Pov Pack Project, canopy started

[Thunderbolt]

Got my new rear springs and what a difference in ride compared to the stock units! So now with the relocated towbar and suspension lift I need a dropped tounge. Out with the trusty angle grinder and cut up the original



I have measured my commodore and allowed for the ball to be at the same height at its lowest position, I can always cut a bit off the bottom. The 40 yo stick welder still does a good job



Got to go into the steel shop on monday to get a bit of SHS to weld the tongue onto and will drill a couple of cross holes through so I can adjust the height to suit my boat trailer

[10 luxxxx]

Looking awesome mate any chance of some more photos and explanation of what exactly you did to your tow bar to lift it up

[Thunderbolt]

Looking awesome mate any chance of some more photos and explanation of what exactly you did to your tow bar to lift it up

Thanks mate, here ya go, CAD file and all

Before, crappy photo but it shows enough detail



CAD file of mods, an angle grinder with 1mm blade is your best friend



Finished product



Note this is patented and use of this idea will incur the fee of one slab of beer for each and every use

[ajh]

Love your work mate.

[Thunderbolt]

Love your work mate.

Thanks!


Really starting to like this truck, don't think I would go back to a solid axle truck for what I do

[Thunderbolt]

Had to get the tow bar finished and take a couple of loads of tree prunings to the tip, The vertical leg is a bit too long but that is not an issue as the bolts are at 80mm centres and I have drilled it at 20mm centres so I can move it up in 20mm increments



Cheers

[Thunderbolt]

While I was messing around I also made a recovery point for dragging out stuck Fords

[Thunderbolt]

It's been a while since I have updated this build up. Have finally got the diffs done with 4.1 gears and air lockers front and rear. What a difference gearing makes and bloody expensive too! There was snow down to 500m last week and had a couple of hours to spare on the first sunny day after the snow dump so went for a quick run from Mt Beauty up to the helipad on Mt Emu.

It's a pain trying to photograph a white truck in snow


5 Star accommodation


The dog was actually OK with a bit of sun shining on her


Mt Beauty from the helipad

[rhysbarrett22]

Sweet spot you found there mate. Trucks looking mean to.
I'm just about to regear an lock front and rear too. Got the prado diffs in the shed, just waiting for the lockers to get here.

How you been finding those Tyres? They hold up alright?

[blkrota]

That is the best view, great pic.

[Thunderbolt]

For the price the tyres are great, not as good as MTZ's but better than Maxis and seem to be wearing OK. Re gearing is the best thing I've done so far

Cheers

[jaybags]

Undercoated the bullbar mounting brackets this afternoon. Her's a pic of the Axis bar bracket with the extra lug and holes for the recovery hook



I think I should service the winch next while it's off and then I can start bolting bits on the new truck

Cliff

Did you modify the bracket or get that from MR?
That's exactly what I need

Nice truck by the way! Looks good in the snow

[Thunderbolt]

Thanks Jay, I modded the Axis bar bracket myself

Cheers

[Thunderbolt]

Nothing much happening on this due to severe lack of money I have been building a carport and fences and getting ready for painting some of the house. Injector replacement and other issues took all my build money so some pics from last year will have to do.
When I replaced the winch steel cable I couldn't get all the rope on because of its larger diameter so decided to make a bridle from the bit left over. Ther's plenty of info on the interwebs on how to splice it and thought it was something I should know if ever neded in the bush. Found a piece of chrome tube from a wardrobe hanging rail in the scrap pile and made it into a Fid and bent a piece of SS tig wire for the needle. These now live in my tool box for field use.



Bought a couple of stainless thimbles from Bummings






Spooled up the rope under tension


I did get out hunting a bit last winter and used the winch a couple of times and happy to say the splices held up OK. Didn't shoot much but have a freezer full of Fallow and Sambar plus a rabbit or two for the dog
Next up is canopy, fuel, and water tanks

cheers

[Thunderbolt]

The welds on my dropped towbar hitch got proof tested when I had to trailer this old Bitsushiti back into town
I did wrap an extra dragchain around the trailer A frame and the tow bar just in case something broke. Happy to say it all held and was able to do 100+ down the freeway. If we had a few tie downs I would have moved the car back on the trailer to take some of the load off the towball but the Lux handled it ok. And we didn't leave my daughters dog in the tray,

[andy666]

Nice work on the splicing. Another way of doing it if you don't have a needle is to just wrap tape around the end of the rope to make a solid tip and then feed it through.

[Thunderbolt]

Yeah, thanks Andy, good tip with the tape. I think the main thing is to form the first loop corectly so it tightens up on itself and doesn't pull the tag end out of the splice

[Thunderbolt]

Some pic's of canopy work, cut off old hinges






Cut off the old headboard



Note the high tech painting jig

[packeteer]

looks good mate, what are you gonna cover it with?

[SRD4D]

good start mate.i like the inside tray gate clips mine are a bloody pain to undo,I need to rethink it actually... Its bloody big compared to the dual cab tray..... you going canvas or tarp material?
you going to deck the tray for camping or "open Plan" design?