Author Topic: Polaris Ranger Aluminum Bed (Read 14209 times)

KensAuto · « **on:** June 21, 2016, 09:26:03 PM »

I started a new project a couple weeks ago. For those that didn't see (and didn't get a chance to poke fun at me), the new-to-me toy hauler I purchased last year , I bought one that had a 12' garage and then proceeded to stuff a 12.5' Ranger Crew in it. To make it work, I had to raise the roof/bed to clear the top of the ranger, and take the bed off to gain clearance length wise....kind of a pain.

This is what it looks like loaded up:
http://real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com/index.php?topic=993.msg19155#msg19155

KensAuto · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:30:04 PM »

I had planned on extending the trailer a foot or so, but decided it would be more fun (easier) to build a new bed for the ranger. I've got it set up the way I want it and would like to keep it rather than getting a different one.

Here's the 3/16" aluminum plate for the base, sides, and front:

...some relief cuts to make bending easier:

KensAuto · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:34:26 PM »

kinda forgot the first part. I took the steel guts/frame out of the original bed and chopped off a few inches, then welded on some thick walled rectangular tubing.
While I was at it, I redid the shock lift mount. It was discarded when the turbo was installed, because of interference issues:

KensAuto · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:37:48 PM »

...then flipped it around to make the front piece:

KensAuto · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:44:35 PM »

Originally was going to keep it simple and make it like a stakebed , with a small rail around the outside. Then, like always, I had to make it complicated. Not wanting to sell the gun scabbard accessory on craigslist, I found some pipe the right diameter, albeit very thin (and difficult to weld to 3/16 plate!).
The pipes needed to be flared for the scabbard to fit properly....all I had that would work was a hammer and a brake lathe cone:

KensAuto · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2016, 09:49:49 PM »

...added a rail out of 1/8", to stiffen the side walls and tie in to the pipes:

hmm, fuzzy^^^

I put in 2 pipes per side, so that the spare tire holder will also fit (but only one at a time, spare tire OR gun rack)

KensAuto · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2016, 10:00:40 PM »

Up next was building a tailgate. Again, wasn't planning on it, but...

Took the PSA (PlasmaSuperAxe) to some more 3/16 plate and ran a couple 1" square .120 length wise for strength, with 4 uprights out of thin wall to save weight where I could:

The frame work extends 1/2" past the 4' plate so that it's flush when closed against the future stops:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2016, 10:49:32 PM »

Nice work Kenneth!

Sammconn · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2016, 10:54:42 PM »

Looking great. Funny how our simple plans always take turns for the complicated...

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2016, 07:39:30 AM »

Going to be nice there Ken! I would love to be able to heliarch....

KensAuto · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2016, 09:49:40 AM »

As would I, Mike. :)

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KensAuto · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2016, 09:56:20 PM »

...more tailgate pics:

KensAuto · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2016, 10:00:56 PM »

I didn't have any heavy aluminum hinges laying around, so after an hour on the band saw and then the mill, these appeared:

KensAuto · « **Reply #13 on:** June 23, 2016, 10:20:30 PM »

Once the tailgate dimensions were set in stone, the rear side pieces could be built. They were then contoured to fit the factory taillights:

KensAuto · « **Reply #14 on:** June 23, 2016, 10:30:16 PM »

Somewhere along here is where my ADD kicked in..
..the whole TIG thing was fun at first, now, not so much. Where was I, oh...
When I installed the turbo, I used an aftermarket muffler that came right off the back of the turbo, and ended even with the original bed.....well, now it's about 5" too long. I trimmed the inlet pipe about an inch, but wasn't enough..so...the rivets were drilled out, a few inches lopped off, new rivots added, and now it's all good:

stlaser · « **Reply #15 on:** June 23, 2016, 11:28:39 PM »

Quote from: KensAuto on June 23, 2016, 09:56:20 PM

...more tailgate pics:

How do you like those saw horses? One of my elcheapo's was damaged beyond fixing a week ago......

Looking very nice, like I stated before if the mechanic thing doesn't work out I think you have a skill set that can be utilized further.

JR · « **Reply #16 on:** June 24, 2016, 02:32:31 AM »

Great work. Amazing how you get spoiled having mills, welders and a lathe. Are you using a gun there or really tigging? Haven't used my gun yet but have the urge!

I have the Rockwell too. It does about everything an is solid as a rock.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 24, 2016, 07:49:06 AM »

Where's your welding table?

Did it burn up?

KensAuto · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2016, 10:11:22 AM »

That Rockwell is absolutely the best clamp/vise/sawhorse I've ever used.

JR, the bubblegum welds?....that's all TIG. I found out that 3/16 plate is a little much for the 210. If I spent time to preheat, it worked well, but I quit preheating because it was a pain. I should've broken out the 200a spoolgun and wham bam it would've been done 4 times faster....but I wanted to learn how to tig on something of mine before doing it for customers.

Don, my tables aren't flammable!

JR · « **Reply #19 on:** June 24, 2016, 01:19:00 PM »

Thats Don namesake, flammable welding tables and breaking tractors.

moto123 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 24, 2016, 01:31:25 PM »

That looks really amazing! Can't wait to see it all done.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 24, 2016, 03:31:28 PM »

Quote from: KensAuto on June 24, 2016, 10:11:22 AM

That Rockwell is absolutely the best clamp/vise/sawhorse I've ever used.

JR, the bubblegum welds?....that's all TIG. I found out that 3/16 plate is a little much for the 210. If I spent time to preheat, it worked well, but I quit preheating because it was a pain. I should've broken out the 200a spoolgun and wham bam it would've been done 4 times faster....but I wanted to learn how to tig on something of mine before doing it for customers.

Don, my tables aren't flammable!

That's odd!

KensAuto · « **Reply #22 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:17:43 PM »

For the latches, I milled down some square stock to slide loosely into the top tube on the tailgate. I made some soft "compression" style springs by winding some stainless welding wire around a long bolt. Some slots were made under the tube for some 1/4" bolts that are screwed into the slides, then some holes were drilled for roll pins to act as spring stops.

The milled bar stock:

...after cutting it off and beveling it:

...bolts screwed in to act as handles:

...and finally assembled with the roll pin pressed in to keep tension on the spring:

KensAuto · « **Reply #23 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:22:44 PM »

Up next was the tie downs that will be run along the bottom, through the tubes, from front to back. it's made from 3/8" rod.
These brackets were made for extra support:

KensAuto · « **Reply #24 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:30:26 PM »

I could have called it done at this point, but decided to make it a little more complicated....I wasn't thrilled about the fact that my spare tire holder couldn't be used at the same time as the gun scabbard so an evil plan was brought to life.
First up, a new (used) tubing bender:

she's a bunch bigger than I thought, and also a tad fat at 225 lbs without the dies installed:

KensAuto · « **Reply #25 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:32:21 PM »

I didn't want to mount the pedestal to the floor, because my shop doesn't have the room, so I cut apart a perfectly good hitch and welded it to the tractor....portable and adjustable I'm thinkin'.

KensAuto · « **Reply #26 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:36:15 PM »

...and started bending some 1 1/2" thick walled T-6 tubing:

The criteria was that my #1 ice chest had to clear when opened:

KensAuto · « **Reply #27 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:39:35 PM »

Another bar was fabbed for the rear (no pics) and I borrowed this notcher to make 4 pipes to join them together:

here they're all welded up:

KensAuto · « **Reply #28 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:41:46 PM »

These showed up just in time (Don, you're a bad influence!!):

...and some plates were welded in to mount them:

KensAuto · « **Reply #29 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:49:05 PM »

The spare tire will reside in between the 2 roto pax jugs. I put a solid bar in the press to give it an upwards curve, then helicoiled the bolt hole, since it's aluminum and I worry about the threads corroding:

...and welded it in:

KensAuto · « **Reply #30 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:52:39 PM »

KensAuto · « **Reply #31 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:55:48 PM »

Next, I took a page from the BoD (Book of Don).

...shovel mount. A little difficult with aluminum, but here's my version:

KensAuto · « **Reply #32 on:** July 03, 2016, 05:00:46 PM »

This weekend was prep and paint...uh, I mean bed line.
First, sanding all of the crappy welds, and everything else:

Then, where a smart person would use acid etch, I didn't.....straight to coating the roll cage, bottom, and front black:

KensAuto · « **Reply #33 on:** July 03, 2016, 05:03:04 PM »

Everything else received a color matched coat (a metallic tannish brown):

KensAuto · « **Reply #34 on:** July 03, 2016, 05:06:59 PM »

While that was drying, I sanded down gramp's old shovel from the 60s....first it got satin black, then I decided camo tan might be better....might go back to black, not sure yet.
I found this old can of oil stain and used it Clintonee on the handle (liberally :) ):

Flyin6 · « **Reply #35 on:** July 03, 2016, 05:44:53 PM »

I sure like all of that, Ken!

cudakidd53 · « **Reply #36 on:** July 03, 2016, 07:09:13 PM »

Lots of nice work there Ken!

BobbyB · « **Reply #37 on:** July 03, 2016, 08:37:54 PM »

Nice job Ken.

KensAuto · « **Reply #38 on:** July 03, 2016, 09:06:35 PM »

Thank You Guys!

final assembly tomorrow.

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #39 on:** July 03, 2016, 11:34:05 PM »

Good work. Still waiting on my grill, Ken

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Sammconn · « **Reply #40 on:** July 03, 2016, 11:45:56 PM »

Looking good Ken!

KensAuto · « **Reply #41 on:** July 04, 2016, 05:31:35 PM »

Some finished pics:

Bob Smith · « **Reply #42 on:** July 04, 2016, 05:43:32 PM »

Where does the deer or elk go after a successful hunt? That cooler and stuff just sitting there ready to be removed so you can really break in the new bed?

TexasRedNeck · « **Reply #43 on:** July 04, 2016, 06:19:01 PM »

on the roof, where else??

Bob Smith · « **Reply #44 on:** July 04, 2016, 06:27:39 PM »

We ain't talking those little Texas Whitetail,

Bigdave_185 · « **Reply #45 on:** July 04, 2016, 08:15:35 PM »

Buckle it in on the second row duh!!

Raising boys into RealMen!!

stlaser · « **Reply #46 on:** July 04, 2016, 08:49:41 PM »

Turned out real nice Ken, so much so I'll forgo mentioning your gf in this post! ;)

BobbyB · « **Reply #47 on:** July 05, 2016, 01:49:14 AM »

Looks good when put back together.

KensAuto · « **Reply #48 on:** July 05, 2016, 09:42:42 AM »

Quote from: Bigdave_185 on July 04, 2016, 08:15:35 PM

Buckle it in on the second row duh!!

Raising boys into RealMen!!

This made me LOL !

Bob, a guy would have to get drawn first before worrying about the little things!

The ice chest has my drinks. ....it STAYs.....I'll just talk the elk into coming by camp before shooting it.

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cj7ox · « **Reply #49 on:** July 06, 2016, 09:39:23 AM »

Nice work, Ken!

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