sgo70

I use a $20 air hammer with a flat rivet mandrel and an autobody dolly as a bucking bar. If you google or youtube it there's a bunch of videos. Just gotta go slow and take your time cause it can do a lot of damage in a second or two haha. I practiced on some scraps cause I hadn't done this in years but it's not too hard. It did get a bit messy but it all just wipes up with acetone. Sean

I used Sikaflex 252 and flush mount aircraft rivets. I used the 252 to hold the aluminum walls of my trailer on without any other mechanical fasteners so I know it's strong. Sanded the panel down and did a light skim coat. "Sikaflex®-252 is suitable for structural joints that will be subjected to dynamic stresses. Suitable substrate materials are timber, metals, particularly aluminium (including anodized components), sheet steel (including phosphated, chromated and zinc-plated components), metal primers and paint coatings (2-C systems), ceramic materials and plastics. Seek manufacturer’s advice before using on plastics that are prone to stress cracking. This product is suitable for professional experienced users only. Tests with actual substrates under real-life conditions are required to confirm adhesion and material compatibility."

That's normal. None of my newer vehicles are fused either, that is the heavy gauge from the battery to the starter I assume. I was cheap and used the labels and 8 colors, as well running a stripe down some with a sharpie cuts down on costs. I'm glad it worked out well for you. Good job. Sean

Thanks for the comments, this has been going on for about 2 months now, I keep losing interest. I have to draw up a schematic from my pages of notes still. Hurbie-I think yours makes sense to me. I'll have to play with it when it shows up, they sent it regular post. I was going to try to have the wiring finished up so I can just plug it in but I'd better wait..........so close, yet so far lol. Thanks, Sean

I had no idea that's what it was, I didn't mean to be offensive, hope I didn't come across that way. I forgot to mention I have done a complete rewire of the entire truck from front to rear as well as a Gen 5 GM engine/transmission swap and added a ton of other stuff. I have my lights running off relays and a custom Ididit steering column with only a momentary switch for high beam that just gives a ground signal when pressed. They don't have an on/off switch so I would have to add a foot switch or something which I don't want to do. The latch relay allows me to use the momentary switch and keep things cleaner and if I can get it to give a ground signal then I won't have to tear apart all my wiring. My DRL's run off a relay when switched ignition comes on, then my headlight switch powers up the headlight relay and in turn shuts off the DRL's. When the high beams come on I have it so I get full brightness via yet another relay. I really want to figure this out cause it cost me about $65 by the time it was shipped. I hate wiring, lol. Sean

I'm trying to get my headlights to switch back and forth from high to low beam (dim/dip I think you guys call it haha). The catch is I only have a momentary ground switch on my control column so I figured a latching relay like the Durite 0-728-02 would work: https://www.arc-components.com/0-728-02-durite-12v-25a-latching-changeover-relay-with-resistor-2147.html You can't find these in North America as far as I could see so I ordered one from the UK and figuring out how to wire it is even harder. I was thinking the momentary button on the column would go to S, 12volt+ to 30, constant ground to 56, 56a blank, and 56b would go to my terminal 85 on the high beam relay. Does this sound right? I attached my CAD drawing haha. Thanks in advance, Sean

Good to hear you're still trucking along. Connectors have been a headache for me, I can't find them anywhere over here in Canada so I've been chopping them all off and putting Weatherpack connectors on everything. They're easy to find, waterproof, and they lock tightly together and plugs are 1-5 terminals. The only ones I can't do that to is the side front marker lights, I'm thinking of soldering on wires to the terminals and then using potting fluid inside the housing instead of a plug then from there I can add another Weatherpack connector. Sean

Thats awesome.

This one is a little bit conservative, but then I guess you guys have to convert it to mm2:

Yeah I had to add 2 for each window for power windows, 2 for power door locks, 3 for the AC to get the engine to idle up and turn on the rad fan, 3 for headlights, air compressor, brake relay for engine ecm, reverse relay, 2 seat heaters, starter, 2 LED flashers, I can't remember the rest. It takes quite a few just for engine controls because it has to go from a 20g signal wire to the load. I didn't even count the 4 built into the push button start, remote start, alarm etc. I don't even want to show what I did to the batteries today, you guys will make fun of me haha. I'm afraid to hook up the positive cable still, have at it lol. Sean

Haha, I couldn't find a place to fit it lol. Thanks, By the looks of my fuse box right now I have a future in basket weaving. Needs some cleaning up. Sean

Haha, yes lots of wire. Actually it's a new Gen 5 5.3 LT with a 6L80 transmission......more down low torque/HP than an LS, more like the 6.0 LS in a 5.3. Sean

I use these type sockets with the hanger so I don't have to unscrew a relay to change it. You have to get the terminals with the tabs on them to hold them in. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/standard-mini-relay-socket-with-terminals.html Spent all day yesterday laying on my intake manifold running engine bay wires, sore today. If you look closely at that spaghetti mess of a fuse box you can see 3 relay holders on the side. Thats the fuse box with 10 relays and 40 fuses, couple smaller ones inside the truck. One 60 amp relay and 3 stereo wires to go!!! Sean

That's looking beefy, nice work. Sean

I sent you a pm cause first I feel like I'm hijacking Monkie's thread and also I don't think I'm allowed to post a link to my build which is easier than explaining everything. Sean

Good to hear, don't back down haha. I've spent more than 700 on wire and plugs alone haha. The problem is with a kit it will never be what you want and you have to modify them. I've read so much on Defenders having a bad ground and the search is on to find it. For this alone I ran three ground busses (engine bay, cab, rear) all tied to the battery. I suck at electrical trouble shooting. I knew when I took it down to the frame I might not get it back together properly. I also put the wrong engine back in! Sean

Man do I feel your pain. I started mine on December 22. I have my son every other week so I don't touch it when he's with me so I do take breaks but basically been a month of work. I've added a LOT of options to mine and I find if I make a break down list of what I need to do then cross it off as I do it it really helps mentally. You can see your progress even though you feel like you're not getting anywhere. I can finally see an end now, but having to figure things out along the way really takes it toll so I try to have some easy jobs to do along the way. You'll get through it. I gotta say I really hated fishing the wires for the door jamb switches haha. 30 relays and just under 50 fuses later........gotta test it all out and then clean it up, I never want to touch this again! Sean

I use epoxy primer for everything, it will stick anywhere and is more durable. If you go to an autobody supplier they usually have it in spray cans as well as regular paint cans. For a nice finish I'll usually clean with degreaser, scuff 120 grit, spray primer sealer, spray high build, wet sand to 600 grit and then finish coat. For stuff that won't be seen I'll skip the high build and wet sand and just spray urethane top coat within the coating window (usually up to 24 hours). Not sure if you guys can get it but I've read good things about Steel-It. I guess a lot of the off road race teams are using it as it's really durable and you can weld through it. You would want the polyurethane here not the epoxy, no primer needed but they do have it, just can't weld through that though. https://steel-it.com/pages/motorsports-powersports Sean

Yeah, I'm getting mine in black.......now that you point it out they do look square. I like that they have grease nipples on them though. Sean

I was texting this guy at S C Engineering, I don't know if he has a different website, this was all I could find but his work looks good. He's setting up to have them cerakoted so I'm still waiting on bonnet hinges, around 100 and the door hinges are about 300. (I have no idea where to find the British pound key on my computer haha.). Not sure the price on the rear door and windscreen hinges. https://www.facebook.com/SCEngineeringsuffolk/posts/polished-up-some-bonnet-hinges-shiny/1185040225010310/ Sean

Awesome, thanks. I ran a 12g for the wiper and a 14g for the defog but I decided I'm not going to install a wiper so that was my backup plan. I think 14g is just a hair thicker than 2mm2. I appreciate the help. Sean

Your planning is amazing, how's it coming along? Any chance you know the amp draw or wire gauge to the rear window defog, I can't seem to find a reliable answer. Thanks, Sean

Since mine is such a mixed up collection of parts I also bought a label machine and some clear heat shrink. I tried to match wire color but some were hard to get locally and some of my accessories weren't Defender specific. This is the right rear harness joined to a 4 gauge ground wire. Sean

Here's the Hydralink ones: https://theelectricaldepot.com/heat-shrink-connectors

Those splices you showed earlier look like open barrel splices, I'm having a hard time getting them to work on my 14 and 16 gauge wires because my crimpers are too small. Works great on the smaller wires. I ordered some step down butt connectors to try on the heavier gauge wires, see how that works. Hydralink has some nice 2 into one and closed end splices but they are expensive. Sean