Custom/DIY Truck Camper Tie Downs
Looking to avoid the $600 price tag on the torklift frame mounting system. Anyone have a good solution? TC Lance 845 2800# Dry No Slide Out GMC 2500HD SRW
Forum Discussion
"Since it appears that this is a simple project, I am considering this for next time. I am fairly handy but not a trained welder so I have a few questions."
-"Appears" being the key word. :)
"Where do I get the 3/8" stock? What specs do I need for the steel and how much will it cost?"
- Much to hard to say as it depends on your local suppliers. 3/8" plate is the thickness. You'll need an appropriate length and width too
"It looks like there is a lot of bending involved. What do I need for that? Heat sources? Vise? HD pliers? Hammers?"
-Again, without knowing what you are doing or where/what it's going, one can't say. You can get from 'A to B' via bends, welded joints or straight lines. You can bend hot or cold. Under a truck tire, in a vise, hydraulic bender, kerf cuts. You could cut out the 4 parts from flat plate and build the section.
Torch, pliers, hammer, clamps, vice, angle grinder, chopsaw, vicegrips, rules, angle gauge, Plasma cutter, TIG or MIG or Flux core, or Brazing, welding table to clamp fixtures to, etc,etc,etc,etc......
"I have no idea about welding but I guess I can find a friend with the gear."
-Or better yet, talk to a local fabricator/weldor.
"Design and fitting in very tight spaces seems to be a big issue. I guess the solution would be to make a prototype from 3/8 plywood?"
-Prototypes are always handy for getting things figured out without wasting the expensive stuff. (though with the $$$ of wood these days.... LOL)
"With all that is involved, it would seem that this would be about a 40 hour project. Does that sound about right?"
-No way of knowing. Depends on who's building it. How it's being fabricated. Quality of the design and build.
I'd highly suggest figuring out what you need. Either take your rig down to the local fabber or at least bring pic's. Explain what the pieces do and where they mount. Bring some pic's to show them examples. They'll give you a ball park $ and will need the rig for a few to do proper measurements and come up with a quote. They may have the materials in their off-cut pile and have done these before so it $ could be quite reasonable. Or, it's way out of their wheel house, they might have to get the material in special and it's gonna take them extra time to really figure out whats appropriate.
They may tell you it's going to be $1000. That'll be the 'we don't have time and/or the inclination to do this' But if you're willing to toss a grand at me, I'll come in on the weekend' price.
And when a client ask for a price, then asks how much if I help? I tell them "That'll be $400. If you help, it'll be $800...." If they want to tell me how to do it, it'll be $1600 and I'll have a bunch of paper work for them to sign and full, non-refundable payment up front. :)
-"Appears" being the key word. :)
"Where do I get the 3/8" stock? What specs do I need for the steel and how much will it cost?"
- Much to hard to say as it depends on your local suppliers. 3/8" plate is the thickness. You'll need an appropriate length and width too
"It looks like there is a lot of bending involved. What do I need for that? Heat sources? Vise? HD pliers? Hammers?"
-Again, without knowing what you are doing or where/what it's going, one can't say. You can get from 'A to B' via bends, welded joints or straight lines. You can bend hot or cold. Under a truck tire, in a vise, hydraulic bender, kerf cuts. You could cut out the 4 parts from flat plate and build the section.
Torch, pliers, hammer, clamps, vice, angle grinder, chopsaw, vicegrips, rules, angle gauge, Plasma cutter, TIG or MIG or Flux core, or Brazing, welding table to clamp fixtures to, etc,etc,etc,etc......
"I have no idea about welding but I guess I can find a friend with the gear."
-Or better yet, talk to a local fabricator/weldor.
"Design and fitting in very tight spaces seems to be a big issue. I guess the solution would be to make a prototype from 3/8 plywood?"
-Prototypes are always handy for getting things figured out without wasting the expensive stuff. (though with the $$$ of wood these days.... LOL)
"With all that is involved, it would seem that this would be about a 40 hour project. Does that sound about right?"
-No way of knowing. Depends on who's building it. How it's being fabricated. Quality of the design and build.
I'd highly suggest figuring out what you need. Either take your rig down to the local fabber or at least bring pic's. Explain what the pieces do and where they mount. Bring some pic's to show them examples. They'll give you a ball park $ and will need the rig for a few to do proper measurements and come up with a quote. They may have the materials in their off-cut pile and have done these before so it $ could be quite reasonable. Or, it's way out of their wheel house, they might have to get the material in special and it's gonna take them extra time to really figure out whats appropriate.
They may tell you it's going to be $1000. That'll be the 'we don't have time and/or the inclination to do this' But if you're willing to toss a grand at me, I'll come in on the weekend' price.
And when a client ask for a price, then asks how much if I help? I tell them "That'll be $400. If you help, it'll be $800...." If they want to tell me how to do it, it'll be $1600 and I'll have a bunch of paper work for them to sign and full, non-refundable payment up front. :)
