@ACE Engineering: Have you or are you planning on implementing some of these suggestions into the product? The hinge issue is especially concerning from a safety perspective. I am seriously looking to buy this soon...
Any update? Separate thread?
Looks great!! It is a "step-down" bit. That works great for removing excess bedliner, good tip!!I'm working on it. Have the hinges installed, side plates on. Just realized that in order to take it on and off the number of times I will need to complete the project means that I can't use the manual 4 sheave hoist. So... I am getting an overhead electric hoist. That has set me back on $ and time but its coming... sorry.
But here are some progress photos:
This is the 1/4 x 4 inch x 48 inch aluminum sheet I am using to spread the weight onto my bedrails. Upper decker is upside down in the photo and bedlined - in case you are confused about orientation. This photo is taken from the back looking to the front. I wil by using 3/8 stainless machine bolts with nylock nuts to bolt the plate to the upper decker. I drilled holes in the AL plate first then marked locations and drilled through the steel UD using a small drill bit and then a high speed metal drill bit (conical shape - not sure what they are called but they go through the UD like butter and don't heat up the metal too much)
This picture is after I have drilled through the back of my bed for the hinge bolts. Old bolt holes are in the middle (I drilled out the two original nutserts, primed all the bare metal in flat black and am using black silicone adhesive on the NEW 1/4inch stainless nutserts to limit any rust at the holes. Pro tip if you are using nutserts on a bedlined surface. You don;t have to scrape away ALL the bedliner around the holes. Just use the next step on a conical high speed stepped metal drill bit to carve out some of the bedliner - the nutsert will get forced into the vacated space and make a nice tight looking join. I used Permatex black silicone adhesive on the nutsert and you can see some of it surrounding the freshly installed nutsert. I wiped it smooth after taking the photo. The rectangular indentation in the bedliner to the lower right is the factory hole for the Trail Rail - man that was a PITA to peel off.
Last photo is the manual hoist - $20 on amazon. Interesting product but it doesn't work for me. My son (12) isn't strong enough to lift the upper decker with it and I can't maneuver and hoist at the same time because you have to pull sideways thus moving the load while lifting. SO - I am getting a cheap harbor freight style electric overhead hoist with a wireless controller. I bought an 880lb version with a wireless controller on Amazon for about $250 delivered. We'll see how that goes.
And yes - my garage is a bit of a disaster - 3 different projects going on at the same time and too damn hot to work in the afternoon now... My Rockhard 4x4 angled down rails are in the box and underneath that table in the background are 4 tents that I need to repair for my scout troop before this weekend. Sigh...
Just saw this.. Ace hasn't been on here, since June 4th, when they sold everything to Steinjager... so I wouldn't expect any changes to the product any time soon. (if at all)
OK. I have a ton of pictures but no time to make a fancy build thread. I made a long (sorry) you tube video yesterday. This is raw and unedited but this video shows the revised hinges, the side load slide protection I came up with, the revised strut brackets, and the updated clamps. Forgot to mention the following in the video: (i) the j-hook clamps were modified by me - I cut down the j-hook so it would fit through the stainless rings in the upper decker, and (ii) the factory twill roll up tonneau cover still fits on the bed after removing the upper decker - just have to add back the brackets near the tailgate, and (iii) all the holes in by bed just under the bed rail and up near the cab are from the original trail rail system - I will be selling those parts and replacing them with aircraft track like this: https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/products/jeep-gladiator-versatie-track-bed-kit.
Wow! You really made some great improvements! Good to see what you've done! Hope you and the family are doing great! Pat
All is well Pat - thank you so much for the original Upper Decker. BTW - who ever did your bedliner did an AWESOME job. That stuff is pliable and tough and soaking up all the abuse and really sticks well. I have some side steps and a front bumper that I'd like to get lined the same way - any chance you have some contact info? Thanks!
No problem. I got it done by Rhino Linings of Sioux City, IA
All I can tell you is that the basket approximates the size of the bed. But you'd probably have to customize the attachment method. and the footprint won't be exact.
Are you still looking for an Ace Upper Decker?
