Habitat

Our list of truck work from this past week seemed small to us when we typed it up. There has been a lot going on getting ready for our upcoming trip(s). It is impressive how all the small details take time (getting new keys made, mail forwarding considerations, doctor’s appointments, weeding the yard, insurance updates, etc.). We are planning to do several local test trips to make sure everything is working well, and we were able to do the first test trip this week. It went really well and we identified some changes that we wanted to make for small item storage and provisioning.

First Night Out

First Night Out

First Night Out

Also this week, Yvonne tested out her sewing machine on the inverter. Long story short, her sewing machine didn’t like inverter power and we ended up trying 4 different inverters and 4 different sewing machines. It turns out that some sewing machines are just incredibly picky about power quality, even from a high quality, high capacity pure sine wave inverter. The good news is that we now have a nice Victron pure sine wave inverter and Yvonne has a new “travel” sewing machine that is perfectly happy running off of the Victron inverter. All good news as we near the home stretch of preparations.

New Victron Pure Sine Wave Inverter

New Victron Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Testing New Sewing Machine

• Took truck on short road trip
• Inspected truck after trip
  • No leaks, everything looked good
• Packed under subframe storage boxes
• Started designing bathroom door
• Purchased spare fluids for truck
• Installed new Victron inverter
• Installed cargo tiedown straps in underbed storage area
• Started testing sewing machine ergonomics and function
• Started fabricating bathroom door
• Finished layout of bathroom door
• Added pressure relief valve to electric air compressor manifold
• Lots of trip preparation and logistics planning/organizing
• Final bonded bathroom door
• First test trip
• Laid out all mounting holes on door
• Applied first coat of paint on door
• Purchased and installed additional containers for provisioning and organization
• Moved in clothing
• Received National Parks pass
• Cut and urethane sealed oak bathroom door trim
• Final bonded and assembled bathroom door
• Installed bathroom door with mirror, waste basket, door handle, closing spring and towel bars

Took truck on short road trip (grocery store pit stop)

Took truck on short road trip

Packed under subframe storage boxes

Packed under subframe storage boxes

Packed under subframe storage boxes

Packed under subframe storage boxes

Added pressure relief valve to electric air compressor manifold

Added pressure relief valve to electric air compressor manifold

Cooking dinner during first test trip

Started fabricating bathroom door

Finished layout of bathroom door

Laid out all mounting holes on door

Final bonded and assembled bathroom door

Final bonded and assembled bathroom door

Installed bathroom door with mirror, waste basket, door handle, closing spring and towel bars

Installed bathroom door with mirror, waste basket, door handle, closing spring and towel bars

• Started trip route planning
• Replaced cabinet hinge pins with small stainless steel bolts and lock nuts
• Added foam shock cushion to air heater fuel pump mount
• Added footman’s loops and Velcro straps to secure kitchen cabinet doors
• Modified/improved engine pre-heater switch mounting in truck cab
• Turned off axle fording air supply (turned off air regulator)
• Researched:
  • Other locking fuel tank cap options
  • Air heater ducting insulation
  • Speedometer upgrade options
  • Entry ladder modifications and storing options
  • Electric air compressor wiring modification
  • Engine pre-heater use procedure
• Bonded and cut foam for Fantastic Vent plug
• Fabricated pour spout for gallon alcohol cans (for stove fuel)
• Organized spare parts, extra material, and provisioning
• Researched electronic maps for route planning
• Received 2019 Milepost Alaska trip planning book
• Corresponded with electronic speedometer company
• Ordered programmable electronic speedometer and sending unit
• Filled, pressurized, and tested fresh water system
• Filled and test drained gray water tank system
• Rewired inside of ARB air compressor
• Ordered and received material for new speedometer bezel
• Ordered, received, and installed food grade rubber hose for faucet to sink
• Received and installed new locking fuel cap
• Purchase pneumatic components for air compressor installation
• Purchased hose to drain gray water tank
• Received heater duct insulation
• Installed heater duct insulation
• Fabricated rubber compressor mount pad
• Installed electric air compressor
• Plumbed air compressor into truck pneumatic system
• Started routing air compressor wiring
• Started laying out new folding ladder design
• Ordered and received components for auxiliary air take-off system
• Purchased wheels for new folding ladder base
• Removed and cleaned section of forward gladhand stainless steel line from truck pneumatic system
• Added regulated air take-off from high pressure side of truck pneumatic system
• Removed old speedometer and speedometer calibration gearbox from transmission
• Cleaned up speedometer calibration gearbox
• Cut up (newly purchased) folding ladder to make parts for new folding habitat ladder
• Machined new Delrin bezel for fitting new speedometer in old dash panel hole
• Started bolting new habitat ladder together
• Fabricated compression plugs for inside tubes of new ladder assembly
• Finished wiring electric air compressor
• Tested electric air compressor and filled truck tanks with engine turned off
• Started fabricating ladder wheel mounts
• Received new programmable electronic speedometer
• Wired lights for new speedometer
• Fabricated wiring harness for new speedometer
• Fabricated steel upper mounting tabs for new ladder
• Modified existing habitat ladder mount to accommodate old and new ladders
• Re-installed ladder mount on habitat sub-frame
• TIG welded new ladder mounting bar assembly
• Match drilled pit-pin holes in new ladder mounting bar assembly
• Sand blasted and painted new ladder mounting bar assembly
• Wired and installed speedometer
• Finished fabricating ladder wheel mounts
• Sewed cloth cover for Fantastic vent fan plug
• Received hall effect sending unit for speedometer
• Sewed drawstring bag for portable propane stove regulator
• Sewed drawstring bag for portable propane stove
• Started designing transmission mount for speedometer sending unit
• Started planning local test trips
• Started populating truck with provisioning goods
• Finished fabricating new folding entry ladder (new folding ladder also doubles as a step ladder)
• Added footman’s loops under bed for securing cargo
• Tested stowing and setting up sewing machine and OLFA cutting mat
• Tested invertors and decided to purchase pure sine wave invertor
• Tested hall effect sensor proximity range
• Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit
• Bench assembled and tested hall effect sensor assembly for speedometer
• Installed hall effect sensor sending unit assembly for speedometer
• Opened up padlock hole for securing spare tire
• Designed bathroom door
• Made bond test sample for bathroom door assembly
• Working toward making final orders to prepare for departure
• Calibrated speedometer using GPS and radar speed indicator
• Purchased bathroom door material

Replaced cabinet hinge pins with small stainless steel bolts and lock nuts

Modified and improved engine pre-heater switch mounting in truck cab

Turned off axle fording air supply (turned off air regulator)

Turned off axle fording air supply (turned off air regulator)

Bonded and cut foam for Fantastic Vent plug

Sewed cloth cover for Fantastic vent fan plug

Filled, pressurized, and tested fresh water system

Ordered, received, and installed food grade rubber hose for faucet to sink

Filled and test drained gray water tank system

Purchased hose to drain gray water tank

Rewired inside of ARB air compressor

Fabricated rubber compressor mount pad

Fabricated rubber compressor mount pad

Installed electric air compressor

Removed and cleaned section of forward gladhand stainless steel line from truck pneumatic system

Ordered and received components for auxiliary air take-off system

Added regulated air take-off from high pressure side of truck pneumatic system

Added regulated air take-off from high pressure side of truck pneumatic system

Added regulated air take-off from high pressure side of truck pneumatic system

Tested electric air compressor and filled truck tanks with engine turned off

Received and installed new locking fuel cap

Received and installed new locking fuel cap

Received and installed new locking fuel cap

Removed and cleaned old speedometer and speedometer calibration gearbox from transmission

Removed and cleaned old speedometer and speedometer calibration gearbox from transmission

Removed and cleanded old speedometer and speedometer calibration gearbox from transmission

Received new programmable electronic speedometer

Ordered and received material for new speedometer bezel

Machined new Delrin bezel for fitting new speedometer in old dash panel hole

Machined new Delrin bezel for fitting new speedometer in old dash panel hole

Machined new Delrin bezel for fitting new speedometer in old dash panel hole

Machined new Delrin bezel for fitting new speedometer in old dash panel hole

Wired lights for new speedometer

Wired and installed speedometer

Received hall effect sending unit for speedometer

Tested hall effect sensor proximity range

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Fabricated hall effect sensor mount for speedometer sending unit

Started laying out new folding ladder design

Cut up (newly purchased) folding ladder to make parts for new folding habitat ladder

Started bolting new habitat ladder together

Fabricated compression plugs for inside tubes of new ladder assembly

Fabricated compression plugs for inside tubes of new ladder assembly

Fabricated compression plugs for inside tubes of new ladder assembly

Fabricated steel upper mounting tabs for new ladder

TIG welded new ladder mounting bar assembly

Sand blasted and painted new ladder mounting bar assembly

Sand blasted and painted new ladder mounting bar assembly

Sand blasted and painted new ladder mounting bar assembly

Purchased wheels for new folding ladder base

Started fabricating ladder wheel mounts

Finished fabricating ladder wheel mounts

Finished fabricating new folding entry ladder

Finished fabricating new folding entry ladder

Finished fabricating new folding entry ladder

Modified existing habitat ladder mount to accommodate old and new ladders

Modified existing habitat ladder mount to accommodate old and new ladders

Re-installed ladder mount on habitat sub-frame

Finished fabricating new folding entry ladder

New folding ladder also doubles as a step ladder

Received heater duct insulation

Installed heater duct insulation

Opened up padlock hole for securing spare tire

Made bond test sample for bathroom door assembly

Sewed drawstring bag for portable propane stove regulator

Sewed drawstring bag for portable propane stove

Sewed drawstring bag for portable propane stove

Tested stowing and setting up sewing machine and OLFA cutting mat

• Added additional heater duct in kitchen wall
• Tested heater configuration
• Increased max regulated engine speed from 2600 to 2750 rpm
• Advanced engine injection timing by 2 degrees
• Increased injection fuel delivery to ~170 hp setting
• Tested driving performance after upgrades: noticeable improvement in hill climb / acceleration
• Purchased tools and materials
• Applied Wabi-Sabi Overland vinyl decals to habitat and truck
• Drilled holes in water Jerry cans
• Installed machined barb bulkhead fittings in water Jerry cans
• Leak checked water Jerry cans
• Stowed water Jerry cans in habitat
• Received:
  • Front portal tank upgrades
  • Drive train boots
  • Portal axle fluid
• Drove truck to heat up fluids
• Drained transmission for 2nd fluid change
• Drained front portal hubs
• Removed front portal vents
• Test fit new front portal reservoirs
• Purchased:
  • Copper crush washers
  • Permatex for drive shaft boot install
• Started making hardware kit for portal tank upgrade
• Drilled holes in portal tank caps
• Machined portal tank dipstick pins
• Machined portal tank vent return tubes
• Welded dipsticks
• Welded vent return tubes
• Turned down cap screws for inner most portal tank cover holes
• Installed new front portal tanks
• Plumbed front portal vents
• Filled front portal vents
• Drained residual fluid out of transmission
• Sealed and installed transmission drain plugs
• Removed old drive shaft boots
• Prepped and installed new drive shaft boots
• Refilled transmission with new fluid

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Increased max regulated engine speed, advanced engine injection timing, and increased injection fuel delivery

Applied Wabi-Sabi Overland vinyl decals to truck and habitat

Applied Wabi-Sabi Overland vinyl decals to truck and habitat

Drilled holes in water Jerry cans

Drilled holes in water Jerry cans

Installed machined barb bulkhead fittings in water Jerry cans

Installed machined barb bulkhead fittings in water Jerry cans

Fabricated and installed water pick up tubes

Fabricated and installed water pick up tubes

Leak checked water Jerry cans

Stowed water Jerry cans in habitat

Received front portal tank upgrades

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Machined and welded portal tank dipstick pins

Installed new front portal tanks

Installed new front portal tanks

Plumbed front portal vents

Filled front portals with fluid

Drove truck to heat up fluids

Drove truck to heat up fluids

Drove truck to heat up fluids

Received drive train boots

Removed forward drive shaft boot

Removed rear drive shaft boot

New and old drive shaft boots

Installed new forward drive shaft boot

Installed new rear drive shaft boot

Refilled transmission with new fluid

• Machined sink drain adapter
• Installed sink drain and connected to drain hose
• Tested sink drain and checked for leaks
• Installed anti-rattle straps on under subframe storage boxes
• Took measurements for driver side accessory palette
• Started looking at design changes to our driver side accessory palette
• Started sequencing and planning final phase of truck build
• Moved truck back to shop
• Drained engine oil, transmission fluid, and differential oil
• Ordered fuel filters
• Verified correct oil filters on hand
• Verified correct replacement fluids and quantities
• Reviewed brake bleeding procedure for power bleeder
• Purchased engine oil
• Ordered DOT4 brake fluid
• Filled differentials with Redline 75W-90 (GL-5)
• Drained transfer case
• Drained engine oil filter
• Replaced oil filter and filled engine with oil (Rotella 15W-40)
• Torqued lug nuts
• Removed and replaces clutch drain
• Reduced tire pressure to 55psi
• Fit checked auxiliary diesel tank
• Identified small power steering hose leak
• Disposed of unneeded oil
• Test rain engine to check for leaks and oil level
• Filled transmission with Redline MT-85 (GL-4)
• Checked hubs, differentials, and clutch plug for oil leaks
• Inspected steering linkages
• Reviewed brake bleeding procedure in Mercedes manual
• Inspected rubber drive shaft boots
• Evaluated options for adjusting steering box
• Disposed of additional oil
• Picked up brake fluid
• Bled brakes

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Machined sink drain adapter

Installed sink drain and connected to drain hose

Installed sink drain and connected to drain hose

Installed sink drain and connected to drain hose

Tested sink drain and checked for leaks

Installed anti-rattle straps on under subframe storage boxes

Installed anti-rattle straps on under subframe storage boxes

Moved truck back to shop

Moved truck back to shop

Drained engine oil, transmission fluid, and differential oil

Filled transmission with Redline MT-85 (GL-4)

Drained engine oil, transmission fluid, and differential oil

Filled differentials with Redline 75W-90 (GL-5)

Filled differentials with Redline 75W-90 (GL-5)

Bled brakes

Bled brakes

Bled brakes

Torqued lug nuts

Reduced tire pressure to 55psi

Replaced oil filter and filled engine with oil (Rotella 15W-40)

Replaced oil filter and filled engine with oil (Rotella 15W-40)

Test rain engine to check for leaks and oil level