freeskier125
Observer
D45 - I used the existing 8ga. wire and 35A inline fuse the amp/subs were hooked up to. I would have run some huge overkill wires but it was already routed, and the inverter only came with short 8ga. wire with clamps on the end. I've only used it a hand full of times, mostly to charge my dewalt batteries when I'm not around a house outlet. I haven't had the camper on the truck this season, but I'm sure I'll find more uses for it then.
I will mention I let the truck sit for a couple weeks and it wouldn't start when I came back, not sure it was related to the inverter, but it does draw some power even when it's off. I now leave the fuse out until I need to use it again.
NorthernWoodsman - A disabled veteran bought the boat (37ft, twin mast, built in the 50's) after loosing his house to foreclosure, hoping to restore it's rotting surface and live on it until a Nor'easter came and sunk it, over a year ago. A couple of salvage divers, also vets, helped him get it to land where it has sat since.
It's in Great Bay, which depending on who you talk with has the 2nd or 3rd or 6th or ..... worst tidal current in the world. With ~16.8 million gallons of water draining/filling every 6 hours, and during rainstorms volume increases by "several million", it can be a pretty dangerous place. I won't admit I was scared, but I've had some sketchy moments in canoes and kayaks.
bloodyWEST - I used this http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/dodge/874442-dodge-ram-2500-4x4-dana-60-hub-removal-converison-ford-knuckles.html for reference. On my first browse through I was all sorts of surprised and in awe at a girl wrenching on her 24v, until I looked closely and noticed I went to high school and wheeled with her, small world. I did run into an issue where dodge uses a nut on the outer end of the axle shaft and ford used clips in the diff on the '93 F350 axle I sourced, so I was using the wrong end of both shafts and everything floated back and fourth to the point where it might bind up. I cut a grove and put in a circle clip.
Simply, you keep the dodge axle and center section, and use Ford F350 (92-95? i think, but don't trust that) knuckles, outer axle shaft, spindle, rotors, brakes, hubs, bearings, ect.... So from the ball joints/outer shaft to the hub is ford parts, bigger dual piston brakes, serviceable bearings, and free spinning hubs.
There are other 1/2 ******** ways of doing it, drilling the stock 4 bolt Dodge knuckle to mate up to the Ford's 5 bolt spindle, but I wanted to cannibalize it as properly as I could, I'm looking reliability traveling with the camper and all. I'd be glad to answer any other questions, I found a lot of info missing and had to figure it out along the way.
jps4jeep - Thanks, the bed is showing signs of rot but I keep patching it just about every year for inspection. It's still fairly clean for living in New England but there has been a lot of work and effort in keeping it that way, and it never ends.
Also, the truck is running 285's right now but may go up to a 35-37" tire in the trucks next stage of life. With that in mind, I'm not sure if regearing the truck would do much good when that time comes. I'm kinda at the point where I need to figure out if I plan on keeping the truck "forever" or stop doing so much customizing / frustratingly improving Dodge's imperfections.
I will mention I let the truck sit for a couple weeks and it wouldn't start when I came back, not sure it was related to the inverter, but it does draw some power even when it's off. I now leave the fuse out until I need to use it again.
NorthernWoodsman - A disabled veteran bought the boat (37ft, twin mast, built in the 50's) after loosing his house to foreclosure, hoping to restore it's rotting surface and live on it until a Nor'easter came and sunk it, over a year ago. A couple of salvage divers, also vets, helped him get it to land where it has sat since.
It's in Great Bay, which depending on who you talk with has the 2nd or 3rd or 6th or ..... worst tidal current in the world. With ~16.8 million gallons of water draining/filling every 6 hours, and during rainstorms volume increases by "several million", it can be a pretty dangerous place. I won't admit I was scared, but I've had some sketchy moments in canoes and kayaks.
bloodyWEST - I used this http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/dodge/874442-dodge-ram-2500-4x4-dana-60-hub-removal-converison-ford-knuckles.html for reference. On my first browse through I was all sorts of surprised and in awe at a girl wrenching on her 24v, until I looked closely and noticed I went to high school and wheeled with her, small world. I did run into an issue where dodge uses a nut on the outer end of the axle shaft and ford used clips in the diff on the '93 F350 axle I sourced, so I was using the wrong end of both shafts and everything floated back and fourth to the point where it might bind up. I cut a grove and put in a circle clip.
Simply, you keep the dodge axle and center section, and use Ford F350 (92-95? i think, but don't trust that) knuckles, outer axle shaft, spindle, rotors, brakes, hubs, bearings, ect.... So from the ball joints/outer shaft to the hub is ford parts, bigger dual piston brakes, serviceable bearings, and free spinning hubs.
There are other 1/2 ******** ways of doing it, drilling the stock 4 bolt Dodge knuckle to mate up to the Ford's 5 bolt spindle, but I wanted to cannibalize it as properly as I could, I'm looking reliability traveling with the camper and all. I'd be glad to answer any other questions, I found a lot of info missing and had to figure it out along the way.
jps4jeep - Thanks, the bed is showing signs of rot but I keep patching it just about every year for inspection. It's still fairly clean for living in New England but there has been a lot of work and effort in keeping it that way, and it never ends.
Also, the truck is running 285's right now but may go up to a 35-37" tire in the trucks next stage of life. With that in mind, I'm not sure if regearing the truck would do much good when that time comes. I'm kinda at the point where I need to figure out if I plan on keeping the truck "forever" or stop doing so much customizing / frustratingly improving Dodge's imperfections.
