Disc brake conversion mod

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Can anyone tell me where they hid the junction box for the 7way plug?
My 7 way wire goes thru the side of the pinbox mount and I dont see anywhere in the front storage compartment, the side propane area or anywhere in the basement/pass thru storage where the wires are running. And I got all the walls taken out I the basement and still ca t find anything

Remove the light on the overhand that is on the driver side of the trailer. Underneath you’ll see a 1” hole with all the wires inside.

[Bookemdanno]

Tom always comes to the rescue!!!

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Bookemdanno

Tom always comes to the rescue!!!

Lol [emoji41]

[Lake Huron]

Thanks for the quick response Tom!!! You must have heard me all the way up here in Michigan cussing and swearing at the guy who thought it was a good idea to hide it like this. I bet I searched for a half hour or more before I decided to post for some help. Again, you were right and that's exactly where it was.

Look closely at the brown wire. You can see the insulation got shaved off and bare copper is showing.
I'm going to pull it all out and mount a junction box inside the pinbox area to make things a whole lot easier.

Now, working for a communications company, this is what I deal with nearly every day;

To most, that pic is absolutely mind boggling how someone can figure out that rainbow colored spaghetti mess. To me it's a piece of cake. Now, you'd think a guy that can easily make heads and tails out of something like that would figure out the splicing of 7 simple wires. I bet I stared at it for 20 minutes trying to figure out what wires came from where and went to where and what wires I need to tap into and run to my pump. I still have no idea where those wires run from the pinbox area and go back into the trailer. I did get a pull string fished from the pinbox area into the front storage, so I got SOMETHING accomplished tonite.
Thanks again for the help!!

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Thanks for the quick response Tom!!! You must have heard me all the way up here in Michigan cussing and swearing at the guy who thought it was a good idea to hide it like this. I bet I searched for a half hour or more before I decided to post for some help. Again, you were right and that's exactly where it was.

Attachment 56865

Look closely at the brown wire. You can see the insulation got shaved off and bare copper is showing.

I'm going to pull it all out and mount a junction box inside the pinbox area to make things a whole lot easier.



Now, working for a communications company, this is what I deal with nearly every day;

Attachment 56864

To most, that pic is absolutely mind boggling how someone can figure out that rainbow colored spaghetti mess. To me it's a piece of cake. Now, you'd think a guy that can easily make heads and tails out of something like that would figure out the splicing of 7 simple wires. I bet I stared at it for 20 minutes trying to figure out what wires came from where and went to where and what wires I need to tap into and run to my pump. I still have no idea where those wires run from the pinbox area and go back into the trailer. I did get a pull string fished from the pinbox area into the front storage, so I got SOMETHING accomplished tonite.

Thanks again for the help!!

No problem! I can tell you fishing a wire from pinbox to the front compartment is no easy task. I got lucky when I did mine. It only took 5-10 minutes. Others have had no luck at all.

As for the junction box rewiring, I’ve thought of doing something like this before.

[Bones1]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

No problem! I can tell you fishing a wire from pinbox to the front compartment is no easy task. I got lucky when I did mine. It only took 5-10 minutes. Others have had no luck at all.

As for the junction box rewiring, I’ve thought of doing something like this before.
Attachment 56868Attachment 56867Attachment 56866

Doing it like this always makes it easier. At least with this you can put a new pigtail on easily. I had this on my last trailer but not the four way flasher flash feature.

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

No problem! I can tell you fishing a wire from pinbox to the front compartment is no easy task. I got lucky when I did mine. It only took 5-10 minutes. Others have had no luck at all.

As for the junction box rewiring, I’ve thought of doing something like this before.
Attachment 56868Attachment 56867Attachment 56866

Tom, that's the neatest thing I've seen. I like the springy wire. Is that a kit you can purchase?

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

Tom, that's the neatest thing I've seen. I like the springy wire. Is that a kit you can purchase?

Actually I think you can. It was a mod from a guy on the forum of my previous trailer. I’ll look for a link or at least a parts list.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

No problem! I can tell you fishing a wire from pinbox to the front compartment is no easy task. I got lucky when I did mine. It only took 5-10 minutes. Others have had no luck at all.

As for the junction box rewiring, I’ve thought of doing something like this before.
Attachment 56868Attachment 56867Attachment 56866

I did that junction box mod just before my disc brake conversion.


Earl

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by AKRUEBBE

Tom, that's the neatest thing I've seen. I like the springy wire. Is that a kit you can purchase?

Here is the coiled wire. It’s actually for a big rig. You’ll need to cut off the ends and wire in a new plug. Be aware that the color of the wires inside the insulation may not match what’s on the trailer.

[Lake Huron]

I found this on etrailer

https://www.etrailer.com/search/Coiled+7+way

I my be getting one too.

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

I found this on etrailer

https://www.etrailer.com/search/Coiled+7+way

I my be getting one too.

The one I posted is a 12’ version. The guy who did the mod on the Heartland forum tested 3 versions and claimed the one he got from Etrailer was kinda stiff and hard to uncoil, which put excess stress on the trucks 7 pin outlet. He claims the big rig one was the softest and easiest to stretch. Something to consider

[Lake Huron]

So today, we got up early and made a road trip into the big Motor City to the brake hose shop. I took my pump, fittings, hoses, and a caliper. I showed them how I was plumbing it out and we made a couple improvisions with some fittings and they said everything looked good. They are going to make the hoses to the length and color I need/want and ship them to me. Shipping is gonna be cheaper than the $2.35/gal I'd waste having to drive back there.
Today I got the wiring splice in the pinbox area relocated to inside the pinbox, a junction box installed and some wires fished thru the overhead into the front storage area. Started getting dark and cold so I called it a day. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and another day I can hopefully get a lot wrapped up on this.

[Lake Huron]

I got the lines, niccop, all run and secured. Wiring is all run and connected in the pinbox and waiting to connect to the pump. Just waiting on the custom brake hoses.
I decided to grab the rotors and replace the Chinese races with my Timken's. This is how they strike again. I've done races before and never had ones this difficult before. I've completely ruined a race driver disc. I have to use a 3/4 drive socket and short extension to get the outer race out and a punch to get the inner race out. I tried a brass punch and have destroyed that so I used a 1/4 steel one to get them out. On the second rotor the inside race was in so tight even the steel one is having a hard time. I got it about half way out and the punch slipped off when I hit it and the 5# hammer I was using smashed my thumb. I was wearing gloves which helped but.. I was dancing around like an Indian on hot coals and cussing. I pulled my glove off and blood went all over my truck parked in the garage, all over the garage floor and a blood trail into the house right to the kitchen sink.
I went to work today, banged it once this morning and it was bleeding like a stuck pig all over again. That's when the decision was made to visit the ER. Ends up I shattered the end of my thumb bone. I see an orthopedic tomorrow and go from there.

[RoadrunnerII]

Only one response
Owwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Blue and gray smoke in air!
Sorry to hear you mangled your thumb!
Have smashed digits myself but not with a 5 lber
Hope you recover quickly

RoadrunnerII

[Mopar_Earl]

That sucks ass! You will bump that thumb for pain for the next 6 months.
I use a mini sludge hammer and HD steel punches to drive the old races out. Makes quick work of if, especially if you go even. Air hammers work too if you have a good one. Just be sure to use a flat punch. A lot of the air hammer punches tend to be pointed.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

A punch holder helps with preventing smashed fingers too.


Earl

[Lake Huron]

Punch holder? Like someone else's fingers? Lol!

To finish these off my buddy has a 20 ton press and hes gonna do it the easy way for me.

[Lake Huron]

So here's a few pics of the hard lines run. These were done pre dumb dumb injury.
For some reason the pics make the lines look like crap, like they are all run crooked and such but it's the shadows. I got them straightened out with a straight edge and they look WAY better in real life. The first pic is sideways again, sorry.

[Lake Huron]

Being laid up is REALLY making me stir crazy. I don't know how people with COVID can stay quarantined inside for 2 weeks.
Today I couldnt take it any more. I went out and looked some things over and just had to do something. So I started into it, I mean the work fairies, yeah, yeah, that's it, work fairies. The "fairies" took the old front drum off and backer plate. Removed the old studs and instead of using the supplied 3/8-24 bolts, replaced them with some 3/8-24 bolts with a shoulder on the that fits thru the mounting flange on the axle and the caliper mounting bracket. The supplied bolts were just straight thread with no shoulder. The new bolts got a flat washer added to the lock washer and nut combo. Some blue Loctite was also added and they were torqued in 3 steps of 25, 30, and 35ftlbs. Some Markal yellow security paint was also added. One hub rotor was completed before the injury, so the fairies got the new Timken bearings packed old school style with some Amsoil NGLI2 grease, inner seal installed and installed on the spindle. After the install is complete and the brakes are burnished in, itll go for a 40-50 mile trip and recheck the bearings.








The fairies called it a nite and work will resume once we get the new replacement hub rotors so we can take them to a buddy's place and let him press out the Chinese races and install the replacement Timken's. All that's left after that is the removal of 3 drums and backers, install new caliper mounts, pack bearings and install hub rotors, install calipers and hoses, tighten all the fittings, mount the pump and connect the wiring, bleed the system, and take it for a test drive/brake burnish.
Hopefully things show up in the next few days and the fairies can come back to work next week when the weather turns nice again.