Divster
New member
Wow, that's 28kw of power! Epic! I was planning ~18kw... Thanks for sharing info about your supplier!
Pretty Ugly... 1835, The Build Begins
- Thread starter Madoxen
- Start date
Wow, that's 28kw of power! Epic! I was planning ~18kw... Thanks for sharing info about your supplier!
Madoxen
Active member
I have gotten tired of working in the rain so have decided to put up a very temporary shelter until a shed appears
as you can tell no expense was spared in this fully functional workshop
I have also discovered that I can definatly use the front air suspesion in the cab but I am not sure I can make the rear cab air work due to the shorter cab
1835 front
2657 spar parts
rear set up on 2657
I will also have to play with where the shocks go if I swap brackets out etc for the rear.
does anyone know if it would be fine with just the front air and mechanical spring rear ??? if i cant make it work ??
Edit... fixed a weird photo mishap
as you can tell no expense was spared in this fully functional workshop
I have also discovered that I can definatly use the front air suspesion in the cab but I am not sure I can make the rear cab air work due to the shorter cab
1835 front
2657 spar parts
rear set up on 2657
I will also have to play with where the shocks go if I swap brackets out etc for the rear.
does anyone know if it would be fine with just the front air and mechanical spring rear ??? if i cant make it work ??
Edit... fixed a weird photo mishap
Last edited:
Hello, Madoxen:
Congratulations for your new hitec workshop/shed. That kind of solution is very appreciated in every corner of the globe, believe me.
Regarding the suspension issue, it is pretty clear that you can use Dominator front suspension on Pretty Ugly's cab leaving its original mechanic rear suspension, though the rear suspended system will be pretty much difficult or impossible to adapt because you have the engine and a lot of stuff in between the rails where you should place the supports and the shocks.
In my humble and poor opinion you are very fortunate: you have the longer cabin, with a very, very comfortable suspension, with enough place for your refrigerator and a washing machine if you will, and the two-axle configuration allows you to plan for a very elastic overhang to cope with the aditional centimeters the longer cabin may add to the overall lenght of the truck. In my case, the cabin of Spare the truck was unfortunately half eaten by rust and had been already repaired with tons of plaster when we were introduced, and the rear tandem configuration of my truck restricted a lot the lenght of the legally allowed overhang. Given the chance, and I insist that it is just my opinion, I would swap the entire cabin, adapting or replacing the engine tunnel and the floor that, definitively, would be less demanding than adapting the rear suspension.
Kind regards from far, far away.
Pairoa
Congratulations for your new hitec workshop/shed. That kind of solution is very appreciated in every corner of the globe, believe me.
Regarding the suspension issue, it is pretty clear that you can use Dominator front suspension on Pretty Ugly's cab leaving its original mechanic rear suspension, though the rear suspended system will be pretty much difficult or impossible to adapt because you have the engine and a lot of stuff in between the rails where you should place the supports and the shocks.
In my humble and poor opinion you are very fortunate: you have the longer cabin, with a very, very comfortable suspension, with enough place for your refrigerator and a washing machine if you will, and the two-axle configuration allows you to plan for a very elastic overhang to cope with the aditional centimeters the longer cabin may add to the overall lenght of the truck. In my case, the cabin of Spare the truck was unfortunately half eaten by rust and had been already repaired with tons of plaster when we were introduced, and the rear tandem configuration of my truck restricted a lot the lenght of the legally allowed overhang. Given the chance, and I insist that it is just my opinion, I would swap the entire cabin, adapting or replacing the engine tunnel and the floor that, definitively, would be less demanding than adapting the rear suspension.
Kind regards from far, far away.
Pairoa
Madoxen
Active member
Hello Pairoa. That would be my wish also. But i am just not sure it is possable. I am going to remove big red as i will now call it and start to cut it up and see if it is possible to make the engine cutout in the floor. But then if i do that i will loose area where the fridge and trampoline 
go . But will keep the extra length of the bed roof.
I might be better off seeing if i can swap a sleeper cab that already has the correct floor for the big red one once i have stripped it. Though i will most likelyhave to pay money as well after all you know what scrap yeards are like . They smell the blood in the water and go frenzie
go . But will keep the extra length of the bed roof.I might be better off seeing if i can swap a sleeper cab that already has the correct floor for the big red one once i have stripped it. Though i will most likelyhave to pay money as well after all you know what scrap yeards are like . They smell the blood in the water and go frenzie
Madoxen
Active member
Well I had some fun yesterday and decided to see how likely it was that i can physically do the cab swap (with some cutting) and it looks promising.
Front of truck all disconected electrics. Water . Air con plumbing. Clutch and breaks all done.
Electrics all pulled under the cab so out the way.
Then to the back of the cab to see what needs to be cut. But 1st to remove all the insulation and sound proofing.
As u can see from below image they have left a nice weld seem roughly where it will need to be cut.
But on closer comparison it was not that simple streight cut but a more shaped and complicated cut when compared with the blue cab.
After more measuring i might get away with making a cut out for exhaust and turbo with anough clearence for the top of engine . Although i might need to fab a small 25mm to 50mm spacer to give enough space for suspension to compress as well.
Front of truck all disconected electrics. Water . Air con plumbing. Clutch and breaks all done.
Electrics all pulled under the cab so out the way.
Then to the back of the cab to see what needs to be cut. But 1st to remove all the insulation and sound proofing.
As u can see from below image they have left a nice weld seem roughly where it will need to be cut.
But on closer comparison it was not that simple streight cut but a more shaped and complicated cut when compared with the blue cab.
After more measuring i might get away with making a cut out for exhaust and turbo with anough clearence for the top of engine . Although i might need to fab a small 25mm to 50mm spacer to give enough space for suspension to compress as well.
Madoxen
Active member
Managed to get a little more done today on the interior of Big Red. I will let the pics do the talking .
Removed the left fridge
Then the side lockers
The mess of cables and then air lines under the drivers seat for the seat/airhorn/gear box
Finally a almost clear floor
You can follow the seam that will need to be cut out for the engine to fit. Well thats if i have to still hopeing i might make it with a spacer or 2.
Removed the left fridge
Then the side lockers
The mess of cables and then air lines under the drivers seat for the seat/airhorn/gear box
Finally a almost clear floor
You can follow the seam that will need to be cut out for the engine to fit. Well thats if i have to still hopeing i might make it with a spacer or 2.
Attachments
Madoxen
Active member
Hi Sitec
The cabs are with in 10mm from the floor to the door handle of each other.
It boils down to ground clearance i think . The gear box of blue is above the chassis rails yet the box for big red is just below the top of chassis.
Engine wise i am not sure the engine is higher but the turbo, exhaust, water expansion tank etc is higher.
I will take some measurments and pics from chassis to floor and engine to chassis etc , also mounting point hights .
Madoxen
Active member
I have another tough decision to make now. The minimum height of the Big Red megaspace cab with the wind deflectors set to their lowest is 3.78mtrs .
The blue cab maxes out at 3.4 mtr for cab.
Now the bottom of the floor sits at 1500 with the subframe on. Add to that 2117 (biggest hab height ) pluss 75mm for roof rails and solar.
The shortest i can make hab is 1967 but i will have ear ache and neck ache at the height.
So all but 3.7 for max ( 80mm under minimum-max cab height) ( unless i remove spoiler) or
3.55 mtrs ( a wopping 150mm over the cab height)
If i go Big Red I guess i need to cancel the 45degree cut out in the front grrr. Thought and suggestions are welcome
The blue cab maxes out at 3.4 mtr for cab.
Now the bottom of the floor sits at 1500 with the subframe on. Add to that 2117 (biggest hab height ) pluss 75mm for roof rails and solar.
The shortest i can make hab is 1967 but i will have ear ache and neck ache at the height.
So all but 3.7 for max ( 80mm under minimum-max cab height) ( unless i remove spoiler) or
3.55 mtrs ( a wopping 150mm over the cab height)
If i go Big Red I guess i need to cancel the 45degree cut out in the front grrr. Thought and suggestions are welcome
Madoxen
Active member
Its been like christmass this last week lots of parcels and pallets turning up foe the build. Thought i would share with you the Life4po batteries that i got from the freight depo today.
They were very well packaged all 32 of them with 2 in a box each individually wrapped in foam
And even included 65 busbars and 70 screws .
Just another step in the wright direction .
They were very well packaged all 32 of them with 2 in a box each individually wrapped in foam
And even included 65 busbars and 70 screws .
Just another step in the wright direction .