Builds The Trail Snail Build | Above Average Overlandish (5 Viewers)

[SmokingRocks]

Merry Christmas everyone! My wife is out of town visiting her family so I've had unrestricted garage hours, which has helped me get the passenger side slider done.

First time welding in like 4 years so don’t judge

Welding the end caps on

Here you can see the 1/4” npt port for future air tank use

I wanted to weld the b pillar to the slider so I cut a window in the rocker and bent it up

 

[SmokingRocks]

Final cuts, reference photos and last mock up

 

[SmokingRocks]

Welding in

Had to stick weld the b pillar. Which was like my second time stick welding so I took the photo from a decent distance away.

Front brace fab and install

 

[SmokingRocks]

Took me a long time, and there’s still some touch up, but I had to spend a lot of time welding in the fender holes that he PO had just bondo’d over. Also was chasing rust out of the back door

Overall I’m very happy with it. Glad I went with a 2x6 because I ended up setting it inboard more so that the a, b and c pillar body mount turn downs all sit on top and got welded to the slider

 

[Broski]

Nice tight fit, looking good

 

[baldilocks]

You are giving me courage here……. The welding I ain’t worried about. It’s the cutting and not messing up my truck that I’m worried about. Haha

 

[baldilocks]

Will you add tubing?

 

[TYM4FUN]

Very nice.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Will you add tubing?

I thought about it, and maybe one day I will but right now I like the low profile look of this.

 

[Broski]

Pictures of the back side Please

 

[SmokingRocks]

I usually charge for those kinds of photos.

I'll have to get some tonight

 

[baldilocks]

I thought about it, and maybe one day I will but right now I like the low profile look of this.

Didn’t you say you were interested in the AntiRock sway bar install?

 

[SmokingRocks]

Didn’t you say you were interested in the AntiRock sway bar install?

Yea, I've got the kit hanging out in the corner. It's coming up on the list.

 

[SmokingRocks]

I know pics of the backside welds were requested but I didn't like all the things I did on the passenger side slider so, you'll get those photos once I finish those welds on the driver's side tonight.

Started into the rocker on Sunday. The rear part of the rocker had the most rust damage, however, once I cut it open I noticed it was fairly localized compared to the passenger side.

When making your cuts, make the horizontal cut on the outside of the rocker 1st. Then cut the pinch seam off, this will allow you access to the inside face of the backside of the rocker panel. Doing your cuts this way allows you to cut the inner rocker wall while sitting in front of it rather than cutting from under the rig.

Notice how I left the turn-down feet of the A, B & C pillars and I cut the rest of the rocker up 1/2-3/4". Once you get all that done you will need to grind the faces of the A&C pillar feet to adjust the placement of the box so that it sits parallel with the rocker.

 

[SmokingRocks]

In addition to the B pillar welding access door (see what I did on the passenger slider) I cut a small window at the A pillar so I could lay a bead connecting the inner A pillar core to the slider. Please don't judge my welds, was having wire speed issues and my tank was running on empty.

Had to make some patch plates to block in some areas that were cut out during the surgery to remove the rust. I kept blowing holes in the metal so I had to really slow down and stack weld to fill them in. I know it's not the prettiest or most correct way but it was the fastest and I was tired.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Did some maintenance on my old rig that I sold to my best friend for 3,500 like 4 years ago. This thing is mint... Sadly he's selling it to fund his move to Porta Vallarta, I bet he gets mid 20's out of it.

 

[SmokingRocks]

So since my wife went to Highschool with Joey Burrow annnnd now he's playing in the Great Bowl this Sunday we are naturally having a party at the house... Whhhhiiiichhh we both kinda overbooked, so there's going to be about 35-40 people at our house and the main entertaining space + kitchen on the first floor is only 730sf so there's no choice but to open up the 650sf garage for beer pong and extra space. And since I hadn't done a hardcore cleaning in over a year I figured it was time, no one needs to see how it is normally.

After 2 long nights its done, well mostly, should've taken before photos... just think about everything that should be in a drawer or bin, not in those drawers or bins. Instead, those things were all over the counters & floors.

It's nice to have a clean shop, well 1/2 of one the rest of the garage behind me still needs the treatment but it should be faster since the shop area's done.

 

[SmokingRocks]

Started off with "let's replace that one bulb in the HVAC cluster" ended up being "why is my radio only getting 9 volts now"

 

[SmokingRocks]

Well the "Whys my radio only getting 9 volts turned into" --> let's rip out the old wiring I did back in 2016 which was ok but not great and do it better, and lets wash the carpet since a 6 pack exploded in the passenger side footwell a couple of weeks ago and I'm tired of the rig smelling like a brewery malting barley.

 

[SmokingRocks]

And then I was able to get some wheeling in