Varg In Jeep's Clothing

[ITLKSEZ]

I can finally post an update!
My old phone crashed, and my new phone wouldn’t let me load my photo hosting app for two weeks.

I made it back out to see what the other half of that trail looked like. I drove out to Superior, MT after work on a Friday. This sign is visible from I90 if you know where to look. 320 is where I was headed.

The Montana side of 320 was like a paved highway compared to the Idaho side. This was where the pavement ended. The road was this quality up to the state line.

On the Idaho side, it instantly turned to a rocky quad trail. I was surprised to see just how far I was able to make it towards our last stopping point. The map showed 1.7 miles from where I ran into a mess of trees to where we were forced to turn back a few weeks prior. I felt pretty good about that. I was hoping to clear a mile on Saturday and the rest on Sunday.

I doubled back a few hundred yards to a side-road that ended at a hiking trailhead and primitive campsite. Perfect!

I was parked next to the creek that was actually the beginnings of the mighty St. Joe River.

Saturday morning around 6am, I got to work. It was brutal, and very daunting.
The next two pics were taken from the same spot. What I cleared, and what was next.

By around 10:30am, the ridiculously thick sections had been mostly conquered, when a Jeep JK pulled up behind me. A guy hopped out who was really hoping to make it through to Avery that day, and I had some bad news for him. He told me he had a saw and was willing to help.

We leapfrogged for the rest of the day, with our sights set on the intersection of FS715, which was around the halfway point to my ultimate goal.

Meet James.

By the time we made it to FS715, we were both exhausted and starting to cramp. It was around 6pm, and I’d been at it for 12 hours straight. The intersection was a wonderful sight.

What was even better, there were fresh tracks at the intersection. Somebody punched through the other side!

James went on his way to finish the quest he set out to do, and I headed back to camp, thrilled to know I had an unlimited hot shower waiting for me.

I fried up some tilapia on the burner and had an excellent evening amongst the wildlife.

I couldn’t get rid of this deer after I fed her a Pringle.

The next morning, since I had no more trail to clear, I was looking forward to taking a hike up to the lake where the St Joe River begins.

Nope.

I packed up camp, then took my time driving out, enjoying the fruits of my labor. I took a side quest and hiked up to the top of Needle Peak before heading home.

FS320 is open!!



I have also been working on something… more updates soon.

 

[Fireball]

I can finally post an update!
My old phone crashed, and my new phone wouldn’t let me load my photo hosting app for two weeks.

I made it back out to see what the other half of that trail looked like. I drove out to Superior, MT after work on a Friday. This sign is visible from I90 if you know where to look. 320 is where I was headed.

The Montana side of 320 was like a paved highway compared to the Idaho side. This was where the pavement ended. The road was this quality up to the state line.

On the Idaho side, it instantly turned to a rocky quad trail. I was surprised to see just how far I was able to make it towards our last stopping point. The map showed 1.7 miles from where I ran into a mess of trees to where we were forced to turn back a few weeks prior. I felt pretty good about that. I was hoping to clear a mile on Saturday and the rest on Sunday.

I doubled back a few hundred yards to a side-road that ended at a hiking trailhead and primitive campsite. Perfect!

I was parked next to the creek that was actually the beginnings of the mighty St. Joe River.

Saturday morning around 6am, I got to work. It was brutal, and very daunting.
The next two pics were taken from the same spot. What I cleared, and what was next.

By around 10:30am, the ridiculously thick sections had been mostly conquered, when a Jeep JK pulled up behind me. A guy hopped out who was really hoping to make it through to Avery that day, and I had some bad news for him. He told me he had a saw and was willing to help.

We leapfrogged for the rest of the day, with our sights set on the intersection of FS715, which was around the halfway point to my ultimate goal.

Meet James.

By the time we made it to FS715, we were both exhausted and starting to cramp. It was around 6pm, and I’d been at it for 12 hours straight. The intersection was a wonderful sight.

What was even better, there were fresh tracks at the intersection. Somebody punched through the other side!

James went on his way to finish the quest he set out to do, and I headed back to camp, thrilled to know I had an unlimited hot shower waiting for me.

I fried up some tilapia on the burner and had an excellent evening amongst the wildlife.

I couldn’t get rid of this deer after I fed her a Pringle.

The next morning, since I had no more trail to clear, I was looking forward to taking a hike up to the lake where the St Joe River begins.

Nope.

I packed up camp, then took my time driving out, enjoying the fruits of my labor. I took a side quest and hiked up to the top of Needle Peak before heading home.

FS320 is open!!



I have also been working on something… more updates soon.

The tree-falls are mind boggling. Seriously great work on getting the trail open.

 

[cj2atruck]

About 20 years ago, I carried a chainsaw on my dirt bike and cleared trees in the spring. I was always surprised how many trees would drop in one section of trail and the rest of the trail would be clear. Your task was nothing short of amazing.

 

[ITLKSEZ]

I’ve had this next mod in the works for months, and it’s finally starting to get somewhere.

After my plan for a power-inverter-to-run-a-welder idea mostly failed, one evening Fireball and I were half inebriated, bouncing ideas off each other through text of wild ways to run the welder in my jeep’s severely limited space. One half-cocked idea led to another when he sent me an Amazon link to a 3000w 220v generator in the packaging of a standard alternator. It had zero reviews and horrible Asian translation. I sat on it for a while until I figured out a way to maybe possibly fit it, then I took the risk and ordered it.

It took so long to show up with zero tracking updates, I gave up hope on it and ended up finding the exact model on eBay for $110 cheaper and ordered that too.

The first one surprisingly showed up after nearly two months at sea and land. The eBay one just showed up the other day. They obviously came from the same plant, as they’re identical, right down to the packaging and lack of any paperwork. I’m keeping the second one in case I fry one, or if we ever go live off-grid, I can build a water wheel generator out of it.

The real estate that this was going to occupy was already taken by the filter housing for the compressed air. I have yet to figure out where to relocate that to.

The first task was to add a third groove to the water pump pulley. The Volvo engine uses standard “A” (1/2”) belts, and this generator uses a “B” (5/8”) belt. I picked up a stamped unit from the tractor store. I turned a notch into the factory pulley and turned the center of the new one to match.

I got that stitch welded, painted, and reinstalled.

Now the hard parts. Since this generator only needs to turn when in use, my plan is to grab the belt out of the welder bin and throw it on with tool-free assembly as needed. Since the jeep will be stationary and the rpm will be constant, I should be able to get away with mounting the generator off of the cage rather than the engine. I didn’t have much of a choice, room-wise.

Step one was to create an adjustment slot that incorporated a kip handle. I made a t-nut at work and ordered a cheap 2-pack of handles.

I then drew the proper arcs onto cardboard and painstakingly bent two strips of 1/4” x 3/8” flat bar so they overlayed the drawings perfectly. I welded them together with a 3/8” gap and cleaned up the welds, then ran the inside ends in the mill to give a finished look.

I turned isolator bushings out of a vinyl material I found at work (old rest room divider walls) so the generator is electrically insulated from the jeep. I don’t want any feedback into the generator giving me problems while welding.

The main mount is what gave me the most serious fits. I stared at this spot for days trying to envision something that would work without permanently taking up too much space. The section of tubing I had to work with was angled, arced, and had the sway bar mount partially in the way. This is the foundation I eventually came up with.

I didn’t want the mount for the adjuster arm to be permanently intrusive, so I made that part bolt-on.

The adjustment arm brackets cleaned up and ready for paint.

Test fit

Next up is to find a spot for the filter I removed, then I’ll wire this up, reassemble the front end, and give it a test with the multimeter. Since there was zero paperwork, I have no idea if it’s regulated, or if it needs a certain rpm for proper voltage output.

 

[homersdog]

Reading this thread is always educational and entertaining!

 

[Fireball]

I’ve had this next mod in the works for months, and it’s finally starting to get somewhere.

After my plan for a power-inverter-to-run-a-welder idea mostly failed, one evening Fireball and I were half inebriated, bouncing ideas off each other through text of wild ways to run the welder in my jeep’s severely limited space. One half-cocked idea led to another when he sent me an Amazon link to a 3000w 220v generator in the packaging of a standard alternator. It had zero reviews and horrible Asian translation. I sat on it for a while until I figured out a way to maybe possibly fit it, then I took the risk and ordered it.

It took so long to show up with zero tracking updates, I gave up hope on it and ended up finding the exact model on eBay for $110 cheaper and ordered that too.

The first one surprisingly showed up after nearly two months at sea and land. The eBay one just showed up the other day. They obviously came from the same plant, as they’re identical, right down to the packaging and lack of any paperwork. I’m keeping the second one in case I fry one, or if we ever go live off-grid, I can build a water wheel generator out of it.

The real estate that this was going to occupy was already taken by the filter housing for the compressed air. I have yet to figure out where to relocate that to.

The first task was to add a third groove to the water pump pulley. The Volvo engine uses standard “A” (1/2”) belts, and this generator uses a “B” (5/8”) belt. I picked up a stamped unit from the tractor store. I turned a notch into the factory pulley and turned the center of the new one to match.

I got that stitch welded, painted, and reinstalled.

Now the hard parts. Since this generator only needs to turn when in use, my plan is to grab the belt out of the welder bin and throw it on with tool-free assembly as needed. Since the jeep will be stationary and the rpm will be constant, I should be able to get away with mounting the generator off of the cage rather than the engine. I didn’t have much of a choice, room-wise.

Step one was to create an adjustment slot that incorporated a kip handle. I made a t-nut at work and ordered a cheap 2-pack of handles.

I then drew the proper arcs onto cardboard and painstakingly bent two strips of 1/4” x 3/8” flat bar so they overlayed the drawings perfectly. I welded them together with a 3/8” gap and cleaned up the welds, then ran the inside ends in the mill to give a finished look.

I turned isolator bushings out of a vinyl material I found at work (old rest room divider walls) so the generator is electrically insulated from the jeep. I don’t want any feedback into the generator giving me problems while welding.

The main mount is what gave me the most serious fits. I stared at this spot for days trying to envision something that would work without permanently taking up too much space. The section of tubing I had to work with was angled, arced, and had the sway bar mount partially in the way. This is the foundation I eventually came up with.

I didn’t want the mount for the adjuster arm to be permanently intrusive, so I made that part bolt-on.

The adjustment arm brackets cleaned up and ready for paint.

Test fit

Next up is to find a spot for the filter I removed, then I’ll wire this up, reassemble the front end, and give it a test with the multimeter. Since there was zero paperwork, I have no idea if it’s regulated, or if it needs a certain rpm for proper voltage output.

Good grief, the fab work is amazing.

I'm glad our drunken texting session gave you something to do. I wouldn't want you to be bored.

 

[SoCalNickG]

filter housing for the compressed air. I have yet to figure out where to relocate that to.

Is it possible to tap into the engine's air filter?

 

[ITLKSEZ]

Is it possible to tap into the engine's air filter?

The filter is for the compressed side to filter out water and oil.

I figured it out yesterday after a few trips to the hardware store. Luckily, the local Ace has an incredible discount to school district employees, so $90 in brass fittings ended up being around $22.

I guess we will find out if a Motor Guard filter will work on its side. I don’t see why not. I was able to reuse the existing mount by rearranging all the pieces. I moved the check valve to the unfiltered side and the filter toward the firewall, and it all fit.

 

[sterlclan]

Motor Guard filter will work on its side

yes if you could tip the bottom down a tad that would help but dollar store tp wont care much

 

[ITLKSEZ]

I started thinking about wiring for this generator (technically it is an alternator) and realized I needed some sort of circuit breaker or fuse. I picked up a 5-pack of 15A fuse holders and found the perfect spot for two of them to be hard-mounted.

When I got it to this point, I gave it a try. It works! At least that’s what the multimeter says. It puts out 150v at idle and 250v at 1700RPM. I’ll lower the throttle setting a touch to hold it around 220-230.

Time to tear it all down for paint.
Getting the belt on/off is a chore. It’s getting really tight in there.

 

[ITLKSEZ]

I only have time for a teaser, but here’s an update. The 220v idea was a total bust. I couldn’t get the welder to hold an arc, regardless of rod size or welder setting. I scrapped the whole idea. I tried shipping the eBay model back to Sri Lanka, but shipping was $310!

I’m almost finished with version 3.0. I should’ve done this from the beginning. I’ll try to get a solid update posted tomorrow.

 

[ITLKSEZ]

For decades, I’ve read articles about turning an automotive alternator into a welder, but I never took the time to understand how it worked. Fabrication seems to come easy to me, but electricity is witchcraft. Putting the beaucoup bucks out for a Premier unit was NOT happening (and I’d be paying for a lot of features I just don’t need), so I finally forced myself to sit down and learn. One of the biggest helps was one particular YouTube guy who explained it really well, plus he included links for the parts he used in the caption. I can post the link if anyone’s interested in doing this.

Short version - An alternator puts out 3-phase AC power that is changed to DC via a rectifier, then the voltage is maintained at a constant through the regulator. You can basically turn any alternator into a makeshift welder by bypassing the voltage regulator and sending 12v to the field from an external source.

I’m going a few steps beyond that by removing the small internal rectifier and replacing it with a large external one. I’m also adding a rheostat to control the voltage going to the field, so the power output is less dependent on engine rpm and more on voltage input.

I started with a new 12si alternator from Amazon.
I disassembled the brand new unit to find both brushes were broken.

The missing pieces were nowhere to be found, so it must’ve happened in the factory. Nice.

The new rectifier is going to be inside the cab, so four wires need to come out of the unit and go through the firewall. Three of them are one for each phase coming off the windings. The fourth will be the 12v field feed.

The voltage regulator was kept in place as a spacer but was disabled. New brushes were ordered and installed. One of the brushes gets grounded, and the other gets the 12v feed. Reassembled.

This is a bigger unit than the previous generator, so all of the mounts either had to be modified or rebuilt. The hard mount needed a narrower opening. I used a long bolt to keep the holes on the same plane as the old one.

I got that welded and cleaned up

The slotted arm was made for a 6” raidius on center, and this new case is 6 1/2” with a lot less clearance on the underside. I was able to grind it down, cut it apart, flatten the arms a hair, and re-weld it.

The upper mount was a total loss. It had to be rebuilt from scratch. Process shot…

New on the left, old on the right.

It’s so tall that I had to shave the top flat to fit under the hood.

The new unit installed.

This post is getting long; I’ll put the in-cab half of the setup in another post.

 

[timgr]

...
Short version - An alternator puts out 3-phase AC power that is changed to DC via a rectifier, then the voltage is maintained at a constant through the regulator. ...

Yes. The voltage produced by the alternator output is controlled by the regulator. It has a set point (referenced to a zener diode in the regulator) that measures the voltage across the internal resistance of the battery. The regulator controls the field voltage of the alternator by feedback, which determines the current output of the alternator. It's Ohm's law - output voltage V is the current I made by the alternator across the battery internal resistance R.

The main thing that changes, generator to alternator, is availability of silicon diodes that rectify the alternator output. Semiconductors. The generator must produce direct current; an alternator makes alternating current that is rectified by the diodes into direct current.

Run the field at full voltage and you get a lot of current.

 

[ITLKSEZ]

Part 2.

The one last place I have left to fit anything in this jeep is under the passenger’s seat. The remaining speaker box was in that place, but I rarely ever use the head unit; earbuds are standard equipment anymore. I’ll eventually pull the radio and make a cupholder in its place.

Here’s the massive rectifier that’s replacing the dinky one in the alternator. The quick release weld leads bolt to the +/- posts.

I made a box for all the components that will tuck under the seat. I got a small aluminum heat sink that I cut to size and milled some flat spots for mounting holes. This bolts under the rectifier to help keep things cool. I may or may not add a tiny computer fan to the underside of the heat sinks that turns on with the main switch.

Dress rehearsal

Once the seat is in place, only the leads will be visible from outside without looking under the seat.

I detailed the box and squirted a coat of paint on it today. Hopefully I’ll get it mounted and the wiring completed by tomorrow, and I’ll get to burn some rod.

If this doesn’t work, I give up.

 

[Fireball]

I’ll eventually pull the radio and make a cupholder in its place.

I seem to recall this exact quote from you about adding cupholders to my DJ-3A:

"What’s next, a spot for your purse?"

 

[ITLKSEZ]

I seem to recall this exact quote from you about adding cupholders to my DJ-3A:

"What’s next, a spot for your purse?"

Ok, you got me there

It’s called a murse, thank you very much

 

[tomtom]

Nice work! I posted a few years ago about building something similar. It is still working and has been used for many trail repairs, even a couple on the last ECJ5 Rubicon run I attended a few years ago. I used a CS-144 which you can purchase a rectifier that will fit inside. I originally tried the rheostat but found it wasn't necessary. I use engine RPM to control weld current and that has worked pretty well.

https://www.earlycj5.com/index.php?threads/147501/

 

[Jw60]

Ok, you got me there

It’s called a murse, thank you very much

I use a "flight bag". The strap fits nicely around the stock CJ seat. Good size for a FSM and parts book.

 

[timgr]

Re the broken brushes - more likely someone tried to clock it and did not hold the brushes back using the holes in the case.
Could have been a customer return, though it could be from someone in the repair trade.
Usually regular customers can't return electrical parts, but the repair shops usually can.
Ordered it in, tried to clock it, returned it.
Or maybe an Amazon return.
Where did you buy the alternator?

 

[blalp!]

I seem to recall this exact quote from you about adding cupholders to my DJ-3A:

"What’s next, a spot for your purse?"

“It’s not called a man purse, it’s a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one”