Rangebe...version 2.0

[-Nathan-]

Thanks boys! Hey Josh, Doctor life is good, enjoying the free time, bought 80 acres so have been busy with that, but now back hard working on this thing.

Got more updates for this weekend!

 

[Josh40601]

what are you a doctor for again?

 

[-Nathan-]

Teeths.

 

[wizkid00104]

what are you a doctor for again?

So he can buy King shocks and 80 acres. I should've applied myself more. I am an electrical engineer. I settle with 1/4 acre and James Duff shocks

 

[Josh40601]

How's the daily? Still kicking ass and taking names?

 

[red_ranger50]

Any more progress? I like a lot of your ideas. Very clean work.

Sent from my LG-H631 using Tapatalk

 

[-Nathan-]

Got the fuel cell mounted and strapped.

Designed and cut out some 1/8" plate for the hold down, drilled some holes.

Then dimple died everything. Dimple dies are from TMR Customs, and work awesome.

For those of you who havent dimple died anything, look at this video. The deflection is almost alarming, however come right back into shape.

http://vid111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/nshamilton/C34C1B66-58FA-4C49-887E-4D81A6C256C0_zpstbq2d6oo.mp4

Then I used some 1" 0.250" wall DOM as sleeves, and mounted the upper portion of the hold down to the cage.

To tighten down the cell, this is what I came up with. The DOM is welded to the cell cradle, and a bolt on each strap will keep everything tight. I plan to put a spring in the empty space on the bolt for opposing tension.

And here it is complete and bolted down. Ended up taking me longer than I wanted to simply mount a fuel cell, but it turned out exactly as I wanted.

Now I need to mount the radiator. I was hoping to mount it in the front, however my rad is too big. I will likely end up rear mounting the rad, on the cage down tubes above the fuel cell.

Cheers,

Nate

 

[RockRanger]

Looks good. I need dimple dies.

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[Josh40601]

nicely done. Did you cut that radius with a grinder?

 

[-Nathan-]

Yes I did. I cut everything with a grinder, in fact the entire truck has been built with a grinder and no other cutting tools.

 

[-Nathan-]

Getting the radiator mounted. Still need to make the top cross member.

 

[prerunnerwannabe]

Hey man, it looks really good! I haven't been on in a few years but I followed this build closely.
You don't have all that much left on the truck, right? You've got to get it finished one of the years!

 

[-Nathan-]

Been working on my boat so Ranger is on the backburner for another month. i did however finish the rad mount, here are pics:

Cheers.

 

[-Nathan-]

Hey boys, long overdue for an update. Since last post had a baby boy, so just waiting for him to get old enough to help around the shop!

First needed to get the rear shocks mounted. Here are lower u-bolt mounting tabs from RuffStuff.

Stripped rear leaf packs down to main leaf. Will be using disc brakes in the rear, had just been using the old drum as a wheel spacer.

Added shock, compressed suspension, and drew an arc, then did the same at droop. Intersection of the arcs is where Ill place upper mounts.

Drooped, and shock in position.

Fabricated upper shock mounts. Then welded into place on the cage.

Decided some gussets would be a good idea.

And while I was at it, made some gussets for parts of the front cage.

Next up, bump stops.

 

[-Nathan-]

I have King hydro bumps in the front, but decided that was overkill (for now) for the rear. Using some Jounce bumpers that I had for the rear.

Made up some brackets, and test fit placement.

Gussets, and plating.

Rear suspension, and rear tire carrier mock up. I also made landing perches for the bump stops, but don't have a picture of them.

Had a light bar kicking around on a shelf forever, so decided one day to make a bracket and mount on my F150.

Next up, rear tire carrier.