Gaia Has Aired Out Long Enough

[jeff88]

A few more thoughts I should have mentioned...

I want this to be a template for an eventual metal skid plate. With that being said any "frame" work I do to support the coroplast I would prefer would be setup to accept the plate without modifications.

I did test run this guy on a windy, hilly backroad approaching 60 MPH and there was no discernible movement. I was listening with the window down for anything. Also, the bolt in the previous post is well into the nut with no signs of movement.

Even though it's not secured, the middle of the pan does have a resting support so it doesn't flop as it rests against the radiator lower support.

I work for an electrical contractor, I wonder if I can utilize some strut in some way.

[Piotrsko]

Rivnuts. Might need reinforcing washers to prevent tearout. Otherwise building adhesive on "T" nuts.

Strut is incredible for reinforcement.

[aerohead]

1/2-inch EMT is a great low cost material for panel frame and sub-frame fabrication. I prefer oxyacetylene with a small tip, however, a wire-feed will certainly work.
Mounting ears can be attached wherever needed, including those for Dzus fasteners.
Also, 'stacked' metal, multi-level heat-shields, with dead-air voids spaced between sheets, can be attached between coroplast and heat sources to protect against thermal 'creep.'
Scrap, EMT cut-offs make great vertical spacer material.

[kach22i]

Regarding using the coroplast as a future template, do not wait 10 years to do the second phase.

I used this material on the tonneau bed cover, and every year it was wrapped a little more and now looks like a wave you could surf on.

2012
Replacement for Tonneau Fabric - Coroplast
Poor man's Tonneau Cover - Replacement - Pelican Parts Forums

[JulianEdgar]

Originally Posted by aerohead

1/2-inch EMT is a great low cost material for panel frame and sub-frame fabrication. I prefer oxyacetylene with a small tip, however, a wire-feed will certainly work.
Mounting ears can be attached wherever needed, including those for Dzus fasteners.
Also, 'stacked' metal, multi-level heat-shields, with dead-air voids spaced between sheets, can be attached between coroplast and heat sources to protect against thermal 'creep.'
Scrap, EMT cut-offs make great vertical spacer material.

I hope you grind off the zinc coating first. Otherwise, not at all good for your health...

[COcyclist]

^ X2 (You can get really bad fumes even if you grind or sand. Do this in a really well ventilated area)

"Speed Nuts" work for attaching to the edge of the airdam etc. It slides over one edge like a paperclip with a nut on the back, pre-drill a small hole and the screw draws it tighter.

[jeff88]

Thanks for the advice and tips everyone. A little update since installing the pan. With only those 4 bolts and the lip of the air dam holding/securing the pan, the pan has shown no signs of movement. I'm still going to install more attachment points, but for everyday use it seems to work well. I had one scare this morning when I had it on cruise control on the highway and I suddenly lost power and it felt like I was carrying a parachute. I turned off the cruise and the problem went away (I've had a feeling the cruise control has been going out for some time now). When I got to work, I checked the pan and it's still firmly secured.

With that being said, I filled up for the first time last night and my MPG for the tank was 17.3! Not bad considering that's working off of an average 16! That also included about 40 miles of "no mods" and 20 miles of (12) 3x3s on the roof (long drive, story for another time). So 60 miles of a 260 mile tank were "different". I have a feeling I should do an A-B-A test, I'm just dreading having to drive with it off for a few days!

Originally Posted by COcyclist

"Speed Nuts" work for attaching to the edge of the airdam etc. It slides over one edge like a paperclip with a nut on the back, pre-drill a small hole and the screw draws it tighter.

After a bit of research I had a "duh" moment when I realized these U-nuts/speed nuts would work perfectly. I found a pot full of them on Amazon for a couple of bucks and ordered them. When they got here, I opened the box and before I could even touch the bag I realized my mistake. The hole/nut is on the open end which means when I clip the nut onto the air dam I would need to drill a hole through the air dam which is what I was trying to avoid. If the hole/nut was closer to the hinge side rather than the open side it would work perfectly. Alas, I had to go back to the drawing board...

After continuing to live my life laying on the ground with 3500 pounds above me, I kept looking for an option that I like that I think would work in the long run. I think I have a plan that will work. There are several bolts with extra length and holes in the frame not being used. I think I can tap the holes for a bolt and use the existing bolts to install a vertical support piece out of flat bar and then either attach some sort of strut frame or attach the belly pan directly to those vertical pieces. I think I have found a hole/bolt in just about every area so the support should be good around every edge (and the middle I already have covered).

On a side note that is marginally related, what do you guys think of brazing? I've never done it before, but I got the brazing tools needed for a previous project that didn't pan out (no pun intended) because I left that company and didn't need to work on that project anymore. I might use it in this project for the vertical brackets if/when needed.

[JulianEdgar]

Originally Posted by jeff88

On a side note that is marginally related, what do you guys think of brazing? I've never done it before, but I got the brazing tools needed for a previous project that didn't pan out (no pun intended) because I left that company and didn't need to work on that project anymore. I might use it in this project for the vertical brackets if/when needed.

Brazing (at least with oxy acetylene equipment that I use) is very easy and can give a really neat job on thin gauge material. (It can be used for thicker material but MIG /arc welding is much quicker.) Tobin bronze sticks are fine for most brazing but if strength is needed, use nickel bronze.

I brazed this bicycle carrier together that I made. Thin wall, high tensile steel tube.

[freebeard]

High-end bicycle frames and Morgan trikes use brazing preferentially. Here's a reference:

www.mig-welding.co.uk/.../how-strong-is-brazing-compared-to-welding.42160/

[aerohead]

Good call!
The Los Angeles Public School system, in the 1960s, was thoughtful enough to hire master metalsmiths for their vocational-oriented classroom curriculum.
Safety was paramount, and the zinc issue was not lost on the instructor.
Soldering, stick-welding, aluminum casting, etc., were all conducted under forced-air exhaust and well ventilated workshop environments.
Neighborhood workshop, father-mentor-supervisors, wouldn't let our ignorance get the best of us either.