[Bradley21sanders]

Dang did you take any throughout the year!? I am out of days already and I get almost 4 weeks.

Also probably ends up being cheaper getting that package deal for 120, wont have to spend time searching for individuals either.

 

[19trax95]

Yeah I get 2 weeks. Took a week for my summer trip, then a little time to take the kids to the beach, and then I took off the week between Christmas and new years. So I had one day left.

Yeah piecing together the tailgate hardware was more expensive than getting the whole kit. I could have gotten away with just getting the parts I needed and being cheaper. But all new hardware and handle definitely won't hurt.

 

[shakenfake]

I had 6 days left going into December and I start with 11. If I hadn't taken my vacation in November it would have been 10.

 

[Bradley21sanders]

I completely misread that. Thought you said you were taking the next two weeks off. I was like dang

 

[19trax95]

Oh nope. I wish, but nope lol. Just the next 2 Saturdays.

 

[19trax95]

Ordered my sockets for the passenger side taillight. Decided it'd be cheaper than buying a new harness. I'm going to get some weatherpack connectors tomorrow at work so I can make the bed easily removable. I prefer them over the style that's on the truck now.

Hoping to have them this weekend and built my harness for the bed side of things.

Nothing special really. Just some 1156, 1157, and a 194 socket. The driver's side is in good shape with no corrosion on the socket side of the harness. The truck side connector is corroded since it was left open for how long. But that will get cut off anyway in favor of the weatherpack connectors.

 

[shakenfake]

I just soldered on two new reverse sockets to my Impala and what a PITA that was. The copper wire was so old and nasty that is was difficult to get it to work for me. Hope you have better luck with that.

 

[19trax95]

I have been doing testing at work, and I've found the heat seal butt connectors have been going pretty well.

It's faster and provides a secure, weather sealed connection. I usually will cut back to clean copper though if I'm able to. Sometimes the whole harness is trash so in cases like that, I usually recommend a new harness. Usually the customer wants it just repaired though since harnesses aren't cheap and not always available.

All depends what it is though as far as the circuit its on. Anything computer related gets soldered still. I don't necessarily trust that the butt connectors will provide a solid, low resistance connection

 

[Bradley21sanders]

I have always detested soldering, post up some pictures of your process/method when you do it. I have tried a few different ways and the easiest for wiring (still sucks for me) is tinting one wire then twisting the other around that add melting all together.

 

[shakenfake]

My soldering for wires is dog crap unless I can have them both lined up perfectly.
My circuit board soldering is much much better.

 

[19trax95]

Got my connectors, terminals and seals today at work. They are 4 pin weatherpacks.

My method for soldering is generally as follows, strip about 3/8" off each wire, separating the strands into 4 equal groups on each wire, then placing the two wires end to end, and twisting the 4 tag ends on each wire around the opposite wire. Then give them a slight pull and you'll find they sort of lock themselves into eachother. I then give another couple twists. Then I solder the joint between the two and cover with self sealing heatshrink. You end up with a splder joint the same diameter of the wire so its nice and streamline

 

[19trax95]

Took me long enough but I grabbed a quick video of the light bar

 

[19trax95]

Well I got the first quick, pre winter coat of POR15 on the underside of the bed. I just wanted to get the majority of the spots that needed it done. Come spring when I do the paint work, I will do a much better job.

I'm hoping it cures decent enough though. It's only about 37⁰ here today so if it's not mostly dry by dark ill throw a tarp over the bed since tomorrow they are calling for snow/winter mix.

 

[davester3500]

I would have suggested doing something like spraying fluid film on the underside until you can do it right. In my experience with POR15, it works good, if you can get it everywhere. Anywhere the water can get to the edge of the POR15, it will attack the steel there and get under the POR15.

 

[19trax95]

It'll be getting fluid filmed as well. I have a fresh case ready to go for when I put the bed on. The frame, rockers and bed will be getting coated.

Then come spring when I do the actual cleanup of the bed, I'll be degreasing it all and painting everything all nice.

 

[davester3500]

I use a air spray and buy the 1 gal can of FF, it's cheaper and easier to spray in tight spots vs using cans (the sprayer I bought has a 2' hose extension to the nozzle, so I don't need to wave the whole sprayer around).

 

[19trax95]

If my compressor could run a gun I'd definitely do it that way. But I only have a little 5 gallon compressor at home so it's fairly slow to use anything that consumes a lot of air.

One day I'll have a compressor large enough to run spray guns. But for now, cans it is lol. I have the extension nozzle for the cans that has a long hose with a nozzle on the end that shoots forward and backwards. It works great for rockers and bed sides.

 

[19trax95]

I'm going to do my best to try and get the bed swapped on this weekend.

I devised a plan to remove the service body. It weighs around 800lbs. Which is more than I can handle alone at home, even with a couple buddies. So my game plan is to use the wrecker at work and lift it off. That'll be the easiest route and eliminate any chance of damage to the body.

I'll likely try and store the body at work for the winter and post it for sale in the mean time.

The bed is the easier part. I'll rig up some tail lights to drive it home, and then get some buddies to help flip the bed and set it on the truck. Hoping to get that done on Saturday. Then wire up the taillights Sunday.

 

[RedSLEd]

Pics! We need pics!

 

[19trax95]

Haha I'll try and put my drone into hover mode and have it record the removal of the body if I have time.

There will definitely be pics though.