mmgemini Posted August 24, 2013 Author Share Posted August 24, 2013 Nice old-school irons This I am looking forward to, if your meticulousness in everything so far is mirrored, it will be impressive Yep good things. I was taught at 9 years of age to solder by an old, then, retired marine engineer. I had to make the flux first. I don't know what the spirit was but we used the zinc Every Ready battery cases to kill the spirit. OOHH ! Health and Safety.... Then get the iron clean and tinned correctly. I was taught well. Those irons must be 60 years old as I bought them either while at school or just after leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry m Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Hi Mike we camped next to you a Donington this year at the Hub meet in the Disco 2 you told me &Denise about the trailer project will it be finished for September, looking very near I've injoyed reading progress so far. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 Hi Mike we camped next to you a Donington this year at the Hub meet in the Disco 2 you told me &Denise about the trailer project will it be finished for September, looking very near I've injoyed reading progress so far. Harry Hi Harry. Pleased yoy've enjoyed the reading. Was it you that wanted four Wollf boxes ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry m Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hi Mike I am looking for some wolf boxes I remember you had some let me know what you want for them and how many you have ,I'm looking a redoing the back again, in France at the moment heading back home. Cheers H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 1, 2013 Author Share Posted September 1, 2013 Left side and rear panels on. Yep fixed on for good. Then we ran out of pop rivets.... So today I've started on the wiring. Uploaded with ImageShack.us This is the lighting loom ready to fit into place I've dropped the lights in place so I can put the Lucar connectors to the loom and lights. It still looks bare at the rear Uploaded with ImageShack.us Battery box, I've started some of the wiring here. Then I ran out of solder...... Uploaded with ImageShack.us Wires on the left as you look are from the Defender to the charger. Those on the right side are the main feed cables to the front wiring box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us Both doors are on. Both shut posts are to drill and cut for the locks and bolts http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us The whole front is popped in place I'll explain the fuse boxes when the wiring is done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Its amazing to watch this come together - like a giant jigsaw, with each piece fitting so neatly into the others. One thing I have wondered is what the ground clearance is? It looks quite low in places. Obviously larger tyres will give a little more and it all depends where you plan to take it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Its amazing to watch this come together - like a giant jigsaw, with each piece fitting so neatly into the others.One thing I have wondered is what the ground clearance is? It looks quite low in places. Obviously larger tyres will give a little more and it all depends where you plan to take it? Yes but I think I have it right. It was a compromise because I tried to keep the floor and so the bed height low. That meant there wasn't much height for the batteries BUT the angle from the bottom of the tyre footprint, to the edge of the back locker is 30 deg. That's the departure angle. That's the same as most of the South African ones I've based my design on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry m Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Looking good Mike soon be ready for a test run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us Rear lockers finished on the outside. Marker lights fitted. New tyres on newly painted wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 You must be proud of producing that from scratch ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Wiring ! Comment please. Each light has a separate earth. Nothing is earthed via the chassis. So on the left are two lights. Stop, tail and indicator in one light unit with one earth. Next is the reversing light. Then There's the number plate light and the rear marker light. So!! Do I make an earth loom with each Lucar that's earth and and link to the next. OR Take an earth wire from each light to a Lucar connector block. I'm plumping for the second idea. I have a rear fog to do on the right side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 I would go for a tree structure. Have a connector block for each cluster of things that needs an earth, with a single earth (sized to take the max current of the sum of all the connections back to a single terminal post which links to the battery. A separate earth back to the battery for each item uses a lot of cable and starts to get unmanageable - although it is the better solution. A third option, which I like, is a Bus or ring main. You run heavy cable round everywhere power is needed, then put the relays and fuses for the things that use power, adjacent to the thing itself. You then run thin control wires back to switches etc. This is easy to diagnose problems as you know the fuse or relay will be next to the thing that isn't working. It gives the max avaialble current at every point on the ring - so you can, for example connect it to winches (not in your case), inverters etc. When you need to add something new - you always have power nearby. You make a saving on the amount of wire required. You do need more thin connecting wire, but it's vastly cheaper than heavy wire - of which you need comparitively little. Another top tip is to make bus bars. In each of my vehicles, I've made three heavy aluminium (or copper) bars with tapped holes along their length. These, in my case connect to Battery Live, Earth and Ignition live. All the various connections go back to a single screw on the bus. It makes it very easy when you need to add something and easy to isolate power to one thing. The bars were insulated by screwing a piece of plastic sheet to the back of the bars with countersunk screws. Then sandwich another piece of plastic covering the screw heads, between the first and the vehicle body - and fix the whole thing by bolting through the two layers of plastic. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 This is what I have. Both in three and four blade http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/terminalsnonins/photo/C3b.jpg Feed in from the loom then to each earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Marvellous job Mike, marvellous. It's lovely to see it so close to completion. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the flesh one day soon Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 Marvellous job Mike, marvellous. It's lovely to see it so close to completion. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the flesh one day soon Mo Nowhere near finished for me. However it goes out on Wednesday..... I'll be adding more later today or tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry m Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Hi Mike looking forward to having a good look around it at the weekend we should be there tea time on Friday be nice to see you and magaret we will look out for you Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 This has been a great thread! I've really enjoyed seeing how you've got on - and your beautiful manufacturing! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 got the trailer onto the scales today http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us Setting the scales http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us The readout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Not bad at all, that's 100Kg hitch weigh I assume? Light at the moment, I guess once full of fluids, fuel and food it will be a tad more Oh, and like what you have done with the fuse boxes etc in that cabinet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 great build Mike & what looks on the scales screen a well balanced trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 This is great work, Mike. I fancy doing longer trips in the distant future and was contemplating making up an exped trailer with top mounted tent similar to those in your links, using my Sankey as a base, but this is much more impressive! It will limit the vehicle off road while towing, but of course will lighten the vehicle when base cam is set up, and it looks like a very comfortable way of living out. One question: all the off road trailers and caravans seem to use standard hitches, while NATO hitches would seem at face value a much tougher, more secure and articulate solution. There must be a reason for using the standard hitch - care to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 26, 2013 Author Share Posted September 26, 2013 All use a standard hitch BUT see if you can get a 360 revolving one.. Will you be at the Overland show this weekend ? Road test fine. Still lots of jobs to do. No interior lights...Well the tent didn't have any Just the 12 V for the fridge to do now Will post more in a couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 I'm working all weekend again, Mike - I might have come along otherwise. The difficulty in sourcing a revolving tow ball hitch is what makes me curious as to why they don't use NATO hitches, given that the latter will allow 360 degree linear rotation and 90 degree articulation in all axis, and without putting any pressure on the release mechanism or creating any friction or significant wear in the hitch. I presume it mush be a legal rather than practical issue. I can see the limits of a standard hitch easily being exceeded crossing a moderate ridge or gulley, while a NATO hitch would barely notice it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 How was the show, Mike? Any goodies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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