Yet to be named Power Wagon Build Thread
- Thread starter crismateski
- Start date
crismateski
American Adventurist
I like the new drawers under the bed. Good idea. The addition of the new rack looks good too. How much weight do you think that puppy can handle? Thanks for updating... Cheers, Chilli..
Not sure how much the rack can handle, not even sure what brand it is. The rack is pretty solid, I am more concerned with what the shell can hold. I mainly want it to have somewhere to mount an awning and the maxtrax. I did throw a load of fire wood up there for the desert rendezvous trip (just got home) and had no problems bouncing it through the desert.
PowerWagner
Explorer
Drawers
Looks good Cris. I've recently installed a shell and traditional carpet kit. Planning to start building a slide out drawer that will fit under the sleeping platform. I'm not much of a carpenter but am looking forward to giving it a try!
I like your rack, I too want to install one for the same reason - awning and lights for me. I'll probably throw the dirty stuff up there when out and about.
Looks good Cris. I've recently installed a shell and traditional carpet kit. Planning to start building a slide out drawer that will fit under the sleeping platform. I'm not much of a carpenter but am looking forward to giving it a try!
I like your rack, I too want to install one for the same reason - awning and lights for me. I'll probably throw the dirty stuff up there when out and about.
Chris @ T&J Performance
Observer
Great looking Dodge bud! Ill have to keep my eyes peeled for this one around Upland and San Antonio Heights.
jeepin_idaho
Adventurer
I've been trying to convince my wife that we need a Power Wagon for years! I've subscribed to the thread to catch all the updates. Looks great!
Dan
http://the4x4podcast.com
Dan
http://the4x4podcast.com
crismateski
American Adventurist
Thanks for Stopping by, and feel free to tell her that I said you needed a Power Wagon. I am sure the endorsement from a random guy on the internet across the country will be just the push you need to convince her
Now for a little update. Got some new shoes on the Wagon. Took forever to find due to backorder, but got some Toyo Open Country MT's in 35/12.5/17 Love them so far. Here is a shot from their trial run on Cleghorn (you can find the trip report in the CA section, if I remember I will edit this spot with a link to it http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/101062-Cleghorn-Shake-Down-Run-May-11th)
I have also picked up a 125w solar panel and charge controller. It will fit perfectly on the front half of the rack. I am making up some basic mounts with some aluminum angle, and made a wiring harness. Now to get a day cool enough to work in the driveway and get it mounted. I need it too keep up with the fridge in Havasu for 4th of July
Last edited:
my1stcummins
Adventurer
Awesome
crismateski
American Adventurist
Copied from my build thread post on American Adventurist http://americanadventurist.com/Forum/showthread.php?1062-BlkWgn-A-Power-Wagon-Build
The last 2 weeks has been a lot of projects. Unfortunately, just after I started on them, I got sick and that has really slowed me down, but I am making progress.
I got a couple of items for the truck for Christmas so this is the start of getting them installed, which turned into stripping a lot of previous stuff off for upgrades.
The first item is a new Carli Suspension tuned Bilstein Steering Stabilizer. Cody, the owner of CJC Off Road in Bellflower was cool enough to throw it on for me free of charge. I also have a set of Thuren Fabrication Overland Shocks on backorder through Cody which will hopefully be available in a week or two
I have also pulled the Amp Research power steps off the truck. I have dented the bottom of all 4 doors, and the front of the bed on both sides. So, the steps came off and when and if they sell I will order some sliders from White Knuckle Offroad.
Now for the Dual Battery / Rewire
One of the other Christmas items was a TMax Dual battery system. The problem with this system is that installing this system has led me to remove all of the aftermarket wiring that has been done on the truck and start over. Some stuff had been done before I got it and I did not really like how it was done. Some of it was done by me for temporary installs. I am still working on this part of the project as it has turned into a lot more than I originally planned, but it is all worth it.
The Tmax kit comes with wire, and the first thing I did was throw it in the corner of the driveway in the pile of stuff I took out of the truck. The only wire that came with the kit that was used was about 6 inches of tail on the back of the controller, but I replaced their plug with a standard molex plug and covered the 4 loose wires in abrasion flex.
This is how the wires come and the plug that I cut off
and this is after the abrasion flex and Molex connector
I used the same flex on all of the wires for the install. It is great stuff, similar to a chinese finger trap. The controller itself fit perfectly on the dash with some industrial velcro just to the left of the steering column and just below the gauges.
it sits just high enough that you can see the charging status while driving, but just low enough that you can still see the fuel gauge (important when you have a Hemi and 4.56 gearing)
I used a piece of 1" x 4" aluminum angle to mount the solenoid and the 300 amp breaker
The second battery is a Group 31 Diehard Platinum Marine battery (1150 CCA 205 min reserve) This is the same as the starting battery. It is mounted in the bed in a NOCO Marine battery box. To fit the box where I wanted it I had to modify the lid a bit, cutting out a small part of the lid. This let me get it tight in the corner and still keep the cables coming into the bed low.
I used industrial cord grips to pass the 2awg theatrical cables (similar to welding cable) into the bed where there is another 300amp breaker (the one on the right) The breaker on the left is 100amp and feeds a Blue Sea Systems 5026ST fuse block but we will get to that later.
Here is the battery box with the sleeping platform v2 slid back in place
Now back to the Fuse box. The 100amp breaker above is feeding 4awg theatrical cable out of the bed through the other set of cord grips and comes into the back of the cab under the back passenger seat through you guessed it cord grips
the fuse box is on the center hump under the back seat
So far the only thing the fuse block is feeding is the fridge (Thanks Trump) I ran 12awg twisted sister from the fuse box to a Blue Sea Systems 1011 marine grade locking dash socket which is mounted in another piece of 1" x 4" aluminum angle under the driver side back seat
Guess that is about it for the dual battery setup. Tomorrow I am going to finish changing out the solar charge controller that I started working on today, and hopefully start running power from the fuse box for the Ham, CB, and a few other accessories. I am not sure how much I will get done as there is an airshow less than 5 miles away. We will see if I get side tracked.
The last 2 weeks has been a lot of projects. Unfortunately, just after I started on them, I got sick and that has really slowed me down, but I am making progress.
I got a couple of items for the truck for Christmas so this is the start of getting them installed, which turned into stripping a lot of previous stuff off for upgrades.
The first item is a new Carli Suspension tuned Bilstein Steering Stabilizer. Cody, the owner of CJC Off Road in Bellflower was cool enough to throw it on for me free of charge. I also have a set of Thuren Fabrication Overland Shocks on backorder through Cody which will hopefully be available in a week or two
I have also pulled the Amp Research power steps off the truck. I have dented the bottom of all 4 doors, and the front of the bed on both sides. So, the steps came off and when and if they sell I will order some sliders from White Knuckle Offroad.
Now for the Dual Battery / Rewire
One of the other Christmas items was a TMax Dual battery system. The problem with this system is that installing this system has led me to remove all of the aftermarket wiring that has been done on the truck and start over. Some stuff had been done before I got it and I did not really like how it was done. Some of it was done by me for temporary installs. I am still working on this part of the project as it has turned into a lot more than I originally planned, but it is all worth it.
The Tmax kit comes with wire, and the first thing I did was throw it in the corner of the driveway in the pile of stuff I took out of the truck. The only wire that came with the kit that was used was about 6 inches of tail on the back of the controller, but I replaced their plug with a standard molex plug and covered the 4 loose wires in abrasion flex.
This is how the wires come and the plug that I cut off
and this is after the abrasion flex and Molex connector
I used the same flex on all of the wires for the install. It is great stuff, similar to a chinese finger trap. The controller itself fit perfectly on the dash with some industrial velcro just to the left of the steering column and just below the gauges.
it sits just high enough that you can see the charging status while driving, but just low enough that you can still see the fuel gauge (important when you have a Hemi and 4.56 gearing)
I used a piece of 1" x 4" aluminum angle to mount the solenoid and the 300 amp breaker
The second battery is a Group 31 Diehard Platinum Marine battery (1150 CCA 205 min reserve) This is the same as the starting battery. It is mounted in the bed in a NOCO Marine battery box. To fit the box where I wanted it I had to modify the lid a bit, cutting out a small part of the lid. This let me get it tight in the corner and still keep the cables coming into the bed low.
I used industrial cord grips to pass the 2awg theatrical cables (similar to welding cable) into the bed where there is another 300amp breaker (the one on the right) The breaker on the left is 100amp and feeds a Blue Sea Systems 5026ST fuse block but we will get to that later.
Here is the battery box with the sleeping platform v2 slid back in place
Now back to the Fuse box. The 100amp breaker above is feeding 4awg theatrical cable out of the bed through the other set of cord grips and comes into the back of the cab under the back passenger seat through you guessed it cord grips
the fuse box is on the center hump under the back seat
So far the only thing the fuse block is feeding is the fridge (Thanks Trump) I ran 12awg twisted sister from the fuse box to a Blue Sea Systems 1011 marine grade locking dash socket which is mounted in another piece of 1" x 4" aluminum angle under the driver side back seat
Guess that is about it for the dual battery setup. Tomorrow I am going to finish changing out the solar charge controller that I started working on today, and hopefully start running power from the fuse box for the Ham, CB, and a few other accessories. I am not sure how much I will get done as there is an airshow less than 5 miles away. We will see if I get side tracked.
FullTankHank
Adventurer
Cool PW build, I always like checking out these Solid Axle beasts, even if it does give me a bit of envy. I love the Cleghorn picture.
stioc
Expedition Leader
Nice and clean wiring work Cris! The T-Max looks like a pretty decent setup and more affordable than some other ones (IBS etc). I'd be interested in hearing a long term review 6mo down the road when/if I decide to go the dual battery route. Get better soon and let's hit some trails
crismateski
American Adventurist
Nice and clean wiring work Cris! The T-Max looks like a pretty decent setup and more affordable than some other ones (IBS etc). I'd be interested in hearing a long term review 6mo down the road when/if I decide to go the dual battery route. Get better soon and let's hit some trails
From what I can tell it is a rebranded IBS, although what you find now IBS has updated the system a bit. As for trails, I need one. Have not been out yet this year. Last trip was Toys For Tots, which means I am over a month without dirt. Pretty unheard of for me
