Bed Build Planning

[Darryl&Rita]

Coulda' punched them before you welded the pieces together. Could cut the welds, punch, then reweld. Get a good nights sleep, a healthy breakfast, then wrestle the works over to the press. Use hex bolts. I'm out of ideas here.

[rickeieio]

If only I'd known where the holes needed to be earlier.....  Such is one downside of not having the ability to use CAD.  I have a vision, and I adapt as I go along.  

Wrestling the pieces to the press is not an option.  The press is against a wall, so I would have to bring the press out in the open, then use the fork lift to move the pieces.  But, the fork lift blew a seal in the mast cylinder yesterday.......

It's looking like using a reciprocating saw to rough out the corners, then a machinists screw jack to push a 5/16" square file through might work.

I don't have the bolts yet.  When I get them, I'll see what the actual shoulder measurement is.

[Darryl&Rita]

Ya, I was just yanking you chain. There's no easy answer here. An arbor press, hung off the overhead, might be able to generate enough pressure to push through.. A screw jack might, too.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Rick, order up a metric square broach in the size you need and set up a small press to push it thru the material. You can do it with an arbor press but it has to be a BIG one. Mine would make it but I'm not that close... You could also make up hydraulic one from bits and pieces around your shop.

[Steve from SoCal]

Do the fasteners HAVE to be carriage bolts?     There are dome covers for hex bolts to make them "look like" rivets or carriage bolts.   

https://www.mcmaster.com/bolt-covers/

[rickeieio]

Well, I was talking to Dan of "Dan and Freda" fame this morning when the light came on.......  I'm bolting one side of an angle and welding the other.  Just reverse the two, welding the angle to the wheel track and just resting the deck on top, making the bolts only holding the deck in place by holding the plate "down" rather than in a vertical plane, so never seeing any shear forces.  Well, almost never.  So now I can use my fancy little stainless button heads and everything will be fine.

Big thanks to all the suggestions, and especially to Dan, who nudged me off center so I could see the fix.

[rickeieio]

So here's what I have. The angle will now be welded to the outside of the wheel channel, and the deck will be bolted down to that.  Fender skirt and vertical plate at the frame rail will supply rigidity.  This deck section will be in three pieces, fender/center/fender, so I can take out just one section for any service needs.  Channels are also bolted to frame rails.  There's 11" of space between the front channel and the exhaust support.  Just perfect for storing a set of home brewed race ramps.

[Mark&Bonnie]

Rick. Looking good. Cant wait to see it in person. You think a lot like I do, wing it. Meeting up with Dan and Freda middle of next week. Mark

[rickeieio]

Susan always says I come up with a plan, but change it six times before I'm finished.  She ain't wrong.  But I guarantee it won't fall apart, and it will work.  Practical?  Probably not, but I have to try in order to be sure.

It's just no fun building it the way everyone else does......

[Brad & Jacolyn]

Those changes are called engineering modifications. A friend of ours would call it alternate plan A, alternate plan B, etc

[noteven]

Make sure you stay within your truck's GVWR GCWR GAWR WR & RR so you don't go into a force ten tank slapper, crash, and burn. 

Signed

Internet warrior RV Weight Police.

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding

[rickeieio]

6 hours ago, noteven said:

Make sure you stay within your truck's GVWR GCWR GAWR WR & RR so you don't go into a force ten tank slapper, crash, and burn. 

Signed

Internet warrior RV Weight Police.

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding

Well, I do tend to avoid the scales when I'm motoring about on my Moto Guzzi Griso.  The rear axle is overloaded under even moderate acceleration..........

So, today I had a visitor to the shop.  Spindrift, aka Tom Stedulis, stopped in and had lunch with me.  He's a sometimes visitor here, and even though he pulls his rv with a LGT, he does indeed own a real truck:

 

[noteven]

Tom that’s a good look looking rig.

[rickeieio]

Tallied up the score sheet today.....  So far, we're at $12,590 and counting.  Just a wee bit over initial estimates.  But, in all fairness, that includes ET hitch at almost $4400 inc. shipping, $2,000 for tool boxes,about $4,000 in steel and bending, and lots of welding gas, grinding wheels, saw blades, bolts, air line, 7 wire cable,tie downs, lights, etc.

I don't expect any more significant cost besides paint.

[Danandfreda]

I would consider that under budget

[rickeieio]

My cost would be lower if it weren't for the cheap labor, causing more grinding wheels, then more welding, more grinding....

I had one mounting tab I cut off and moved twice, so far (my fault).  Had to grind out about three feet of seam weld because it didn't suit me.  Had a helper that day who said he could weld.  Everybody thinks they can weld, even me.

Edited September 1, 2021 by rickeieio

[rickeieio]

Rolled the plasma cutter thingy out of the corner, pulled off the cover, plugged in the cord and air line, and was just about to make a cut when I heard something..  a soft hiss like air leaking.  Ran my hand around the dryer and hoses, and suddenly it got louder.  Coming from inside the machine, of course.  Without further dialog, here's what I found and the solution:

There are still some original lines.  I bent them pretty severely and they didn't crack....yet.

[Darryl&Rita]

DOT rated line, I assume? Just remember, a 5 minute job is 1 swear word away from becoming a 3 day ordeal.

[rpsinc]

I found this that I am planning on fabbing a pair of doors for and then install as a DROM.  Sure appears that it will store plenty of tools and equipment.  I am hoping to be able to bring my fab tools and an inverter welder.

[rickeieio]

Darryl,  The original and the replacement are NOT DOT rated.  The clear vinyl is all I had handy so I could get the job done.  I left the cover off just in case........

Marcel, I believe that will be just the ticket.  Just hope it all holds up to the vibration.

[rpsinc]

1 hour ago, rickeieio said:

Marcel, I believe that will be just the ticket.  Just hope it all holds up to the vibration.

Great minds think alike.  I have a plan for that when I get it.  Hope it will be successful.

[noteven]

rpsinc - that equipment looks more organized than my milk crate system.

[rickeieio]

Milk crates are perfect for all those aerosol cans of brake-kleen, electrical contact cleaner, chain lube, Kroil, etc.  Fill any empty space with rags.  12" cast iron dutch oven just fits in one too.

So, how do you overload a 5er rated for 21k?

[Darryl&Rita]

That vinyl tubing has been a life saver, more than once, in the oil patch. Respect it's ratings, and it'll serve faithfully in this usage.

[lappir]

17 hours ago, rpsinc said:

I found this that I am planning on fabbing a pair of doors for and then install as a DROM.  Sure appears that it will store plenty of tools and equipment.  I am hoping to be able to bring my fab tools and an inverter welder.

Looks great , where did you find? I think I have enough room behind my box to mount one. Could you share info and measurements? 

 

Thanks, 

 

Rod