Project "Autonomous" F-350

[pappawheely]

Wow, You must have read the whole thread! The spot in the front fender you reference already has substantial electrical running through it right there. A diesel conversion is on my wishlist, unless I win the lottery. I have the tools to modify the spring pads, etc. so my axle options are more open, it doesn't have to bolt in. My Uhaul truck is a '95 so that would have the bigger pinion? As far as moving the axle back 3", the truck already turns like an aircraft carrier with the 37's. Thanks for all that info, sounds like if a 7.3 2wd dually fell in my lap I would be set!

 

[pappawheely]

A better concept photo. Criticism of my photoshop skills will not be frowned upon. :mixed-smiley-030:

 

[Korben]

Between what's going on here and in the 'OBS Ford brake upgrades' thread maybe the ideal for you would be to simply adapt an entire van rear axle from an E350. I have no real info on van axle width handy but my foggy mind seems to recall they are 3" wider for the SRW and likely more for the DRW version. Plus of course the right unit would be factory discs and 8x6.5.
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As for turning "like an aircraft carrier" do the tires rub the springs at full lock? If not you can get it to turn sharper. My 37x12.5s rub my springs just a touch at full lock and I turn sharper then my brothers superduty ex-cab.
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Yes the 95 U-Haul should have the improved pinion. FWIW I don't think it's THAT big of a deal, but if you have a choice between the two pick the 93+.
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As for exhaust I got in my head the idea/intention to bring it up inside the C-pillar. Maybe the B could be an option for you. I also like the hot slider idea, with a heat shield on top of course.
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[dmanbluesfreak]

Have you considered potentially routing the exhaust THROUGH the u-haul box? I know it would be a ton of work, but it would get you exactly what you need with regards to clearance and getting the exhaust above the living quarters. You could even do it in a separate tube for the u-haul box (essentially a chimney) where the main exhaust pipe loosely fits into the vertical tube of the u-haul box and draws extra cool air through with it so that you don't have to insulate it as much. Some may argue that this won't work when you've got excessive side or rear-facing winds when you're parked but the beauty of those scenarios is that the wind will still blow the fumes away from the living quarters.

Does this make sense?

 

[pappawheely]

Have you considered potentially routing the exhaust THROUGH the u-haul box? I know it would be a ton of work, but it would get you exactly what you need with regards to clearance and getting the exhaust above the living quarters. You could even do it in a separate tube for the u-haul box (essentially a chimney) where the main exhaust pipe loosely fits into the vertical tube of the u-haul box and draws extra cool air through with it so that you don't have to insulate it as much. Some may argue that this won't work when you've got excessive side or rear-facing winds when you're parked but the beauty of those scenarios is that the wind will still blow the fumes away from the living quarters.

Does this make sense?

No, lol. Why would you intrude into the living compartment with a heat source? I spend most of my time in the desert southwest. When it gets cold, I have a catalyst heater. One reason I had to run the exhaust up the fender was simplicity. The other is to free up room under the truck. That is the main priority.

 

[dmanbluesfreak]

I'm thinking outside of the box a little bit here. You could design it such that it wouldn't introduce any significant amounts of heat into the living compartment, but it doesn't free up any room under the truck - I'd forgotten about that requirement.

 

[pappawheely]

I'm thinking outside of the box a little bit here. You could design it such that it wouldn't introduce any significant amounts of heat into the living compartment, but it doesn't free up any room under the truck - I'd forgotten about that requirement.

Or inside the box, lol. The area that it would go through is my door to the bunk. The box will be spring mounted to the chassis so the exhaust would have to have a flexible connection. It just won't work in this case but I like the flow of ideas you guys are contributing; brainstorming is fun. You never know when an idea finds an application somewhere else.

 

[Korben]

Have you considered potentially routing the exhaust THROUGH the u-haul box? I know it would be a ton of work, but it would get you exactly what you need with regards to clearance and getting the exhaust above the living quarters. You could even do it in a separate tube for the u-haul box (essentially a chimney) where the main exhaust pipe loosely fits into the vertical tube of the u-haul box and draws extra cool air through with it so that you don't have to insulate it as much. Some may argue that this won't work when you've got excessive side or rear-facing winds when you're parked but the beauty of those scenarios is that the wind will still blow the fumes away from the living quarters.

Does this make sense?

Off topic for this thread as it doesn't apply to pappawheely's build but I have an idea along those lines in mind for my future mods. My rig being diesel I thought I'd do a stack chimney combo. Have a way to attach a small wood stove to the exhaust system in kind of a rocket stove fashion. Diesels at idle still have a lot of oxygen in the exhaust and it would be hot, the exhaust flow could really help to get a hot fire going and of course simply vent it when the engine isn't running. Then of course the stack acts as a chimney directing the smoke up above the rig. Valves between the exhaust and stove would work great for controlling the burn rate.

 

[pappawheely]

Headed out in the morning to the Score Imperial valley race. I was going to sleep in the shell until I checked the weather. I wimped out and got a room in town. :26_16_2:



Last time I was there I had 2wd. Got into some scary moments that were cured by W.O.T. Got some decent shots though.

 

[rayra]

 

[pappawheely]

I would rather keep it a little more low key. I was thinking I would paint the box with flat tan house paint like the military vehicle restorers do.

 

[rayra]

Maybe a banner you can hang on the side when you are working events. It's a huge opportunity for advertising your services. Added bonus it would keep the sun off the vehicle skin while you are living in it.


Rustoleum has a color in their rattle-can line called 'Nutmeg' that is a very close match to Full Dark Earth / Coyote Brown used on various 'tacticool' gear. I use it occasionally for painting rifles, as a base color.

 

[underdrive]

Maybe a banner you can hang on the side when you are working events. It's a huge opportunity for advertising your services. Added bonus it would keep the sun off the vehicle skin while you are living in it.

Side awning? Does what you suggest when deployed and when rolled up is low-key how Papa wants it.

 

[rayra]

multipurpose is good. But I know that if I was doing that kind of site / event work, selling my wares to the participants and spectators, I'd make damned sure my business name and website were totally obvious. Huge wasted opportunity not to. There's 'art' and then there's 'commerce'. If you are trying to live at the intersection of the two, you've got to always be aware of marketing / networking opportunities. And having that big box track-side is an opportunity. A big roll-up awning that is also an ad banner would be a threefer. Hanging down the side while working, full ad banner. Angled while encamped / resting, shade. Rolled up and lashed, or taken down, back to a nondescript box that doesn't shout 'look at me, there's a lot of expensive easily sold **** in here!'.

 

[pappawheely]

I love your ideas but I don't do any onsite retail sales and a wrap like that would be expensive. The house paint is cheap!