2005 Bulletproof Taco: 1 Ton SAC

Yeah i forget this thread is still six months behind...maybe i will add another installment tomorrow

 

Another question, when you said you just go slow when using the HF bender, how slow and what tips should I know, besided buy twice as much toob as needed.

 

Start with the rollers as far out as possible for the bend. This minimizes the point loading on the pipe where it touches the rollers. If you are not careful, you can "ding" tthe pipe at these two locations.

Begin pumping the ram, but dont go crazy on it like you are jacking up a car. Try to let the pipe "relax" while you are making the bend. Watch how it sits in the die, and be sure it stays seated in the die firmly. If it begins to "lift" out of the center of the die, a kink will form on the inside of the bend. I was going to make a "strap" to bolt across the top, center portion of the die to gaurd against this, but it hasnt been a big enough deal for me.

If the material you are using has a seem, place that seem horizontally in the bend, alont the "zero force" line of the bend. That is, not on the outside of the bend where the material is in tension, and not on the inside where it is in compression.

 

Alrighty...time for an update. Last I left you guys I just built a tube bed/cage...

The next issue was my wife and I had recently purchased an EdgeStar Fridge/Freeze vs. the ARB for cost reasons. The problem is this thing was large.
When I say large mean it would take up half the back seat when in use. This wasn't working for me so I decided to do something about it.
First I removed the seat bottom, then the seat back, then the plastic crap taking up more room.

Was left with something like this:


So I made a rack to host some secure tie-down points:


Bolt in to factory seat mounting locations:





Then reversed the hinges on the fride so I could tuck it closer to the back of the cab and not need room for the lid to clear when opened:



Swapped out the handles for some brackets made of angle:



Then mounted it in the truck:







Relocated the latch:



Floor storage still works:



All in all I gained tons of interior storage back by removing the seat and other crap.

Then executed project "no more holding the fridge open with one hand while you dig for shit in the fridge with the other!"

[/QUOTE]

 

^^^^^ Thats an awesome setup right there, very clean install

 

Thanks

 

^^^That is blasphemy right there. Tow rigs are for first gens!

 

This build makes me Are you still IFS?

 

Did you actualy look at any of the pics or read the build ?




















Just giving' you a hard time...yes he's still IFS

 

Yes I read it all. I saw the LT kit but was unsure if he changed it up since some seems to be missing. I can't see the front suspension on the final picture in the first post.

 

Yeah...still rockin the IFS. I havent reached its limit yet. I originally wanted to SAC but this was easier for me at the time. Now I appreciate driving 1000 miles to go wheel and driving home. It makes you know your vehicle alot better not having a trailer!

 

I know what you mean. I am at a cross roads with my taco and wheeling. Do I sink the money into the taco or do I buy a dedicated trail rig and use the taco to trailer it. My truck is right around the first iteration of your truck witht he all pro bumper and 3 inch lift.

 

LOL...my post was supposed to read 1000 miles...just about an average wheeling weekend.

If I could do it again...I would be towing with my 05...

 

how do you like your km2s? and what size are you running? i know they're not eh 33 BFG ATs that you still have in your truck descriptions...

are you running 34 or 35s?

 

37s

 

those are 37s?


i guess a general lack of fenders makes the tires look much smaller..

in this lineup they don't look bigger than the 35s on the left two..

 

They are 37's, and are actually larger than the 38.5 boggers on the first gen next to me. Tons of work to fit the 37's, maybe I will get that far sometime with this thread...lol

 

damn very nice...well how do you like the KM2s? hold up pretty well on the trails?

 

I absolutley love them. They flat out hook up. Only two trips so far on them, but no major scarring/chunking to speak of. They absolutely love the mud to!

 

good to hear...contemplating them because they come in a 34x11.5...

dk if i like the mixed reviews in winter conditions but on trail it seems like everyone loves them...