My 1983 SR5 Long Bed Build.

[dngspot]

Thanks Jynx

I have finished painting the cab and bed. I will be the first to say, not a paint and body person. With that said the truck bed coating is a real bitch to work with. Yesterday after painting the cab with the coating all looked great a fairly even coat. Then I applied the khaki and streaks showed up like birds to a clean car. Also the bed coating soaked up a bunch of the khaki. The doors and fenders look good but the hood is a not a even. I may remove it later and put a thicker coating of khaki on it.
As for the bed, it looks pretty good but, if I had were to do it over, I would get an undercoating gun and spray it on. Then it would look great.

I painted in the driveway, bugs are welcome, more texture.

Right side,

These pics were taken right after paint, you can see the top of the hood is not dry yet.

The bed needs a bit more attention. Before I put it back on the truck, I have to drill the holes for the propane brackets. The bolts will come in from the front and will be tacked, there is not enough room to do this because the cab is in the way, on the truck.

She is painted and ready for a little more work.

 

[dngspot]

Installed the bed and a set of Roundeye's

A blurry dark pic of the Roundeye's

 

[dngspot]

Tanks are installed, sort of. I need to build some brackets for the tanks to sit on and hold the bottoms from moving.

 

[x factor]

Nice to see it together again, look in' good.

Just a thought on the bottom hold down for the tanks, make an X out of some 1/4" flat stock that would be standing on edge and a couple of corner gussets that you could bolt to the floor. These would have to fit inside the bottom ring on the tank.

 

[dngspot]

Thanks X, the idea on edge did not work for me the tanks are tall enough.

These are what the tanks will sit on. I will bolt them to the floor.

I scored these during the week. They are so much lighter than the steel cylinders.

 

[x factor]

Cool, just drops in with the single strap. That should keep tank changes easy.

 

[dngspot]

The lower brackets are in. I bolted them in.

I then worked on the sliders a bit. Knowing myself and my wife, if those things got wet or iced, one or both of us is going for a ride while entering or exiting the truck. So I decided to do something better than skid tape and use something from work.

The step came off of a Cat wheel loader. I grabbed a couple that were damaged and straightened them out. Then I cut one of the steps up as seen on the left. The one on the right will be welded to a 2 inch square tube and used as a step to hoist my butt into the back of the truck.

I then cut the item on the left into these.

The next is a pic of one of the sliders under primer. It is a bit dark, sorry. The step is centered with the front seat mount.

 

[dngspot]

I finished painting the sliders. I have the driver side clamped in and will burn them in tomorrow.

 

[jynx]

Things are coming together nicely. The step modifications are pretty slick but I somehow feel like I would find a way to chew my shin up on those within the first month of trying to get in and out.

 

[dngspot]

Thanks jynx. Yea you need to lift your leg 27 inches, miss and stitches.


I managed only one slider weld in. I know it is another pic of the slider but, hell, I like to take pictures. Really I'm showing the battery location. I would have done the other slider but, the wife was going to be home soon and I need to pull the truck into her parking area, for room on the other side to weld in the right slider. I did use my High Lift to pick up the truck from the side. No cracks, bends or broken welds, feeling pretty good about that.

 

[Sam Stewart]

Good that the hi lift picked it up. Mine are welded REALLY solid. I had to change a flat last time we were on the trail and I picked up the whole truck by the slider on one side and it held. It did make a little creaking noise which I assume was because of so much weight.

 

[Richmondo]

The bumper is done and I am liking it.

Damn, that bumper is exactly what I've been thinking of doing except figuring out a way to make it wrap around nicely and add a stinger/headlight protection. You wouldn't still have those templates would ya?

 

[dngspot]

Yep I do.

 

[Richmondo]

Is there any way I could get the dimensions from you?

I hate to rip off your design but I've been looking for a plate bumper, or even just some ideas, based off the Trail Gear winch plate and I'm completely serious when I say that that is exactly what I had in mind.

 

[dngspot]

This came from a PM that was given on another site. I hope it makes sense to you. And do not worry about steeling my design, after all, I copied it from another guy on a different site.

I used the angles on the winch plate as a starting point then made the middle template. It is the template that sets the distance from outer end to the truck. Mine was as long as the widest part of the fender and about 3 inches forward of the fender. The middle template lowest edge should be parallel to the ground and it sets the angle for the next two templates. It and the lowest template also make the point at the end. Before the point and the bottom edge of this template is 1.5 inches the widest end is 3 inches. It is 26 inches long at the longest point. It also uses the angle at the fair lead mount on the winch plate for the inner angle.

The bottom template I used about half of the gusset angle on the winch plate. Seen in the pic below. It forms the bottom of the point. It too is 1.5 inches at that point and 4 inches at the winch plate. It is 24 inches long

The top plate could cut at an angle at the winch plate if desired, I did not see the point so it is cut to a 90 degree to the top edge and then the lower edge follows the middle template. It is blended into the top edge of the middle template just before the point on the end. It is also lifted to and angle to hide any thing that would be exposed under the grill. It is 20.5 inches long at the widest end it is 5 inches and comes to a sharp angle at the other end.

One set of templates were used to cut both sides. You could make two top templates and make a closer fit to your winch. Mine sits a bit to the right so the right side almost touches the winch and the left side has about a 3 inch gap.

 

[dngspot]

I finished welding in the other slider and I lifted the right side of the truck with no problems.

I went to work on the battery trays. More or less I have one of them done. I have to drill holes in the slider to mount them. None of the mount bolts will be seen, they will all be under the battery box.
The battery box is nothing more than 3/16 plate welded into an L. The front and sides are also 3/16 X 1.5 stock. The bracket is made from the same stock the front and sides are made from.

The open hole for the cross bracket was welded onto the back of the rear plate. The bracket hooks into it.

The bottom mounts are made from 3/16 X 1.5 angle. The holes are 3/8 and will be fastened to the slider with grade 8 bolts.

A blurry pic of it clamped to the slider. I stopped because I need and angle drill to get between the bars in the slider. Also a side note, I will be welding the nut and bolt that clamp the bracket to the tray. This is to keep those honest, honest. I can cut the bolt if and when needed with a die grinder and cut off wheel.

 

[dngspot]

Yesterday I welded in the left battery box and built the right battery box. I welded the right side in today. I am eager to get them wired in. I'm sitting on a bunch of used 00 gauge wire from a couple motor grater builds, we did at work. Looking at it, it is a bit rough. I ordered a couple 25 foot spools of 4 gauge wire, that is what I will use.

Left side.

Right side.

I also painted the tire hold down. I guess I will keep it for a bit until I just cant stand it anymore. The item on the vise, to the right, is the neoprene cone that sits under the handles. It works pretty good and does not scratch the rim.

 

[dngspot]

I have gathered up a bunch of used battery cables over a few years. They came off of machines at work that we rebuild. All cables are 00 gauge. I will use these for ground, and the positive to come together to a positive lug. From that lug 4 gauge will head off to the main truck system, lights and possibly to the winches if their cables are not long enough. I may even use a second lug for the winches alone.

This is about half of what I have. All of the terminals are crap but the cables are corrosion free. They look pretty rough, that is the yellow over spray and can be clean off with brake cleaner.

I clipped off all of the unusable ends.

I still have that much left over from the pile I pulled out of the attic. There is at least twice that much up there.

This is what I have to work with, terminal covers for both the positive and negative post, 4 gauge cable, ground strap for the bed to frame, 3/8 eyelets for 4 and 00 gauge cable, and cable clips.And those shinny things, they are battery master switches, may use them for the winches. Now off to work.

 

[dngspot]

I have both batteries wired in. I soldered and crimped all ends. That took longer than expected, making custom 00 gauge cables suck. Anyway I also ran a 4 gauge wire to the starter. Glad to report all gauges, lights and signals work. The engine even turns over, no gas no start. I need to fill the trans, it is a good idea not to start it anyway.

The left battery

Right battery

The lug is mounted on the behind cab cross member.I think I am going to build something a bit more stout. With 4 gauge wire it would have been okay but, with the 00 stuff, it seems a bit weak.

 

[dngspot]

I spent most of the day working on the bumper and winch. The bumper winch holes were to close to the fairlead, this caused the front of the winch to make contact with the fairlead mounting holes. I welded the holes and drilled holed 1/4 inch away from the fairlead mount. Reinstalled the bumper and winch, then installed the electrical control box. When I attempted to install the grill no fit. I had to cut a big chunk out of the grill to fit the box. Did not really want to do this in case the winch did not work out and a different one was to replace it. Oh well the hole is made and the box is now mounted. The winch is working fine.

A close up.

Front view.