[ausev] This weekend?

[mark witt]

That sounds cool..I could get a couple more. At the very least they would 
allow us to position the truck a bit in the garage. How about anyone who 
wants to drop by anytime after Noon on Sunday. I'll throw a few hotdogs on 
the electric grill for those that couldn't get into Furrs. I think I'll put 
an extra fan out in the garage as well!...Witt


>From: "Chris Robison" <eeyore at phototropia.org>
>Reply-To: eeyore at phototropia.org,        AustinEV announcements list 
><ausev at austinev.org>
>To: "AustinEV announcements list" <ausev at austinev.org>
>Subject: Re: [ausev] This weekend?
>Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 19:24:20 -0500 (CDT)
>
>Looks like I've got something that's going to take a chunk out of the
>middle of Sunday, from about 2pm until 3 or so.   I can arrive early
>though, and come back when I'm done.
>
>If just raising the truck a few inches would help it to clear a battery
>pack sitting just above the ground, I have two of my wheel casters (you
>put them under the truck wheels to allow the truck to be pushed around),
>they might raise the truck high enough to allow it to be pushed off of the
>lowered pack.  I can bring them on Sunday.
>
>   --chris
>
>
>
>On Thu, August 3, 2006 4:43 pm, mark witt said:
> > Hi...I like the idea about taking our time. Also I sold my motorcycle 
>and
> > cleared out a nice big area in my garage. I have the batteries on the
> > right
> > side near the garage door so they are out of the way. I would be willing
> > to
> > invest in some good stands and other equipment that will make it easier.
> > How
> > about we meet at my garage sometime on Sunday and forge a plan and 
>figure
> > the best way to proceed. What would be a good time for those that could
> > make
> > it?
> >     I could also start to procure a few things Friday and Sat. if we
> > thought
> > we would actually drop it on Sunday. Thoughts? Witt
> >
> >
> >>From: "Aaron Choate" <achoate at gmail.com>
> >>Reply-To: AustinEV announcements list <ausev at austinev.org>
> >>To: eeyore at phototropia.org, "AustinEV announcements list"
> >><ausev at austinev.org>
> >>Subject: Re: [ausev] This weekend?
> >>Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 16:16:43 -0500
> >>
> >>This is basically a good idea.  However, there will need to be some
> >>lifting of one of the ends of the truck before it is rolled out from
> >>over the pack or the pack is pulled out from under it.  The pack is
> >>too tall at points.
> >>
> >>/AC
> >>
> >>On 8/3/06, Chris Robison <eeyore at phototropia.org> wrote:
> >> > I'm reminded of how we pulled the engine out of the MR2.  We set the
> >> > engine down, and then used an engine hoist to lift the car.  We then
> >>slid
> >> > the engine out from under  (it was set down on cardboard to make this
> >> > easier).
> >> >
> >> > How about something like this?  :
> >> >
> >> > A) Start with the truck on the ground
> >> > B) Insert a palette jack from the side between the wheels, raising it
> >> to
> >> > support the pack
> >> > C) Place a set of supports (maybe just wooden blocks) under the pack
> >> so
> >>it
> >> > will be supported just above the lowest height of the palette jack
> >> > D) Unbolt the pack from the truck and lower it with the palette jack
> >>until
> >> > it's resting on the supports
> >> > E) Remove the palette jack
> >> > F) Roll the truck away to expose the pack, which is sitting on the
> >>ground.
> >> >
> >> >   --chris
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, August 3, 2006 2:12 pm, Derek Bridges said:
> >> > >     What we learned at the first attempt to change out the battery
> >>pack
> >> > > was the need to do our planning in some detail. We could take a 
>shot
> >>at
> >> > > removing the pack on Saturday if Roy can make arrangements with his
> >> > > friend's shop before then but I would recommend that we meet on
> >> Sunday
> >> > > strictly to do some detailed measurements, research and planning. 
>It
> >> > > would just suit my overly analytical, under achieving nature to
> >> wring
> >> > > out the thinking and the talking before starting the lifting.
> >> > >     The thing that bothers me most is the danger associated with
> >>lifting
> >> > > the truck several feet in the air then having people stoop under it
> >> to
> >> > > do strenuous work dismantling the battery pack.  Tall tripod jack
> >>stands
> >> > > are available which have a range of about 55" to 83". If the shop
> >> with
> >> > > the lift has these stands it would make things more nearly safe
> >>although
> >> > > I'm still not crazy about the idea. I would prefer to find a way of
> >> > > moving the still-loaded battery pack out from under the truck. The
> >>pack
> >> > > is longer than the fore-aft distance between the tires so it would
> >>have
> >> > > to come out from the front or rear. We could use the winch to pull
> >> it
> >> > > out if it were on some casters or if it were on wooden blocks on
> >> some
> >> > > kind of relatively low friction surface.  Nylon slider pads on 
>sheet
> >> > > metal?  If we built a dolly with 2 each, 200 lb rated casters under
> >>each
> >> > > of the 6 battery pack hard points, we would basically be within the
> >> > > caster ratings, not withstanding the heavier loads at the ends 
>where
> >>the
> >> > > batteries are stacked two high in the pack. If the dolly was on a
> >> flat
> >> > > concrete floor that was long enough, we could then pull it out
> >> pretty
> >> > > easily.  Getting the pack and the truck aligned for re-assembly is 
>a
> >> > > whole nuther topic.
> >> > >     I also like the idea of raising the truck in Mark's garage 
>where
> >>we
> >> > > can take all the time we need. We  could raise it incrementally and
> >> > > place the tires on big blocks made of railroad ties or landscaping
> >> > > timbers.  Complicated and time consuming and maybe not even safe 
>but
> >> I
> >> > > find it appealing.
> >> > >
> >> > >     Which ever approach we use, we should take some measurements to
> >> > > answer the following questions before lifting any thing.
> >> > >     1. Exactly how high does the truck need to be raised in order
> >> for
> >> > > people to work under it?  How tall are the batteries, how heavy are
> >>they
> >> > > and how much vertical space is needed for disassembly?
> >> > >     2. Is there enough Horizontal room under the truck to place 
>tall
> >> > > jack stands and still not interfere with the battery pack or with
> >>people
> >> > > working on it? Take into account the footprint of the jack stand 
>and
> >>the
> >> > > limited number of hard points where it could attach to the chassis
> >> or
> >> > > axles.
> >> > >     3. How high does the truck need to be raised in order for the
> >> > > battery pack to be dragged out from under it going out the rear?
> >> Going
> >> > > out the front?
> >> > >       4. How much space is under the pack? Current thinking is to
> >> put
> >> > > blocks (or a dolly) under the pack and deflate the tires enough to
> >>rest
> >> > > the pack on the blocks.
> >> > >
> >> > >  From the budget-is-no-object department:
> >> > > Here is a picture of a portable lift that does exactly what we 
>need.
> >> > > Wonder where we can rent one.
> >> > > http://www.bencostuff.com/images/lifts/alm/we18-2.jpg
> >> > >
> >> > > Here is a close up view.
> >> > > http://www.bencostuff.com/images/lifts/alm/we18-1.jpg
> >> > >
> >> > > Here is how we will end up doing the job.
> >> > >
> >>http://www.bencostuff.com/images/past%20installs/large/Not%20a%20good%20idea.jpg
> >> > > I have seen the same picture posted elsewhere with the caption "Why
> >> > > women live longer than men."
> >> > >
> >> > > Lots to think about. Any comments? Suggested meeting time?
> >> > >
> >> > > Derek Bridges
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > mark witt wrote:
> >> > >> Hi  all....well the batteries and the NGS tester have arrived at 
>my
> >> > >> house.
> >> > >> I'm still unwrapping them and charging them up. I am available 
>both
> >>Sat.
> >> > >> and
> >> > >> Sunday. Maybe we could drop the pack on Sat. and transfer the 
>truck
> >>and
> >> > >> old
> >> > >> batteries and case back to my house. On Sunday afternoon we could
> >>gather
> >> > >> in
> >> > >> my garage to check everything out and see what we would need in
> >>addition
> >> > >> to
> >> > >> what I have. I will post some info directly related to the "Ranger
> >> > >> Reformation" project so everyone can see the fun we shall be
> >> having.
> >> > >> (Chris
> >> > >> has seen it) I still have the truck loaded on the trailer from 
>Sat.
> >> > >> night at
> >> > >> the movies.(WKTEC) I'm working on a garage closer to my SE Austin
> >>house
> >> > >> but
> >> > >> the NW Austin one that Roy lined up may be the one we
> >> use...Thoughts?
> >> > >>     I will be out of town from Aug. 11 maybe through Sat. the
> >>19th..so
> >> > >> getting the truck going for the Ball prob. wont happen but it 
>would
> >>be
> >> > >> great
> >> > >> to drive it around at the Roundup...Ranger Witt
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
> >> > >>> From: "Chris Robison" <eeyore at phototropia.org>
> >> > >>> Reply-To: eeyore at phototropia.org,        AustinEV announcements
> >> list
> >> > >>> <ausev at austinev.org>
> >> > >>> To: ausev at austinev.org
> >> > >>> Subject: [ausev] This weekend?
> >> > >>> Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 17:36:31 -0500 (CDT)
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> It's looking like my garage is going to be closed this weekend, 
>at
> >> > >>> least
> >> > >>> at the normal time on Saturday afternoon.  I'm wondering if
> >> there's
> >> > >>> some
> >> > >>> alternative venues that might be open instead.
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> As far as I know, the two projects nearest to being on the road
> >>right
> >> > >>> now
> >> > >>> are Mark Witt's electric Ranger (needs new battery retrofit, Witt
> >>has
> >> > >>> the
> >> > >>> parts!) and Erik Bigelow's Cabriolet.
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> Either or both of these would be fantastic to have available for
> >>show
> >> > >>> at
> >> > >>> the Sustainable Shopper's Ball, and/or the Roundup in
> >>Fredericksburg.
> >> > >>> Do
> >> > >>> we have a possibility for a work session on these, or any other
> >> > >>> vehicles
> >> > >>> this weekend?
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> I'll probably have some time on Sunday to pitch in...
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>   --chris
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>> _______________________________________________
> >> > >>> AusEV mailing list
> >> > >>> AusEV at austinev.org
> >> > >>> http://www.austinev.org/mailman/listinfo/ausev
> >> > >>>
> >> > >>
> >> > >>
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> >> > >>
> >> > >>
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> >> >
> >> >
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