Oh myyyyy! That is so Sick!!! Nice, RB!

 

Thanks guys. It is electronic if it wasn't the big actuator would be absent. I have a PCB I've designed to activate the front and rear lockers to eliminate the bulky wiring and relays typically found on the DIY locker setups. I won't be getting to that till I install the front axle. Wiring will be done when both axles are under her.

 

when I get my SAS finished sometime before the apocalypse I think I will try my hand at building a GPS vehicle tracker for her. This is a DIY instructable using Arduino instead of the fee based trackers sold by car alarm companies.
haven't read the whole instructable yet, just want to drop it here for future reference.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Athe...acking-System/

 

Just watched the video on your link and the parts needed. Dude this product is genius! They don't by any chance have monthly fees do they?

 

^^^ I don't think so, but I can't figure it out either. I'm trying to research that now.

 

Well you let me know when you find out. I might be interested in somehing like this too.

 

Definitely a good idea!

 

if you want real-time updates (ie- sends position every minute), then you'll need to pay for the cell service (insert a sim card into a shield, send text message based locations). as a stand-alone data logger, yeah, that'll be free

 

Thanks man, was hoping you'd chime in. Couldn't the arduino be programmed to send every minute also? Wire it to kill the ignition from a text is also an idea. Definitely wire in a backup battery.

 

yeah, that's what you'd need to do. the instructable uses a combination gps and gsm (cell) shield. the arduino handles what to do with the information:

gps -[gets location]-> arduino -[compiles data to send]-> gsm -[sends message]-> user

likewise, it's pretty much opposite for killing ignition:

user -[sends kill command]-> gsm -[delivers command]-> arduino -[shuts off output]-> ignition relay

the shield just acts as an antenna and interpreter (in this case both gps and gsm) for the arduino board. the arduino is what gets programmed to send messages every so often, what kind of message to send, what to do with incoming messages, etc.

 

From what I am reading, there is no free GSM SMS available in the US. Some solutions are a pay as you go text plan phone. If I am going to have to pay a monthly(which I'm not) I would just go with an alarm system with the GPS tracker built in. The subscription run about $5 a month, not bad, but I think its overkill for this type of thing on my rig....at least for now. The two way paging option, I like that. I get a bit nervous when I leave my truck overnight when I'm out camping, and the area sees lots of traffic from offroaders/hunters.

 

Ah well that's a bummer. I guess getting one with already built in gps would be better then. I was thinking of getting a 2way viper car alarm. Those always seem to be good. But now that you mention it. A gps tracker would definitely be worth getting. I've invested far too kuch money into my rig to let some car theif steel my pride n' joy. I gotta look into this more and see what they cost.

 

Google Smart Start, most all of the new alarm systems are modular. You buy the brain, then add functions...remote start, GPS tracking, proximity...

 

Oh man. They are all add ons? Thats so cool! Beats buying everything separately.

 

While a wait for the FJ80 front diff to get regeared to match the rear, I figured I would get the rims and tires mounted.

Mounted my 35" MTRs on 16x9 Birddogs(in my living room during the snow)
Added the Powertank Monster Valves my wife bought me last year by tapping the extra valve hole in the rim with a 1/4" NPT. I'm not sure I am going to keep the valves, they are quite tall/long, and while they do not stick out past the rim edge, they are closer then I'd like. If I switch them I will be using air compressor tank bleed valves for quick air down.

Balancing the MTRs I'll be using 7oz. of .02g AirSoft Competition BBs. Every post I found about balancing the tires with airsoft said to use competition style for the best results, and at 15$ a 35oz bag I figured I'd give it a shot.


7.oz Airsoft .02g Competition BBs Dynabead recommends 6-8oz for 315/75R16
I bought one bag of black since that was all that I could find on Amazon at the time, then I found a white bag...no reason for color except its easier to see the white when you loose them on the floor.

BBs


Mixed


Weighed


Valve hole


1/4" NPT threaded valve hole


Monster valve installed with Teflon tape



So I have 5 tires, and have only been able to seat the bead on two sucsessfully using the ratchet strap method and lots-O-air. I am having a hell of a time trying to get the beads to flex out to the rim to make enough seal to inflate and POP onto the rim.
I am not crazy about using the pyro-technic method of seating the tires since i have loose plastic BBs inside.
So if you have any suggestions on how to flex the beads out to the rims I'd really appreciate it, these are 35" Wrangler MTRs.

Hopefully the shop gets finished with my 3rd before the next snow

 

I went with the mini monster deflators for that exact reason...they didn't stick out as far as the bigger valve kit. How big of compressor are you using when you see the beads? I played with the strap method and my CO2 tank cranked up all the way..it worked for me..I also used a 2.5" wide tie ratchet strap, I wonder if that made a difference.

It could also be the design of the Bird dog rims...why not have the rest mounted but not balanced? You can dump the beads in the rim, just removed the monster valve. .

I am about to do the bead balance method too. I had not read about the competition beads..interesting. The MTR's still seem to have issues after rotating my tires.. is that the harbor freight scale? I need to pick one up.

 

thanks Robb
I have an 80gal 2-Phase compressor, seems adequate for airing up tires...haha. Of course a bead bazooka or something else like that might help but I don't have one, and wouldn't carry one on the trail. I could take them down the street to have a local shop try and set the bead, but I'd really like to do it myself. Mounting the tires on the rims were very easy, seating the bead...not so much.

I also used a 2.5" heavy duty ratchet strap you'd find on a semi, I can crank it to the point that it starts to deform the tire, then the bead sucks in instead of out. And I've tried to very the amount of pressure i exert on the ratchet strap to no avail.
Could be the rim design, but I did seat 2 already with little effort.

The scale is from Amazon...$17 IIRC.

 

Used the inner tube from a 16" bike rim. Lube it up good and shove it in, air up a bit and start pulling it out before it gets too pinched. I had to remove air from the tube to get it out so the bead wouldn't slide back.

You can't see well in these pics but I'm trying to show that the gap before using the tube method was about 3/8" from tire to rim.



Thanks again guys

 

Smart Alarms..... Ahhhhhhh. So relaxing and I've not even dome it yet! Lol...

The alarm guy I know is going to talk to me about adding smartphone functions and all that stuff to my finger way. I like the 2way (better than nothing), and even just the other day, the remote sounded off on my waist. ... Ran out... some lil hottie had SMACKED my slider with her door so hard she set off the alarm! Lol.

Veryyyy interested in..... WHAT THE HECK RIMS ARE THOSE? lol... Sorry buddy, I'm sure you posted all about them. I will look back... They just are so trippy looking. Also interested in doing the beads. Nice improv with the innertube!

 

Hey Mark, those rims are Interco Birddogs, a purpose built Offroad rim that is DOT certified. I didn't buy them for looks, although I like that they look like the old outlaws.
http://www.intercotire.com/BIRDDOG.php