Topkick fifth wheel hauler project

[NASTYZEN]

Now that I have both sides welded up, time for a pre fit.


Marked up and ready for trimming.



After some persuasion and dollying. It was important to get all the surfaces flat and true before adding the last piece. Because access would be lost after that and I hate for the painter to use lots of bondo...



The setup. I used 2'' spacers so I could get access to all areas that need welding and metal finishing.



Now for the last piece of the puzzle.



Fitted and tacked in place.



Note that I used the back step technique so as to reduce distortion from heat.
This is done by welding about 3 or 4 inches at a time. I'm a righty, so I weld from right to left. I started welding on the last 3 inches from the end on the left and worked my way backstepping all the way to the right side.
Hope my description makes sense. I'm a fabricator not a narrator.

Final welding.



Thank God it fits!


Now for some serious elbow grease to knock down all the welds.

 

[MP&C]

Looks good Claude! I was wondering if there were plans for some recessed lights in the bar....

 

[NASTYZEN]

Just holes, no recess. Don't give the guy to many ideas!
I have to get this thing out asap. There's big things already in the plumbing heading my way.
But with the arch out of the way,I'll sleep better. That was a bit out of my comfort zone. Couldn't be happier with how it turned out though.

 

[JTH]

Hard to imagine much outside your comfort zone. All your work is outstanding!

 

[aggierailroad]

After some persuasion and dollying. It was important to get all the surfaces flat and true before adding the last piece. Because access would be lost after that and I hate for the painter to use lots of bondo...

Pity to paint this great work! One does as the customer asks

 

[SiGmA_X]

That looks like a perfect fit, of course! Nice work!!

Why did you use a hand rasp vs a flap wheel or similar? Heat concerns?

 

[vwracer]

Nice work Nastyzen. What is that handheld file thing in your pic about elbow grease? I have never seen a tool like that.

 

[ilovevocs]

That arch turned out awesome. Really nice work.

 

[DesertSparky57]

Dang, your comfort zone is MASSIVE. That is one super straight symmetrical piece of aluminum. Looks like it was born with that curve in it.

 

[saceone]

Solide!!

 

[Wanna Ride]

Beautiful work! Both in design and construction, cant wait to see more of this one!

 

[willymakeit]

Nice work Nastyzen. What is that handheld file thing in your pic about elbow grease? I have never seen a tool like that.

Body file. Very handy for metal work. Adjustable for radius also.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Hard to imagine much outside your comfort zone. All your work is outstanding!

Thanks!

Pity to paint this great work! One does as the customer asks

Painting means less stress for the fabricator.

That looks like a perfect fit, of course! Nice work!!
Why did you use a hand rasp vs a flap wheel or similar? Heat concerns?

Thanks!
More concerned with how much surface is touching at one time. The rasp or body file is great for keeping a nice flat surface or in this case a long even radius all along the edges. Probably faster at removing metal than grinding disks.

Nice work Nastyzen. What is that handheld file thing in your pic about elbow grease? I have never seen a tool like that.

Thanks.
Body rasp or body file is what I call it.Also adjustable in the convex or concave radiuses as willymakeit stated.

That arch turned out awesome. Really nice work.

Thanks.

Dang, your comfort zone is MASSIVE. That is one super straight symmetrical piece of aluminum. Looks like it was born with that curve in it.

I was a bit concerned at first, but it turned out fine.

Beautiful work! Both in design and construction, cant wait to see more of this one!

Thanks.

Body file. Very handy for metal work. Adjustable for radius also.

You da man!

 

[Davo J]

I have been following this thread from the start and look forward to updates.
All I can say is brilliant work, it's turning out great and like others have said I look forward to seeing more updates and seeing it finished, though I suppose by now you would like to see it finished, LOL.

Dave

 

[NASTYZEN]

I have been following this thread from the start and look forward to updates.
All I can say is brilliant work, it's turning out great and like others have said I look forward to seeing more updates and seeing it finished, though I suppose by now you would like to see it finished, LOL.

Dave

I'm glad your enjoying this. I sure am. Time just flies by!

After 21hrs of tig and mig welding. I think I got to every nook n cranny I could get to. She's all welded up. Except for the under side when I lift the box off at the end.



Knocked down the welds on the forward section and fitted up some bottom panels to see what it takes to make things go together.





Crude drawing of the next step I guess. Figuring out the gaps for the doors and skin interface with the weather seal. I will make a strip sample first.

 

[NUTTSGT]

21 hours of welding ? Was that over two or three days ? Please don't tell me that was one day.

 

[NASTYZEN]

21 hours of welding ? Was that over two or three days ? Please don't tell me that was one day.

Over a period of 2 1/2 days. Thanks for the concern.

 

[readhead]

Very nice work. What did you use to tip the edges before you tacked up the headache rack?

 

[madjack]

Love the body rasp idea. I do a lot of aluminum fabricating and have to deal with grinders and flap wheels plugging all the time....new trick for this old dog!

 

[NASTYZEN]

Very nice work. What did you use to tip the edges before you tacked up the headache rack?

See post #78

Love the body rasp idea. I do a lot of aluminum fabricating and have to deal with grinders and flap wheels plugging all the time....new trick for this old dog!

The day I stop learning is the day I wanna die.

 

[readhead]

Thanks. I'm late to the party I guess. A rasp is a great way to rough in the shape as you know. I hope your customer is watching this. He is definitely getting quality for his money.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Thanks. I'm late to the party I guess. A rasp is a great way to rough in the shape as you know. I hope your customer is watching this. He is definitely getting quality for his money.

I let him come by on Fridays to work on his wiring and such. He was able to see me crawling around under his rig and showering myself with molten Aluminium.
He is rather pleasant and has great input and say into the project. After all, it's his baby. I just want to build him what he wants.
I even let him wire brush all the welds. He got to rub his baby.

So after a little figuring and fiddling. I found the secret to building a sealed door.I think.



Should look like this and there's room for the welding nozzle in the back.



With the profile working, I started making some panels.





With an opening with the profile all around I can now work out the corners.
This is too square for the weather stripping to transition around the corner.



Went with a 1.'' rad.



Tracing for the back plate.



Pre fit.



Now for another 25 of these.

 

[neonnblack]

Nice work, glad you are able to keep updates on this one.

 

[ADSR]

awesome work!

Where did you buy the weather stripping?

 

[NASTYZEN]

Nice work, glad you are able to keep updates on this one.

Thank you, I try, I try.

awesome work!

Where did you buy the weather stripping?

Thanks. I think the owner got it at the truck supply place. I know he got the fenders at Kenworth.

 

[ScottS]

awesome work!

Where did you buy the weather stripping?

You can get various seals from mcmaster.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#bulb-seals/=mx22gy

look around in the link.

Scott

 

[ADSR]

You can get various seals from mcmaster.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#bulb-seals/=mx22gy

look around in the link.

Scott

Great! Thanks buddy!!

 

[afirover]

IM sorry I can no longer watch the progress it just makes me depressed as I one day want to build a bed similar but this this just **** and I cant even to begin to try to duplicate ..

 

[Shortbed70]

Looks really good man! Great work. I like the cleanliness of rig also but I wouldn't want to tig all that together..

 

[SiGmA_X]

Thanks!
More concerned with how much surface is touching at one time. The rasp or body file is great for keeping a nice flat surface or in this case a long even radius all along the edges. Probably faster at removing metal than grinding disks.

Gotcha! Thanks for the info, I'm sure this will help me some day.

Latest updates look great, holy cow, 21hr of frame welding. Your skills are just amazing.. I'm so glad you're sharing the construction of this with us!

 

[Strouty]

NASTYZEN,

Are you using liquid cooled tig or air cooled? The work looks awesome, can't wait to see the boxes finished. That roll bar is a work of art, not that I would expect anything less from you.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Time for a bit of an update. I've been working my *** off...hard to get a minute plus taking care of my Mom.

IM sorry I can no longer watch the progress it just makes me depressed as I one day want to build a bed similar but this this just **** and I cant even to begin to try to duplicate ..

Stop it!

Looks really good man! Great work. I like the cleanliness of rig also but I wouldn't want to tig all that together..

Thanks, on my 12th spool so far. Never mig welded Alu. so much before! That would of taken forever with tig and distortion would of been a real problem.
I'm getting better with it...

Flat weld.


Fillet joint.


Dooh!!

Gotcha! Thanks for the info, I'm sure this will help me some day.

Latest updates look great, holy cow, 21hr of frame welding. Your skills are just amazing.. I'm so glad you're sharing the construction of this with us!

I'm having a lot of fun as well.

NASTYZEN,

Are you using liquid cooled tig or air cooled? The work looks awesome, can't wait to see the boxes finished. That roll bar is a work of art, not that I would expect anything less from you.

Water cooled. I don't think air cooled would cut it at 300amps I use some times.

Skinned a little further to validate openings and stuff.
Used my brand new hand shear for the first time.Don't think I'll be able to do this again after cutting metal.



CAD fitting.= (Cardboard assisted dicking)



Wooo, nice. 18 gauge capacity....I'm cutting.080''



Works.



With that validated and the client happy. On with the boxes.

Capping the wheel wells.

Tacked in place. Mig is awesome for tacking.







Inside the left hand box.

 

[Strouty]

Looking good, I ended up borrowing a welder from my father, he bought two and only needed one. I guess I will learn tig on a Miller syncrowave 351 with water cooling! I am going to try using it with the stock torch, but I am thinking I will upgrade it to a nice new one with very flexible hoses. Hopefully next week I can start practicing. Then maybe I can have guys like you give me some advice on how to do it right. I love the "CAD" by the way.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Looking good, I ended up borrowing a welder from my father, he bought two and only needed one. I guess I will learn tig on a ! I am going to try using it with the stock torch, but I am thinking I will upgrade it to a nice new one with very flexible hoses. Hopefully next week I can start practicing. Then maybe I can have guys like you give me some advice on how to do it right. I love the "CAD" by the way.

Miller syncrowave 351 with water cooling!! You **** it big time! That is a Cadillac. I would love to change both my tigs for one of those again. Real sweet machine. It's worth putting a good torch on there with quality lines.Stay away from made in China **** plastic. A good one will go easy for 600 bucks or so. In the long term with a machine like that,it will be a great investment.

 

[Strouty]

Miller syncrowave 351 with water cooling!! You **** it big time! That is a Cadillac. I would love to change both my tigs for one of those again. Real sweet machine. It's worth putting a good torch on there with quality lines.Stay away from made in China **** plastic. A good one will go easy for 600 bucks or so. In the long term with a machine like that,it will be a great investment.

I am hoping to actual buy it from him, but we will see. I figure I can use it for a while and then either buy it or find another one. I also have a regular High Frequency box, if I buy the 351 is that worth keeping or should I sell it?

 

[NASTYZEN]

I am hoping to actual buy it from him, but we will see. I figure I can use it for a while and then either buy it or find another one. I also have a regular High Frequency box, if I buy the 351 is that worth keeping or should I sell it?

After using the Miller, you won't want to go back. I have 5 floors,so having more than one machine is convenient. All depends on your layout and money I guess.

 

[Strouty]

After using the Miller, you won't want to go back. I have 5 floors,so having more than one machine is convenient. All depends on your layout and money I guess.

No money, one floor, lots of Junque (I spell it that way to make my junk feel special). I can't wait to start, I learned welding as a teenager with OA so I hope this will feel more natural to me.

 

[Thumper68]

Great project!! A inspiration for me as I am planning a new project for towing my trailers.

 

[MQ Unlimited Media]

This thread movtivated so much, I've been looking for a Kodiak/Topkick. They have proved very difficult to find a decent, low mileage one.

 

[aggierailroad]

Nasty - don't know if I've seen it - and it's waaaayyy too late here, but have you thought of having the door gaskets on the door instead of the box? That would help prevent them from getting cut up as chains, tools and whatnot are dragged across the gasket.

I don't recall ever seeing a truck box with the gasket on the door though... Must be a reason. Just idle wondering before my coffee this morning.

Keep up the great work!