20171227_1359110.jpg
50 hits | 35.96 KB | Posted: 8/12/18
Same same.

(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

wookie_2.jpg
53 hits | 58.32 KB | Posted: 8/12/18
Unfortunately for me, I have too many Bronco's, and one has to go. And although I'd drive this truck for the rest of my life the way it is, I'm not sure that someone else would be as satisfied with it as I am. With that said, I'm going to be doing ...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

wookie_1.jpg
65 hits | 54.6 KB | Posted: 8/12/18
This is "Wookie" sitting about half way up Mt. Herman in El Paso county, CO, just outside of Monument CO. This has been my staple truck for a few years now, and it takes me back and forth between Monument CO and Denver CO on a daily basis....
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

Almost_there.jpg
54 hits | 71.43 KB | Posted: 8/18/18
'Almost' finished. I hate body work. Everytime I think I'm close, I see some other minor thing that needs to be taken care of. Hood has been removed to address a couple of dents made by hail.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

hood_hail_damage.jpg
48 hits | 48.39 KB | Posted: 8/18/18
Not much to do here, but of course hail had to hit the ridge in the center of the hood, making repair a little more difficult.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

tailgate_damage.jpg
48 hits | 60.23 KB | Posted: 8/18/18
And then I just 'had' to do this. At least my welds held up nicely. I guess I'm getting a new tailgate.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

tailgate_damage.jpg
39 hits | 60.23 KB | Posted: 8/18/18
And then I just 'had' to do this. At least my welds held up nicely. I guess I'm getting a new tailgate.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_145030.jpg
59 hits | 49.01 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
Tailgate I picked up at the Junk Yard. Incidentally, its in much better shape than the one that was originally on the truck (before I smashed it).
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_163638.jpg
51 hits | 36.36 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
This one had one little spot in the middle of the tailgate that was rusty. Lucky for me, the truck this was removed from had some sort of leak that coated the lower half of the tailgate in a thick film of dirt and oil. Whatever the case, the rust h...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_163652.jpg
61 hits | 39.52 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
Prepping the rest of the tailgate. This tailgate originally came with a fancy cover. Not being overly fond of the cover, I'm going to be covering up the holes that it mounts to. I thought about welding them up, but should I want one in the future ...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_172503.jpg
50 hits | 32.17 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
The metal underneath is prepped (no pic) and a new piece of sheetmetal cut. Tacked it into place with the MIG. If you're going to do this, leave a gap about the thickness of the MIG wire. This will help with penetration. In the next step you'll s...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_173750.jpg
53 hits | 36.24 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
When welding sheet metal, its best to use the TIG. But, since I don't have any Argon at the moment, and I have plenty of 75/25 on hand, it'll get MIG'ed.

Mig welding mild steel in gauges this thin is not rocket science, but can be tricky. The ke...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_175321.jpg
60 hits | 38.52 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
Then we grind. And grind. And grind some more. Here we can see that I still have a way to go, but it's definitely getting there.

Wear ear plugs.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180819_210438.jpg
51 hits | 33.45 KB | Posted: 8/20/18
When done grinding the spot may still be somewhat visible. A very very thin layer of fiberglass should be able to cover up the imperfections. If you're laying it on thick, then you should probably re-address your weld. When done, and when paint is...
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

20180821_125210.jpg
48 hits | 42.27 KB | Posted: 8/21/18
Tow bar hooked up. Taking it to the paint shop now.
(Posted in: Body_and_Paint)

trusses_1.jpg
58 hits | 45.28 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
These are the trusses that I've designed so that I can mount interchangeable mounts to the Bronco. They're CNC cut and made from 3/16" plate. They are reinforced at the bottom to reduce axial flex.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

rock_sliders_fab_1.jpg
45 hits | 53.72 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
These are the rock sliders I plan to mount. Notice the mounting screws welded into them at the front and the back. The front is angled so that it will feed into the front lower fender hole.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

fender_mnt.jpg
45 hits | 32.06 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
This is a closer shot of the front mounting location. While this is not the only mounting location (there are 4), this will aid in the stability of the slider in addition to removing any possibility of the sliders bouncing against the front and rear...
(Posted in: Fabrication)

Front_fender_mount.jpg
47 hits | 38.55 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Another shot at the front mounting location.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

step_bending_1.jpg
42 hits | 56.59 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Bending the tubing for the step.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

step_fab_2.jpg
44 hits | 59.26 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Completed rock slider and step mount. The next step will be powder coating.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

step_mount_tab.jpg
47 hits | 43.47 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
This is one of the pads that will bolt to the truss (there are two of these), and is this the main mounting point for the sliders and step.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

truss_pcoat.jpg
45 hits | 46.68 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
This is a shot of one of the trusses cooling after coming out of the powder coat oven.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

truss_mounted_drv.jpg
41 hits | 50.8 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Another shot of the truss as it is mounted. Any type of step can be mounted to this truss. It can be a simple "hoop" style step, or can be something as I have built here: rock sliders with an integral step.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

truss_mounted_drv_2.jpg
59 hits | 47.39 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
A view from down low, after the truss has been mounted.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

slider_fender_mnt_loc.jpg
60 hits | 47.3 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
I decided to make the rock sliders to go along with the step. In order to mount it to the front of the truck, I've decided to use the fender mounting location. In order to do this it is necessary not only to remove the bolt that holds the lower par...
(Posted in: Fabrication)

slider_pcoat_oven.jpg
44 hits | 29.26 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
A shot of the sliders/steps in the powder coating oven. In a few minutes these will be complete.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

parts_pside_2.jpg
58 hits | 47.39 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Here's a shot of the assembly that will bolt up underneath the truck. From the outside in, there is the slider with step, the truss, and the bracing that will mount to the truck body. The truss is held to the truck body at the top with 4 bolts. Th...
(Posted in: Fabrication)

parts_pside.jpg
79 hits | 41.19 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Another shot at the parts.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

assy_pass_1.jpg
55 hits | 29.99 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Here is a picture of the entire assembly as it is mounted to the truck.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

final_drv_2.jpg
54 hits | 29.78 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
The truck is filthy, but I now have a functional step. These steps and sliders are ROCK SOLID! There is no flex.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

final_pass_2.jpg
61 hits | 28.22 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
A shot of the passenger side after completion.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

final_drv.jpg
90 hits | 40.64 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
Because it was dark after I was finished, I had to go to the local gas station to take pictures.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

final_pass.jpg
58 hits | 35.19 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
And another gas station picture.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

truss_braces_1.jpg
49 hits | 46.87 KB | Posted: 11/19/18
This picture shows how the braces mount to both the truss and the truck.
(Posted in: Fabrication)

Bronco_step.jpg
51 hits | 50.91 KB | Posted: 11/20/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

drv_front_brace.jpg
54 hits | 63.72 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

drv_rear_brace.jpg
50 hits | 38.48 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

inner_bracing.jpg
61 hits | 44.71 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_bracing_1.jpg
72 hits | 40 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_bracing_2.jpg
84 hits | 43.62 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_bracing_3.jpg
77 hits | 45.17 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_front_fender_mnt.jpg
97 hits | 42.2 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_front_step_mnt.jpg
107 hits | 39.52 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)

pass_rear_brace.jpg
114 hits | 44.8 KB | Posted: 11/21/18
(Posted in: Fabrication)