Closed - Internal Stiffeners

RIP F-Bomb.

 

Hey @Kwikvette, I haven't fallen off the map on you! Been pretty busy with work and travel. I'm still in for Batch #3 (or #4 if I'm too late). I'd take a tie down with bottle opener please!

 

Batch 3 it is!

 

Yours is right there...if you look hard enough.

I just can't look into buying extra sheets for cutting out the misc brackets and still keep the cost the same for people so trying to make it make sense for everyone.

The alternative would be creating a new CAM file with every other combination/change in orders but that'll take too long.

 

Man these spots filled up quick.

Have to say only two more spots for batch 3!

With summer coming to a close, and after having done the majority of batch 1 in less than a week's time it is fair to say that each batch during school season will be a 2 week turn around.

Mainly due to my wife's profession; being a stay at home dad keeps a man busy!

But a 2 week turn around seems appropriate and will apply to batches 2 and 3 from here on out.

Afterward, I'll just take orders as they come.

 

After dinner and doing projects that are important to my wife, I got a chance to take pics of the backing plates for the official versions of the tie downs.
They are a slip fit rather than friction fit, but I think they will get the job done. Since they will be sandwiched between the bed and the 3/16 steel of the tie down, I can't see them going anywhere. I'm going to print out a few sets and get them shipped to @Kwikvette for him to approve.

 

If you're going to send some, maybe several sets? They look great as is. Make the shipping worth it; shipping ain't cheap in general.

I expect the majority to be only tie down, with one or two sets with the bottle opener DXF I sent you.

Then you can decide how much you want for them and I'll provide them with the order.

 

Sounds good, I've kicked off another mixed set.

OMG...

I just checked. The bottle opener plastic is indeed a drivers side!

 

So regarding the holes, the tiny difference in spacing from the edges, was because I assumed the holes in the original drawing were centered in relation to the bracket itself.

But no, the hole closest to the edge is always at the bottom like shown here with the openers.



To make things easy, I'm keeping things as is.

I don't think anyone will notice 0.018"

 

@Kwikvette Put me down for a set. Plain bracket. Thanks.

Have to say this thread has been really fun and interesting to follow.

 

Will do.

Only one spot left!

 

Well dang! I didn't check that dimension - and I'm glad you pointed it out now!!! Both of the plastic parts are drivers side! Gotta go play with the mirror command in AutoCAD

 

Having stared at these for a few minutes, and knowing that here is a difference, I can see it. I'd recommend some sort of labeling of the two if the difference is important.

 

When I sent @Sand_In_My_Taco his set, I wrapped the items in packaging paper (to fill voids). It'll be easy to zip tie the 3D printed parts with the corresponding brackets.

Installed though, you won't see it.

Place an M10 bolt through it, and snap a picture of it looking at the face of the bracket.

Then flip it and do it again.

The bolt hides that .018" difference.

 

I’ve been following this thread with interest and have a couple of questions. First will these work on 2nd gens? Don’t know if it’s already been answered. Next will these pull the bed back straight if I already have some spaying at tailgate? Not much but I can see the top gap is wider at the top of tailgate. I have a ARE topper on the truck. Last thing is would the cap need to be removed before installing these to get the bed back straight assuming these will straighten it back up. The design looks great and OP I think you’re doing amazing work.

 

Well, I cannot answer regarding getting the bed straightened back out but I can say when I used to sell the other style stiffeners, people have used ratchet straps and the sort to "close up" their bed before installing their new stiffeners.

I would expect this to be the case if it's really severe.

As for the cap, as long as you have room to properly measure the inside of the bed for the exterior bracket holes, everything else is done outside the bed right behind the taillight housing and under the vehicle.

The set is based off the "4WP" set and they were listed as being used for both 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen trucks.

 

What I'd love to do is get a set installed with lots of pics throughout the process.

So...anyone in the Central Valley?

Save yourself a few bucks on shipping and enjoy a few beers

 

I’m in batch 3 but if there’s no photos by then I’ll gladly snap a bunch of photos and post ‘em up.

 

Looking at the 3D printed insert, I think you may be able to get away with using a lot less material for it.

Picture a c channel bent into a half circle, so that the opening of the "c" is facing out with the metal nestled inside it. You'd have to pinch it slightly to get it in, but it should be able to fully lock into the opening. With how small the part is I don't think the overhang would be problematic.

To clarify, the inside of the c would wrap around the metal on the inside of the hole, and the outside of the c would be where the straps go.

That way you can still have direct metal to metal bolting, without 3d printed plastic smooshed between.