What does $13k in aluminum build

[jon f mn]

Here are a few more pics of the project, I finished after dark, so no good pics of it finished yet, maybe this weekend. Here are some pics of the ramp mechanism and a video of it working. The latch was intended to be 2 flats with a tip, but the hooks bent when I tested it for strength, so I added the channel to the top for more strength. Now you can put the full force against it and it holds if someone does that by mistake.

Ramp latch

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The double link is so that you cant put down pressure on the ramp when down so nothing gets bent.

This is the spout I made inside the box to divert the leaves and fill the front of the box.

This is a closeup of the door latch and of the door support so the hinges dont carry the door when driving.

Where the blower enters the box i figured on that hose sliding in to fill the gap, but it is not necessary as it work fine with the gap needed for the bed to dump.

As always on a job like this, there are a few things I missed, like supports on the side of the box for the sheet, a way to hold the door open when dumping and such, so he is bringing it back this weekend to finish. I should get some better pics of it all done then. Here are the last 2 pics I took last evening with it all loaded as it will be for fall clean up.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

Nice engineering and superior welding as you always produce. Sorry that some let envy of your skills get in their way. Very well done!

 

[RBnWA]

Good job Jon. A job like that you will miss a thing or 2. BTDT. RB

 

[Jimmydog]

You aught to be right proud of yourself!
You make this grown man feel lazy.

 

[Bill of TN]

The lawn business must be a very lucrative business where you're at.....nice job by the way....

 

[Dingo3]

Why would you want to sacrifice usability of a tool for the project at hand for some mythical future possibilities that may or may not ever exist? And if it ever happens that he needs a heavier truck, like an ex military truck, I can build him a bed on that when the time comes.

Anyone serious about using a 50 plus year old ex military truck as an every day company vehicle won’t last long. You did good, nice job!

 

[Richard Nixon]

My son runs a lawn care business and wants trucks set up so he can stop using trailers and his employees can quit lifting ramps. So he bought 3 retired Schwans trucks and I built the first bed, finally finished late last night. It's a fairly complex build with a side dump box for clippings and leaves, a bed with beaver tail, and hydraulic lift ramp. This is what it looked like to start. Lol

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That is over $9000 in aluminum, a slight miss calculation meant another trip for over $3,000 more later to total over $13,000.00 just in aluminum. The front is a side dump box, 8' wide and 6' deep. The sub frame was pretty complex because it had to be flexible to twist with the truck frame, but rigid enough to keep the box from flopping around. I think I got it done, we will see if it holds up.

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The box was next. He wanted it with short sides so it doesn't catch so much wind when driving when they are not using it, and with fold up sides for more space when in use.

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The bed was also a bit more complex than average as he needed it low for loading and 11' long so he can haul his big tractor for leaf cleanup and 2 zero turn mowers for mowing. That meant dropping the main rails down between the truck frame to get the slope we needed.

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Figuring out the ramp lift took some serious pondering. I basically copied some designs from farm machinery I've seen over the years, but even then it took some trial and error.

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Here are a couple videos of the ramp. I have since put a restrictor in the line so it moves slower.

Truck ramp ooeration

First try on the ramp

rumble.com

Ramp in use

Hydraulic truck ramp finished

rumble.com

Thats all I can post at one time, I'll add more later.

Very nice.

 

[jon f mn]

You aught to be right proud of yourself!
You make this grown man feel lazy.

Lol, I was feeling bad that I was so lazy I let a week long job last 3 weeks. Lol. Thanks for the compliment

 

[omahagreg]

Very nice!

 

[KCTractors]

Lol, I was feeling bad that I was so lazy I let a week long job last 3 weeks. Lol. Thanks for the compliment

jon f mn, I think you should be proud of your work and what you are doing for your son.

 

[farmersamm]

Loonimum is a great material. It gives you a lot of opportunity to practice welding.

Cold welds that break
Dirty substrate that causes welds to break.
And..........wait for it...........limited fatigue life, that causes everything to break.

Good stuff.

But it does fill a need to limit weight.........if you are willing to put up with the downside.

 

[farmersamm]

I know it sounds harsh, but I've seen all sorts of failures.

Stock trailers that constantly need repair. Crude oil tankers that have numerous weld failures (even with good TIG welds).

It's a messy material.

 

[farmersamm]

It's a tradeoff.

Steel with excellent weldability, unlimited fatigue life if designed properly.

Aluminum with its weight limiting characteristics, but with terrible weldability, and verifiable limited fatigue cycles.

Aluminum can approach steel fatigue life if the members are upsized. This adds to the cost, but it's a good alternative if you need the positive attributes of aluminum.

 

[farmersamm]

A lot of the old Freightliners had aluminum frames. Lot of you guys might not remember, or know. Those frames were known for cracking. Terrible service life.

 

[Oakridgewelding]

Nice job sir!! As a fulltime welder/ fabricator myself, that looks top notch. For what he wanted and the weight he's handling it's perfect. Don't worry about the nay sayers. I see a lot of well thought out ideas. Again. nice job!!

 

[showcrop]

If you look up a few of Ericp’s posts he is generally both negative and argumentative. Oh well.

I blocked him over a year ago.

 

[Mark Poss]

Impressive fabrication!!

 

[Case Nutty 1660]

That bed can not hold a D8. You well confirmed you Minnisota temperament. 18 k sounds like f550 gross, not payload. No matter, as those numbers assume load properly distributed. Ya got too much aft, and no means to even improve tires much easily. I twice referred to the possibility of your son succeeding and requiring even a modest investment and improvement in equipment. Think land scapping with a Bobcat, moving rocks, et cetera. Traditional "next step" beyond basic mowing. Some men , companies, outgrow same, but you may know your own son. Starting with a better truck, then actually engineering modifications has been done by the competent and optimistic before. Saves capital greatly in long run, let alown providing for safety, et cetera. Your kid, little shinny rig, nice summer enterprise. Enjoy! Eric out, seek constructive learing as you may.

are you having a stroke asking for a friend

 

[NDIHC]

Loonimum is a great material. It gives you a lot of opportunity to practice welding.

Cold welds that break
Dirty substrate that causes welds to break.
And..........wait for it...........limited fatigue life, that causes everything to break.

Good stuff.

But it does fill a need to limit weight.........if you are willing to put up with the downside.

Is that why airplanes are built with aluminum? Broken welds, stress cracks and all?

 

[Texasmark]

Took about 3 weeks total, but didnt work many hours each day because I have an injured elbow that would start hurting.

There are a lot of TV ads here about a rub that contains some "weed" and a couple of other ingredients that gets rid of pain such as yours. Walmart and Amazon are 2 of the listed suppliers.....I think I saw it listing for $19 for a jar. I guess it's legal here if these suppliers are selling it to the general public. Don't know about your area.