Truck Repairs – Life En Route

Goodbye CarPC, Hello Alpine X110-SLV

by James on July 29, 2017 Comment(s)

This is unfortunately an example of “chasing good money after bad”. I’ve had CarPCs before, and they really work great in the right vehicle. Those vehicles, I now realize, are older ones that don’t rely on the head unit for the level of integration today’s cars do. In addition to losing things like HVAC visibility (not a huge deal), some of the steering wheel controls (Joycon wouldn’t recognize them), and various other small features, the biggest problem I ran into was the $249 Axxess GMOS-MOST-01 harness you have to use with any aftermarket head unit on these trucks kept dying. I was on my second one (first one replaced under warranty), and the third has began having issues with not coming on (have to cycle the ignition a few times) or spontaneously not producing sound. It’s out of warranty now, and needed replacement. To replace it means pulling apart and reassembling part of the dash. Some of the other issues I had were with Windows itself, like poor bluetooth reliability for hands-free calling even with BlueSoleil, the slow and/or non-existent development of applications like Centrafuse or CoPilot (and no support to lower music volume when NAV speaks). CarPCs have their place, but this truck isn’t one of them.

To install the CarPC, I had to cut away some of the interior of the dashboard; portions of it that were used to mount the factory radio components. Also I had sold off some of the factory components to make some of my money back on the CarPC install. Whatever I ended up replacing it with, I knew I’d have to deal with that mess during the install. And there aren’t really any options out there, all rely on the Axxess harness I’ve been having so many issues with. That is except for the Alpine Restyle series. They make highly integrated vehicle-specific factory replacement aftermarket units, but charge an arm and a leg for them.

I’ve had my eye on the Alpine X110-SRV for a while now, but they’re asking way too much at the retail asking price of $4,000. Even their special offer pricing of $2,499 seems extremely steep for what it is, but with the recent overheating issues and the inability to easily return to stock (I’d have to find components, go to a dealer, have them do the install because it would need to be programmed to the vehicle and I don’t have the equipment, etc) I finally broke down and bought it at the special offer price from Crutchfield. Note: I suspect they’ve permanently dropped the price to this, because it wasn’t selling at full MSRP. Or if not, they should consider it.

Anyway, I spent several hours today removing the CarPC and all the cables I ran all over for it, cleaning up some of the ham radio and dashcam cables, and installing the Alpine system. I love it so far, and the NAV has a commercial truck routing mode that I believe will work well for us with the RV. It comes with free HERE map updates, (it better for that price), and I updated the maps to Q1 2017 after the install was done. Both the install and the upgrade process was fairly painless. Of course, that’s partially attributable to the extensive experience gained from messing with the CarPC so much, and the ham installs. I can pull apart the interior pretty quickly now.

Due to the massive 10″ screen, and the controls it adds, I lost the mounting location for my Kenwood TM-D710G head, so I used some tape used for attaching molding to vehicles to stick it to the top of the new head unit. I also used that tape to keep a few components in place during the install, but I was surprisingly impressed with how well everything fit in the dash even after the modifications I had done.

I lose the ability to use CHRIP for programming my ham radios, and to use APRSISCE/32 to visualize APRS locations, but that’s about it. It even has OBDII and can provide additional gauges, engine codes, and such.

Truck Issues – Fixed

Truck Repairs

by James on June 1, 2017 Comment(s)

The other day I mentioned that my truck’s reverse lights were constantly on, and wouldn’t turn off. I checked all sorts of things and ruled out everything from the headache rack, to the in-bed 7-pin adapter, rear bumper, trailer cabling, and connectors. I found water in some of the connectors and thought that was the issue, but removed them and isolated the wires, and the issues continued. I pulled fuses from the fuse box that should have turned the lights off, but they remained on. Eventually, I decided the issue had to be with the fuse box, and that I wasn’t going to mess with that. Unfortunately, I can’t really believe that the dealer would take care of this under warranty, because there are a ton of things I’ve done to the truck that would likely be blamed. So I really wanted to solve this myself.

I suspected was the fuse box, but didn’t want to get that far into it. Ultimately, I decided to pull it today. This is the box sitting on my desk:

I disassembled the box down to the bare circuit board and inspected it for visible damage. There wasn’t any, so I used a multi-meter to probe around for anything that didn’t make sense.

When everything checked out to be what I estimated to be correct, I moved to reassembly. I tested each of the fuses with a multi-meter instead of blindly replacing them, and found a couple with high resistance, so I replaced those. Then I moved on to the relays, and all of them tested fine except for the fan clutch relay, which is completely dead. Upon reinstalling the box, I checked that the fan was running, then removed the relay, and found it no different. I’m guessing that it’s designed to fail in such a way that the fan clutch remains engaged if the relay is bad. I ordered a replacement off Ebay ($21, though the dealer wants $35) and it will be here on Wednesday. Among other issues, I found that the 30A micro J-CASE fuse that provides +12V power to the trailer is blown, which explains why I had some of the battery issues a while back. When I couldn’t find the the right size fuse at an auto store or on Amazon, I looked online and found that it’s an odd size, with a GM part number, and that a lot of people seem to recommend carrying spares if you tow a lot. They tend to go often. Again, Ebay to the rescue. Something like $2/ea from a dealer and I ordered two.

With the fuse box ruled out, I almost gave up, but had the idea to disconnect the backup camera that sits inside the tailgate. I’ve moved it around from OEM tailgate -> Fifth Wheel Tailgate -> New Tailgate (different, upcoming post) and figured it might have gotten damaged. Sure enough, when unplugged, the reverse light goes out, and lights operate as expected.

I ordered a replacement camera off a dealer on Ebay for $115, and went to Amazon and spent another $100 on all new 7-Pin connectors and wiring for under the truck. Even though they weren’t the issue, I don’t trust them now that they’ve been filled with water and began to corrode, and would rather play it safe and replace them than lose my trailer breaks while heading down the highway. Those parts should be in this weekend.

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There is still the issue of an outstanding recall on my truck, which is a software flash to address an air bag deployment issue, and I have a free oil change still owed to me. Once I have the truck back to fully operational, I’ll schedule those and take it in.

Truck Issues

Truck Repairs

by James on May 28, 2017 Comment(s)

I pulled into the driveway a couple days ago, and my neighbor ran over to inform me that my reverse lights are constantly on. Sure enough, they were. The first thing I decided to check were the 7-pin connectors under the truck, that supply power to the 7-pin connector in the bed as well as the headache rack. I found that they were all somehow full of water. Looks like once I get everything fixed, I’ll have to do some additional work to waterproof them. But after a bit of diagnosis, I’m fairly certain that the issue is the fuse box itself. There is continuity between some of the trailer fuses where there shouldn’t be. I pulled off all the connectors and separated the wires at the back of the truck, so I know that those aren’t the issue. So that, really, just leaves the fuse box or maybe a BCM issue. I decided I’ll take it into the dealer and let them deal with it. Hopefully under warranty, but we’ll see since they can probably blame it on me somehow.

I also need to take it in for a recall (airbags) and will probably take advantage of one of the free oil changes they included with purchase while in there.

Hitch Maintenance

by James on May 1, 2017 Comment(s)

My TrailerSaver BD3 hitch has been looking pretty rough. I spray the moving components with white lithium grease every trip, and coat the kingpin with heavy grease. It sits in the rain and sun, uncovered, when not in use. Maybe I should look at getting their $95 cover for it – but for now, I pull it and touch up the paint whenever it starts getting faded or rusty. The cover is vinyl and would probably only last a couple years, so I’m not sure it is worth it.

I also decided to add the slider back into the mix. Since adding the headache rack, I know of at least one time I’ve hit the truck and trailer together when backing. There just isn’t enough angle there to shoehorn the trailer into some of the tighter spaces without making contact. Fortunately, the headache rack does a lot better job than the C pillar at keeping form, and no damage was done. If I recall correctly, the slider weighs in around 80#.

I ordered a 2-Ton Engine Hoist from Harbor Freight when I found a coupon for 20% off and $6.99 shipping. To my door, it’ll run right around $200. I’ll be using it from now on to move the hitch and other heavy items in and out of the truck, so the hitch will remain on the table until it comes in.

Preventative Maintenance

by James on March 25, 2017 Comment(s)

I mentioned the other day in my Waterless Wash and Welding Project post that I was considering a lift pump for my truck. I’ve been working to catch up on preventative maintenance for everything, which includes new engine oil and filters for both trucks (Amsoil Signature for the Frontier and Amsoil Signature Max Duty for the Duramax), Amsoil filters, tire rotations, new OEM spin-on Allison transmission filter, OEM fuel filter, greasing and checking torque where applicable, etc. Painting over rusted frame areas (mostly on the RV) and cleaning out the holding tanks because the sensors aren’t reading reliably. I’m trying to decide what kind of interval to follow on the transmission and differential oils for the Duramax, since the initial transmission oil is supposed to be good to 45K under “severe operating conditions”, and there is no official statement for the differential. I’m thinking I’ll wait another year and swap both out to Amsoil synthetics around 25K.

I used Ebay’s “Best Offer” feature to pit several dealers against one another with the goal of a good discount off the lift pump. I didn’t quite get where I wanted, but paid enough under retail to cover the costs of fuel line disconnect tools, a 16oz manual transfer pump, new center punch, and a couple bottles of Liquid Wrench dry lubricant to use on the RV slides. All in all, not a terrible deal. I’m concerned about water in my fuel because the exposed, vented cap for the transfer tank is always filled with water (internally) after it rains. It gets into the vent and has to make its way into the fuel. Adding a large fuel/water separator and additional fuel filter seems a good idea. That should be in next week and I may detail the install on here when I get around to it.

I’ve also been working to gather the parts needed to convert the generator in the RV from propane to gas, and now only need the fuel tank. I’m having issues finding one that will fit where I want it, so am not sure exactly how to proceed. I do have an aftermarket electric fuel pump and all the differing components between the propane and gasoline generators according to the parts diagrams, sitting on a shelf in my garage. Once I find the tank it should be a quick job to change it over. And (possibly) last, I have warm windows filling, fabric, and all the miscellaneous materials to make insulated roman shades for the RV sitting at the house, and need to break out the sewing machine and get to work. We’d really like to have them done by the time the heat of summer comes along.

Recovery from dropped 5’er

by James on November 18, 2016 Comment(s)

After dropping our trailer on my toolbox and tailgate, I ordered some replacements. The new toolbox I chose doesn’t fit all my tools, but that was a given, but allows me to organize the ones I carry a bit better. There is still some work to be done, but I tossed some tools in to get ready for the trip we’re taking this weekend. Some tools, such as my 1/2″ torque wrench and socket set, are too long to fit in the new toolbox, but fortunately they were able to move into the limited storage space on top of the RDS transfer tank.

Test fitting the toolbox. A couple adjustments made before bolting it down, but close:

New tailgate in place. Backup camera installed, too. Had to take a mallet to the sides of the truck bed because the studs that grab the tailgate were sitting at an angle after the drop. You can’t really tell now, though.

This drawer is awesome. Wish I had more of them. I’m going to try and find some way to put sliding trays into the bay doors on either side. Wish I had the tools to weld aluminum. Maybe I’ll look into that soon…

The left bay holds wrenches, screwdrivers, power tools, and all sorts of bits.

The right bay is mostly fluids, chemicals, air hoses/ chucks, and jumper cables. I carry spare DEF, Diesel Kleen, Diesel 911, brake fluid, WD-40 and WD-40 Specialist, a couple types of grease, and more in the box.

The width of the toolbox didn’t leave enough room to hook up the electrical. Fortunately, I expected that and grabbed a 2′ extension with a right angle on the end. With a little trimming of the cover, it fits well.

Dropped 5’er…

by James on November 13, 2016 Comment(s)

Well, I hear it happens to everyone at some point, but I dropped the 5’er yesterday. We are using a Hensley BD3 hitch. Here is what it looks like.

You can see that at the top left of the hitch, there is a copper bar jutting out. It has three positions: 10 o’clock is unlocked, 9 o’clock is auto-lock, and 8 o’clock is locked. I store the hitch in auto-lock, and check it every time I’m in the truck bed for whatever reason. When it is in auto-lock, when you back into the trailer, you hear it pop into the locked position with a fairly loud bang, and it forces the jaws to remain closed. The king pin on the trailer itself is what actuates the jaws into the locked position so that what is effectively a metal block connected to the lever can slip between them. You can put a padlock through there for extra security. I usually do and double check the bar position when doing this, but since we were only going to drive around the block to test the brakes I didn’t bother with the padlock.

When I hooked up, I heard what I thought was the auto-lock pop, and got out, verified that the jaws were closed, even did a pull test! before pulling up the jacks, but did not check that it was in the locked position. I assumed, based on the other criteria, it was good. Going about 10mph, about 50′ later, I heard a loud bang. The trailer had pulled out of the hitch and the king pin was resting on my toolbox, and underbelly of the fiver resting on the side of the truck bed and the tailgate. When I looked at the hitch, it was in the 10 o’clock (unlocked) position!

I put down the landing jacks and pulled out from under it so I could survey the damage. I was very lucky – aside from the tailgate, the truck was fine. The toolbox was also sacrificed. But the trailer didn’t have any visible damage that I could see. It could have been a whole lot worse.

Looking online, there are tons of takeoffs for tailgates, but none in black that have lift assist (which is required to directly replace mine) to be found. I found some white ones with the same features as my OEM tailgate for close to $1,000, but they’ll still require painting. I don’t want to file an insurance claim on this but want to keep my out of pocket costs reasonable. I decided to take a look at aftermarket options. Most of the louvered tailgates out there do not preserve the OEM backup camera, but I use mine a lot and really want to keep it. I thought about retrofitting and aftermarket camera that mounts on the license plate frame to the OEM harness, but when I found a Husky aluminum tailgate that preserves it, I decided to go that route. The only issue is that the tailgate only comes in silver, but it is a “paintable” finish, so I picked up four cans of Dupli-Color Perfect Match automotive acrylic spray paint to match it to the truck. That paint is ridiculous at $12 per 8oz can, but cheaper than a professional job and on a louvered tailgate, should come acceptably nice.

The tailgate itself is fully featured, and retains lift assist and the backup camera. It uses a different locking mechanism, so the electric tailgate lock won’t work, but since it is a fifth wheel tailgate that won’t be an issue. The fifth wheel tailgates have a slot in them for the king pin to flow through, so you don’t have to open and close it when hooking up. It uses a toolbox keying cylinder, so once I get everything in I’ll rekey both of my toolboxes and tailgate to use the same key based on the keys used in the second toolbox I’m buying, since it has three cylinders.

I really liked my custom toolbox, but have been having issues with organization. In a huge chest like that, small items tend to get lost. Since I had to redo it, I decided to look at other options. I found a Brute fifth wheel toolbox fits all the needs nicely.

The Brute toolbox will sit right below the tonneau rails on my truck, actually underneath them, but does not open upward, so it can be a bit longer. In fact, it goes almost from one side of the truck to the other. It will block off the umbilical cord attachment point, so I bought a 2′ right-angle extension to run the plug up closer to the hitch. It is pictured above in polished aluminum, but I purchased it in black. There are a couple things, mainly my socket set and 1/2″ torque wrench, that won’t fit into the box so I will be storing them in the small compartment in the top of my RDS fuel tank. The drawer will be great for storing gloves, tape, and other small items I keep losing in my toolbox now. And it maintains the pass through area so that it won’t interfere with the trailer.

This was an expensive mistake, but could have been a lot worse since I’m getting out of it for around $1,300.

Paintless Dent Repair

Truck Repairs

by James on October 13, 2016 Comment(s)

We caused major dents in each of our vehicles over the last week, so I bought a cheap ($50) paintless dent repair kit off Amazon. It consists of a bar/puller, a bunch of glue-on pads, a large hot glue gun, some glue sticks, spatulas, and a little bottle that you fill with rubbing alcohol. This was my first time using one of these kits.

The first dent can be seen in this photo. It was from a runaway rolling spare tire that Kelly tried to pick and move, but let go of. It rolled into the rear passenger door of her Frontier:

This took two pulls with the pad to get out, but you can’t really see it at all anymore.

She also had a door ding on the other side that I pulled out with similar results.

On my truck, I crushed in part of the cab with the trailer while seeing how sharp I could turn a few days ago. I didn’t take any before photos, but it was substantially caved in. It doesn’t look perfect, but after about five pulls I was able to get it almost back to normal. With more work it could be even better, but I was working on this in full sun on a 90° afternoon, and decided enough was enough.

Overall I’d say that the kit does a very good job and I’m satisfied with the results. I’ll probably go back and work on my truck some more but believe me when I say it is an substantial improvement. On another note, you can see in the photos that I bought a new CB antenna and a “matching” scanner antenna, to put on the opposite side. I think they will look a lot better than the Firestiks, even if they’re a foot shorter and do take away from range. I was able to achieve a perfect SWR with the new CB antenna.

Pdr tools, SUNCARLE® 40 Pcs Dent Removel Paintless Dent Repair Kit -Glue Gun Glue Sticks T Bar

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