chain via Can-Bus and plug right in to the brain, then there is options to hardwire in inputs if you want....after that you just wire whatever outputs you want and then program the thing...i.e. if I want blinkers then I tell that circuit to flash when switch is engaged, if I want to use it for the starter I will tell the brain it's a momentary switch and to only close while I push the button, if I want to control rad fans (which I don't, FItech is doing that) I would just hardwire in the output trigger from FItech for the fans to an input on the racepak and I would never have to touch it, it'll be automatic/no switching anything.... hopefully that makes sense.
The pros to to solid state is simplicity...you are able to eliminate all relays, all fuses, a huge amount of wires, and also eliminate a bunch of connections...you are pretty much simplifying and making the entire electrical system extremely simple and reducing a bunch of possible failure points....that being said, if the PDM fails I will have to jump my fuel injection keyed power to a 12v source, same with my lights....that alone will get me off the trail....this bronco is going to be basic in terms of reliability (nevermind the turbo that will probably blow the motor and leave me stranded, that's another talk lol)...My fuel injection controls the fans and that's the only thing electrical I will need to drive it besides the lights if it's dark out....
My plan is to wire in one circuit to battery power on either a switch or Deutsch connector for FI/lights that will always either be off or unplugged, if I lose the PDM(s) then I will just flip the switch or plug it in and get off the trail/back home.
If I confused you at all feel free to ask questions brochacho
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