M101A2 Adventure Rack

[Buffalobwana]

Thanks HH,

The pipe - I bought 2000’ at an auction, so that’s why I have been building things out of it and not too torn up over it when it doesn’t work out. Don’t get me wrong, I hate to waste it, and I do reuse every inch for something, but it doesn’t hurt as bad as if it was DOM when I make a mistake.

I have never used DOM. I am familiar with it, but, how does it save weight and be stronger? Is it a different alloy than sch 40?

On the HF ram, SWAG off-road has an adapter that you can buy that attaches the JD2 to the ram. Best purchase ever. Buy it unwelded, unpainted and weld/paint yourself (I’m assuming anyone with a tubing bender is also a fabricator on some level). $110 unwelded, unpainted

http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Formed-Tubing-Bender-AirHydraulic-Ram-Mount_p_53.html

 

[Buffalobwana]

Well, while I sit here and lick my wounds ... again, let’s talk about other plans.

The 101 tongue. I have always thought it was a bit “adequate”. And it is. It’s perfectly adequate for the job the gubment spec’d It out to do. And it does it well.

Just one problem. It is not long or strong enough for what I want it to do. Store stuff. And the longer you make It and the more you put on it, the stronger it has to be.

I’d like to lengthen it by at least a foot, and make it out of 2x4x1/8. I believe I have enough diamond tread to cover it with.

Scrapdaddy has a thread on here somewhere where he made a new tongue. He did a fantastic job. I’ll see if I can find it.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Oh I love me some SWAG. Thinking about buying one of their finger brake kits and building my own press brake. I do have some of their ammo cam mounts that I mounted two Fat 50 Cans on top of each rear fender well. Thinking about getting two more for mounting on one of my rear swing outs. Will use them to store fuel can nozzles and super siphons. Siphons beat the hell out of having to lift and pour heavy full cans.

DOM is a different alloy and is actually considered structural steel. Lighter because the wall is thinner for the same strength you would see in Schd 40.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Gotcha on the DOM. That’s what I figured. If it’s lighter, then a stronger alloy wouldn’t have to bear the weight and G’s of the heavier sch 40.

It’s so darn pricey! Especially where I get my steel. They don’t carry it regularly, have to order it. Big hassle. Big $. But for certain projects, it’s definitely worth it. Not this one. I did this one because I had the steel, not the other way around!

Actually, I bought the bender because I got such a great deal on the pipe. I knew I’d be bending up all kinds of stuff!

Built a winch bumper out of 1/2” steel plate for my 5 ton and bent some pipe for the lights. (Unfortunately I wound up cutting the pipe off later ... long story ... wait, is there a pattern here???!)

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Here is a franchise that I get mine from. They are located all over the U.S. It will be cheaper if you can get full lengths rather than paying for them to cut to 8-10 foot lengths.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=283&step=2&top_cat=197

 

[screwball48]

Maybe a flat floor made from a tri-fold ramp? It would allow you a structure to mount lights to. To keep the winch you could mount it on a plate between you first two uprights, but under the platform. Then mount a roller fairlead on your last upright under the platform.


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[Buffalobwana]

Screwball, that’s a good idea. I already have a piece bent for the fairlead that matches the one in the photo. I think I may weld it on tilted back at a 45*

I believe I could use the tri-fold ramp as the floor and still mount the winch on top. Possibly on top of the uprights (if I must) by drilling through the ramps with a 1 3/8” hole saw. And using some sort of pipe through the ramp mount system ... we will see.

I think I may use 1/2” sch 40 and run a small rail around the top, just like the photo. If I’m trying to copy the rack in the photo, why not do it exactly like the photo, right?

The ramps are a great idea. I’m going to search for some ramps or an aluminum ladder or something similar I can use.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Here is a franchise that I get mine from. They are located all over the U.S. It will be cheaper if you can get full lengths rather than paying for them to cut to 8-10 foot lengths.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=283&step=2&top_cat=197

Online that’s pretty pricey. What does a full stick of 1 1/2” or 2” DOM cost at their retail location?

I’d have to buy different dies too, because they are OD specific. I also want to buy the largest round die they make, which is either for a 2” DOM or an 1 1/2” sch 40 (1.9” OD pipe) these are two different dies at over $400 each. So I’d have to take material cost into account.

I do have a couple good aluminum supply places close by with reasonable prices.

 

[screwball48]

I would at least run the winch cable under the rack or through the rack. That way cargo placement isn't affected by the winch cable.



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[Buffalobwana]

Oh I love me some SWAG. Thinking about buying one of their finger brake kits and building my own press brake.

Great ... now you got me lookin at their finger brake kits.

The problem (if you can call it that) is that I have the parts to build that. I have a grubber blade I had built for my CAT D7F before I sold the dozer, and have not been able to sell the blade.

It’s made from a frame of 1” thick x 12” wide steel and has a blade on it that I could use for the “fingers” technically it would just be two fingers, but I don’t care. I’d be able to bend well over 48” which would be the width of of a full sheet.

I’d just have to cut the pieces off the frame I need and use the blade as the fingers.

It’s a big job, but it would be a massive brake... oh, the things I could bend!

 

[Buffalobwana]

The trailer got requisitioned by my wife to help re do our landscaping. While it was hauling decomposed granite, the rack had to be removed.



Before I removed the rack, I fit all the pieces. Tacked each one in place so I knew there weren’t going to be any issue with flexing the base.

I fully welded all pieces after the top was off. I forget how difficult it is to weld a perfect bead around 180 degrees of small diameter pipe. I got better as I went along, but it’s a perishable skill. Having the top off allowed me to flip it and make the bottom welds a little easier to manage.

I need to clean up the rust that has accumulated on the angle iron since I started this in May. I don’t think I will be welding much more to the angle, so I think it’s safer to clean prime all bare steel now and just flap disk off where I will weld in the future.

The pipe is already powder coated. It’s meant as to be used as a structural component in some military vehicle. I bought it at an auction in OKC. It takes a lot of work with a flap disk to get through to the steel before I can weld it. I accidentally welded one piece of cleaned metal to a piece I forgot to clean. Other than catching fire, it’s also quite smelly.

Ok. I think other than some tweaking and twerking the base frame itself has taken shape. Time to start adding things.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

I will betcha a donut that rear of the cage is bowed out and twerked.
I have never paid much attention to the MIL trailers. Is the wheel bolt pattern 8x6.5 and 16.5 inch wheels?

 

[Buffalobwana]

I will betcha a donut that rear of the cage is bowed out and twerked.
I have never paid much attention to the MIL trailers. Is the wheel bolt pattern 8x6.5 and 16.5 inch wheels?

Which way bowed out do you mean? More importantly, what kind of donut? Because I may hold you to it.

I’ll give it to you though, that I was a little concerned too. That’s a lot of welding across a lot of pipe. I was concerned that the base wasn’t going to fit the bolt holes after so much welding on all the uprights.

It didn’t bow backwards because it’s being held forward by the center pieces and the front is braced stronger than it looks. I started at the front and welded backwards. I was concerned about an upward or downward bow, but, best I can tell, it didn’t. It’s still flat across the top of each piece.

The rear of the frame, the angle iron base, would be where you would see the worst effect from welding warpage. The rear bolt holes are off by 1/4” now. I can deal with that easily. Ratchet strap or just push it.

Maybe it’s because each pipe got welded the same amount on top that it did on the bottom. Maybe it’s because I got lucky this time. I have been welding for 30 years, but I learn something almost every time I turn on the welder.

Yes, Wheels are 8 on 6.5. X 16.5 It has the H1 wheels and tires on it now, which have very little room between tire and wheelwell. There is not a spacer that I have found that will accommodate this size lug nut (and socket), or there is not a lug I have found that will fit the spacers I have found.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

What size is the lug size? Looks like the wheel uses standard tapered seat nut. Is the angle different?

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Chocolate covered cream filled