my frame slider build (pics) (1 Viewer)

[jjdeneen918]

Well I decided to ditch my OEM steps for some better door/rocker panel protection.

I went down to the steel yard and picked the following:

-3" long 3/8" thick angel iron to use as weld-on brackets to the frame

-5' of 6" wide 3/8" plate steel to use for the brackets to attach my angle iron to my rectangle steel sliders

-20' of 3/16" thick 2X4 steel for the sliders (ill have leftovers)

DRIVERS SIDE BUILD

I cut the 2X4 steel to a workable 6' X" length and secured it to a floor jack.

I jacked it into place under my doors about where I wanted it to be.

Using cardboard and a pair of scissors I cut templates for my 3/8" plate steel brackets (I made 3 brackets to attach to the frame)
The longest was at the front of the car and each one got progressively shorter due to the frame getting wider.

Once I had my brackets cut to size and my angle iron brackets cut to 5" long to attach to the frame I mocked it up for fit.

I tack welded the angle to the frame, and tack welded the plate steel brackets to the angle.

I then again floor jacked the 2X4 steel into place, it looked good and was happy with the fitment.

I cut away the tack welds from the frame leaving the plate and angle still welded together.

I took my braclets and drilled 3 1/2" holes in each plate and angle bracket. After the drilling I cut away my tack welds.

I went to ACE Hardware who only had 4 grade-8 bolts in stock. I went to OSH Hardware who had more than enough for my project (needed 9 bolts for each side)

After getting all my angle welded to my frame, I welded my brackets to the 2X4 steel.

I cut some smaller pieces of plate and welded them across the top of my brackets for lateral strength, gussets if you will...


I'm still in the process of building and I'm not yet complete, next will be cutting the ends of the 2x4 steel at about 15 to 20 degree angle and capping the ends for a nice finished look.

After that I'll be adding/bending some tube steel to attach to the 2x4 steel for added side rock protection.


NEXT will be the passenger side, with protection added for the catalytic converters, that's going to get interesting....

Here are some pics, and I keep updated as I proceede

 

[jjdeneen918]

And a thanks to my buddy Matt, who without his driveway, torch, welder this would not be possible.

more...

 

[jlg32281]

I like the simplicity of it. I'm interested in the final product and how you get around the cats. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Dusty]

plenty strong vertical. are horizontal loads an issue? ie if you hit/snag the outrigger will it bend forward/back?

 

[jlg32281]

I think there would be substantial horizontal strength because of the gussets. They're not the beefiest I've seen, but they look pretty dang good.

 

[jjdeneen918]

As for lateral movement I would only be concerned with the front, longer, bracket.

But it is made of 3/8" plate with a 3" gusset. Not only would I have to smack a rock hard enough to bend that size plate but it would have to tear that 3" gusset too.

I don't intend on driving over boulders sizable enough to do that damage at break-neck speed, which I think is what it would require.

But who knows, I'm no engineer. If I break it it, I'll weld it bigger, better, and beefier.


Not much progress yesterday, just cut a 1" 45-degree cut into the ends of the 2X4 and tack welded the cover plates to the ends.

Back to work for the week, I'll update next week.

 

[jjdeneen918]

Well I started with the passenger side brackets the other day.

top bracket will be the center girder, middle will be the front that goes under the catalytic converters, bottom is the rear.

all 3 brackets have been tack-welded to their frame supports and then removed from the car for drilling. They will each receive 3- 1/2" holes which will eventually be how they attach to the car, just like the drivers side.

the small square-ish plate with 2 holes drilled in it will be bolted to 2 existing holes on the bottom of the frame rail directly nect to te 2nd catalytic-converter. I will then attach that with steel to the long skinny piece of steel you see in the pic.

The long skinny piece will run along the bottom of the cats, it was cut and angeled at the ends (hard to see in pic)

I will eventually make a support brace as well at te front of the first cat.

all these brackets still need gusseting like I did with the drivers side, the front (around the cats will get the plating/gusseting across the bottom, will help with cat clearance and aid in cageing in the cats

I had to bend 2 of the 3 brackets to line up the brackets (only had to do that on 1 for the drivers side) It took forever to heat the 3/8" steel hot enough to make it bendable last time.

This time i cut a "V" into the back side of the plate and bent the steel. This made a slightly larger "V" gap in the plate. I then just filled the "V" with weld bead. Should be just as stong.

Plans for tomorrow are to get this thing done, painted, and attached to car.

Future plans, pobably a month, get the tubing, bender out, and make the side steps. But right now I just want it this complete so I can drive it!

 

[jjdeneen918]

Well, I got started on the passenger side yesterday around 9am. The plan was to have it complete by 12-1pm, bolt it up and head out of town to test it out and do some shooting...

At about 9pm last night I got the final bolt in place.

I'm packing up my stuff now and heading to Bannning to shoot some stuff and drag some steel across various things.

Overall it turned out well, I notched a groove in the bottom of the cat skid plate to allow the cat to drop into if it flexed, it was pretty close.

It is now to the 'functionally completed' part of the project. It works but will eventually get tubing bent for it in the near future.

Ill post some pics, but I'll take some better "on the car pics" today, it was late last night and lighting sucked at best.

 

[jjdeneen918]

few more...

 

[Chaldaean]

That looks great! After installing my MetalTech sliders, I can appreciate how difficult it would be to make a slider on the passenger side with the cats and narrowing frame rails to navigate.

I also like the mix of the welded bracket and bolt-on sliders. Good stuff.

 

[jvazquez53]

Awesome!!!

 

[akarilo]

Nice work.

 

[Gordopescado]

Looks stout. I like the simplicity.

 

[jjdeneen918]

 

[Newps]

Nice work, totally different take on the mounting design. You mentioned you were going to do some shooting and testing in Banning. You must be in SoCal, no? If so check out the SoCal 80s section in the TLCA / Clubhouse Forum. Post up and introduce yourself to the group.