Doug's Cutout Installed

[Test_Eng]

I have had it installed for about 4 weeks and have been really enjoying it. I really wasn't sure what to expect but trusted all the reviews on the Forums and took the plunge. The members were spot on, this is how the raptor was meant to sound and its not obnoxious as I was kinda expecting. I have left the cutout wide open except for long trips with the wife.

First I removed the resonator pipe and cut the pipe dead center after the resonator. (Center of Y-Pipe=Center of pipe between the resonator and end)

I used high-temp non conductive liquid gasket on the cutout motor and boot cover.

I just installed the wireless box and wired it all into Uplifter #4. I Didn't feel like installing the switch. After reviewing the supplied harness I decided to remove all the cheap connectors and used some Deutsch connectors and loomed the cable through the frame tube to under the passenger area. There is a small drain hole that I feed the cable to the Uplifter harness located behind the glove box. (Wish the OEM harness had longer wires...Errrrr) Whole install took 3 hours.




I still want to get it welded in place but just relying on the clamps for now.

 

[chadasm]

I just ordered the setup above from Marylandspeed. I have ideas on how to use the uplifters with 2 - 12VDC variable relay timers but I may or may not proceed since I purchased the wireless interface.

I've done this with a couple of time delay relays.
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f160/upfitter-switch-cutout-control-1-option-26924/


I'm now working on controlling the cutout with an Arduino and the ability to have it open up under high RPMs like when passing on the highway. I've done some testing and it works great, I just need to put it all together nicer and install it.

 

[TheJoker]

My cutout crapped out on me again a couple of months ago. I decided to disassemble it myself to see what was wrong. I wish that I had taken pictures. The motor worked fine, but there were two problems I found.

First, there are a series of gears between the motor and the valve itself. These gears would not budge at all. I ended up taking this section apart to free up the gears. I lubed everything up and managed to put it all back together.

The second issue was that the valve didn't close completely. I assume that plate which it slides on some how got bumped/hit/what have you. It definitely isn't flat and is getting hung up somewhere. I ended up filing the surface which the valve rides on and sanding the valve smooth. It still sticks a little, but at least now it closes.

If I do need to take apart the motor/gear section again, I will be sure to get pics to show post here.

 

[robnfl]

I'm frign PISSED!

My Doug's cutout quit working yesterday, exactly one week after installing it. I thought maybe I blew the fuse but after further investigation I noticed that the valve was only closing about 1/4 of the way. The motor works, it will open all the way, but only partially close. I was thinking about opening it up, but since it's under warranty I figured I'd wait and talk to pertronix first.

I purchased it through amazon, so pertronix better straighten this out otherwise amazon will be giving me a refund.

 

[TheJoker]

I'm frign PISSED!

My Doug's cutout quit working yesterday, exactly one week after installing it. I thought maybe I blew the fuse but after further investigation I noticed that the valve was only closing about 1/4 of the way. The motor works, it will open all the way, but only partially close. I was thinking about opening it up, but since it's under warranty I figured I'd wait and talk to pertronix first.

I purchased it through amazon, so pertronix better straighten this out otherwise amazon will be giving me a refund.

When I had mine apart, I noticed the plate that the valve rides along is not flat. It looks like when they welded the parts together, it distorted the plate. Pertronix should be able to fix it for you.

 

[infinitereality]

Just an update. I have no clue when exactly mine died, but it has been over a year for sure. I used it for the first month or 2 regularly and it pretty much remained open. I was doing donuts on a beach late at night after we left camp fire while out of town and everyone at the beachhouse could hear me. Not totally surprised about people hearing, but I may have had a few drinks so wasn't smartest move with a loud truck. Monday I started looking up cutting cutout off and welding up a new muffler when it dawned on me I could cap the cutout. Since I'm finally unpacking the shop after we built, I had easy access to my box of Raptor stuff. Capped it off and man it's quiet after over 2yrs with basically no muffler. I can put off buying a muffler for now, but doubt it'll last long.

When I pulled it off, mine was stuck 1/4 open like robnfl. Fixing to look up warranty info and see about sending it back to get it fix, if it doesn't cost anything more than shipping.

 

[Gsteve]

Too bad these guys can't build something decent..... Id buy one in a heart beat. Garbage

 

[infinitereality]

Finally got a reply from them, for what it's worth Pertronix is where email came from. Didn't look much into them, assume they make them for Doug's?

They told me it had a 1yr warranty. I need to send it to them and they will find out what's wrong and let me know. I asked for range of what I can expect costs to be and they said it should be no higher than $75 to fix it. If it's just the motor, $40. I didn't inquire if there were any return shipping costs.

Knowing it died about when warranty expired, I don't have much faith in the quality of their products to drop up to $75 plus at least shipping costs one way. If I had to pay $75 plus shipping, that's almost half the cost of their product that likely will need to be fixed again.

My experiences: QTP wins.
Doug's sealed and quality sucks, but will fix at a cost.
QTP had to double tap button to seal, good quality and honored warranty.
DMH sealed, but won't return cutouts after sending in for warranty work.

 

[robnfl]

My replacement Doug's cutout finally stopped working again. This one lasted about 8 months. I didn't open it to see what happened since it was still under warranty, but I'm guessing the gears stripped. When I pressed the activation switch I could hear the motor run, but the valve didn't move. Like I said it was still under warranty so Pertronix replaced it, only costing me shipping to them. When I received this replacement, I popped it open to see if it was rusted inside like my original (pics are somewhere in this thread). The inside wasn't rusted like my original, it looked clean and was lightly oiled. But, the numerous screws that are used to hold the two halves together were obviously previously used. They were/are phillips heads and some of them were rounded out. You would think that Pertronix could at least install new screws when they rebuild one of their products! Unfortunately, that is a good indication of overall shoddy work!

I love the concept of having the cut outs, but If I was to do it all over again I would look for a different company to go with!

 

[Gsteve]

prob wouldn't last a week in snow