That One Guy
Adventurer
That's what that is, it's so I can bungee it along the top rail of my roof rack.
My first project vehicle
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That's what that is, it's so I can bungee it along the top rail of my roof rack.
MrBeast
Explorer
That One Guy
Adventurer
Well, not much has happened in a while. I ran out of money, and incurred a few huge expenses that I'm still paying off. Basically all I've done is a little more wiring and I made a new faceplate thingy for the hole I cut in the dash for a head unit. Still trying to figure out a piece for my new gauge cluster. I started making sliders too. It just comes down to a money thing (as it always does) right now. I've got 300 more dollars to pay off 'til I can start spending money on her again. And when I only get to work 3 hours a week at minimum wage, that takes a long time. Sorry! Anything in particular you want pics of?
That One Guy
Adventurer
Well I got the power wires for my gauges, cb, stereo and whatever else I need power for wired up behind the dash, and mounted the cb on the dash. It's amazing what can get done when the girlfriend isn't here...
That One Guy
Adventurer
Okay, so after I buy a new starter, I decided I am going to buy an alarm system. I know that kind of shoots way off of what I should be focusing on, but I have a new cb sitting on my dash, two amps, two subs and soon a head unit and speakers. Right now it is sitting on the side of the road where someone could just break the window, steal all of my stuff and just walk away. Plus it will be in my HIGH SCHOOL shop class for a few days while I install my roof rack, bumpers, sliders, etc.. I don't trust, nor can I afford to trust nothing to happen. So I want to ask all of you about your experiences with aftermarket alarm systems.
I want it to include a conversion from manual to power locks (for at least 3 doors, prefferably 4), a relay to make parking lights flash and maybe horn honk, the longest range possible (my S10's remote only works within like 30 ft) and a nice remote. I really like those LCD ones. And I think my price limit should be around 400 dollars. I don't want the stupid horn with 6 tones or whatever either. My alarm will be hooked up to train horns, I don't need that.
I really like the Audiovox Prestige SS9000:http://audiovoxproducts.com/prestige/security/?sku=SS9000
But I don't know if it includes locks.
Edit: I just remembered and talked to my dad, and he said he bought basically this same thing for his Jeep but with only two power locks and payed about 600 dollars. So any ideas around or under 600 are welcome.
I want it to include a conversion from manual to power locks (for at least 3 doors, prefferably 4), a relay to make parking lights flash and maybe horn honk, the longest range possible (my S10's remote only works within like 30 ft) and a nice remote. I really like those LCD ones. And I think my price limit should be around 400 dollars. I don't want the stupid horn with 6 tones or whatever either. My alarm will be hooked up to train horns, I don't need that.
I really like the Audiovox Prestige SS9000:http://audiovoxproducts.com/prestige/security/?sku=SS9000
But I don't know if it includes locks.
Edit: I just remembered and talked to my dad, and he said he bought basically this same thing for his Jeep but with only two power locks and payed about 600 dollars. So any ideas around or under 600 are welcome.
Last edited:
the boogie van
New member
your best bet would be to find a 1 ton van rearend, those usually had at least full float D60s. i wouldn't do anything with that 9.25.
full float = housing supports all the weight and the shafts pass through the wheel bearings without carrying any weight
semi float = shafts have bearings and carry weight. if you break a shaft, it makes life very difficult.
ford and chevy both made trucks and vans with beefy 8 lug semi floaters, disc brakes etc. they are fairly common. i have no idea what the WMS width is on your dodge, but chevy pickups came with some pretty narrow rear axles in the mid 90s. should be able to find something pretty easily.
when it comes to alarms, one word: VIPER.
no alarm/keyless system i know of includes the door lock actuators, relays etc. they just tap into existing components. converting to power locks is kind of a pain honestly. you'll need an actuator for each door, so ~$100 there, plus all the wiring, door switches and time. (my shop charges and hour per door and usually uses all of it).
i would just go with a viper 350 and a glass breakage sensor unless you really want the convenience of power locks. as long as you have dome light triggers the alarm will know when a door is opened (even if you leave it unlocked) and the glass breakage will let you know when they break a window. it will include the parking light flash, and the siren is just a generic siren, you can hook it up to whatever you want really. we charge around $350-400 for the viper 350 installed. to do what you want with the locks would put you over $800 pretty easily unless you wire the locks and mount the actuators yourself. its pretty damn time consuming to do it properly.
one thing to keep in mind about the pager remotes, the 1 mi range they claim is on a good day and probably over flat ground with no obstructions. i wouldn't count on it working much farther than 200ft, especially through buildings. RF is more or less line of sight.
i'm in the same boat with audio equipment. i just made it a pain to take out all the nice stuff. for instance, you have to remove the rear seat to take out my sub, and you have to take apart the console on the dog house, then remove the dash panel to get to the deck or even see where i mounted the x-overs for my fronts. it takes half an hour even with the right tools to get everything, and i've never met a thief who would take more than a minute to steal something. of course my crappy sub amp is just sitting on the front floor...
full float = housing supports all the weight and the shafts pass through the wheel bearings without carrying any weight
semi float = shafts have bearings and carry weight. if you break a shaft, it makes life very difficult.
ford and chevy both made trucks and vans with beefy 8 lug semi floaters, disc brakes etc. they are fairly common. i have no idea what the WMS width is on your dodge, but chevy pickups came with some pretty narrow rear axles in the mid 90s. should be able to find something pretty easily.
when it comes to alarms, one word: VIPER.
no alarm/keyless system i know of includes the door lock actuators, relays etc. they just tap into existing components. converting to power locks is kind of a pain honestly. you'll need an actuator for each door, so ~$100 there, plus all the wiring, door switches and time. (my shop charges and hour per door and usually uses all of it).
i would just go with a viper 350 and a glass breakage sensor unless you really want the convenience of power locks. as long as you have dome light triggers the alarm will know when a door is opened (even if you leave it unlocked) and the glass breakage will let you know when they break a window. it will include the parking light flash, and the siren is just a generic siren, you can hook it up to whatever you want really. we charge around $350-400 for the viper 350 installed. to do what you want with the locks would put you over $800 pretty easily unless you wire the locks and mount the actuators yourself. its pretty damn time consuming to do it properly.
one thing to keep in mind about the pager remotes, the 1 mi range they claim is on a good day and probably over flat ground with no obstructions. i wouldn't count on it working much farther than 200ft, especially through buildings. RF is more or less line of sight.
i'm in the same boat with audio equipment. i just made it a pain to take out all the nice stuff. for instance, you have to remove the rear seat to take out my sub, and you have to take apart the console on the dog house, then remove the dash panel to get to the deck or even see where i mounted the x-overs for my fronts. it takes half an hour even with the right tools to get everything, and i've never met a thief who would take more than a minute to steal something. of course my crappy sub amp is just sitting on the front floor...
That One Guy
Adventurer
How can I tell if an axle is a SF or FF? I had pretty much decided I'm not going to use the rear axle, no options for it. I really like the idea of a FF 14B for the rear, and a FF D44, or now D60 for the front. But it has to have a passenger side pumpkin. And I really want disc brakes. Do you know of any vehicles specifically with these?
I have looked at quite a few of the Viper's and I liked them a lot, just didn't know much about them. I wanted to do what my dad did. He still doesnt have switches inside, the actuator is only for locking the doors from outside of the vehicle. Is this the most time consuming part? The switches and stuff? This van has power steering. That's it. The only existing component in the doors is the window channel and x thing. I'm assuming this will make it easier.
As far as dome lights go, this was a panel van. It has them, but my grandpa was the one that put them in, and the are not wired to the door. Any way I could do this? And I'm not counting on the 1 mile range, it's just nice. I'm so used to my pickups God awful range, that a 10 foot gain would be great.
My amps are behind the dash, well one of them is. The other is going to be screwed to the wall in the back near my subs. I made my own faceplate that I of course forgot to take a pic of, but requires 11 screws and some jimmying around some rivets. But after that, it's all cheese. I'm mostly worried about the cb drawing attention. It's a 35 dollar cb, but that doesn't mean I want it stolen or want to rewire another one. I'm mostly concerned that someone will see the cb, break in and say "oh, there's a lot of other stuff in here to steal" and then I will have no electronics a broken car succeptible to water damage and more vandalism, and worst of all that feeling I'm sure a raped woman gets when it's all over. Just so violated.
That One Guy
Adventurer
I like the Responder 350... But only the two way comes with an LCD remote..... I'm young and dumb, I'll get it!
On another note, I was going to install the whole thing myself, but my dad said anyone he's ever talked to that has done one themselves wished they hadn't. Would it really be that hard for me to install it myself?
On another note, I was going to install the whole thing myself, but my dad said anyone he's ever talked to that has done one themselves wished they hadn't. Would it really be that hard for me to install it myself?
They are easier to install when/if the interior is stripped but can still be tricky depending on vehicle, what sensors you are installing, your electrical knowledge, and having an accurate wiring diagram for the vehicle.
Good wiring components (connectors, wire protection, tools, etc.) are the best thing you can do to avoid problems. If you use cheap crimps from wallyworld, you will start having problems very soon as they corrode.
Good wiring components (connectors, wire protection, tools, etc.) are the best thing you can do to avoid problems. If you use cheap crimps from wallyworld, you will start having problems very soon as they corrode.
That One Guy
Adventurer
The interior will be stripped, so whatever I would have to take apart to install the alarm system has to be taken out anyway, so I'm fine with that. I know enough about electrical stuff to do basically everything that is already on the van, not so sure about new stuff. I have a shop manual for it, and that's probably the best wiring diagram I could ever find. So it sounds like I could probably do this myself.
And are you sure about the Wal Mart crimps? That's what I have and I thought about this before buying them, but they are made by 3M, so I assumed they were good.
And are you sure about the Wal Mart crimps? That's what I have and I thought about this before buying them, but they are made by 3M, so I assumed they were good.
That One Guy
Adventurer
the boogie van
New member
is there a key buzzer or anything that lets you know when the door is open? that can be used in place of the dome light. if not, raid a junkyard, you should be able to find the triggers no problem, then its just a matter of drilling a hole.
the most time consuming part about going to power door locks for you will be everything about it. you need tear the door down, then find a spot to mount the actuators securely, then you need to run the wires for each door (in this case, all the way to a central relay which will tell them when to lock/unlock) the choice is yours, but my van is wired for power locks (OEM actuators all froze so i removed them), and i work at a 12v shop where actuators are dirt cheap, and its still not worth it to me. the alarm is going to scare the **** out of anyone that gets into it, especially if you have it wired to air horns....
wiring the alarm is the easy part, its only 5 or 6 wires (starter disable, +12 and gnd for siren, +12 for the alarm, the bump sensor, the glass break sensor, and the trigger for the door relay). the key is having an accurate wiring diagram. crimp style butt connectors are fine, just use good ones and a good set of crimpers.
distinguishing a FF from an SF axle is easy:
notice how there is a large flange with 8 bolts protruding from the center of the wheel? thats where the axle shaft bolts to the wheel hub and what makes it a full floater. you can remove the axle and the wheel will still be held just as securely.
on a semi floater, the wheel bolts to the axle itself.
the most time consuming part about going to power door locks for you will be everything about it. you need tear the door down, then find a spot to mount the actuators securely, then you need to run the wires for each door (in this case, all the way to a central relay which will tell them when to lock/unlock) the choice is yours, but my van is wired for power locks (OEM actuators all froze so i removed them), and i work at a 12v shop where actuators are dirt cheap, and its still not worth it to me. the alarm is going to scare the **** out of anyone that gets into it, especially if you have it wired to air horns....
wiring the alarm is the easy part, its only 5 or 6 wires (starter disable, +12 and gnd for siren, +12 for the alarm, the bump sensor, the glass break sensor, and the trigger for the door relay). the key is having an accurate wiring diagram. crimp style butt connectors are fine, just use good ones and a good set of crimpers.
distinguishing a FF from an SF axle is easy:
notice how there is a large flange with 8 bolts protruding from the center of the wheel? thats where the axle shaft bolts to the wheel hub and what makes it a full floater. you can remove the axle and the wheel will still be held just as securely.
on a semi floater, the wheel bolts to the axle itself.
That One Guy
Adventurer
is there a key buzzer or anything that lets you know when the door is open? that can be used in place of the dome light. if not, raid a junkyard, you should be able to find the triggers no problem, then its just a matter of drilling a hole.
the most time consuming part about going to power door locks for you will be everything about it. you need tear the door down, then find a spot to mount the actuators securely, then you need to run the wires for each door (in this case, all the way to a central relay which will tell them when to lock/unlock) the choice is yours, but my van is wired for power locks (OEM actuators all froze so i removed them), and i work at a 12v shop where actuators are dirt cheap, and its still not worth it to me. the alarm is going to scare the **** out of anyone that gets into it, especially if you have it wired to air horns....
wiring the alarm is the easy part, its only 5 or 6 wires (starter disable, +12 and gnd for siren, +12 for the alarm, the bump sensor, the glass break sensor, and the trigger for the door relay). the key is having an accurate wiring diagram. crimp style butt connectors are fine, just use good ones and a good set of crimpers.
distinguishing a FF from an SF axle is easy:
notice how there is a large flange with 8 bolts protruding from the center of the wheel? thats where the axle shaft bolts to the wheel hub and what makes it a full floater. you can remove the axle and the wheel will still be held just as securely.
on a semi floater, the wheel bolts to the axle itself.
Thank you so much. Yeah, there is a plunger switch but I have no idea what it does. They're only on the two front doors. Would I need another for the side and back doors? And if so, would I have to run a wire to each individual switch?
I think you've pretty well changed my mind on the door locks. I just figured, if I'm adding an alarm why not update the whole thing.
I think I need to go junk yard huntin'.
So if I bought the system without the lock conversion, do you think I could do it myself?
the boogie van
New member
how confident are you at reading circuit diagrams and printouts?
the plungers are simple, they either open or close a circuit when the door is closed and that will trigger to the alarm if the door is open. you'll need to run at least 1 wire to each plunger, most likely you can ground the plunger out (or it will ground through its mounting). don't take my word for it tho, get out in the junkyards and start tearing stuff apart to see how it works. then go find more stuff that looks to be in the best shape and get it
the plungers are simple, they either open or close a circuit when the door is closed and that will trigger to the alarm if the door is open. you'll need to run at least 1 wire to each plunger, most likely you can ground the plunger out (or it will ground through its mounting). don't take my word for it tho, get out in the junkyards and start tearing stuff apart to see how it works. then go find more stuff that looks to be in the best shape and get it