My good friend and resident evil scientist the +Evil German Dude (EGD) announced we were having a Garage Day at his house this past Saturday. For once I didn’t have anything Land Rover related for him to assist me with. I’m sure he and the former Titanium Hitch were quite surprised as we normally have something to do on the Range Rover. They both liked the Big White Bus’s new stance on fresh springs. I had to call it to their attention, but they responded with friendly comments after looking her over.
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| Inadequate alternator |
The main goal of the day was to install a new alternator in EGD’s F-250 Super Truck 4×4 Beast. If you have been a frequent reader you know every thing EGD touches must be modified. His Chevy 1500 was highly modified. I could write an entire blog post listing the changes he made to the 1500. His F-250 is well on its way to being heavily modified.
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| EGD and the Former Titanium Hitch |
More after the jump….
Today’s modification was to be a nuclear power reactor. He has the need to power small cities and in case of a disaster provide power to his evil lair. Sadly the Nuclear Regulatory Commission denied his permit for a mobile nuclear power reactor. They said his design was sound and the schematics were first rate. They just did not feel he rated one.
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| Beefy. |
So he picked the next best thing and contacted the Russian’s for one of theirs installed a DC Power Engineering alternator. At maximum revolutions this monster will put out 300 amps. At idle it puts out 190 amps. Compare that to a stock Land Rover alternator and its 100 amps at max output. They will send it to you polished or one of 11 colors. Impressive.
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| Size comparison. New on the left and old on right. |
The task was a simple one if you were content with using the existing wiring. But EGD is an evil mad scientist, so you know there has to be enhancements. First was replacing the cables to 1 aught. Yes, you read that correctly…1 aught. He is fond of his power conduit mechanisms. Three hundred amps is a lot, and to run it through stock wire is just silly.
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| One aught cable and in-line voltmeter. |
He also installed an in-line volt meter. This is cool enough to warrant install on my Big White Bus. I will have to investigate this option further. One of my pet peeves about my Land Rover is the apparently inadequate wiring. Lots of Land Rover owners outfit their rigs with wenches winches, lots of lights, refrigerators,…etc. These are all power hungry devices in which dual batteries and beefy alternators are just the prescription to get the needed amperage to the devices. EGD’s beastly F-250 is no exception.
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| Installed. |
The former Titanium Hitch and I mostly handed EGD tools and offered the “extra hand” every mechanic, at one time in their life, wishes God had given them. Working with EGD on his rigs over the years is truly entertaining. I’ve never seen him come up against something he hasn’t all ready anticipated.
His work is meticulous, precise, and clean. I have learned a lot from him over the last decade. I told the former Titanium Hitch that when I work on my Range Rover I think about what EGD would say if he saw my work. You’ve no doubt seen the W.W.J.D.? (What Would Jesus Do) and the many variations over the years. My own is W.W.E.G.D.D?
EGD then decided to manipulate the worldwide price of a barrel of crude by doing an oil change in the big diesel. The behemoth uses 13 quarts of oil. Since I have the smallest beer belly of the group, I was elected to ride the creeper under the truck to empty the oil. EGD has made this a simple process by installing a Fumoto valve. No more guessing which wrench you need. No more getting oil on your hands removing the plug. Easy peasy.
Once EGD was done with the alternator installation and oil change was completed, we had a great dinner of roast potatoes, hot dogs, and grilled vegetables prepared by EGB (Evil German Bitch). I know what you’re thinking. But I assure you that’s her own moniker, she picked it out. That’s even how I have them in my phone. She is a superb cook and I always love eating at their house.
After chow time was over, Titanium Hitch told us about the sound system woes in his newly acquired late nineties Ford F-150. The after market sound system had been butchered. EGD was keen to sort out his problems.
I fetched tools while EGD started extracting the radio from the dash. I was also tasked to find a wiring diagram for Ford pickups on the interwebs. That was no real challenge and I was back to handing them tools.
We found the problem, a blown speaker. The others were not in good nick and it was suggested he replace them all. Replacing them was a job for another day.
So we wrapped it all up. I said my goodbyes and headed home with a detour to drop the used oil off at JagGuy’s garage where he will undoubtedly use it in his Bobbed-Duece.
I received an email from an Art of Manliness reader who told me the visited link color on my OkieRover.com website was virtually unreadable in low light. So I swapped it to a red for high contrast.
Thanks Shawn.
Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering
