chip box project

[sotc]

im getting close, tailgate is done, latch is nearly done. smoothing up some sharp edges today. was going to bear hunting as it started yesterday but my neck is stiff so i stayed home

 

[brendonv]

Made some progress today. Got all material cut except the sheet cut down. Carbide tipped blade cut like a knife threw hot butter.

We had a little accident though, 6 stitches later in Greg's hand and we were back on track. He was holding a smallpeice, it discharged and whacked his knuckle. Live and learn.

 

[sotc]

ow! dont put your hand behind the saw either, when or if the blade pinches it will run back across what you just cut

 

[brendonv]

Willie,

Did you end up going with one large tailgate, or 2 seperate ones? Next on my list is the tailgae, was going to go for something like on the southco's, one large door, but make mine removable by lifting off the pins for tight access chip dumping. Right now I have the mason tailgate, things is monsterous, and it get me nervous loading the mini on it.

 

[sotc]

i went with one. 2 is easier on hinges like these but i like one. if im in tight quarters i open the gate before backing in. i also hate pin style latches, they can be a pain with a load against the gate.

sorry, i was working with the box up yesterday so the pics are a bit funny

 

[brendonv]

Those look sweet.

 

[arborworks1]

Nice simple hinges. Custom looking though. Good job

 

[stehansen]

How does that latch work? I have pin style on my trailer and you need to use a hammer to unlatch it.

 

[lumberjack]

It appears the latch is a long bar with a hook on the end. To close the gate you first close the gate, then swing the bar's hook into the loop welded on the gate, and finally drop the end of the bar into the angle iron catch. There is a piece of angle iron above it, likely mounted with a single loose bolt/nut, that acts like a keeper to keep the bar from jumping out and stabbing some import in the opposing lane.

 

[squisher]

Cool, a built in javelin for the unmindful employee!

JK'ing Willie looking real sharp.

 

[arborworks1]

That is one sick license plate holder also.

 

[squisher]

Heh don't knock it I have the same one on the front of my 350z ever since the cops pulled my wife over for not having the plate on.

 

[sotc]

custom haha. we needed to use the truck a few weeks back so i was scrambling to get iton the road
the latch is like carl explained except the safety is if the bar jumps out the tailgate will swing open, not a good scenario! happened to me in one of my old bosses trucks, it was a pin style but was loose, went over a speed bump, gate came open, i slowed for the next bump and saw it coming in the mirror. brand new chevy colorado needed a new windsheild, almost got the A pillar

 

[arborworks1]

Nice car squishy.

 

[sotc]

to do it right you need to hook several together and go around the bumper

 

[squisher]

Nah mine's custom built ziptie plate holder. Note the extra holes drilled in the plate so it fits 'just so'.lol

 

[stehansen]

It appears the latch is a long bar with a hook on the end. To close the gate you first close the gate, then swing the bar's hook into the loop welded on the gate, and finally drop the end of the bar into the angle iron catch. There is a piece of angle iron above it, likely mounted with a single loose bolt/nut, that acts like a keeper to keep the bar from jumping out and stabbing some import in the opposing lane.

Have you used this type of latch before Willie? It looks like it might be hard to unlatch with pressure on it.

 

[lumberjack]

It should be really easy. The gate is drawn closed by the arc of the hook. Excluding deflection, the last degrees of the arc require a huge amount of force to overcome (as the gate is drawn home) as the lever is moving much farther than the belly of the hook (lots of MA).


It not how I would do it, as it's way overkill and more involved to fab up than a simple pin or prefabed latch system. The latch has far more MA than the loop, gate, or mounts can handle.


Even still, as long as he doesn't use the gate to compress the chips he should be alright

 

[sotc]

yup works good. we wont compress chips with it. i didnt built it strong enough for that, just makes it real easy to open and close. no bent pins i want to convert my bucket to that also

 

[Jamin Mayer]

Nice truck Jamin, 7.3? You see my thread on 2-stroke in it, I love it!

Yeah, the 7.3L is the way to go.

Brendon. What are your dimensions for the chip box? How thick are your aluminium sheets?

I have bought metal from Metals Depot. Have you heard of them? They seem to have good prices.

http://www.metalsdepot.com/index.phtml?aident=

 

[brendonv]

Yeah, the 7.3L is the way to go.

Brendon. What are your dimensions for the chip box? How thick are your aluminium sheets?

I have bought metal from Metals Depot. Have you heard of them? They seem to have good prices.

http://www.metalsdepot.com/index.phtml?aident=

Chip box will be an overall height of 6', 7' wide, and 8' long. The sides of the mason dump are 1', so the box is only made 5' tall. It's the same dimensions as it is now, the current one is too heavy and a bear to remove. I have 1/8" plate on my truck now and It never dented, so I went with the same. Metals depot was more expensive than the local big boy supplier.

 

[brendonv]

Jammin,

I just checked the prices quick on just one sheet of aluminum. Metals Depot was over $81 more for the same peice, not including shipping.

 

[Cobleskill]

It makes a real sweet noise using the carbide blade to cut aluminum, doesn't it?

 

[lumberjack]

Are you sure it was the same alloy Brendon?

Metal Depot has some pretty good prices compared to local here. Plus if you order enough they'll deliver for little to nothing.

 

[stehansen]

Ah, so it has a over-center device to pull it closed? Like a chain binder. I don't know how you can see all that LJ.