Burnin Metal Time!

Well, just ordered a bunch of steel today. Gettin ready to build the rock sliders and rear bumper for Ol' Red.

Sliders: Went with 2x6x3/16 for the main slider. I wanted a subsatntial rub rail to keep it outta the body, and provide a bit of a step for the wife and kiddos. Also, figuring on makin 'em air tanks. 2x2x3/16 for the legs, and some 1/4" plate for the frame mounts. Still can't make up my mind as to how to attatch to the "frame" rails. Seems most manufacturers just use self tappers into the sheet metal, but I was thinkin bout goin all the way through, and sleevin the rails, as well as 1/4" plates on BOTH sides. What'ya think? Also got some 3/16" angle iron to tie it into the pinch seem.

Bumper: Got some 2x4x3/16 to slide into the rear frame horns, and bolt up into 'em through the stock gas tank skid mounts, as well as the 8 stock mounting bolts through some 1/4" plates. Then some 2x6x3/16 laid flat for the starting point (also an air tank), tapered down at both ends, with some 3/16" plate angled down and forward to give it the same basic shape as my front "Iron Scorpion" bumper. Then I'll cut and fold the rear quarters, and add some 2x2x3/16 legs for protection there, and prob another mounting point. Then the usual, 3/4" recovery points, 2" reciever, and some tubes going through like my old YJ bumper, for lighting. Thoughts?

Adam

Here's my old YJ bumper

i thought about making mine into air tanks also but my dad pointed something out to me. how many sides does a regular air tank have? none, because flat side want to bulge out when pressure is put on them. would be cool but i dont think it would be safe. but that is a real nice bumper on the tj

i dont see a problem making them tanks. 3/16 plate is more than adequate to hold up to 100-125 psi IMO. its been done many times before. the only problem i see in them is capacity. its barely enough to fill up a tire unless you have OBA.

make sure you put a drain in those too! itd suck to have em rot out from the inside

there is no problem making them into tanks, typical tank pressures of 150lbs won't be enough to cause any kind of catastrophic damage on the off chance you puncture the 3/16 tank.

seems the YJ bumper turned out well, let's see how the XJ fairs out.

yeah, I've seen a tank bumper damaged before it wasn't even a little cool. Just a little hiss is all. The tanks won't get above 120 psi. which isn't much more than some heavy duty truck tires. If the rubber sidewalls can hold it, my 3/16 steel will do just fine. A buddy of mine had all four (sliders, and bumpers) as tanks and loved em. Never had a prob. And yes there will be OBA. Planning on doing 1 or 2 Viair's in the right rear quarter panel, in a dynamated enclosure, with air circ fans.

Any comments on the "frame" rail mounts? That's my biggest question mark for the momment. My pinch seem on the drivers' side is going to be fun too, as it frowns a little from an impact a year ago. Would have been real bad if my RE cross member/ skid wasn't right there. Prob would've destroyed my door, from underneath. LOL

for the frame rails, I would suggest cutting that 2x4 at somewhat of an odd angle... so that it's taller on one side then the other... like a "J". on the pass side that can slide into the frame rail and you can mark and drill holes from the frame rail onto that inner piece for drilling and welding nuts. you can also drill holes from the side of the frame rails into the higher part of the "J" if you so desire.
on the driver side, the oval hole for the fuel lines will get in the way, but you can just cut down the inner piece so it clears it ok, mark and drill and required.
with those pieces make some plates which will bolt into the stock bumper mount locationsslot them to fit over the inner pieces you've made and then weld them together... that would be a pretty solid start to build off of.
that's pretty much how I started mine, no tire hanging off it, but I have no problems jacking up the whole rig using the bumper as a jacking point.

A lot of the old time street racers i know used to use their roll cages as hidden nitrous tanks i say go for it, worst case is you puncture it and lose the air. just make sure you have some provision for draining it :thumbup:

If you're using your OBA for lockers as well as tires, make sure you have shutoff valves in the system such that you can handle it if your tank gets punctured/cracked without losing your lockers.

trippled said:

the only problem I see in them is capacity. its barely enough to fill up a tire unless you have OBA.
Make sure you put a drain in those too! it'd suck to have em rot out from the inside

Click to expand...

It's a lot of work to get the welds completely air tight and the volume gained in minimal. The biggest problem I see with using them as air tanks is that they will rust out from the inside unless you can coat the interior with a sealant, maybe gas tank sealant?
BTW, tank sealant seals the pin holes in the welds.
http://www.por15.com/Data Sheets/fuel tank sealer pdf.pdf

No matter if the bars have drains or not, the tanks will always be moist inside once you start using the compressor. There is no simple, cheap way to keep moisture, in the air, from being pumped into the bars.
Even compressor tanks in the desert suffer from moisture buildup.
If you use them for air tanks, consider coating the interiors.

lazyxj said:

It's a lot of work to get the welds completely air tight and the volume gained in minimal. The biggest problem I see with using them as air tanks is that they will rust out from the inside unless you can coat the interior with a sealant, maybe gas tank sealant?
BTW, tank sealant seals the pin holes in the welds.
http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/fuel%20tank%20sealer%20pdf.pdf

No matter if the bars have drains or not, the tanks will always be moist inside once you start using the compressor. There is no simple, cheap way to keep moisture, in the air, from being pumped into the bars.
Even compressor tanks in the desert suffer from moisture buildup.
If you use them for air tanks, consider coating the interiors.

Click to expand...

in regards to the bold above;

1 the volume gained = 2 x rock rails (2"x6"x5') and 1 x bumper (2"x6"x4') that's quite a bit of volume... my math sucks but I'd guess a few gallons atleast. even if they rust, a lot, it should take a long long time before 3/16ths rusts through.

2./3. a normal air tank could possibly rust from the inside too, and quite often when I drain any I've used the water that comes out is rust coloured... if the builder added some tool oil to the system (a normal OBA system using the AC pump would use oil anyway) then oil would help curb corrosion from the inside and could be drained with any condensation via a drain on each tank.

some points to be looked at; possibly coating inside, drainage of fluids once in the tanks, water/oil seperater to be used on the "out" end of the tanks to filter any fluids out of the system before it gets to the tools.