Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
What do you guys think? I still gotta do some grinding, then its off to get powdercoated!!
CK5
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Fabbed up a new rollbar
- Thread starter Lotsa_Faith
- Start date
Amtek
1/2 ton status
That thing will collapse like a trampoline under a fat kid. LOL
Good start but still needs a ton of reinforcement before it can be called a roll bar. You also cant just mount to the sheet metal without reinforcement from the frame. It'll tear off the body on bouncy roads and trails, let alone take the forces from a roll over.
Take a look at this guide for some pointers in building a proper rollbar that will actually protect you from forces in all directions. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/rollcage.htm
Note how the roll bar sandwiches the frame and passes through to be welded to the frame.
Good start but still needs a ton of reinforcement before it can be called a roll bar. You also cant just mount to the sheet metal without reinforcement from the frame. It'll tear off the body on bouncy roads and trails, let alone take the forces from a roll over.
Take a look at this guide for some pointers in building a proper rollbar that will actually protect you from forces in all directions. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/rollcage.htm
Note how the roll bar sandwiches the frame and passes through to be welded to the frame.
CherryK5
1/2 ton status
i think/hope he's joking.
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
Its 1.5" square tube...should I have gone with 2"?
fail
That goes in the fail thread.
I know this is a joke.
That goes in the fail thread.
I know this is a joke.
Amtek
1/2 ton status
Sometimes you never know... We've all known somebody who might have thought this was a good idea.
I had a buddy who had all the fabricating tools, skills, and knew how to weld pretty good, but had no clue how to design a bumper or roll bar or spring mount to withstand the forces it was intended for, much like the OP. Unfortunately he actually thinks his fabricating skills are good enough to open up a shop and do it professionally. You just gotta be sensitive about these things, lol
I had a buddy who had all the fabricating tools, skills, and knew how to weld pretty good, but had no clue how to design a bumper or roll bar or spring mount to withstand the forces it was intended for, much like the OP. Unfortunately he actually thinks his fabricating skills are good enough to open up a shop and do it professionally. You just gotta be sensitive about these things, lol
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
Lol its going to be a high rack in the end
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
I could still use comments or suggestions...the floor of it is going to be a gate off of a typical 16' trailer, we are using strictly scrap laying around, $0 invested so far.
owenst7
1/2 ton status
Sugar coat much?
So you're making a ladder rack sort of? I would bring the poles down in through the bed pillars (that's what they're for). The ones we have don't, but they run a length of angle iron down the bed rails (protects them well and gives you a place to mount tie downs too) and the verticals are welded to that. Otherwise it will pull through that 16 gauge body metal easily.
If you live in a climate that has freezing temperatures, drill a small hole in the bottom of them. No matter how sealed up they are, they always manage to get condensation in there and 10 years later it will start form enough ice to push the tube apart.
snotrocket71
Registered Member
its not much better than the roll bar my truck has thats just bolted to the floor, i swear the carpeting in a k5 is load bearing... at least it kinda looks cool
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
Not a ladder rack, a high rack for hunting out Of. It will end up having a chair up there that swivels 360 degrees, and other stuff like a shooting rest and spotlight hookup.
Similar to this, except this guy knew what he was doing . The rails and chairs are laid down for traveling.
Similar to this, except this guy knew what he was doing . The rails and chairs are laid down for traveling.
You trying to get eye level with the ducks?
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
I like to spotlight and kill critters in the offseason, I've been doing some long range shooting with my ar and I'm starting to catch the bug!
Seriously, those bolts through the sheetmetal are not going to hold people up there for long. Maybe the weight can be supported like that, but it certainly needs some triangulation to keep the uprights...upright.
Somebody was talking about stake pockets, but the pictures really look like a K5 to me. You should cut some tubing to the length of the bedsides and drill it to match the bolt pattern of the fiberglass top. Then weld your uprights to that and your braces. Then the whole business still unbolts and you never had to drill holes in the truck. The top of the uprights should be tied together as well, but I assume the platform or whatever is going on top will do that.
Somebody was talking about stake pockets, but the pictures really look like a K5 to me. You should cut some tubing to the length of the bedsides and drill it to match the bolt pattern of the fiberglass top. Then weld your uprights to that and your braces. Then the whole business still unbolts and you never had to drill holes in the truck. The top of the uprights should be tied together as well, but I assume the platform or whatever is going on top will do that.
ezoliver
Mall Crawler
Needs more triangulation...
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
The reason we used the flat bar is because most of the time we are using this it will be cold, so we want to be able to put the top on. Also on the strength issue I'm going to end up adding some triangulation for support, but this won't be a rack people are in while the truck is moving. All it will need to be able to support is two people sitting and standing up there while the vehicles stopped...it's not like were gonna have 4 people up there Rollin down mainstreet doin the stanky leg
Looking at your posts again, it looks like you plan to run the hardtop underneath this rack. You can probably live with the temporary seal leaks around your flat plate, but do you really want permanent leaks after those plates bend up the bed-rails? Isn't there still a way to spread the load out?
right.
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
I'm open to suggestions....
We also are going to run an upright in between those two that are already done that will help handle the load, does that make it any better?
I'm not worried about leaks, the truck is rhino-lined and gets rained on every summer a handful of times.
Lotsa_Faith
1/2 ton status
Nahhh no cooler, we time our calling sessions by the beer.....finish our beer, time to get down and move along to the next spot!
