my grey 80

[Jon Wildsmith]

How were the plates and U bolts?

ok but will need thicker washers to compensate for the bigger holes in the plates really.

 

[Chris]

Yes, the washers were chucked in FOC actually but they really need to be a much thicker and wider gauge. The holes could be slightly smaller I feel, other than where you have to wriggle the U bolt in near the fuel tank perhaps. Could be that we have them made with a 12.5mm hole and just widen the one plate that goes in that location by hand? These weren't made with any bigger holes that the originals though, in fact I seem to recall I had them made very slightly smaller. Let me know what you think. Not that I'm likely to have any more made in the very near future, but it's worth knowing.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

The original ones had 12mm holes according to my drawings but thick washers will sort it on these anyway. They are fiddly at the rear on both sides, more so on the passenger side because of the tank and brake pipes but if you put all the U bolts around the chassis then offer up the slider and start at the back it's not that hard, or maybe I've just had a lot of practice

 

[Richard Jackaman]

Looking great Jon.

I have a couple of questions. I made a set a few years ago and used 25x50 2.5mm rectangular box for the legs and found that they weren't stiff enough for jacking. What did you use? In fact would be interested in the spec of all the steel used as I might get round to having another go later in the year.

When it came to mounting I used plates to sandwich the chassis legs but think that U-bolts would be a neater installation. Are they standard U-bolts or did you have them made?

Cheers

 

[SpinDrift]

Great work as usual Jon, the sliders look really neat. The box section works, possibly better then the tube, and should make jacking easier. It should be easy to fit an ali plate to make a step. The connectors between the inner and outer bar look a bit fiddly to make. What is it about them that is not what you had in mind?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Looking great Jon.

I have a couple of questions. I made a set a few years ago and used 25x50 2.5mm rectangular box for the legs and found that they weren't stiff enough for jacking. What did you use? In fact would be interested in the spec of all the steel used as I might get round to having another go later in the year.

When it came to mounting I used plates to sandwich the chassis legs but think that U-bolts would be a neater installation. Are they standard U-bolts or did you have them made?

Cheers

Thanks. The legs are 77x38x5mm wall C channel, the inner rail 50x50x5mm wall box, the outer rail 50x50x3mm wall box and the outriggers are cut from 75x50x3mm wall box. The outriggers were capped where they'd been cut and shaped, to regain strength. They are not a lightweight design, it's not a lightweight truck Sandwich plates are fine, I used that method on other slider builds and would again. The U bolts are not a standard size they are custom made for the job.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Great work as usual Jon, the sliders look really neat. The box section works, possibly better then the tube, and should make jacking easier. It should be easy to fit an ali plate to make a step. The connectors between the inner and outer bar look a bit fiddly to make. What is it about them that is not what you had in mind?

Thanks. I did put ali plate across the outriggers to make a deeper step, as in this picture below In this form they are what I was aiming for. Without the ali plate was just a test fit to check clearances.

They are fiddly to make but worth it to raise the step and gain a little extra clearance I think. On the 100 series versions I've made I use a different method to raise the step 25mm that wouldn't work on an 80.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

after much dithering over which size and type of tyre to get that would be ok for 'off road' trips but not ruin how it drives 'on road' I've put some 285x75x16 Cooper ST MAXX on

Still got to get the 2 spares mounted on wheels but I could only get 4 wheels and tyres in the back for the first trip to the fitters.

Initial impressions of road manners are good. I had 275x70x16 Toyo HT's on before and I can tell a difference but it's not much. If I dip the clutch and pay attention I can hear them but not otherwise. There is a bit more shimmy on potholes but they are not harsh, just the effect of the extra unsprung weight I think. I had been thinking these would be part time for trips and might not be suited to DD but they seem ok, time will tell.

 

[karl webster]

Sits well now Jon.

Tyres defo a make the overall look of the truck better IMHO

 

[Ian Chuter]

That is one very tidy looking truck Jon.
Ian

 

[Charlie]

I have also been looking at the ST Maxx for my next set of tyres, so I'll be looking out for any comments on their performance over the next few months.

 

[froggy Steve]

They look ace! Mine are going on with new wheels and suspension on Wednesday (I hope!) - I would be very happy if it came back and looked like that - well apart from it being a Collie!!!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I don't think you'll be disappointed Steve, they seem pretty good. Loads of pot holes on the roads round here and these tyres are not harsh which was the main thing I was bothered about with choosing these. I expect they'll get harsher as they wear down and age but that should take a while. I'm running them at 34psi cold at the moment. Had chance to push on a bit along some local lanes earlier and they're pretty sticky and positive in the bends

 

[Gav Peter]

Available in 35's Jon?

 

[froggy Steve]

good tip about pressures Jon, cheers - was wondering what to pump them upto
Looking fwd to the new beasty

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Available in 35's Jon?

Not yet afaik.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

good tip about pressures Jon, cheers - was wondering what to pump them upto
Looking fwd to the new beasty

That's just my first guess at a pressure to start with Steve, to put my comments about them in context.

 

[warrenpfo]

Hey Jon your 80 is looking very smart.

Have you given it a lift or are you running stock height. I know at stock the 80 can quite easily handle 33" tyres but just wanted to ask.

 

[stumog]

mine was stock no rubing with 255 85 16 on stock rims .

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Hey Jon your 80 is looking very smart.

Have you given it a lift or are you running stock height. I know at stock the 80 can quite easily handle 33" tyres but just wanted to ask.

It has a bit of lift from running uprated springs but not much I don't think, 20mm or so maybe.