Need help with Aerocap for 05 Dodge Ram.

[Fat Charlie]

There was a good list of 85 things not to do, or you'll be a terrorism suspect. The link I'd had is dead now, but I was able to find this one, which only has 71 things on its list of 85 items:

You May Already Be an FBI Terror Suspect: 85 Things Not to Do
Communities Against Terrorism enlists everyday busybodies to spy on us.

They don't list taking a picture of your own truck, so I'm sure we tipped some of the other items here.

[Vajra]

Hmmm, according to that list I am a total terrorist. I love how utterly stupid and moronic people have become over the years, especially since 9/11. These really are some dark times we live in. For me, it comes down to a bored cop who failed at finding anything illegal when he needed to self-validate his powers. Power Of Lengthy Interrogation Control Enforcer = Police. I am over it, but man... the whole thing pisses me off.

Ooo, I figured it out! Because I am trying to reduce drag and raise my FE, they are concerned, rightfully so, that the insignificant amount of lift generated, will cause my nearly 6K lb. truck to become airborne! Public safety to the rescue! In any event, we know that a 1.5 MPG added to my truck, will cause a massive surge in oil reserves, causing the value of oil to plummet to the point that economy crashes. That is pretty concerning, the end of the world is right around the corner! LOL...

Someone report this message to admin., seriously please, I don't want to offend or hurt anyone's "feelings."

[freebeard]

Obviously you don't want to antagonize someone who's packing heat, but the real test would have been to turn around and take his picture. Some of law enforcement haven't got the word that it's totally legal.

At least he knew he was in over his head and called for 'backup'.

The problem with the bulkhead is the curvature. One possibility would be a flat window angled to match the top of the window with curved 'wings' on the sides. And a small ledge to keep water off the top front of the bed.

have you looked at http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tch-33308.html? He got 'er done in a month, but look what happened to the edges. Working with 1/2" EMT he could have had any edge he defined, but he ended up with this:


If you follow his method, weld the tube framework while it's hanging upside down, so you don't get that sway-backed effect.



Use a rolled strip of metal (example is Polymetal) for the edge, with two triangles (for the sides) and a rectangle (which can hinge open).

[Fat Charlie]

I'm not going to report you for potential hurt feelings, Vajra, I'm going to report you as a potential terrorist!

The cop called for backup because he was facing a terrorist, not because he was unsure of what he was doing. Definitely not that.

[Vajra]

Howdy Freebeard! LOL, he asked before back up arrived if my camera was recording because he seeing a light on. I replied yes, told him it automatically is uploaded onto site that shares itself with other media sites. He looked concerned. During the whole time, I pushed the limit of things. I told him pictures and video of aliens or ufo are always crappy, so my old camera with the latest and greatest technology would hopefully be able to capture a ufo abducting him. If I was real lucky, the aliens would allow me to record him getting probed. The funny thing is, half the time he took it all so seriously like he was in shock or fear, a panic mode. The rest of the time, he acted angry. LOL The other officer was laughing at my cracks about the situation when he talked with me. He suggested worse stuff then what I said.

I planned on getting the cap as close to the cab as possible. I am not so sure, what you mean by wings. The edges of the cap, I planned to round the corners, but keep it about 1/4" or so gap to allow the flexing of the bed and cab without rubbing or bending. The inner side of the edges would have some rounding to the front. Hmmm... like a fillet to smooth out transition from edge to front.

Nods, I did read through his postings. Great project, everyone who tries and accomplishes something should feel good about it. I do welding, even with pulling A's in all my college welding classes and lots of welding time, welding isn't always easy. EMT for me is a bad decision. Light, yes. Rust resistant, yes. Good for welding, not really IMO. To often people when welding, forget that to much heat in a area will cause warping. I move around to the other end or side when I weld to help avoid warping. Even if hanging it upside down, I think you still will get some warping due to your weld cooling, as it tends to "pull" as it cools. I think EMT being so thin, that the heat would have a greater effect. All depends. The design, the welder type used, the weld material, raw metal, shape, etc... many variables. I use stick, cheap easy, portable. Always get great welds, and better penetration/tying of material. EMT is not something I am willing to weld, unless it is a absolute must do for a job. IMO, what he used as a cover, looks much to heavy for usual EMT type frames which I seen covered with films. I don't see any gussets. I'm not at all knocking his abilities, I have no real idea of his welding skills, or much else. Just judging by the pictures and what I see. A large very flat roof hatch that only 1/2" EMT and covered with thin hardboard, I would assume would sag. Even if he used 3/4" EMT I think the out come would have been the same. A light radius in the cross members of the hatch, and light gussets on the sides might have helped. However, I think his attempt is pretty good. He did it on his own, with what appears to be little or no help. So that is better than most! I hope he can refinish it, work out everything he feels he needs to and reports back on the progress!

Fat Charlie, LOL..

[ChazInMT]

I won't talk to cops when they pull me over or stop me for nothing. You are well within your right to say, "I wish to remain silent." "I'll need a lawyer present before I answer your questions." You should also ask "Am I under arrest?" "Am I free to go?" "Why am I being detailed?" over and over and over. But do not answer any of his questions other than your name, age, and address.

Since you were not driving when he questioned you, he had no right to require you to show your ID or paperwork for the vehicle. (Michigan Rights Type Stuff Webpage)

As far as the sides go,I really don't think it will make much of a difference. It will certainly be easier to build if you keep them straight or tapered in a bit, and you'll have more usable under cover space. I tapered mine in too much but my top shape was way too fast, so I suppose they sort of equaled each other out.

Here's something I whipped up showing a Dodge cab, the lines represent about every 24 inches or so going back, different colors so they don't all blur together. Something I ended up doing because I used thin ply wood, is I ended up making the top into 3 flat sections, and the sides were flat. Only the corners were radiused. This keeps you from trying to put a compound curve into plywood. (It hates that)

The drawing here does not represent that, but it would only take like 30 minutes to change it to be that way.

Take a look see.

[freebeard]

It's just freebeard. I'm not that Important. Also, authoritarians buying into their own B.S. It's priceless.

A rolled strip for the edges. Simple curved sheets with curved edges as necessary. A '58 Impala style divot for the 3rd brake light. I'd increase the radius progressively, with a half-ellipse at ChazInMT's green line. Or go to a Gothic arch, with a peak in the center. The area inside the green need be no larger. Or you could have a flat triangle (level or slanted) from the rear window to the top rear.

Square tubing for the bed rails, windows and weatherstripped openings.

Props to those that get something done. I've got pieces rolled for a boat tail for my Beetle. But I'm not confident I have a means of attachment that won't wear through the paint. Sometimes it takes months for the light-bulb to go on. A pickup bed looks a lot easier.

[Vajra]

Chaz.. that looks pretty good. I think you are about right. I would assume that with the faster back you have, the sides having that much taper, would also cancel the CL or at least lessen it greatly. I don't think I'd want to taper the sides as much as I was thinking of making the radius greater with each station. You have a point though about the room inside. It would be easier, if I do use plywood. At this point I was thinking Foam insulation and fiberglass. One thing not shown, you might not realize or know this, but the rails on my truck are not straight. They taper and curve towards the tailgate. Yeah, that makes it more of a pain...

I have not decided what would be the best course of construction as of yet. I remember seeing that super nice Aerolid Bondo did in pictures. At first, I considered the very same thing. Only having to pull some pins to remove the center section, leaving the sides intact. More I think about it, having nearly the whole top able to lift up would allow carrying MOST things I ever carry, and the top could be strapped down as needed. I wanted to have a window, about 3ft wide running about 3/4 or 1/2 the length of the cap that is also a hatch for entry. I go back and forth on it. Having the ability to camp in secure hard structure is nice. Having the room to move around is nice. Being able to accommodate objects in the bed is also nice. The question is, lift the whole top up, or just a hatch so I can let myself out for nature calls! I was planning on using the cap mounting single sided foam tape to seal the cap to the bed rails, and serve as a protective surface for the paint. Unless you guys have better suggestions... which, I know you guys do! Opinions on options?

I rarely have issues with cops. It just seems over the years our society has birthed emotional, mentally impaired people. They lacks morals, values, integrity.. as said before, common sense and critical thinking have taken a back seat. Instead most result to instant self gratification, self importance. Everyone has to have a national recognized party, organization or media outlet covering them. They jump to conclusions without any real facts. A good cop would have observed what I was doing before approaching. This jerk pulled up onto me as if I was robbing a bank. I know my rights, I wasn't worried. I had fun making him feel as uncomfortable as possible. Trust me, he didn't like my responses to anything. I reminded him often he didn't have the right to do or ask things. Other times, I just twisted things into something awkward. I love making people feel stupid, or making their own thoughts betray them. What else do you do with people so brainwashed by society? I avoid watching the news, because most of it, is garbage. The backup he called for, was the best call he could have made. Obviously, he couldn't handle me by himself.

[Vajra]

This is some of what I was thinking. Although the (grey) window would have rounded corners. Red solid circles are tail lights, the others are backup lights. Lavender/pinkish dot, back up camera. I guess though, I could get rid of the window on the back then. Corners on the rear, more pulled in. If this would not reduce drag, guess it is pointless. I suck at editing. LOL

[freebeard]

A headache rack with a 4-bar linkage so the whole thing alligators up, with an L-shaped hatch like a Dodge Magnum. Best of both worlds.

There's lots of options until you start. Then the quantum vector collapses. And it's foam or plywood. Or not...

With fiberglass to get any kind of smooth surface requires a female mold. aerohead recommends a concrete form, for rigidity. If you're going to make a 'foamie', squeegeeing out resin under sheet mylar, and then peeling that off is supposed to work. Repeated applications might give a presentable surface.

Alternatively, mock up the front, bottom and back and sew up a fiberglass 'sock' to fit, then inflate with a vacuum cleaner and spray the first layers of resin on the outside. Then roller resin or foam on the inside. Once again aerohead has been there, but I don't think he rigidified one with resin.

You can put up to five bends in a sheet of thin plywood.


http://www.buckminster.info/Index/P/Plydome.htm


Patent US2905113 - Self-strutted geodesic plydome - Google Patents

As you can see in the hatching in Fig.1. If you don't see how it would be possible to put a geodesic dome on a pickup bed, please—just ask.

Edit: I see we posted within a minute of each other. I mentioned the Dodge Magnum, here's a pic:


You could widen the gray area and have it be an L-shaped piece of thick clear plastic hinged on a weather-stripped ledge.

Take the red line at the cab and rotate the sides inward until the angle matches the orange line, then the red side lines up halfway to the pink line for more height at the tailgate. The intermediate lines would adjust upward and the added area would be minimal because it's narrow.

Did I mention the side pieces would be rectangles?