Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-27-2010, 03:37 AM   #41
Member
 
blkjak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: s.w. florida
Posts: 43
Re: Polar Bear 1

fun time with the van...wished i started along time ago with my van; nice thread, blkjak.

__________________
https://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL165.../392572714.jpg
2005 ford e-250 extended crew cargo van "stealth sleeper".
blkjak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2010, 10:58 PM   #42
Senior Member
 
Zaskoda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 421
Re: Polar Bear 1

So I picked up a roof rack. I found a Weatherguard Safari rack for $100. It was a bit weathered (punny) and missing the bolts and brackets to finish mounting to the gutters. I'm in the process of trying to find those parts and stripping the rack down to be painted black.

To strip it down, I needed to take it apart. In fact, to get it in the van, I needed to take it apart. The rack already had one of the many bolts sheered off. I managed to sheer off another. I tried to drill them out. That didn't work. Then I tried a screw puller which broke off inside almost instantly. Then I went and got a heavier duty bolt puller. This time, I heated up the threads first. This is how we managed to get the rack apart to begin with. Unfortunately, this didn't work and it broke off inside the hole I drilled as well.



So... I took the only route I had left... I just cut the whole thing off with a grinder. I'll have to drill a hole all the way through and run a bolt in there when I'm done. Or weld on a new nut...



All that was last night. Tonight I was breaking the last few pieces down and trying to get some rust ground off and the paint buffed up so I can paint. I got around 1/5 of it cleaned up and managed to snap another bolt off tonight. On the up side, it was the last one... the rest are out now.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think it's because the rack is going so slowly. I'm kind of surprised at just how much surface area I have to clean up before I can paint this thing. These bolts are just slowing me down to a crawl. Hopefully I'll make good headway this weekend.
Zaskoda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2010, 11:30 PM   #43
Site Team
 
WVvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,293
Re: Polar Bear 1

Quote:
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think it's because the rack is going too slowly.
Q. How do you eat a elephant?
A. One bite at a time.

Hang in there.
__________________
Open the pod bay doors Hal.

Once I exit Hal, this is what I do.
https://larry.wvnet.edu/~van/pics/lic...late-small.jpg
WWW.WVBIKE.ORG
WVvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2010, 09:12 AM   #44
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,837
Re: Polar Bear 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by WVvan
Quote:
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think it's because the rack is going too slowly.
Q. How do you eat a elephant?
A. One bite at a time.

Hang in there.
And dont forget the Hot Sauce !

Brother, keep in mind if this was easy, it wouldnt be as much fun
with your feet up and a cold one in BFE overlooking a killer sunset
(inspecting your bandaged hands
billwilson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2010, 10:48 AM   #45
Senior Member
 
Zaskoda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 421
Re: Polar Bear 1

Thanks guys... I'm gonna rip into it hard and heavy tomorrow morning. Here's hoping.
Zaskoda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2010, 11:58 AM   #46
Site Team
 
WVvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,293
Re: Polar Bear 1

One thing that always trips me up is time estimates. Mine always turn out to be wildly optimistic. It can get discouraging.

PS. Elephant with hot sauce. Hey Bill, that sounds like some good eatin'!
__________________
Open the pod bay doors Hal.

Once I exit Hal, this is what I do.
https://larry.wvnet.edu/~van/pics/lic...late-small.jpg
WWW.WVBIKE.ORG
WVvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 05:35 PM   #47
Senior Member
 
Zaskoda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 421
Re: Polar Bear 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by WVvan
One thing that always trips me up is time estimates. Mine always turn out to be wildly optimistic. It can get discouraging.
@WVvan - I feel the same way. My mind gets way ahead of me. This whole process is almost like a lesson on moving at the speed of reality. I wonder if it would help to have a team working together.

So, on that note, I once again did not get done everything I had hoped this weekend. I did, however, complete ALL of the grinding on the roof rack. I sanded, cleaned, and primed a few pieces. Today was a bit more humid and cloudy and I've run out of time.



I received my house battery wiring kit during this past week, but I was unable to find a good deep cycle battery this weekend. Thus, I did not begin that project.

I also picked up a third party air compressor this weekend. I had to make two runs for hoses and then adapters, but it works great. It's the end of my weekend productivity... Back to the work week.
Zaskoda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2010, 02:23 PM   #48
Senior Member
 
Zaskoda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 421
Re: Polar Bear 1

Just got off the phone with the local Weatherguard distributor. Apparently, the missing pieces from my rack will run a total of $186. They are, basically, 6 pieces of steel about 4" by 8" with a few holes and bends. I paid $100 for the entire rack. Time to fabricate some brackets.
Zaskoda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2010, 02:07 AM   #49
Senior Member
 
Zaskoda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 421
Re: Polar Bear 1

Bracket fail...

1 piece of 3" wide 1/8" thick and 4' long steel... Cuts into 6 perfectly sized pieces for the win:



The top half of the original mounting brackets along with some reinforcement makes for a pretty good form... Another win:



Apply some heat and then apply a hammer:



The first fold turned out perfect, mega win:



Flip it for the final bend, great alignment:



But... the final bend was a fail:



I hammered and hammered but it really didn't want to make that final bend... I'm sure I could eventually lay it down, but I have to do 6 of these. I even got out the 3 ton bottle jack but I couldn't come up with the right scheme to get my bend on. A big table mounted clamp might help.

1/8" thick steel with just too thick. Had I gone a bit thinner, I'd probably have all of my pieces finished tonight... *kicks the ground*

Tomorrow I'll take another stab.
Zaskoda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2010, 08:27 AM   #50
Site Team
 
WVvan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,293
Re: Polar Bear 1

Hey Big "Z",
I was planning to do something similar, heat metal than bend, but have never tried it before. You answered one question already (you can do it with just a propane torch).
Do you have to heat the metal till it starts to show, like turning red, before you bend? Do you have to stick it in water after heating? If you heat the metal more than once are you weakening it?

Thanks,
Dave
__________________
Open the pod bay doors Hal.

Once I exit Hal, this is what I do.
https://larry.wvnet.edu/~van/pics/lic...late-small.jpg
WWW.WVBIKE.ORG
WVvan is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Dodge

lugee

Agnes

ranchero
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.