What are you working on today?

Installed most of the side paneling yesterday. Seems to be working out. The roof fan and solar mount should be in today so hoping I can get those completed this week.

20250629_113411.webp
 
While it may not seem like much, this is all i had time for this evening. The family and I hit the city for some shopping and down time. On the way back I swung by my office as the new exhaust fan and solar mounts were in. I ended up using some malleable but heavy guage fencing wire to snake the 12g power wires through the conduits to power the fan. It was not fun but it's done.....then I realized, I should have had the solar panel wires tag along.

20250630_212142.webp
 
Well, I replaced the front gas tank strap on a 2nd Gen Ram. According to my buddy the strap broke in town one day (we both live very rural) and he ratchet strapped it up to get home. It's been a couple years and he never got around to a permanent fix.

I wish I had taken a picture of the strap in place because the ratchet mechanism was on the bottom and it looked like a potential problem driving around their ranch.

I ordered the Precision kit from O'Reilly and the fit was good, at least for the front strap. I think I'll leave the rear undisturbed since it's fine at the moment.

New strap installed and the old makeshift strap in foreground:
20250630_201357.webp
 
I took the plunge and cut the roof to get the fan installed. Actually, it was quite easy, I just measured twice and took my time. It's runs great and once the roof panels are in, it will look quite nice.

On a side note, I love that eternabond tape. Made the install even quicker.

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20250701_145030.webp
 
OK, this required emergency repair. I mean, you can’t drive without properly operating subwoofers!
So, last few days I could smell lifht burning smell in BMW. First I thought I damaged some plastic piece and it is making contact with tires. Nope. Checked amplifiers (I have two), nope. Anyway, last night I checked battery and found this:
IMG_4760.webp

Melted inline fuse for amplifier that is pushing two under seat subwoofers (8” each). Amplifier is monoblock JL Audio 500W.
Not sure what is cause. My best bet is corroded wires (4AWG) since they are 5yrs old or due to vibrations, connection got loose at fuse point and created more resistance. Weird part, subwoofers were working normally.
OK, new fuse and cable (red tape on fuse):
IMG_4762.webp


Connected to amp:
IMG_4763.webp


In next few days I will put new cable for other amplifier that is pushing regular speakers (blue tape fuse):
IMG_4764.webp


Everything was done in an hour. No more smell, no any kind of heat emitting from fuse or cable.
This is how two amplifiers are connected to battery:
IMG_4765.webp
 
edyvw said:
OK, this required emergency repair. I mean, you can’t drive without properly operating subwoofers!
So, last few days I could smell lifht burning smell in BMW. First I thought I damaged some plastic piece and it is making contact with tires. Nope. Checked amplifiers (I have two), nope. Anyway, last night I checked battery and found this:
View attachment 287534
Melted inline fuse for amplifier that is pushing two under seat subwoofers (8” each). Amplifier is monoblock JL Audio 500W.
Not sure what is cause. My best bet is corroded wires (4AWG) since they are 5yrs old or due to vibrations, connection got loose at fuse point and created more resistance. Weird part, subwoofers were working normally.
OK, new fuse and cable (red tape on fuse):
View attachment 287535

Connected to amp:
View attachment 287536

In next few days I will put new cable for other amplifier that is pushing regular speakers (blue tape fuse):
View attachment 287537

Everything was done in an hour. No more smell, no any kind of heat emitting from fuse or cable.
This is how two amplifiers are connected to battery:
View attachment 287539
Click to expand...
I mean, how many SPL are you pushing on the way to Kroger @edyvw?
 
Halfway through Victory 4x4 rear bumper install on Tacoma. Halfway at 2.5 hours.

They have a really nice instructional video. The technician never raises his voice, everything fits, he doesn’t have to undo and redo, and the transfer of parts accounts for all the parts in his video (I have an extra thing which has no place to go now). Mostly, hes calm, it all fits, and hes calm, and it all lines up. I want to cry out, “Fiction!” Because this being my first time, it doesn’t quite fit, and all the sensors on these things make it tedious! 4 proximity, two … radar? Two more somethings at the license plate. And while it all seems to mostly line up in place, getting it into place is tough. The reality is,I’m stressed, and the video wasnt. So I want to playfully call out, “lies!”

I’m sure it would be easier the second time. It should be beautiful when it’s done.

Full respect for body shop repair techs. Every car is an extremely complex puzzle. I hope nobody ever has to repair this one. They’ll have to watch the same video I am!
 
Last edited:
meep said:
I mean, how many SPL are you pushing on the way to Kroger @edyvw?
Click to expand...
LOL, it is not one of those systems where you can only hear bass.
Front door have Alpine mid range (4”) and tweeters. Rear deck is two way Pioneer 6 1/2”.
Subwoofers are Pioneer 8” packed into OE BMW enclosure. Since I listen mostly 70’s, 80’s and 90’s rock, subwoofers must be fast.
IMG_7887.webp
IMG_7823.webp
 
edyvw said:
OK, this required emergency repair. I mean, you can’t drive without properly operating subwoofers!
So, last few days I could smell lifht burning smell in BMW. First I thought I damaged some plastic piece and it is making contact with tires. Nope. Checked amplifiers (I have two), nope. Anyway, last night I checked battery and found this:

Melted inline fuse for amplifier that is pushing two under seat subwoofers (8” each). Amplifier is monoblock JL Audio 500W.
Not sure what is cause. My best bet is corroded wires (4AWG) since they are 5yrs old or due to vibrations, connection got loose at fuse point and created more resistance. Weird part, subwoofers were working normally.
OK, new fuse and cable (red tape on fuse):


Connected to amp:


In next few days I will put new cable for other amplifier that is pushing regular speakers (blue tape fuse):


Everything was done in an hour. No more smell, no any kind of heat emitting from fuse or cable.
This is how two amplifiers are connected to battery:
Click to expand...

Those ghetto inline amp fuses are trash, I use American Autowire mega fuse part# 500689 for most higher amp add on accessories...Can likely be found cheaper but you want a high quality fuse like Littelfuse.

Mounting the fuses would be best....But you can bolt the bases of 500689's together.
 
edyvw said:
OK, this required emergency repair. I mean, you can’t drive without properly operating subwoofers!
So, last few days I could smell lifht burning smell in BMW. First I thought I damaged some plastic piece and it is making contact with tires. Nope. Checked amplifiers (I have two), nope. Anyway, last night I checked battery and found this:
View attachment 287534
Melted inline fuse for amplifier that is pushing two under seat subwoofers (8” each). Amplifier is monoblock JL Audio 500W.
Not sure what is cause. My best bet is corroded wires (4AWG) since they are 5yrs old or due to vibrations, connection got loose at fuse point and created more resistance. Weird part, subwoofers were working normally.
OK, new fuse and cable (red tape on fuse):
View attachment 287535

Connected to amp:
View attachment 287536

In next few days I will put new cable for other amplifier that is pushing regular speakers (blue tape fuse):
View attachment 287537

Everything was done in an hour. No more smell, no any kind of heat emitting from fuse or cable.
This is how two amplifiers are connected to battery:
Click to expand...
Glad you didn't burn your car up. Marine grade 12v stuff is a lot better than most of what you can get from car audio sources.
 
clinebarger said:
Those ghetto inline amp fuses are trash, I use American Autowire mega fuse part# 500689 for most higher amp add on accessories...Can likely be found cheaper but you want a high quality fuse like Littelfuse.

Mounting the fuses would be best....But you can bolt the bases of 500689's together.
Click to expand...
Will see. Got new one from friend who owns audio store. Went there to check what they have and he gave me this one. Turns out it is same like I had.
I think the reason it didn’t pop was too high of rating. I left like this to check heat, but will mount them on that wall.
 
ripcord said:
Glad you didn't burn your car up. Marine grade 12v stuff is a lot better than most of what you can get from car audio sources.
Click to expand...
Yeah. They are fairly isolated from other stuff. I lowered ampere rating on new one just in case. I think it is old wire. It was kind of dark compared to new one. Thinking corrosion increased resistance.
 
edyvw said:
Yeah. They are fairly isolated from other stuff. I lowered ampere rating on new one just in case. I think it is old wire. It was kind of dark compared to new one. Thinking corrosion increased resistance.
Click to expand...
I think it was the style of fuse holder you were using. Conventional crimped on copper lugs are preferred for wire termination over those screw down style connections for high amperage applications as they are less prone to loosening over time.
 
ripcord said:
I think it was the style of fuse holder you were using. Conventional crimped on copper lugs are preferred for wire termination over those screw down style connections for high amperage applications as they are less prone to loosening over time.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I will upgrade this. Right now there is no heat whatsoever, which makes me think it got loose or wire coroded.
 
meep said:
Halfway through Victory 4x4 rear bumper install on Tacoma. Halfway at 2.5 hours.

They have a really nice instructional video. The technician never raises his voice, everything fits, he doesn’t have to undo and redo, and the transfer of parts accounts for all the parts in his video (I have an extra thing which has no place to go now). Mostly, hes calm, it all fits, and hes calm, and it all lines up. I want to cry out, “Fiction!” Because this being my first time, it doesn’t quite fit, and all the sensors on these things make it tedious! 4 proximity, two … radar? Two more somethings at the license plate. And while it all seems to mostly line up in place, getting it into place is tough. The reality is,I’m stressed, and the video wasnt. So I want to playfully call out, “lies!”

I’m sure it would be easier the second time. It should be beautiful when it’s done.

Full respect for body shop repair techs. Every car is an extremely complex puzzle. I hope nobody ever has to repair this one. They’ll have to watch the same video I am!
Click to expand...
ALL that aftermarket stuff fits, but not without multiple attempts, head scratching, prying, drilling, massaging, occasional liberal use of the BFH, etc.

Anymore I just expect to fix their shortcomings, which usually involves some form of minor modification with the welder, plasma or drill.

I feel bad for guys doing it in their driveway with minimal tools (especially if they buy anything from Expedition One).

If you think about it this is also why so much aftermarket stuff is poorly installed. People buy it expecting bolt-on turn key (it's almost always marketed as such) and when they can't get it with a socket set and a framing hammer, they just leave it crooked or missing bolts, etc
 
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