Beasty Rock Rail Build Thread

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

So I ordered my metal today and that came in, working on my gas tank skid first and then the sliders. I have two 85" sticks of 3"x2"x3/16" rectangular tube to create the "M" for the rock mounts, two 75" pieces of teh 3"x2" to form the outside of the rock rail, (currently) only one (need two) 80" stick of 1" schedule 40 pipe, and (also currently but need two) one stick of 1"x1"x1/8" square tube for the pinch weld mounting. I ordered 24"x48"1/4" for the gas tank skid and am using the excess off of that to form the mounts to the unibody.

Here's my tracing and the start of cutting my gas tank skid out:

Here's the metal I currently have. It's definitely NOT small haha:

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

Managed to completely cut out the gas tank skid so moved to the hard part. Fabbing these rails haha. I have the length cut to size and mocked up:

Here's where I plan on the bolts going in the unibody. Probably going to drill a hole on the "x"s and weld the nut flush in the hole:

Here's the final mock up. She'll be tacked in Saturday then I'll have to take it to my friend with the stick welder (same guy who helped with the bumper) to full-weld everything:

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:40 pm

Why drill a hole and weld nut in? Self tapping bolts hold great and what everyone uses
How are you attaching them to the pinch weld? Drilled through I assume?

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

Didn't think of using self tappers haha, thanks!

I plan on using the existing 6 holes in the pinch weld to run the bolts through to mount there. I also plan on trying to cut the top of the square tube so as to sandwich the pinch weld.

At The Helm · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:37 am

Those self tappers are hard to find! Went to four stores and could only find four 5/16" bolts. For mine I'm just going to use a regular 3/8" tap and use 3/8" gr 8 bolts.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:56 am

I never had any issues finding any ? Had a small old time hardware store nearby that carried everything so maybe that was the difference

toy4everyseason · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:11 am

Blind nut rivets would be another good option for fastening.

Erikg84 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:03 am

...or duct tape...

Can't wait to see the final product!

John3:17 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:15 am

I found self tappers at Tractor Supply

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:26 am

NAMoulton1 wrote:

Didn't think of using self tappers haha, thanks!

I plan on using the existing 6 holes in the pinch weld to run the bolts through to mount there. I also plan on trying to cut the top of the square tube so as to sandwich the pinch weld.

the suspense is killing me! you uploaded an unfinished project. :POPCORN:

cant wait to see the final results!!!

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

toy4everyseason wrote:

Blind nut rivets would be another good option for fastening.

Why have I never seen this before?! Too bad my rivet gun only goes up to 1/8"...

John3:17 wrote:

I found self tappers at Tractor Supply

I might have to stop at my local Tractor Supply tomorrow when I go back to work on it haha.

I also edited the original because it had not posted the right final picture. haha

At The Helm · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 12:10 pm

TS was one of my stops, the biggest they had was 1/4"... Even Fastenal didn't have any.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

Atthehelm wrote:

TS was one of my stops, the biggest they had was 1/4"... Even Fastenal didn't have any.

I only have 1/4" at my work's warehouse too. Hopefully Tractor Supply has them here. If not, looks like I'll stick with my original idea haha.

John3:17 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 12:39 pm

NAMoulton1 wrote:

Atthehelm wrote:

TS was one of my stops, the biggest they had was 1/4"... Even Fastenal didn't have any.

I only have 1/4" at my work's warehouse too. Hopefully Tractor Supply has them here. If not, looks like I'll stick with my original idea haha.

They were in a specialty bolt section in individual plastic envelopes.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

I'll have to look for that then...

nFodzy · **Joined:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 1:30 pm **Posts:** 389

So jealous, looking great so far!

toy4everyseason · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:51 pm

NAMoulton1 wrote:

toy4everyseason wrote:

Blind nut rivets would be another good option for fastening.

Why have I never seen this before?! Too bad my rivet gun only goes up to 1/8"...

They require a special rivet gun that the head threads in to the blind nut inserts...or so they claim but I've heard of people installing them using a bolt and a nut with its threads drilled out. Pretty neat type of hardware but can sometimes be difficult to source.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

toy4everyseason wrote:

They require a special rivet gun that the head threads in to the blind nut inserts...or so they claim but I've heard of people installing them using a bolt and a nut with its threads drilled out. Pretty neat type of hardware but can sometimes be difficult to source.

I think I'll be fine with either self-tapping it, finding a tap kit for a 3/8" bolt, or just weld the nut inside it haha.

lfhoward · **Posted:** Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:26 pm

I think you'll want to use bolts (self tapping or other) rather than rivets because it's important that rock sliders be removable. You'll need to take them off for sanding & repainting every other year or so, because no matter how good a job you do priming and painting them initially, they take a lot of abuse from road dirt and will RUST.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

lfhoward wrote:

I think you'll want to use bolts (self tapping or other) rather than rivets because it's important that rock sliders be removable. You'll need to take them off for sanding & repainting every other year or so, because no matter how good a job you do priming and painting them initially, they take a lot of abuse from road dirt and will RUST.

The rivets that were mentioned are not typical rivets. Here's a pic:

These would essentially rivet into a drilled out hole and make it "tapped" haha. Genius...but like Toy was saying, specialty tool...

Beasty Rock Rail Build Thread

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