To drill out the spot welds i used an 8mm 0 pitch spot weld drill bit as in the first image. This was so easy to do.
Once all the spot welds were drilled i just rolled the top hat away from the cut sheet & it broke free, no heavy handed needed.
The last image shows the support top hat on the underside of the roof these are there to assist the roof loads. I will be reinstating this top hat.
Right,
The roof is back as one. I used 1.6mm alloy sheet as the joining piece & 4.8mm blind alloy rivets at 60mm spacings as per the spot welds, i also used Fixtec 190 FWT to seal the joints. Tomorrow ill start on the rear section of the roof.
Ok
I pulled the roof out of the jig & rolled it on its back ready to fit the new rear panel.
I made the rear panel 40mm higher to close over the tail gate when everything is closed to prevent anyone opening or trying to open the trailer.
I marked out the radius of the roof on the rear panel & allowed 15mm extra material then cut the extra in 12mm sections for fixing tabs, the flat section i had already folded the 15mm edge for fixing along the roof.
On the bottom edge of the rear panel i folded up a little gutter to try & match the rest of the factor roof gutter plus this ads strength to the rear panel.
The roof sits on the tub with 16mm of clearance due to the continuous plastic seal at the front of the roof & tub. I will be fitting a sticky back D seal to the gutter section of the roof so as it will not get easily damaged.
I have made the roof 36mm wider than the tub to allow the gutter to over hang the tub as it does on the factory body.
The rear hangs below the tailgate to improve security of the trailer, you have to unlock the lid 7 raise it to be able to drop the tailgate.
The LED lights are very different & i will not know if i really keep them until they are powered up & operating.
I fitted a high mount stop light as it was sitting in the shed & i have been hit up the rear before & you will need to be blind to miss the rear of this trailer!
The number plate LED lights are also a little different small alloy studs with chips in them, very compact & discrete.
The spare tyre will be mounted on the front section of the body.
When finished the trailer will sit at the same hight as the tow vehicle & match the colour.
I did not like the idea of the tailgate dropping down as per factory with the chain to stop it. This would mean every time i wanted my 10" drop saw i would have to reach in past the tailgate (i know i could drop the chain of the pig tail) release the draw slide it out past the tailgate & lift the saw out.
Rather than do that i can hing the tailgate, hing on the right as per the rear door on a wagon & just pick the saw out of its position. Once the roof is shut the bottom left corner is still vulnerable to be bent open. To stop that from happening i will fit a full length spring loaded drop pin through the tailgate so that once the roof is closed the drop pin drops into the steel body mount, the roof keeping it in the locked position. That means there is now 3 points of security to the tailgate. I will also fit a small gas strut to the tailgate/door to assist keeping the tailgate/door open, this will be fitted to the outside of the body.
Fitted the Occo track to the body (normally the track is fitted to the draw) before building the draw to get the clearances required for the draw. I have only used 3 of the Occo wheels per side for now, ill just see how that works, they suggested i use 5 per side.
I used 17mm CD ply for the draws as there will be a fair bit of weight in it when fully loaded. I have allowed 10mm clearance on the base to the body, just hope there is no sag in the draw.
Im going to sheet over the factory holes on the inside of the tub.
I fitted the rollers to the draw as well as the in/out stops.
Then i fitted the front continuous plastic hinge. The hinge will be Fixtech sealed to the roof with rivets. The hinge will be nut serted & bolts to the body with a strip of 3mm foam acting as the seal, i will then use 20mm D sticky back seal to seal the roof & the body.
I need to draw up the body with the angle of the roof that i want & the weight of the roof then send it of to the strut company so they can work out what size & pressure strut i need.
Master
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