Alu-Cab Gladiator Bed Cap

[steffen707]

I just got a drill press. I’ve always wanted one and I may try to duplicate what you did with it to give me a bit more room.

you mean what I did with these 3 new holes back here? I'm all for playing with new toys, but this was simple with a spring loaded center punch and a stepper bit. I think it would be awkward to get the cabinet under your drill press. =P

oh wait, the 2 holes in the top bracket, yeah that would be easy with the press. =)

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[steffen707]

So I did a lot putting things on and taking them off again with the cabinet. I also did a fair amount of moving around the mounts themselves.

Did anybody else have issues with the nylon lock nuts? I've never experienced this, but it happened like 6-8 times. I used my impact driver (not an impact) when I tightened them. When I went to unscrew the nylon lock nuts, they just would stop wanting to turn. I ended up putting a 3/8" ratchet on them to break the bolt off. Of course every time you do this, you end up marring the slot that the M8 bolts ride in, so bolts no longer want to smoothly glide by that spot anymore. ALSO I had to use a flat head screwdriver and hammer to tap the nuts back out of the spot.

Hopefully you guys don't experience this. I'm willing to bet the locknuts they used are not as strong as the hardware i'm use to using. I say this because I have NEVER, NEVER EVER over torqued a fastener with my impact driver before, and here we are 6-8 nuts/bolts messed up when trying to unfasten.

Moral of the story, take care when torqing these.

This was the weirdest one. the nut ended up destroying the threads so it just spun on the shaft of the bolt, so i had to cut it off with a cut off wheel with my dremel tool. Never seen the nylon part come out of the bolt.

Couple nuts and a carriage bolt whose threads got messed up when a nut came off. Can't find a stainless M8 carriage bolt locally.......just put a zinc one in for now.

 

[steffen707]

Do you guys have 1250 or 1450mm load bars? I got the 1250s, but i'm thinking I will need to go to the 1450s.

 

[radioinstl]

I sorted out the cupboard and moved it today. the gas strut isn't the limiting point, the bar on the left rear lock is. So i made that arm just clear the side of the cabinet and mounted it.

Then I had to drill 3 new holes in the cabinet. Even using the bottom holes on the bracket, I was 10mm off. Call me picky, oh well. ALSO once I slid the box over, the channels in the roof were RIGHT in between the slot on the bracket, so I had to drill 2 new holes there too. Now it sits level. yay!

If you did it all the way to the front instead of the back, do you think it would go like the pic with the strut on the inside?

 

[steffen707]

If you did it all the way to the front instead of the back, do you think it would go like the pic with the strut on the inside?

oh yes, the strut you're seeing in this photo isn't the side strut, its the rear hatch strut. the rear most driver side door strut is sitting inside the cupboard now. i'll take a photo tomorrow.

Might gain an inch or so if you used the cupboard towards the front of the canopy, but i've got plans for that space.

 

[smlobx]

Do you guys have 1250 or 1450mm load bars? I got the 1250s, but i'm thinking I will need to go to the 1450s.

I have the 1450 mm bars and I think they’ll work fine for either putting a couple of kayaks up there or a RTT.

 

[Rokon]

So I did a lot putting things on and taking them off again with the cabinet. I also did a fair amount of moving around the mounts themselves.

Did anybody else have issues with the nylon lock nuts? I've never experienced this, but it happened like 6-8 times. I used my impact driver (not an impact) when I tightened them. When I went to unscrew the nylon lock nuts, they just would stop wanting to turn. I ended up putting a 3/8" ratchet on them to break the bolt off. Of course every time you do this, you end up marring the slot that the M8 bolts ride in, so bolts no longer want to smoothly glide by that spot anymore. ALSO I had to use a flat head screwdriver and hammer to tap the nuts back out of the spot.

Hopefully you guys don't experience this. I'm willing to bet the locknuts they used are not as strong as the hardware i'm use to using. I say this because I have NEVER, NEVER EVER over torqued a fastener with my impact driver before, and here we are 6-8 nuts/bolts messed up when trying to unfasten.

Moral of the story, take care when torqing these.

This was the weirdest one. the nut ended up destroying the threads so it just spun on the shaft of the bolt, so i had to cut it off with a cut off wheel with my dremel tool. Never seen the nylon part come out of the bolt.

Couple nuts and a carriage bolt whose threads got messed up when a nut came off. Can't find a stainless M8 carriage bolt locally.......just put a zinc one in for now.

Stainless galls real easily. Dry threads can fetch up. I think the nylon failure is from some localized heating when things were cranked up with power tools.
Another thing I do when fitting items up with nylocs is I substitute regular nuts until I'm happy with things then use the nylocs for final assembly. They lose their effectiveness after multiple uses.

 

[steffen707]

Stainless galls real easily. Dry threads can fetch up. I think the nylon failure is from some localized heating when things were cranked up with power tools.
Another thing I do when fitting items up with nylocs is I substitute regular nuts until I'm happy with things then use the nylocs for final assembly. They lose their effectiveness after multiple uses.

SURE! NOW YOU TELL ME!

 

[steffen707]

Stainless galls real easily. Dry threads can fetch up. I think the nylon failure is from some localized heating when things were cranked up with power tools.
Another thing I do when fitting items up with nylocs is I substitute regular nuts until I'm happy with things then use the nylocs for final assembly. They lose their effectiveness after multiple uses.

Hey, one more thing. Any good tips on where to buy metric stainless from? local Menards has SOME stuff. amazon seems expensive. Ebay has a decent selection, though I have no idea of the quality. Grainger wanted me to buy 200bolts at a crack, and Fastenal wanted like $4.00 for 1 carriage bolt....

 

[smlobx]

Hey, one more thing. Any good tips on where to buy metric stainless from? local Menards has SOME stuff. amazon seems expensive. Ebay has a decent selection, though I have no idea of the quality. Grainger wanted me to buy 200bolts at a crack, and Fastenal wanted like $4.00 for 1 carriage bolt....

Try McMaster

https://www.mcmaster.com/#

and try not to get so excited!

 

[Rokon]

Wrong part of the world for cheap SS metric hardware.....
Since most everything is nut and bolt try using 5/16”-18 stuff.
Local Marine supply may have selection but probably $.
I bought 3, 5gal pails of stainless hardware at an auction for $100 years ago, still have scads. Buy by the box. You'll use it.

 

[smlobx]

Today’s Covid project was to install a thin carpet lining to the cupboard. Used some 3M super 77 spray adhesive and it went right on. Got some tile pieces to help it adhere across the base and some tap to hold it while it sets but it is a nice addition.

 

[steffen707]

Today’s Covid project was to install a thin carpet lining to the cupboard. Used some 3M super 77 spray adhesive and it went right on. Got some tile pieces to help it adhere across the base and some tap to hold it while it sets but it is a nice addition.

did you do it in one piece, or 2 seperate pieces?

 

[LaterGator]

I get nuts/bolts etc. from tractor supply. Buy it by the pound. No counting each piece.

 

[steffen707]

I get nuts/bolts etc. from tractor supply. Buy it by the pound. No counting each piece.

do they have stainless steel metric fasteners at tractor supply?

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