What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[ShadowsPapa]

Wired up the KC Hilite Gravity Pro titans. The wire harness between the lights is barely long enough to cross the jeep’s firewall. It should be 3-6” longer. The included 10am and 20 amp fuses are overkill, the dust lights pull ~3amp and the main lights 15 amps. I’ve wired both to the 15 amp AUX w and 4 switches.

Also installed a Glow Badge Aux switch board.

They stole my idea LOL ( J/K)

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[WILDHOBO]

They stole my idea LOL ( J/K)

Your product is better. Or I like it better.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Your product is better. Or I like it better.

I had thought about making minor mods, cleaning the footprint up a bit, and making another.
I wish I had trimmed aux switch 1 wire just a bit shorter so it didn't loop out so far.

I used scraps of acrylic - if I used better pieces, I'd do a bit better shape, there wouldn't be that black plug covering a hole that was in the scrap.
I'd shift the holes in the base over where the wire comes up through and move the ground up from below instead of off the left side like it is.

Because I read left to right, mine is G G 1 2 3 4 so it's easier for me to remember.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I had thought about making minor mods, cleaning the footprint up a bit, and making another.
I wish I had trimmed aux switch 1 wire just a bit shorter so it didn't loop out so far.

I used scraps of acrylic - if I used better pieces, I'd do a bit better shape, there wouldn't be that black plug covering a hole that was in the scrap.
I'd shift the holes in the base over where the wire comes up through and move the ground up from below instead of off the left side like it is.

Because I read left to right, mine is G G 1 2 3 4 so it's easier for me to remember.

I need to make one. I’m sick of changing things out with wire cutters. Granted I’m pretty much set on where I want things at this point.

 

[Toothgnasher]

I need to make one. I’m sick of changing things out with wire cutters. Granted I’m pretty much set on where I want things at this point.

Yeah. I got this originally for my JL and it never got installed. I like the idea of being able to wire up multiple items to a switch, or easily swap things out.

I’m likely going to get the new Diode Dynamic switch controller, but that’s down the road some.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I need to make one. I’m sick of changing things out with wire cutters. Granted I’m pretty much set on where I want things at this point.

It's one reason I stashed the pack of crimps and heat shrinks in a cabinet (the one that comes with the Jeep)
I wanted a simple way to "change my mind" or disconnect, add something, whatever.
A screwdriver and you are all set. And with the cover I put on, the screwdriver can only touch the screw, nothing else at the same time, and only one of the screws. With my tremors, it helped me get the screwdriver into the screw head and it stayed there. I could loosen the screw, the screwdriver stayed put, and I could move or remove a wire.
Nothing can touch the screws in case something is powered on.
It's compact, not in the way. If I need to move it to work below it on anything, I spend a couple of hours rounding up a 10mm socket and take it loose.

 

[WILDHOBO]

It's one reason I stashed the pack of crimps and heat shrinks in a cabinet (the one that comes with the Jeep)
I wanted a simple way to "change my mind" or disconnect, add something, whatever.
A screwdriver and you are all set. And with the cover I put on, the screwdriver can only touch the screw, nothing else at the same time, and only one of the screws. With my tremors, it helped me get the screwdriver into the screw head and it stayed there. I could loosen the screw, the screwdriver stayed put, and I could move or remove a wire.
Nothing can touch the screws in case something is powered on.
It's compact, not in the way. If I need to move it to work below it on anything, I spend a couple of hours rounding up a 10mm socket and take it loose.

Are the holes 1/4”?

 

[WILDHOBO]

Put the Kane Creek badge on. Only one more will fit on the passenger fender, and the driver side is full. I guess it’s time to find the next spot, as two are back ordered and haven’t shipped yet. And used it to ferry Willy’s parts and 18 quarts of old oil to the parts store.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Are the holes 1/4”?

I'd have to double-check that. I made it so the screwdrivers I have - esp. the Philips screwdriver, fit nicely. Not too tight, but not larger than the screw head, either.

 

[RudeJeepin]

They stole my idea LOL ( J/K)

I've always thought that was super slick setup.

I wish I had trimmed aux switch 1 wire just a bit shorter so it didn't loop out so far.

I like to put a loop in the ends of all my wiring.
I spent over 15 years as the goto guy, when it can to wiring/electrical issues at a school bus garage I used to work at.
I can't tell you how many times I had to cut the ends off of wires because of corrosion. Then you end up short and you have to splice a couple inches back on or make new runs.
That's where I started to add an extra 3 or so inches at each end by make a small loop.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I'd have to double-check that. I made it so the screwdrivers I have - esp. the Philips screwdriver, fit nicely. Not too tight, but not larger than the screw head, either.

I asked because 1/4” plastic plugs are easy to find.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I asked because 1/4” plastic plugs are easy to find.

Or maybe a 3d printed plastic rectangle with a few posts indexed to your holes would cover it completely when not being changed? But the filament would need to handle engine compartment heat, so my basic printer isn’t going to be helpful.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I asked because 1/4” plastic plugs are easy to find.

They measure 17/64 but thinking back, I don't have a wood bit that size so I would have drilled 1/4" and because it's hard to drill acrylic 100% perfectly accurate, I'm sure it softened a bit and ended up a touch over 1/4 even with that being my goal and the size bit I used.
I try to use brad point bits for plastics (and have a good selection of them in the 2nd story wood shop)

I made a small harness for the power and ground for my winch solenoid and that runs from the solenoid over to the ground and aux 3 screw on my terminal block.

I have a single power cable that runs from battery + to the firewall side of the solenoid. I use that as a junction and take power for the plow fuse from there instead of two separate cables since you just can't run both at the same time anyway.
So the heavy red cable coming to the plow fuse comes from the battery side of the winch solenoid.

So why the blue?
Remember what color my previous two Gladiators were? Yeah.
I didn't want the acrylic directly against the paint on the fender so I used a thin gasket material between the two. I have one cut to shape and painted to match the blue trucks.
I didn't have any green matching paint on hand so just used the same pad I had made for my other truck here. I will eventually find some matching green paint, but for now - it's blue.

Easy to remember - left to right - G, G, 1, 2, 3, 4

Why those two screws? The thick acrylic raised the stock bolts too high and they touched my hood struts. Even with the shallower head screws, they all but touched. So I countersunk the acrylic and used low profile screws here.
Side effect - I had two green bolts to use to mount the solenoid bracket.

Why that black plastic plug? It was a piece of scrap acrylic - I don't waste much of anything. It had an extra hole I didn't like, so I covered it. I guess I'm like my wife, a quilter - she makes things out of the scraps left from making other things until the pieces are just too small to deal with.
I wanted the thicker base as it allows me to put some pressure on it if I ever needed to to get a screw loosened or tightened. Overkill, maybe, but it works.

I didn't cut the aux wire bundle short. There's several inches folded under this. I just cut off only their sealed ends and stripped the cover back just far enough to do this.

Black wire goes down to the ground stud giving me two easy ground terminals if needed.

The two wires for the solenoid - ground and power, go to the terminal block. This is the solenoid end.

Because it's a Jeep, it might get dirty, it might get wet (I do wash things now and then, even under the hood), I used marine type sealing heat shrink over the connections. So the joint between wire and terminal are sealed, and I used a "factory like" crimp, not a walmart $10 crimp tool, so it's TIGHT and round and nice under the heat shrink.

I also like silicone wire - VERY flexible, and withstands some heat, doesn't get brittle and hard as fast as cheaper stuff. It's a high strand count wire with really soft insulation.

 

[WILDHOBO]

They measure 17/64 but thinking back, I don't have a wood bit that size so I would have drilled 1/4" and because it's hard to drill acrylic 100% perfectly accurate, I'm sure it softened a bit and ended up a touch over 1/4 even with that being my goal and the size bit I used.
I try to use brad point bits for plastics (and have a good selection of them in the 2nd story wood shop)

I made a small harness for the power and ground for my winch solenoid and that runs from the solenoid over to the ground and aux 3 screw on my terminal block.

I have a single power cable that runs from battery + to the firewall side of the solenoid. I use that as a junction and take power for the plow fuse from there instead of two separate cables since you just can't run both at the same time anyway.
So the heavy red cable coming to the plow fuse comes from the battery side of the winch solenoid.

So why the blue?
Remember what color my previous two Gladiators were? Yeah.
I didn't want the acrylic directly against the paint on the fender so I used a thin gasket material between the two. I have one cut to shape and painted to match the blue trucks.
I didn't have any green matching paint on hand so just used the same pad I had made for my other truck here. I will eventually find some matching green paint, but for now - it's blue.

Easy to remember - left to right - G, G, 1, 2, 3, 4

Why those two screws? The thick acrylic raised the stock bolts too high and they touched my hood struts. Even with the shallower head screws, they all but touched. So I countersunk the acrylic and used low profile screws here.
Side effect - I had two green bolts to use to mount the solenoid bracket.

Why that black plastic plug? It was a piece of scrap acrylic - I don't waste much of anything. It had an extra hole I didn't like, so I covered it. I guess I'm like my wife, a quilter - she makes things out of the scraps left from making other things until the pieces are just too small to deal with.
I wanted the thicker base as it allows me to put some pressure on it if I ever needed to to get a screw loosened or tightened. Overkill, maybe, but it works.

I didn't cut the aux wire bundle short. There's several inches folded under this. I just cut off only their sealed ends and stripped the cover back just far enough to do this.

Black wire goes down to the ground stud giving me two easy ground terminals if needed.

The two wires for the solenoid - ground and power, go to the terminal block. This is the solenoid end.

Because it's a Jeep, it might get dirty, it might get wet (I do wash things now and then, even under the hood), I used marine type sealing heat shrink over the connections. So the joint between wire and terminal are sealed, and I used a "factory like" crimp, not a walmart $10 crimp tool, so it's TIGHT and round and nice under the heat shrink.

I also like silicone wire - VERY flexible, and withstands some heat, doesn't get brittle and hard as fast as cheaper stuff. It's a high strand count wire with really soft insulation.

Great attention to detail. I didn’t ask about the blue. I remembered that truck and assumed as much.

 

[OVERLORD]

Did I ever share, I'm olde, grumpy, and smell like rotting Rhubarb?

I'm olde and frail enough, to piss folks off, and they know that they don't dare do anything to me , as they'd kill me with any contact.

Because of that I push the envelope, and often end up with a nasty paper cut.

So not bending a brain for me, is like a day without sunshine.

Putting some cheap stickahs on the OVERLORD, that few know their meaning, is fun for me.

A gnu one above the JEEP, that few, if any will get, the one below really messes folks up.

The new one on top will be a stumper.

Can't share on the forum as the powers that be would whack me, and probably kill me in the process.

I'm brittle.

Wanna know, PM me, a recent archeological find!

Cooler still, found a stickah!

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