Radarsonwheels Posted December 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 (edited) I was experimenting with ipe scraps last night. Reading about how hard the wood is even compared to other common decking hardwoods I decided to try drilling and tapping it. I drilled a little more undersize than I would have for steel but it tapped smoothly and the bolt was able to torque tighter than I might make it in wood I didn’t want to oversqueeze without feeling like it was coming anywhere close to stripping! I also learned that if I want a bigger hole for the top material I should start with the bit I want- enlarging a pilot hole chipped and shredded the face of the wood. Since the spot I want to attach the front trim piece is right over a steel crossmember I was thinking my only choice was drilling through the 1” .120”wall square tube and tapping or bolting through that which would make the wood less removable. Now I am planning to put two bolts per board through the front trim strip that won’t stick out the bottom of the floor boards. I got some smaller ss washers and I’m thinking if I make the holes in the trim 5/16” then it will have a little room to move around with humidity and hopefully not cup or buckle. The rear trim and angle iron will get matching spacing but there is room underneath to nut the bolts so I’m thinking 5/16” holes all the way through with nylock nuts holding the tension just past snug. Then the smaller angle iron crossmember I want to use across underneath the middle of the deck will only hold the spacing and the two end caps will hold it square. Then I can use 2 or 3 bolts through the middle of each outer board to keep the deck held down if I hit a bump similar to the 3 3/8” bolts on a stock bed. I’ve been talked out of bad ideas before and I’m a novice woodworker so let me know if that sounds fishy? Edited December 18, 2018 by Radarsonwheels Clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 to reduce chip out don't use a standard taper bit. Use a forstner bit or dowel bit to start your hole..OR you clamp a piece of sacrificial wood over the area and drill thru both. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 Now, if you had gone with Lignum Vitae, you would be at the polishing stage using the woods own natural oil to polish up that shine.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted December 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said: Now, if you had gone with Lignum Vitae, you would be at the polishing stage using the woods own natural oil to polish up that shine.... I’m actually excited to do the penofin. I went with the ‘western red cedar’ colored stain. I’m hoping to bring out a little more of the orangey redness and hopefully get a nice semigloss. I’m going to sand it 80 grit on the DA sander to get it uniform and smooth but with a little tooth. From what I’ve read the penofin will need to get rubbed in a couple times a year to maintain the color and UV protection. Easier to care for than nice base/clear paint and I figure I can refresh it without disassembly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted December 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 (edited) I got it fully mocked up with all bolts & unfinished wood, took it apart, sanded oiled waited & wiped. Looks like a day of cleanup then back to brakes & firewall. Here’s a pic of the mockup then one of the center board next to #4 board which is bookmatched to #2. The center is lighter and redder. The outside boards don’t match each other perfectly but they’re both a medium brown inbetween these colors. Edited December 19, 2018 by Radarsonwheels 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted December 20, 2018 Report Share Posted December 20, 2018 the beauty of wood is that no two pieces are identical. Revel in the color and grain differences. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 20, 2018 Report Share Posted December 20, 2018 I think some of the richest or at least the most active looking grains is the bubinga….I have some bubinga waterfall veneer here for placing on the dash of one of my English cars... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted December 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 I’ve worked with some beautiful wood and even horn & bone making handles for things but this was my first big hardwood project. It’s hard to beat a flame or curly maple for highly figured wood- and of course bird’s eye maple. Other than the maple stuff I only ever messed with cocobolo and only on small projects. Everything I do on this truck is fun because almost nothing I do could leave the truck in worse condition than it was. A ‘bed you can put stuff on’ was my highest original aspiration then when my buddy offered me the ipe I thought the quality of the materials demanded that I try at least a little bit to make it look good. I wouldn’t have minded if both side pieces matched a little better but I really dig how the colors came out. Varied colors are definitely part of the charm of the ipe! It’s funny all the thinking and measuring I did to try and make this removable I was totally missing the fact that the bed floor sits under a rib in the bedside- it can only lift up a few inches and can’t move forward or back because it’s locked into the wheel tubs. D’oh! I am thinking about how to make the wood bolt down to the bed floor frame so it doesn’t jump or slam over bumps. The angle iron in the back actually touches the bedsides and the square tube floor so I could just weld that in. Then the planks and stainless ends would get pinched between the rear trim piece and the angle. The holes in the angle iron are tapped 1/4”-20 and I will finish with nylocks on final install. That handles the back. On the front I have a couple long shank 3/8” eye hooks I’m thinking about installing somewhere near the front corners. They are ones from a stake pocket kit (I took off the rubber chunk that is supposed to expand in the pocket) so they have a square washer on top with a thin rubber pad which would look ok in the bed. The stock style with the washer flush mounted with a forstner bit is handsome too. At least I got a brand new battery installed today, put in rubber lined P clamps for the 3/8” fuel hardline to the engine bay, and cleaned up all my junior woodshop tools and sawdust. I had the bed installed and apart about five times yesterday so I guess I can pull two bed boards or drop the gastank when I need a new battery- not the end of the world. Here’s an indoor mockup after the oil dried 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted December 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2018 Today I welded up a previous fuel filler hole in the rear bedside, the stock filler hole in the cab, and welded up the seams where I sectioned the bed. Lotta tacking grinding and waiting! Some day the cab wil get a skim coat of bondo to hide the fix. I didn’t go the extra mile to make it perfect in raw metal just real close. There are a lot of paintjobs showing in the feathered edge! Only most of them are probably lead paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted December 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2018 Now I have to handle this area. The other side looks better but in actuality needs to be trimmed back like this one before it can get made again. Thankfully I still have the 12” sections that I removed when I shortened the bed to make patch panels from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) I got outside for a few minutes and hung the rear calipers on their brackets, plasma cut the hole a little higher in the bedside to get the fuel filler hose run to be properly graded, and started trying to decide where to place the bracket to terminate the rear hard brake line, soft hose, and splitter. I am not sure if I should keep trying to make the jeep rear hose work, or rebend the hard portion thats attached to the splitter, weld a bolt to the pumpkin, use the snubber bolt hole, or get a whole new hose and splitter maybe a ss braided and seperate splitter block. The airbags take up the real estate usually occupied by the brake splitter and I want to keep the runs away from the ground and the driveshaft, mufflers, etc. any suggestions? Edited January 1, 2019 by Radarsonwheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f_armer Posted January 2, 2019 Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 I think id try and get the bracket closer to the rear, so the splitter could be mounted on the axle tube. Rather than mount it near the pinion. It looks like there is room beside your airbag where the old vent, or splitter bolt is? Could you run a brace between the upper shock crossmember and the one in front of it, mount it front to rear, as a place for the hose bracket to mount to? Just to get that hose bracket closer to axle tube. Hard to tell from here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 Thanks. I ordered a universal rear hose with a splitter. This should be easier to fit since it doesn’t have the stiff section of hard line that the stock hose has. I can locate the chassis bracket wherever I want- it’s just sitting there in that picture. I definitely want to attach the axle side bracket off of a tube not the center section so I can weld to steel not iron. It’s not the first time I spent too long figuring out how to put the square peg in the round hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f_armer Posted January 2, 2019 Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 Maybe i misunderstand what your saying, but wouldnt that bolt that is in the top of the drivers side axle tube near the center section go through that splitter and you wont have to weld on your rear end at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) Farmer- I’ve dealt with a lot of axles where the bolt on top of the tube is actually a breather. On mine it’s just a bolt- the breather port is under a little rear facing scoop on the top of the axle a few inches farther outboard. On my axle I’ve used all the space on top and over that bolt with the lower brackets for the airbags. The only part of the axle that shows inside the framerails is the cast center section. There is some free space under those brackets but I’d prefer to not have to fiddle around under there. I was hoping to re-use the hose and splitter I already had but it’s rigid section was too tall, the hose end was clocked wrong, and it had awkward output angles. Since I don’t want to try welding to the cast iron I decided to use a large exhaust clamp. If I clamp it with the U on the bottom I will be able to use the front threaded portion of the clamp to secure the splitter. The chassis hose bracket still needs to get located but that’ll be easy once the axle side of the hose is located. I really want to button up the rear and bed but I still need to finish plumbing the brakes and also boxing the frame behind my Z splices. I did manage to get some work done today. I welded in the rear angle iron that holds the back edge of the wood. It is tied into the floor frame and welded solid to the bedsides too. It’ll tie the wood in solid to the metal. I also decided to use two of the existing bolts through the front wood bed trim and boards to hold down the front of the bed. I didn’t want to put any more holes in all that pretty wood. The fuel filler run is now properly graded and the steel elbows in it are all painted to keep rust off the outside. The wires are run up to the firewall and straight to ground from the fuel level sender. Now I gotta wait for that hose and clamp in the mail and get those boxing plates made... Edited January 2, 2019 by Radarsonwheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) Here’s a pic (old pic! No wires or gas tank or battery yet) of how little space I have to work with- the traditional splitter bolt spot is gone. Figuring it out as I go along! Edited January 2, 2019 by Radarsonwheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 2, 2019 Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 does not the donor axle you using have a vent that screws onto the housing? this is where you will mount the splitter hose and still vent the housing....a two part function by design.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f_armer Posted January 2, 2019 Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 I see now, you have no room with those bags. I was looking at some of your older pics and could see that bolt and wondered why you wouldnt use it, but ya youve got alot going on back there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 12 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: does not the donor axle you using have a vent that screws onto the housing? this is where you will mount the splitter hose and still vent the housing....a two part function by design.... Re-read my post but a picture explains it better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) I think it’s a 70’s ramcharger axle. I’ve never seen one with a divorced vent like this either- I only ever worked on the ones where the bolt is also the vent. If I was building for the track and weight was a concern I wouldn’t be happy with my rear situation but for what I’m doing I like it- the worn out super stock springs locate the axle, the bags hold up the chassis and offer variable ride height, and the slapper bars should resist wheel hop and spring wind up. A four link with adjustable coilovers would have been a more elegant and lighter solution but the 1” thick ipe bed weighs a ton anyway. Should be good for traction! Edited January 2, 2019 by Radarsonwheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 My nice upholstery has been mocked up in my cab since before christmas. For some reason my wife thought it looked better in there than in the dining room for holiday guests? I stashed the bench inside this morning so I could get to work on my floor. Farmer had me inspired to do a good job and use the biggest pieces I could cut for less welding and seams. Last night I hit wally world after midnight with all the other wierdos and bought two packs of posterboard. I like measuring but I am a bigger fan of tape and scissors for all the complex shapes. I have this little 110 plasma cutter with an onboard compressor that is awesome for sheetmetal. It’s kinda slow but I like it better than a grinder or beverly shear for a lot of jobs- more accurate & less distortion. Anyway, it’s coming along. Hopefully we have a nice cold day soon so I can peel up that nasty dynamat without too much neverending asphalt/rubber goo problems so I can weld to the passenger toe area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2019 Still have to finish off the back behind the seatbelt bracket bar and the vertical part of the bench pedestal. Then on to the hard part making the removable trans tunnel/motor hump 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f_armer Posted January 4, 2019 Report Share Posted January 4, 2019 I think that looks great! I like the bead rolling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2019 Thanks Farmer! I’m still undecided about doing carpet I might just do carpet in the footwells and maybe cover the console in vinyl. It leaks a little in the rain so I have to address that before I do any rugs. The metal will look cool for a while until I get tired of heat and noise and it sure ain’t gonna flex! It’s just sitting there for now. I’m going to spot (actually rosette) weld the panels to the floor frame and weld the seams up solid later when the plumbing is done. I got a big huge exhaust clamp in the mail today. It looks like it will be a great solution for mounting the rear brake hose splitter to the axle. I just need to notch the top folded metal piece so that it indexes to the ridge on the iron tube, a little loctite and it’ll do the job nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radarsonwheels Posted January 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2019 Like this but with the hose I ordered which doesn’t have a hard line extension on the block and has better output angles. The chassis side bracket will go where ever the hose tells it then I can finally have the rear all plumbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.