Well, I broke it.

[pugslyyy]

Now that's being resourceful! Can't wait to see the new frame configuration.
I (and MANY others, I'm sure...) am really getting educated on how to properly mount a camper body by following the threads on this board.
I guess some of that education is through a bit of misfortune ("framus fracturus"...etc......) but everybody benefits by folks like you willing to share experiences, good, bad, or ugly.
And for all that and more, I thank you again!

I think that if you are going to do custom vehicles like these you can't be intimidated by the prospect of failures. I always expect a build to be an ongoing/iterative process as you see what works and what doesn't.

It's really important to have resources like expo where we can share our experiences... Always better to borrow someone else's learning curve if at all possible!

 

[Gatsma]

Wow, Pugslyyy, I could not agree with you more. I have learned more about proper truck building here in the last few months than all the magazines and books I've ever read.
In your particular case, you "inherited" a situation in the making that you might or might not have been anticipating or prepared for. Mr. Hackney did a tremendous amount of work on it, both in building AND repairs, yet the frame still broke again. Now, however, hopefully a "final" solution is being implemented by making the frame as strong as Fuso should have made it in the first place. And we all get to learn about it here. Thanks to you again for sharing!

Gary

 

[pugslyyy]

Wow, Pugslyyy, I could not agree with you more. I have learned more about proper truck building here in the last few months than all the magazines and books I've ever read.
In your particular case, you "inherited" a situation in the making that you might or might not have been anticipating or prepared for. Mr. Hackney did a tremendous amount of work on it, both in building AND repairs, yet the frame still broke again. Now, however, hopefully a "final" solution is being implemented by making the frame as strong as Fuso should have made it in the first place. And we all get to learn about it here. Thanks to you again for sharing!

Gary

And to be fair to Doug, what he did is what I would consider a "trail fix" not a permanent correction of the issue. The repairs he made held up, but the frame continued to stress/bend/break in other places so rather than continue to reinforce/repair piecemeal I sucked it up and decided to have a replacement rear frame section made.

As has been said, the causal driver (IMHO) was the extremely heavy payload transmitting weight to the frame via the three point torsion free mount.

Since lightening the load in any significant way is really not practical, my solution is the stronger frame and better payload mounting system.

 

[Gatsma]

And to be fair to Doug, what he did is what I would consider a "trail fix" not a permanent correction of the issue. The repairs he made held up, but the frame continued to stress/bend/break in other places so rather than continue to reinforce/repair piecemeal I sucked it up and decided to have a replacement rear frame section made.

As has been said, the causal driver (IMHO) was the extremely heavy payload transmitting weight to the frame via the three point torsion free mount.

Since lightening the load in any significant way is really not practical, my solution is the stronger frame and better payload mounting system.

Yeah, Doug did what he had to do AT THAT TIME. If I remember right(or not...) did he not consider a new frame section as one option?
Anyway, after reading other builds here on this board, a full weight-distributing subframe seems to work better than "focusing" the weight on just 2 points of the frame. It was a 3-point system, yes, but the 2 forward points were across from each other on the same area of the frame, causing a "bowing" action the length of the frame. But who knew the consequences going in?
Somebody has to be first at something, and whether it succeeds or fails (or "screws up a little bit"), we all learn from it

 

[gait]

And to be fair to Doug, what he did is what I would consider a "trail fix" not a permanent correction of the issue.

"trail fix" seems to sum it up nicely. Its typically impractical to look for elegant engineering solutions for many problems while on the road, living in the vehicle, far from known support, without a local base, with limited facilities, with a language barrier, without the luxury of time, not knowing who to trust. If "can do" and "have to" are aligned that's a bonus, and the difference between go or stop. Its a pain when the priority switches from "travel" to "truck".

All part of "travel fun".

 

[pugslyyy]

Yeah, Doug did what he had to do AT THAT TIME. If I remember right(or not...) did he not consider a new frame section as one option?
Anyway, after reading other builds here on this board, a full weight-distributing subframe seems to work better than "focusing" the weight on just 2 points of the frame. It was a 3-point system, yes, but the 2 forward points were across from each other on the same area of the frame, causing a "bowing" action the length of the frame. But who knew the consequences going in?
Somebody has to be first at something, and whether it succeeds or fails (or "screws up a little bit"), we all learn from it

Doug did quit a bit of research on replacing the frame, among other options (like moving to a different chassis altogether). I used his notes as a starting point for my frame replacement research.

If Doug had continued to use the fuso instead of putting it into storage and then selling it several years later he would have done a permanent fix.

The potential frame issues were no secret when I bought it, and I've been able to do 3 big trips before the frame failed to the point of requiring replacement, including some pretty strenuous off road work.

 

[Gatsma]

Any more news on the frame replacement? I remember it being test-fitted, but not much more. Eager to hear more. (NO pressure here...;-)

 

[pugslyyy]

Hopefully everyone at expo east will get a chance to see the rebuilt vehicle!

 

[Gatsma]

AAGGGHHH!! And here I am on the Left Coast! Oh well, gonna hafta wait for SOMEONE (hint,hint) to post pix of the subject at hand.....(NO pressure here, guys...)

 

[pugslyyy]

Sorry, I would like to be giving updates with pics but its going to be a surprise for me next week too.

 

[Gatsma]

Heyyyy... we all like surprises! hope all goes well for you next week! Have a GREAT time, man!

 

[pugslyyy]

New mounting system coming together!

 

[mog]

Just to point out to anyone who has not read the whole thread, pugslyyy's frame is a custom build frame, NOT a factory Fuso frame. You should not weld directly to the Fuso's factory built frame. You would build (weld) the mounts as separate units and then bolt them to the factory frame.

clarification, the below is the weld restrictions as per Mitsubishi
From Mitsubishi Body Builder Manual Part 1, chapter 1-3-4
3.4
(1) Do not weld any part on to the flange of the side rails. Welding on the lower flange within the wheelbase is strictly prohibited.
(2) Do not weld anything within 20mm (0.79 in.) of the curve of the side rail.
Also see 3.7 in regards to 'reinforcements' to the frame...lots of "do nots"

Link to the Body Builder Manual, Part 1

 

[Gatsma]

Hey Pugslyyy- Man, those mounts look good! How many between subframe and truck frame, and of those, which ones are sprung?

 

[pugslyyy]

Hey Pugslyyy- Man, those mounts look good! How many between subframe and truck frame, and of those, which ones are sprung?

4 attachment points per side, the forward one is a hard point, the rest are sprung.