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i wasnt thinking about a drawer, but then again i hadnt thought about that sort of thing extensively... i just cant really think of anything that i would put in there.
i just wanted to hide the mess under the tray, its the only thing that really turns me off tray backs.
_________________ "08 XR6T Ute |
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| FordAUte |
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Need help for the best way to make a tray for my ute.
i vaguely know what i am doing with the actual fabrication of the tray, but i dont know how to do two things... 1- i need a jig or something for the mounts before i can even start. ash or low_ryda (or anyone else for that matter), any suggestions/help there? i went to the wreckers this arvo, but they refuse to sell me the mounts for a duratray alloy tray they have there. so short of buying an alloy tray, no luck there... they have an ok looking BA ute there but from memory its a style side and i dont want to buy the whole thing, i dont have the room nor the money for it. i want to do it as cheaply as possible... any help? 2- wiring up the lights. i was going to do the whole tray first, then put the lights in and wire something up and just do the final bits when i take the original style side off my ute... but i dont know what that something will be and what to expect really... is there anything there that i wouldnt be able to do in a sunday arvo/sunday day? lol hoping to do the whole switch in a weekend, or preferably a day... cheers for any suggestions/help...
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| low_ryda |
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You could do it on 4 screw stands, really only need to build up from 2 rails, and it doesn't have to be mounted to the 2 rails untill you're ready. I made mine in a day and decked it the next, you could do the same on stands in whatever time you need if you have the room.
Depending on loads intended I've found the timber to 'only just' stand up, I'm talking about heavy weighted objects with small contact areas. I've nearly split the decking a few times and I think the longest span underneath is 500. It deflects even standing on it in the right spot. My next one will be chequer plate I think. It's ok Ash I come up short all the time.....  It's the width that matters 
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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hmm yeah i was going to do the basic frame up seperately, but i just dont know how to lay out the cross members to take advantage of the pre existing mounts that, for example, an aftermarket alloy tray would be placed onto.
hmm i guess the next smart question to ask would be, how is yours fixed onto the rails? using the existing supports/mounts, or did you fabricate your own when you did your tray? this seems to be the only thing holding me back at the moment, once im confident with this im ready to start buying the steel and pre cutting it all ready for a weekend in the shed really... umm i dont think it will be too much of a drama for me, it will almost certainly be used as a ute should at least once a week. but usually nothing to heavy and compact, odd bit of furniture, car parts, tool boxes, swag, etc... i was thinking about checker plate, saw a nice one is a custom ute mag. number plate MM1TNR. its an "01 AU with a really nice checker plate tray on it. but if it looks as good in real life as it does in my head, a nice black ute with a nice stained wooden tray would make me a happy man...
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| low_ryda |
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When I fabricated mine I had the idea from the start of making it universal, so essentially I just made a flat bed tray, how I wanted it with the measurements I come up with. I had big intentions to box they whole thing up and skin it in pollished ally, go all out etc. Then after some consideration about time & coin input I decided to come to a compromise.
When it came time to mount to the body, I bolted the aluminium rails down to the body where they originally went through with the old tray in 6 points, note the middle point isn't in the middle, it's offset to the rear. I worked out what plane I wanted it to sit on with the car parked level and packed it out to suit. Then I worked out where I wanted the steel tray to bolt to the ally rails, (not much point in more than 6 since the rails only have 6) but I used 8 anyway with the intent of more fixings in the ally to body. The ute chassis is pretty soggy, so the more the better. Then I just drilled out some 50x50x50 sections of angle, lined it all up, drilled out the ally, then welded the angle to the tray with the bolts in so nothing moved. In hindsight they only thing I would have done was get it blasted and powder coated before decking, I was just impatient. My next tray will be stainless so won't have to be painted. Ally is too hard to keep looking good.
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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i dont mind if it is universal or not really, i just want it to look good on my ute and be practical...
im thinking reasonably basic, with long term possibilities of a undertray battery and storage, no under tray draw though (i want it to sit reasonably low on the back). speaking of which, whats the first thing that will foul on the tray? tyres? i was having a think today at work and realised that all i need to start is the outside dismension of the tray rails. then when i come to mount it, i just need to fabricate the angle mounts and shim it all up level. yeah? hopefully i can get alot of the dimensions from an AU ute with an alloy tray at the wreckers... *reading*... now that i read yours again, my idea is pretty much the same as yours... that makes me feel much more confident about my idea lol  mine will be all mild RHS/angle/plate, will prob rust away but at least it will all be easy-ish... we'll see i guess...
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| low_ryda |
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I'm glad between the two of us not making much sense we came to an agreeable outcome lol I used gal for mine so I only had to touch up the welds, these are the only things that will ever need touching up.
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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yeah, well we knew what we were talking about lol thats all that matters i guess.
well i plan on painting the whole frame black, hopefully it will match the car well. will take a bit of paint, but hopefully my uncle (his a painter) can help me out with it...
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| low_ryda |
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I really wanted to paint mine in hammertone to match the standard ford orange peel paint
 lol just kidding but I always thought hammertone would look horn on a work ute. Machinery blue with a bit of tint would match my blue rig. they grey/black would look good on a black rig to. personal preference though, perhaps I spend too much time around machinery.
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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haha can never spend too much time around machinery...
to be honest, i more or less want your ute... i think the azzuro's look sooo good, though i would love a set identical but 18's. blue and grey would be good... hmm... though i want to have as few colours as i can, keep to the black blue theme. hmmm i need more cars/money so i can do all the things i am thinking of right now... i need to win the lottery i think :p
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| low_ryda |
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I have too many cars that's why I'll sell it on,not because I really want to. Thanks to the RTA, owning multiple registered cars is something only rich people can afford these days.
I had BA GT rims on it for a while then I put them on my BF Fairy to sell it, but I still think they looked better on the ute. Might try the Azzuros on the Fairy for something different. The azzuros are 18's, from an AU Pursuit, I wish I got the brakes with the wheels... Same size as the GT rims just the GT rims run a different offset at the rear. So when you coming to pick it up?
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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yeah thats fair enough, i struggle with just one car as it is... let alone two or more cars. cars are an expensive hobby, and unfortunately soon having a 'weekend/hobby car' just wont be possible for the majority.
hmm so they are, i thought they were just 17's... i just had a look in a magazine and tyre king wanted $2000 for a set with tyes... yeah, i would love a set of azzuro's with a nice big blue brembo's behind them the tray or the whole ute? lol
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i have two last details to sus out before i can start ordering materials for my tray, tie down points and tail light/licence plate mounting.
i want the tie down points to be unseen, so i was thinking of making them on the inside of the side rails, then i would just have to pad any rope/strap that i use in order not to damage the paint. but im not sure where to get tail lights from... the following is the options im thinking of. ------------ 1) to short slim line lights one on top of the other on top of the other ------------ ------------ ------------------------ 2) one long slim line light (then have reverse light mounted under the rail or something) OOO 3)round lights to try and match the headlights of my au xr, try and set them into the rear rail in order to get the tunnel like effect. though i dont know if i could finish it off well enough to get the effect to work well and look good sorta thing. also it may be illegal due to lack of visability from the sides... any help/suggestions would be good...
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| low_ryda |
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I'm starting a tray for my lux soon so if we start at the same time we can race em lol.
I'm trying to decide on the channel like I used on my au or shs like everyone else uses. I'm leaning towards shs maybe 100x50 or 75x50. The channel does give a good truck core look though which is what I'm after. Maybe I should see if the au tray fits and if it does I'll make a new one for the au. I like the boards on the au though.... argh.. ehehehe Just make the tray and worry about the little things later  That's what I did. You can always use you're exiting lights for a bit just mounted horizontally under the tray. You can still buy mine... 
_________________ Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution. |
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| FordAUte |
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Hmmm 2nd year apprentice fitter and turner that's never made a tray vs qualified boiler maker with experience in making trays... wonder who is going to win lol
I was looking at trays online the other night, found a really nice one on a wood working forum. Was a black fg ute... Had beautiful welds on it, tig I think. Was very jealous of his skills and also the sheet metal work on it... Nicely fabricated rear bumber. Haha true, but I want to take the rear rail to work and mill out pockets for the lights, so they sit nice and flush... Make the finish really nice... Hmmm very tempting but again this is more about the journey rather then the destination... Otherwise I'd be on it in a heartbeat...
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