Tbars Project "X" begins

[Foxracin]

Actually never checked the voltage on it cause my multimeter currently took a **** and havent gotten another one yet. I do love it so far. Like you said it spins the motor over likes there no spark plugs in it. Plus with the side and top posts it really cleaned up the wiring with my winch and all. Looks a lot better under the hood. Now it time to see how it holds up.

 

[Tbars4]

...Spread the word...:biggthump

...One of the biggest misconceptions I've run into is everyone thinks that the Red top is a starting battery and the Yellow top won't start a vehicle as well so they stear clear of them...

...I believe Yellow tops start RBV's as well as Red tops and will also last longer out playing and easily have enough stored to start your vehicle..I even thought that maybe the Yellow top would only start that well when I first got it like normal batteries do at first....It starts that way every time without hesitation...

 

[Scott B.]

It's not that a YellowTop won't start a vehicle, rather the usage of the battery.

The RedTop is a "starting" battery - a high load for a short period of time. The YellowTop is a deep cycle battery - a long winch session, then a recharge.

The question is, how will a YellowTop, a deep cycle battery, work in short discharge/charge usage?

 

[Tbars4]

...I'm not sure I get your question but if you mean like multiple cold starts in say a 2 mile trek? Starting and then parking it till it's cold and starting it again repeatedly...

...From the SEMA roundtable link I posted earlier..

Yellow top is dual purpose.

* Purpose #1: Starting, like the red top
* Purpose #2: Continuous or long periods of high demand, high power usage
* Put another way: Crank it, over power your alternator, drain it, then let your charging system catch up. Repeat. This up-down, repeated cycling is what yellow tops are made for.

...I would also say a key to this is a healthy charging system....Good cables, connections, and a good alternator...Not that everyone needs one on their vehicle but I feel my X still needs it's high amp alt for the charging duties and the Ranger will get one as soon as all the accesories get installed on it..

 

[Foxracin]

What kind of alternator do you have on yours. I have a later model 130 amp on mine at the momment. I have looked into a higher amperage before but never decided on one. The 130 amp seems to work well for me.

 

[Tbars4]

...I have a modified 130 amp alt which is rated 160 amp...:biggthump

...Here is a picture from the aux. lighting thread that has some more info on alt's, bottom of first post, which also includes belt info...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203037

...Just some FYI for future readers...If you look at the holes in the dif sections of the face of the alternators, the (dirty) 95 amp alt has 4 holes while a 130 amp (blue) has 2 holes...What makes the 130 amp a 160 amp alt is it has an overdrive pulley which also allows for charging on long downhill trails and most importantly, while idling and slow crawling rpms..

...An alternator normally needs at least 1500-2000 motor rpms to charge a battery...This is one of the reasons a sitting vehicle will not charge if someone just goes out and starts it, and let's it idle to charge the battery...

EDIT:

..I forgot to add that I picked up a set of Energy Suspension axle pivot bushings at 4wheelparts today..PN# 4.3133G ..

 

[Foxracin]

That pulley is exactly what I need for mine. Where did you pick it up at?

One question how exactly does the smaller pulley equal 30 extra amps?

To me in theory it would still stay 130 amp just change the speed it turns so it will charge at a lower RPM.

 

[Tbars4]

...I can see what I wrote is confusing...I don't make them or sell them, I just use them...

...They use 130-160 amp parts in building the HO alts...That's about all I know other than the overdrive pulley increases the alt's rpm for charging at idle...

...This company amongst others should be able to get you parts and better answer alternator questions...
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/Ford.html

...and here is there technical Q and A...Hope this helps..
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/highampinfo.html

 

[Tbars4]

...Some RA carnage pics as requested...

...It seems this break was just in front of and, at the weld...This time it seemed to stretch and tear along the side as well...I believe this happened during the Hummer incident...

..I never noticed before but these are cast...It looks like the Project X will be getting some home made arms made out of stock RA's in the future as time and money permits..

...A $10 dollar quick weld up and it was back on the road again...:biggthump

...I did also score some freebies from 2 of my buddies shops...Pedal pads for the Ranger and some much needed wrenches of sizes I didn't have for my trail bag...

...Note:

...I quickly took it over to Firestone for my lifetime alignment and found out I've only put about 6000 miles on it...I don't know if this is B.S. or not but they said they now charge $229 for lifted trucks like mine...

...I told them I was wanting to get this for my stock 4wd lifted by Ford, : Ranger too but this could be a deal breaker...I asked to see some paperwork on this because the board still shows $169.99 and they said this is a per truck basis, otherwise if I hadn't already got it on my X it would have been $229..

 

[Scott B.]

...Some RA carnage pics as requested...

We were riding around with that?!?!?!!?

 

[Tbars4]

...Only the last 15-20 miles or so through the canyons in the dark...

 

[Scott B.]

That makes me feel soooooooo much better....

 

[Tbars4]

...I'm sorry and I will make it up to you...

...Come back out in October and I will let you drive me around Truckhaven in your Ranger...

 

[Scott B.]

Well, we did go to In-N-Out, so I guess it's OK...

I wonder if I should check the Rancho arms on my Ranger - they have 200K miles them...

 

[Tbars4]

...The Rancho arms break too..

..IIRC, RangerX is running on a welded up Rancho arm...While you are at it, be sure to check your beams for stress cracks...Maniak has some pictures around here with like 4-5 stress cracks on a beam..

 

[Maniak]

This is one of the cracks.. Even my spare beam has this crack.. Mine had a few others too, plus one of the existing welded cracks recracked..

~Mark

 

[Scott B.]

I should pull mine, soda blast them, paint and replace the pivot bushings.

Oh well, add something else to the to-do list...

 

[Tbars4]

...Thanks for posting that as I need to check both trucks again..:biggthump

...Looks like that can now use a 1/4" plate..

 

[Tbars4]

...Just a few updates...

Yellowtop
...I'm loving it..I did some semi remote camping a while back and it as hotter than heck...I tested out the ne battery by leaving the doors open with the interior lights on...Something I could never do before...I also ran a fan in the truck for 3 nights and two day's continuous..Not a problem...

...KM2's
...Put some miles on them and they are still quiet thru the summer heat...They really don't start making any noise till about 40mph...Drove them around on wet streets today and definitely not as slick on the road as the MTR's were...

..Stupidlift RA's
...Soon to be history and will be replaced with this set built by BTF...More info can be found here on buying some new RA's for those interested...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2553064#post2553064

...I have been gingerly driving around on the last set of welded up stupidlift's I will own..There is nothing worse than wanting to go mob on something but yet, you have to worry about how hard your going to hit a railroad track and pray you don't break another RA..

Beef...

...and like many others I am suffering from a weak fuel pump...I need to start saving for one soon..

 

[Keeper0311]

Nice man! beefy as hell.