Flatbed and composite panel build on Dodge 2500
- Thread starter Jeep
- Start date
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
:yikes::steak::bowdown:
Yup.
Yes it can.
Very Cool setup on the HEMTT, There are a few floating around the US in private hands. There are also some "hybrids" so to speak, like Soni Honegger's FEMTT, Leonard's baby HEMTT on a 2.5 ton or 5 ton chassis (can't remember which), as well as some stock or mostly stock 8x8's running around in the PNW, oh and one 8x8 with a HUGE camper on the back, that gets about 5 MPG, if I recall correctly.
Would love to see some progress pics on the HEMTT here or in another thread if you have time for it.
(end hijack)
Cheers
Would love to see some progress pics on the HEMTT here or in another thread if you have time for it.
(end hijack)
Cheers
Best FEMTT build on the wed in my opinion. Some VERY good tech!
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?102851-Allison-M916-Mk48-Cab-6x6-quot-FEMTT-quot
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?102851-Allison-M916-Mk48-Cab-6x6-quot-FEMTT-quot
Back to the build
Got the wiring in for the front, rear, and side clearance lights. I use a nice little double sealed adhesive backed LED from Truck Lite. The extrusions have a built in wire chase, I just have to bond the retention clips in for the harness and it is protected for life. All the connections are made with an uninsulated butt connector, a dab of solder, and 2 layers of double wall shrink wrap. The connections are placed so that there is enough wire to pull out and do another reconnect in the event of a light failure, however I have been using this specific light for 6 years with no failures. The extrusions will clip onto the roof, and the rest of the wiring harness will connect to it and that part of the job is done.
Got the wiring in for the front, rear, and side clearance lights. I use a nice little double sealed adhesive backed LED from Truck Lite. The extrusions have a built in wire chase, I just have to bond the retention clips in for the harness and it is protected for life. All the connections are made with an uninsulated butt connector, a dab of solder, and 2 layers of double wall shrink wrap. The connections are placed so that there is enough wire to pull out and do another reconnect in the event of a light failure, however I have been using this specific light for 6 years with no failures. The extrusions will clip onto the roof, and the rest of the wiring harness will connect to it and that part of the job is done.
Some more testing
Just did another batch of adhesive testing, and I have found the ultimate adhesive for our extrusions and anything we decide to put into it! Looks like we have a couple options now! Had an application engineer working with me to solve some little issues, nothing major, just little inconsistencies and things that make you do extra work. We ended up getting to the point where there is no adhesive failure, or extrusion deformation (not that we had any before) but ultimately we get complete panel failure. This is important, composite panels can be repaired fairly easily, but if the bond gets compromised there will be a lot of work to repair that issue, no matter if a fully encapsulating structural extrusion like ours, or an economical angle cap is bonded over the joint is used. This panel hit 10 944 pounds of force which was max for my tester, and did not break immediately, it sat there for about 5 minutes under 9122 pounds pull and then snapped one side, scared the crap out of me!
Picture of the backside of the panel, deflection at 9122 pounds.
Still holding over half a ton on one skin after failure.
Just did another batch of adhesive testing, and I have found the ultimate adhesive for our extrusions and anything we decide to put into it! Looks like we have a couple options now! Had an application engineer working with me to solve some little issues, nothing major, just little inconsistencies and things that make you do extra work. We ended up getting to the point where there is no adhesive failure, or extrusion deformation (not that we had any before) but ultimately we get complete panel failure. This is important, composite panels can be repaired fairly easily, but if the bond gets compromised there will be a lot of work to repair that issue, no matter if a fully encapsulating structural extrusion like ours, or an economical angle cap is bonded over the joint is used. This panel hit 10 944 pounds of force which was max for my tester, and did not break immediately, it sat there for about 5 minutes under 9122 pounds pull and then snapped one side, scared the crap out of me!
Picture of the backside of the panel, deflection at 9122 pounds.
Still holding over half a ton on one skin after failure.
