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Tray Options

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:46 am
by Klappers
Just thought that I would ask you all about what trays you cats run? Umm, going to be choping my soft top in the next couple of weeks and I was just wondering what material to make it out of and should I move the fuel tank as well??? Will be running LED tail lights and was thinking about tube...how hard is this stuff to work with and can you buy bends or do you need to bend it yourself. My mate has a pipe cutter (angle it for roll cages) so that is not a problem...Just wondering what the easiest option was.

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:11 am
by =SKB=
Watch Damo's thread. The tube trays look awesome and his design is looking pretty good so far. Plus I think almost everyone on the forum has chopped their softop zuks so there should be plenty of tips and inspiration. I'll keep mine intact til I rear end it into something. :D

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:34 am
by Klappers
Lol..yes this is indeed the the problem that i face..Yeah i was watching that thread but i am not sure that will apply to me because he has extended the chassis...which is something that i want to avoid....Well at this stage anyway...Could i use RHS???

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:26 pm
by Vineboy
Yep you can buy pre-made bends. Our local steel supply shop sell 45 and 90 degree and maybe 15 degree bends in mild steel. I have used them for farm stuff.

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:21 pm
by Rod Dirt'e
Here is a tray i made in 6 or 7 hours one day cost me about $200 inc alum & steel. And LED Lights about $280

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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:37 pm
by Rod Dirt'e
All if you want to make it out of tube you can buy pre made bends from TONY POWELL at Coopers Plains in Brisbane.

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:58 pm
by just cruizin'
Rod Dirt'e wrote:All if you want to make it out of tube you can buy pre made bends from TONY POWELL at Coopers Plains in Brisbane.
or AAP Industries at Eagle Farm, cheap too, large and small radius. Or buy a cheap pipe bender if you're not fussy about the small dints in the pipe they cause.

Raise the tank up, they are asking to be bashed on Sierras

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:03 pm
by Rod Dirt'e
Making up a fuel cell to go in the back tray with the fuel system.

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:10 pm
by Klappers
that is sweet...that is exactly what i was after:) Muchly appreciated. So about 200..what sort of measurements do you need to know...where it bolts to the chassis and that it??? Fuel cell would be sweet:) what is hte damage on one of those bad boys

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:23 pm
by -Mandy-
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The numberplate has been countersunk as well ;)
:P

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 7:38 pm
by Rod Dirt'e
What for the Tray or the fuel cell? as i make them at home not through HTE, only the tig welding is done at HTE.

PM me if you want to know more or you can come over and have a look at it yourself. Or i can make the whole thing for you to if you want.

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:20 pm
by Klappers
Fuel cell..only problem is that your tray is welded to the chassis???? Would like to mount it like the body...how much harder would this be???? :?

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:48 pm
by Rhett

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:03 pm
by Rod Dirt'e
Klappers wrote:Fuel cell..only problem is that your tray is welded to the chassis???? Would like to mount it like the body...how much harder would this be???? :?
Not hard at all just dont weld it to the body just have to make up some mount to bolt to about 1hr more work thats all.

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:07 pm
by Gwagensteve
Mandy, I like that tray a lot - esp as it puts all the weight on the rails rather than up high.

Don't normally write that kind of post but I was overcome.

Steve.

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:28 pm
by -Mandy-
Gwagensteve wrote:Mandy, I like that tray a lot - esp as it puts all the weight on the rails rather than up high.

Don't normally write that kind of post but I was overcome.

Steve.
Cheers

I'm very impressed with how it turned out as well.

Will let Rodney know he did good :D

:P

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:15 pm
by Klappers
Yeah true..sweet as. Where abouts are you going to mount the fuel cell??? Was actually thinking of running on GAS in the not to distant future anyway, so might give the fuel cell a miss. Queensland is a funny state..you can change your fuel tank you just cant change the side that you fill up on??? WTF is with that one.. Will go with the rubber mounts...easier to lift if I need with the 32" Centis on.

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:20 pm
by Klappers
Rhett..your tray is SICK....Love it, will be doing something similar to that I think...nothing like RHS and checker plate:) Simple and easy and looks great when paint simple black. Thanks for all your help guys.. :D :D

Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:48 am
by evanstaniland
thaught i would help..... grumpys fuel cell, love the work Rod...sweet rig mandy

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Evan...

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:25 pm
by Klappers
so how much was it to weld up the fuel cell and how big is it??? Anything bigger than the stocka would be great!!!

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:28 pm
by Klappers
bar tech..so would you guys go round bar or RHS??? Which is easier and cheaper?

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:09 pm
by Rhett
Id go rhs(as I did ;) ) just for the fact that a zook is a quite square 4x4 if you build one out of tube you will need very tight radius bends to match the car.

my 2 cents anyway

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 6:54 pm
by Gwagensteve
I wouldn't want to be rolling on RHS though, so the hoop behind the cab would want to be round tube.

I agree that RHS suits the look of a sierra and is a lot easier to work with for a tray that has to carry stuff.

Round tube looks more "racy" and technical but only it bent and welded well.

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:13 am
by Klappers
Gwagensteve wrote:I wouldn't want to be rolling on RHS though, so the hoop behind the cab would want to be round tube.

I agree that RHS suits the look of a sierra and is a lot easier to work with for a tray that has to carry stuff.

Round tube looks more "racy" and technical but only it bent and welded well.
His hoop behind the cab is round bar??? RHS is cheap, strong and it suits the look of the car. Why would you not want to roll on RHS...how would this be any different to round bar?

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:45 am
by PJ.zook
Its more of a concern about welds, a rollbar thats made from bent tube is a sure thing (assuming its right grade, secured properly etc) whereas if you chop and weld RHS to make rollbar, unless you have your welds x-rayed there's always a chance that it could bend and break.
There are rumours that for the same diameter and wall thickness, between RHS and tube, tube is a lot stronger. Im not sure if this is correct, but it does seem logical to me.

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:49 am
by Klappers
PJ.zook wrote:Its more of a concern about welds, a rollbar thats made from bent tube is a sure thing (assuming its right grade, secured properly etc) whereas if you chop and weld RHS to make rollbar, unless you have your welds x-rayed there's always a chance that it could bend and break.
There are rumours that for the same diameter and wall thickness, between RHS and tube, tube is a lot stronger. Im not sure if this is correct, but it does seem logical to me.
Yes but you didnt read my post. His rollbar is tube.

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:37 pm
by Rhett
my tray and rear rollbar is just for looks. although it can hold the car up (4 times this year) I rather rely on my internal 4 point cage for my saftey.

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:02 pm
by Klappers
Rhett wrote:my tray and rear rollbar is just for looks. although it can hold the car up (4 times this year) I rather rely on my internal 4 point cage for my saftey.
true that

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:35 pm
by Klappers
Ok time for an update. Have spoken to a good mate of mine and he has agreed to help us out and do some welding :D . Sik that is one problem down. Second is I think that i will just cut the back half off the car myself so i will take a heap of photos and post them up here for you all to see.. Ok for the sheet of metal that goes behind the seats i think i will just use a sheet of 1mm mild steel..Take that about half way up the back of the car :) Should be sweet. Will try and cut the back off this weekend. So should have an update by monday.

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:36 pm
by Klappers
Ok time for an update. Have spoken to a good mate of mine and he has agreed to help us out and do some welding :D . Sik that is one problem down. Second is I think that i will just cut the back half off the car myself so i will take a heap of photos and post them up here for you all to see.. Ok for the sheet of metal that goes behind the seats i think i will just use a sheet of 1mm mild steel..Take that about half way up the back of the car :) Should be sweet. Will try and cut the back off this weekend. So should have an update by monday.