Return to the BUILD

“Returning to the main cab, in this next stage you’ll fit the final seat before installing the main circuit board, connecting up the cables for the speaker and dashboard, and adding the front doors. This is followed by installing the complete center console inside the main cab body and connecting up cables for the roof bars and front light clusters“

Like Stage 21, this stage will be a bit longer than usual but we will get a lot done!

Contents

Parts

Materials: The Main Circuit Board is electronic.

Build

Fitting a Crew Seat, Installing the Main Circuit Board, Connecting the Dashboard & Lights, and Fitting the Front Cab Doors

NOTE: I deviated from the order in the digital instructions for this stage to make things a little easier to follow.

Attaching the Front Right Light Cluster and Door

Retrieve your Main Cab Body assembly from the previous stage and turn it upside down. Retrieve your Front Right Light Cluster assembly from Stage 17 and feed the red plug through this opening at the front right of the Main Cab Body, as shown.

REMINDER: You may notice the extra wiring from my Custom Lighting mod in the pictures of this stage:

Gently seat the two pins of the Front Right Light Cluster into these matching holes on the front of the Main Cab Body:

From the front of the truck, the Front Right Light Cluster should be nicely seated into place:

Retrieve your Front Right Door assembly from Stage 02. Holding the door upside down, feed the Inner Cab Panel of the Front Right Door assembly through the front right door opening, then feed the plug and wires of the Front Right Light Cluster through the large opening of the Inner Cab Panel, as shown:

Push the two pins of the Inner Cab Panel into the matching holes in the front wall of the Main Cab Body (circled below):

Secure the Inner Cab Panel into place from the other side with one (1) Type C screw:

Attaching the Front Left Light Cluster and Door

In the same way, retrieve your Front Left Light Cluster assembly from Stage 20 and feed the blue plug through this opening at the front left of the Main Cab Body, as shown:

Gently seat the two pins of the Front Left Light Cluster into these matching holes on the front of the Main Cab Body:

From the front of the truck, the Front Left Light Cluster should be nicely seated into place:

Retrieve your Front Left Door assembly from Stage 18. Holding the door upside down, feed the Inner Cab Panel of the Front Left Door assembly through the front left door opening, then feed the plug and wires of the Front Left Light Cluster through the large opening of the Inner Cab Panel, as shown:

Push the two pins of the Inner Cab Panel into the matching holes in the front wall of the Main Cab Body (circled below):

Secure the Inner Cab Panel into place from the other side with one (1) Type C screw:

Installing the Emergency Lights

Retrieve the two remaining Emergency Light assemblies we built back in Stage 21. Press the pins of two Emergency Light assemblies into the matching holes at these locations on the front of the Main Cab Body.

These Emergency Light assemblies cover the exposed door screws:

Attaching a Crew Seat

Retrieve your Seat assembly from Stage 04 and your Cab Floor assembly from Stage 20. Fit the post of the Seat Support down into the matching hole at this left rear location on the Cab Floor:

Secure this Seat into place from below with one (1) Type H screw.

The parts in this stage did not include any screws. This Type H screw (and the two needed later on) were provided in earlier stages:

This was the part to add to our cab interior, so this assembly is now complete:

Installing the Main Circuit Board

To install the Main Circuit Board, we need to separate the Center Console from the Cab Floor by removing these two (2) Type H screws. Keep these screws nearby as they will be reused:

Gently lift the Center Console assembly up away from the Cab Floor:

Turn the Center Console assembly upside down and carefully place the Main Circuit Board inside, aligning the screw holes as shown.

CAUTION: When handling this Main Circuit Board, be sure to hold it by the edges and avoid touching any of the board components!

The tall post of the Center Console fits up through the hole in the Main Circuit Board:

Secure the Main Circuit Board to the Center Console with two (2) Type H screws, as shown:

I spent some time working with electronics guru Chloe from Model Modz and I think we have all the PCB sockets figured out:

Underneath the Center Console, connect the 2-pin blue plug from the Speaker to this blue socket on the Main Circuit Board, as shown.

These plugs are all keyed to only fit into the sockets the correct way. Seat the plugs fully, but do not force them in backwards. Using tweezers may help you connect these plugs securely:

Attaching the Dashboard

Retrieve your Dashboard assembly from Stage 19. Gently press the two prongs at the lower center of the Dashboard assembly into the matching slot at this location on the Center Console:

Connect the 4-pin black plug from the Horn Switch PCB to this nearby 4-pin black socket on the Main Circuit Board, as shown:

Connect the 3-pin black plug from the Siren/Headlight Switch PCB to the nearby 3-pin black socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown:

Reattaching the Center Console

With the Main Cab Body upside down, make sure the five lighting cables inside are routed out of the way. Then, starting at the front of the cab, lower the Center Console assembly into the Main Cab Body as shown.

While lowering the Center Console assembly into the Main Cab Body, note how these two tabs on top of the Cab Divider Glass…

… are designed to fit into these matching slots in the Cab Inner Roof:

As you fit the Center Console into place, note the following:

• The front corners of the Dashboard should align with the bottom of the Front Windshield. If you find this is a tight fit (like I did), you may need to sand off a bit of the plastic at the corners of the Dashboard:

• The three Lightbar cables should pass up through this rear notch of the Main Circuit Board:

• The Lightbar wiring at the back of the cab interior should fit inside the angled rear of the Center Console:

• Finally, as mentioned earlier, the two tabs at the top of the Divider Glass fit into these matching slots of the Cab Inner Roof:

With the Center Console installed, this is how I routed the Dashboard and Front Light Cluster wiring out from behind the Dashboard:

Connecting the Cab Wiring

Connect the 4-pin red plug from the Front Right Light Cluster to this left-side red socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown.

When I mention left or right side, I am referring to the side from the driver’s point of view when the truck is upright:

Connect the 4-pin blue plug from the Front Left Light Cluster to this right-side blue socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown:

With these forward cables now connected, I tucked the extra cable slack under the Central Console:

Connect the 3-pin yellow plug of the longest Lightbar cable to the forward yellow socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown:

Connect the 3-pin yellow plug of the next longest Lightbar cable to this middle yellow socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown:

Connect the 3-pin yellow plug of the shortest Lightbar cable to the middle blue socket of the Main Circuit Board, as shown.

The plug color does not match the socket color, but this is the correct socket to use:

Tidy all of these cables so they are routed inside the sides of the Center Console. If you saved the wire ties from earlier stages, they can be used here.

Thoughts

This cab looks fantastic! I love of the paintwork, decals, and details all over the place. I am looking forward to seeing it mounted on the chassis. The wiring is a bit of a pain, but it does all fit as expected.

Next Up

 Stage 24 – Electrical Compartment/Panel/Door/Handle/Floor, Ladder Turntable Base