C5500 TopKick 4x4 Crew Cab Build

[NeverEnough]

I've used each winch once or twice.

Charlie

What did you anchor to and how? I'm going to need to come up with a rigging kit. Most of the slings and other components I've seen max out at 30K lbs.

I've been looking at this website for options: http://www.truckntow.com/p-10724-12-heavy-duty-vehicle-recovery-straps.aspx

 

[damontlarsen]

Have you looked into heavy industrial ropes? The strongest rope I know of is Amsteel-Blue which is made of a synthetic fiber called Dyneema. You can order this stuff with a 4.5 million pound(!) working load. I worked in a gold mine in alaska and we would use this stuff to pull D8's and D9's from out of mud so deep they would get buried up to their cabs, and never once broke a rope.

Here's a website for a distributor:

http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Product.aspx?ProductID=872

And here's a youtube video showing a John Deere pulling on a dozer with a 3/4" Amsteel:

http://youtu.be/FcifJkhXpMM


I've never ordered from them personally, so I don't know whether they sell in small batches or not.

 

[damontlarsen]

*I found a distributor that sells it by the foot. Seems to be reasonably priced as well:


http://www.go2marine.com/product/38345F/amsteel-blue-rope.html

 

[NeverEnough]

*I found a distributor that sells it by the foot. Seems to be reasonably priced as well:


http://www.go2marine.com/product/38345F/amsteel-blue-rope.html

Thanks for the links. Dyneema/Spectra is the same stuff we use for climbing slings. I couldn't find any info about splicing or hawsing for the larger rope diameters. I found a few makers of 75K+ webbing/recovery straps, and both ARB and Warn have heavy truck snatch blocks rated for 30K+.

Here's another shot from last weekend ready to roll out from camp.

It's time to open up the thread to suggestions on graphics (if any) for the sides and front of this beast. Ideas, anyone?

 

[Overland Hadley]

It's time to open up the thread to suggestions on graphics (if any) for the sides and front of this beast. Ideas, anyone?

I have always like the minimal graphics along the bottom of the camper. Maybe some hills and cliffs to break up the box.

 

[Ford Prefect]

I have personally always enjoyed the Saharan giraffes and trees etc. As you live in the area that you live in I think perhaps a map of the ski resort might be fitting. Something subtle subdued just a light brown color or something like that. You could also consider an Olympic motif, something like a ski jump or something like that.

Either way, I personally like the really subtle graphics, just a slightly darker color than the truck.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

It's time to open up the thread to suggestions on graphics (if any) for the sides and front of this beast. Ideas, anyone?

One of my favorite rigs on the Forum was Mike Hiscox Earthroamer Jeep that had the ever so subtle looking grasses along the bottom edge of the back that was simply a shade or two darker than the existing color. Very cool looking, but made you look back at it

 

[charlieaarons]

What did you anchor to and how? I'm going to need to come up with a rigging kit. Most of the slings and other components I've seen max out at 30K lbs.

I've been looking at this website for options: http://www.truckntow.com/p-10724-12-heavy-duty-vehicle-recovery-straps.aspx

I have some 1/2" chain with hooks, 1.5" and 2" snatch straps, and I have 3 Pull Pal anchors though I usually carry only 2.
I've attached to other vehicles, Pull Pals and trees. My pulleys are from Mckissick

Charlie

 

[SChandler]

Thanks for the links. Dyneema/Spectra is the same stuff we use for climbing slings. I couldn't find any info about splicing or hawsing for the larger rope diameters. I found a few makers of 75K+ webbing/recovery straps, and both ARB and Warn have heavy truck snatch blocks rated for 30K+.

I think you are going to want to look at snatch blocks bigger than the ARB or Warn products. I wish I could find the right link, but one of the guys on here with a Unimog used blocks off of E-bay that were made by Johnson/McKissick that are industrial strength products available in all sorts of ratings. Another source is Master Pull, they have a couple of snatch blocks built for military use with much higher breaking strength ratings than the ARB or Warn blocks.

Links for reading here on the ExPo:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/67225-Snatch-block-rating
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/61228-Need-33K-snatch-block!!!?highlight=allen+yarding
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/38336-Pulley-Block-and-Shackles-for-a-10-000-Winch - this one has a link for the same block as the rebadged Warn 33k block, but it's only $70 instead of the $200+ that they want for the Warn.

 

[Overland Hadley]

One of my favorite rigs on the Forum was Mike Hiscox Earthroamer Jeep that had the ever so subtle looking grasses along the bottom edge of the back that was simply a shade or two darker than the existing color. Very cool looking, but made you look back at it

x2
Also the Bullet XV

 

[Xrunner]

One of my favorite rigs on the Forum was Mike Hiscox Earthroamer Jeep that had the ever so subtle looking grasses along the bottom edge of the back that was simply a shade or two darker than the existing color. Very cool looking, but made you look back at it

While the above referenced is one of my favorites, another option would be to go with tan color graphics on the cab and black on the camper to tie everything together.

 

[Shocker]

For graphics, maybe a steep hillside running from middle front lower to the upper back with evergreens on it. Would look good.

 

[NeverEnough]

Great ideas on the graphics! The Bullet is also my favorite. We've had a design firm doing a bunch of branding stuff for us at work recently, so I gave them some pics to see what they come up with, including Shocker's illustration, to help guide their thinking. I'll post the renderings when I get them and let everybody vote. And I got some sample vinyl pieces to test adhesion. The texture of the skin is going to make application a little more tricky that typical RV or automotive surfaces.

 

[skibum315]

I like shocker's idea, a lot actually, but the green is not working for me ... I think simple, subdued colors would be much better; or gray-scale (or maybe a darker brown ... sepia-scale?) ... looking forwards to what choices you come up with.

This build, especially with the new chassis (which seems like a better fit, overall ... kudos there), has been one of my favorites to follow.

 

[java]

Yeah Love the build....


Here is one of my favorite graphics.