Boat sides on a full body 40?

[FLYINGLOW]

I went wheeling a few weeks ago and rubbed the rockers pretty good on the trees as well as the tree sliders (2x2 1/4 angle boxed into a triangle) I put above the rear wheel openings. I came home know that I really need some heavy rocker protection as well as some tube down the sides of the hood. Everything we wheel is tight with trees and lots of drops that tend to slam you over into the trees. Some conventional sliders would be ok but the rocker under the door is still open for a beating. And I don't want sliders that stick out.

Then I found BellyDoc's "A Fool and his Money" on pirate... Its taking me forever to read that darn thread! The boat sides look killer but I still drive my junk back and forth to the trails. I can't turn it into a trailer rig yet...

Anyway, has anyone done anything like this to a full bodied 40? I am thinking 2x4 or 2x6 1/4 or posibly 3/16 wall tube on about a 45 degree angle. I know the fuel tank is a concern, a plastic tank might fix this if its a major stumbling block. I would likely chop the bottom inch or 2 of the doors off, they are rusty and getting beat anyway to get the rockers up higher.

I'm away at work for a couple days so I took a couple pics before I left but they kinda suck. Heres one I modified to show about what I want to do.

Thanks.

 

[bsilva132]

this is from a MUD member's rig in SoCal. I forget who's it is, as I save the picture a while back.

 

[FLYINGLOW]

this is from a MUD member's rig in SoCal. I forget who's it is, as I save the picture a while back.

Thanks. Not quite what i was thinking but my backup plan is similar, to put on something like the angle he has bolted right up to the bottom of the door opening. I like the skid underneath, I'm always hitting the piece that comes off the frame for the fwd body mount.

 

[LC_Hamma]

I used 1/4" plate & 1 3/4" DOM tubing for the sliders, 1/4" diamond plate & outriggers from 2 X 2 X 3/16" wall square tube. A 2" body lift, reangled & boxed body mounts to catch the rollcage. I'd add some rubber flex pads between the body & the boat sides if you're going to connect them.

 

[FLYINGLOW]

I used 1/4" plate & 1 3/4" DOM tubing for the sliders, 1/4" diamond plate & outriggers from 2 X 2 X 3/16" wall square tube. A 2" body lift, reangled & boxed body mounts to catch the rollcage. I'd add some rubber flex pads between the body & the boat sides if you're going to connect them.

Thanks for posting up LC, I like the work you do. I am kinda thinking of just cutting and welding it into the body, tying it into the box crossmember that runs accross behind the seats and the U channel by the front body mount, possibly running a peice of tube accross behind to tie in both sides. Does that make sense? I'd just use a piece of rectangular tubing on about a 45 degree angle to replace the existing rocker. In the back of my head though I keep thinking of what it could do to the body if I hit it hard enough, like tweek or break body mounts possibly.

 

[FLYINGLOW]

Anybody else? Is this a stupid idea?

I am now thinking a couple peices of tube going to the frame.

 

[bustanutley]

You need to do is support your rockers off the frame. I capped my rockers with L3x3x1/4 supported off the frame years ago, and this part of the body is still straight.

best current photo of my rockers:

what they looked like off the truck:

 

[FLYINGLOW]

You need to do is support your rockers off the frame. I capped my rockers with L3x3x1/4 supported off the frame years ago, and this part of the body is still straight.

Thanks Busta, I layed on the creeper for a while last night looking and thinking. I'll post some pics later but I am thinking of bracing off the frame and running a tube across the back behind the "box" and above the frame if you know what i mean, from rocker to rocker.

Nice bent spring

 

[FLYINGLOW]

So this is where I was thinking of running a piece of tube through from side to side but am now thinking that might be a waste and should just run it to the frame. If I do run it through I'll bolt it to each frame rail also.

 

[FLYINGLOW]

So by my estimates if I cut on this line and do a 45 degree angle on the new rocker then the cut on the inside will be where the inner rocker meets the floor.

 

[Krazyfj]

any progress on this?

 

[FLYINGLOW]

any progress on this?

Nope, been busy with other stuff but wheeling season is here not so i gotta get on it. I did buy some steel. 2x4 1/8 wall and 2x3 3/16 wall. I am going to join the 2 tubes, the 1/8 wall on top. The ouside will be skinned with at least 1/8. I just need to get the time to pull the fuel tank out and start on the passenger side. Oh ya and 1" body lift has to come out too.