Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Anyone got a VZ Cross 8 Crewman? (But now I have one :) )

Sandman

Challenge Accepted
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
1,668
Reaction score
1,327
Points
113
Age
28
Location
Melbourne
Members Ride
Too many
Great attention to detail on the wiring there mate. Nice to see people doing wiring with decent connections and in a systematic fashion.
 

Fu Manchu

We’ll get together. Have a few laughs.
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
17,571
Reaction score
22,060
Points
113
Location
WA.
Members Ride
VZ Crewman, VZ Cross 8, & ya mum.
423D6100-02E0-42D8-8AB1-228C7C8A42BF.jpeg


Finished labelling the side loom.

1A65FD5E-B7BC-4D45-AC00-6E447520B6B6.jpeg

Of note, I have used female plug here because it’s where the power is coming from. If disconnected, it is less likely anything can accidentally lodge in there and cause a problem. This is often seen throughout cars. Exceptions can of course be found (front plug for cigarette lighter accessory).

I have also triple checked the connections and marked the wiring as what the factory wire colours are. If I had access to factory wire colours, I would only label what the loom is for.

4wd people should do this more when adding accessories.

I will not use those red and blue connectors sold at Bunnings or car shops that have those bunky crimps. Absolute junk.

Some would regard those white plugs as junk too. They are suitable for the task in this case and used elsewhere in the car by Holden.
 

Skylarking

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Messages
9,993
Reaction score
10,315
Points
113
Age
123
Location
Downunder
Members Ride
Commodore Motorsport Edition
Agree.

Unsealed connectors are fine to use within the cabin but if the connector is external and subject to water and mud being thrown up at it, when within the engine bay or under the car, one should use sealed type connectors where ever possibly. Obviously the accessory/component needs to cater for sealed plugs to be used (which is not always the case) and sealed connectors should be easier to source (which is also not always the case)...

This should especially be the rule in 4WD‘s but I’ve seen lots of super cheap open connectors being used as accessories and components were not being designed in the rugged fashion required for 4WDing. Then corrosion sets in at the terminals and intermittentprobelms ensue.

Heck even the current Landcruiser alternator was placed low within the engine bay by. The factory, where water and mud killed them in no time. The aftermarket came to the rescue so you could buy a sealed water cooled alternator for a squillion $ because Toyota didn’t place this critical component up high (as in earlier models) :p

All that aside, good reading what your doing to your cross8 to bring it back to as new condition :cool:
 

Fu Manchu

We’ll get together. Have a few laughs.
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
17,571
Reaction score
22,060
Points
113
Location
WA.
Members Ride
VZ Crewman, VZ Cross 8, & ya mum.
2525947E-1840-43F6-9CB2-B81B3258DCDC.jpeg


Keep looking at these every time I open the door. So I painted them too. I did the door strikers. These are from the door lock actuators and the front window frames.

Rather than strip out the fixtures, I’m doing some of them. Leaving the other bolts in keeps them secure enough. Once they are hardened up a bit, I will put them in and do the remaining ones.

68ADA4BE-D04A-4FD5-9BB2-1E62A818A9C7.jpeg

Removed the door switches. After @Jolls discovered such a simple fault as dirty contacts on these causing some really big head aches, out they came and gave behind them a clean too. Contacts all better. There was corrosion that came off easy enough.

70954FA4-B103-4C7E-BA2E-BD3E179CA271.jpeg

I also got the driver seat back in. Gave inside another vacuum first. I have left the side trim off for now. When the battery goes back in, I want to be able to check all the new connections again and be able to figure out any problems that might happen.

364F6FCB-A61F-4F12-80E1-1512AFE4DCEF.jpeg

Step one was to cover the exposed wiring. I’d suggest covering the trim in a similar way to avoid scratches to the plastic. The seats aren’t easy to to get in. Heavyish and awkward.
 

Fu Manchu

We’ll get together. Have a few laughs.
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
17,571
Reaction score
22,060
Points
113
Location
WA.
Members Ride
VZ Crewman, VZ Cross 8, & ya mum.
AC69E48D-1859-4694-8001-4FD6B7A2C143.jpeg

I added some deadener inside the column shroud. Why? Because the indicators and wiper switches now have a totally different feel. They feel really solid. More like in a higher end car. No light feel and tacky plastic sound.

Have them off for now, again because I’ve put a T5 LED in and I’m not certain I have the polarity around the right way. Might need to switch it around. I did test them first before putting in to see which side is the negative side. Marked the negative side. Should be right but plan for the worst and hope for the best.
 

Fu Manchu

We’ll get together. Have a few laughs.
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
17,571
Reaction score
22,060
Points
113
Location
WA.
Members Ride
VZ Crewman, VZ Cross 8, & ya mum.
4417ADAF-D658-4DC4-94B1-486E6B7994A9.jpeg

A bit a mile stone tonight. Seats are back in. Bolts torqued.
This has cleared out most of the tub. So I now move onto that area.

Plan is to remove the tub liner. Remove tail lights. Modify the the rear light loom to patch in a pick up for the reverse and brake (to power a future forward camera). Remove the rear bumper. Fit the camera.

Of course everything is going to get a really thorough clean.

Adding in tiedown hooks.

Rear lights get new ones.
LED stop and tail light globes
LED reverse light globes.

I do have LED indicators, but need resistors added. Might think about that one.

Painted the rest of the bolts tonight.

Might look at painting the check strap bolts because they look a bit tired.

Have some of those glove box clips coming that allow the glove box to close up better.

Have a new badge for the passenger side dash. This one just says “Holden”, instead of “SRS airbag”.

Yes I sat in the seat and pretended to drive. If you don’t do this, you are not human. Like not test clicking tongs. Everyone does it, because it’s it’s human nature. It’s in our DNA.
 

Fu Manchu

We’ll get together. Have a few laughs.
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
17,571
Reaction score
22,060
Points
113
Location
WA.
Members Ride
VZ Crewman, VZ Cross 8, & ya mum.
Still have to paint the hard lid. Satin black. Gloss black vinyl HQ Monaro bonnet stripes.

Wheels and brake callipers will be painted silver after the underside and engine bay are deep cleaned.

Can’t do that until i can get the windows up. To do that, new alternator. Old one is rusted and dodgy looking.

When I do that, new pulleys, belts.

Then the power steering cooler gets done.

Then the oil pressure sensor gets done.

Then the heater tap gets replaced. Current one looks flogged out. They are $25.

Was going to replace the plugs, but going to remove these ones and see what I have. Never know, might be new.
 

Jolls

Donating Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Messages
941
Reaction score
1,622
Points
93
Location
Murrumbateman
Members Ride
VY SS Ute (Jimi Hendrix)
Still got some work cut out Fu. Interesting how different your approach is to mine. Almost the reverse. It is great for me as you are certainly providing a great road map for what right should look like. Love your attention to detail.
 
Last edited:

Justin rook

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Age
40
Location
Brisbane
Members Ride
VT Calais S1 5.0L
Oh, and cleaned the fan too. Used apc and made sure to hold the motor carefully so the grot and water didn’t get into the motor.
Looks like its worth doing. Yours cleaned up nicely. Ill see how mine goes. And thanks for the help.
 
Top