A.J.'s Runner - "Please Stand-by"...Product Review

[CTENG in KS]

I am gonna need something new to whine about.  I finished up the patching and threw some 3M seam sealer.  Ready for bedliner.  Let me just say, that seam sealer is some good stuff...until you get it on your hands.  I have no doubt it will outlast the truck.

[NorCalToy]

shuda just made a seam sealer fender

[CTENG in KS]

HEY!  Uncalled for!

[THK Matt]

shuda just made a seam sealer fender

I have a better use for that seam sealer blake... fill that disease infested hole in between your eyes and chin...

[Duffil]

I have a better use for that seam sealer blake... fill that disease infested hole in between your eyes and chin...

yeah...because you're one to talk.

[Jud]

    

[CTENG in KS]

I picked up a bunch of steel and built my b hoop today.  This of course turned into far more of a project than I had hoped.  I went to the Yard store and they had a TON of unnamed toob/pipe on a rack in aboot the size I wanted.  I am thinking it is 1.75 in sch40.  Outer diameter measures just under 2 inches.  I couldn't pass it up, bargain hunter that I am.  Of course I bought it knowing full well that I probably did not have a die to bend it with and sure enough...I was right.  I tried with the sizes I had but it just flattened out.  I still wanted to use it cause it would give me a real nice beefy b hoop, so I decided to use something I knew I could bend and then sleeve it with the stuff I bought.  The x brace should be the load bearer anyway so I don't think this will compromise the strength of the hoop.  Anyhow, here is what I have. Don't mind the rust, the Yard leaves all their steel outside so I can have fun sanding it all down.  They are always thinking of me.  Next comes half halo and the a pillar bars.  Then long stringers out to the back of the flatbed.

One a happy note, the portaband is making notching far easier than the grinder ever did.   

[Duffil]

possible strength issue with little toob going into big toob and 1/8" gap

[CTENG in KS]

Yeah, but I rosette welded all the sleeved areas, plus the node for the X-brace, rear stringers, and upper halo bars all meet right at the smaller tube, so those sleeved joints shouldn't be the main load carrying paths.  I also put a full 6-8 inches of smaller tube inside the larger so if a weld does fail, it should just lever against the side of the outer tube and still carry load.

It isn't ideal, but I was working with what I had and it should work OK.

[CTENG in KS]

Oh yeah, and there will be gusseting as well.

edit: kinda looks like I was bakin out my garage...

[NorCalToy]

why not use the tube you bought for other parts of the cage (not hoops since you cant bend it) and buy some good tubing that you do have a die for and make the hoops out of it?

[CTENG in KS]

It is too big to use inside the cab.  I already got stuff I can bend for inside.  I wouldn't be able to fit in the cab with my helmet...toob too thick.  This will work fine wait and see.  Just be patient.

[CTENG in KS]

Building the top hoop for this thing has turned into mission impossible.  I wanted to bend it in one piece, but I couldn't get it into a shape that left me enough room for my noggin.  Internal cages must use smaller tube.  I ended up using a smaller tube size for the side bars and sleeving them into the larger front bar.  Don't worry Duffil, this one was a better fit...no gap (OK only a tiny gap).  Only thing that has gone right so far has been the dr side a-pillar.  Now watch me screw up the other side.  ARG.

[Duffil]

am I gonna have to send OYCJ out there?

[CTENG in KS]

For what?
I actually would be able to do a better job if I had another set of hands.  It is gonna come out fine, but it is going to need a lot of finish work once I get the sections back out of the truck.

It is probably my own fault for insisting on such large tube in a mini truck.  Littler toob with extra gussets would have been far easier.  But I wanted BEEF!

[*** YELLER ***]

am I gonna have to send OYCJ out there?

  what did I do

I actually mounted my main hoop about 4 inches farther back than you did fer just that reason "headroom"


looks good AJ   rex must be

[Duffil]

naw i'm just giving him a hard time because I hate myself. I am sober though.

[CTENG in KS]

Cause you hate yourself?  I r cornfused.

Maybe we should take this to the psychology thread?

[*** YELLER ***]

naw i'm just giving him a hard time because I hate myself. I am sober though.

thread jacking aside hows the weather out yer way AJ 

[CTENG in KS]

It isn't too bad, had about 60 and sunny today.  Will get colder though.

[*** YELLER ***]

why not move yer main hoop back a few inches, behind the cab, when I sat in mine i hit my head so back it went I think it will work out fine   

[CTENG in KS]

The main hoop is completely outside the cab, but that isn't where  am worried about my head.  It is the upper hoop I am concerned about.

[*** YELLER ***]

got it

[blackdiamond]

Do you like the look of "beef" or do you just want the additional strength?  The smaller tube seems like it works for the application and then you could use foam padding to protect your head and give it the "beef" look.  If you're planning to wear a helmet, then you're using your head and have likely thought all of this through already.

[CTENG in KS]

I have helmets for both me and passenger.  I am into beef for beefs sake, not the look.  I want to keep me and the cab together in a roll.

Now speaking of room for me and my helmet head in the cab.  I made some adjustments, pushed shoved and spread the A-pillar bars out slightly.  I think it is about as good as it is getting.  I made some large gussets that can act as hand holds as well.  Anyone have any experience with these on an internal cage.  This might be a bit too big.  I want something to grab, but I am worried that the are going to be blocking the "window" area.

[blackdiamond]

It might be a major interference for your head, but if you had the "oh poo" handle angled in a bit then you might get away with hanging on in a roll without smashing your hand.  Just an idea, but it seems having it flush with the outside of the main cage would minimize some of its value.

[CTENG in KS]

OK, I made the grab handles smaller and rotated them inward so they are no longer in the same plane as the door bars.  This seems much better.  They are just big enough for me to fit my hand into with a glove on.



I also did a little welding and decided to do a test area for some brush on hammer tone paint.  I like it.

[THK Matt]

i like that hammertone. I want to do my axle that color

[CTENG in KS]

Even though that looks grey, it is actually black paint.  Looks grey in real life too.

I got a present from blueyfab.com today.  Little something to remind me what I am driving, no matter how much I cut off.  That is my buddy Scott's site.  He has all kinds of fun stuff from Blue Torch and Sky and TIRES all in one place.  Plus he has a bunch of good wheelin videos too.  Check it out.  I dare you.  www.blueyfab.com

[THK Matt]

Even though that looks grey, it is actually black paint.  Looks grey in real life too.

awesome, I think it puts a nice touch to it.