I am wondering if anybody in the triangle area has a metal cutting chop saw. I have some E track ( If you are not familiar with E track, it is a track that cargo straps like the 18 wheelers use to secure their cargo with in the trailer )that I want to install in my truck and need to make about 6 cuts. I have 2 sections that are 10 feet long. If it works out the way I plan, I'll snap some pictures and post in case someone else wants to try it in their truck. I appreciate any help with this. Thanks, Jim
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Wow, this place is great. I posted that ad a little over10 minutes ago and have had 3 responses. Thanks guys.
Phillip, That is a great idea that I didn't even think about, my only concern would be to get a square cut and that's why I was thinking about a chop saw.
Rob, thanks for your offer and I very well may take you up on it, let me see if something pops up around here (Raleigh). I will let yet know and thanks again.
Bruce, thanks for your offer too, I really appreciate it. Let me see what turns up.
Phillip, That is a great idea that I didn't even think about, my only concern would be to get a square cut and that's why I was thinking about a chop saw.
Rob, thanks for your offer and I very well may take you up on it, let me see if something pops up around here (Raleigh). I will let yet know and thanks again.
Bruce, thanks for your offer too, I really appreciate it. Let me see what turns up.
A reciprocating saw and a metal cutting blade will do a great job as well.
James
James
T
toolferone
I won't be back in town until Feb 1st, but if you still need it done I have a 14" metal saw with great Freud blade (shameless plug) on it we could use to cut your track.
I wouldn't suggest using a metal chop saw or grinder to cut E track. It will leave a jagged & hard edge to file or grind down. One of the band saws or cold cutting saws would be a better option. If you have a hack saw you could just cut the track above & below the slot in a few strokes. YMMV
As you can see, around here there's always more than one way to skin a [STRIKE]cat[/STRIKE] possum without getting hair in your mouth.:gar-Bi
As you can see, around here there's always more than one way to skin a [STRIKE]cat[/STRIKE] possum without getting hair in your mouth.:gar-Bi
Jim, I have a metal cutting chop saw that you're welcome to use.
Should you wish to try a different method to cut the channel, uh... we probably have the technolgy required...
Feel free to send me a PM. I'm in New Hill, which is about half way in-between Apex an dSanford off of US1.
Scott
Should you wish to try a different method to cut the channel, uh... we probably have the technolgy required...
Feel free to send me a PM. I'm in New Hill, which is about half way in-between Apex an dSanford off of US1.
Scott
Geoff-
Where did you mount them in your truck? I was thinking about going through the front wall, 4 smaller pieces in the corners of the bed floor and hoping I could figure out a way to put a strip across the tailgate. The side walls would great up under the rail but I can't figure out how to attach them? I am curious on what your configuration is/was? Thanks, Jim
Where did you mount them in your truck? I was thinking about going through the front wall, 4 smaller pieces in the corners of the bed floor and hoping I could figure out a way to put a strip across the tailgate. The side walls would great up under the rail but I can't figure out how to attach them? I am curious on what your configuration is/was? Thanks, Jim
I had them mounted on my bed slide - a steel frame with ball bearings and a plywood platform which I attached the e-track to. Then entire slide rolls out of the truck bed for easy loading/unloading.
What e-track do you have? I've seen the wide version (about 4" with slots for the tie downs) or the narrow version (1" or so).
I think you could put them where you want, it's just a matter of finding fasteners that will work. What kind of truck do you have?
I actually bought them from a tractor trailer supply house, they are 5" wide. I know the front wall and floors will be reasonably easy to fasten to but I don't go through the side wall so you could see the fastner on the outside of the truck. I have a 1995 Ford F150. I appreciate the ideas. Jim
A large, sheet metal type screw (1/4" thread) should hold them satisfactory, unless you will be putting a lot of direct force on them (versus shear force). Bolt/nut would be preferred though, with a large fender washer or a backing plate installed on the inside of the panel that they bolt to.
Jim, aren't your side walls doubled? On most trucks you can drill through the inner bed wall w/o going through the outer wall. Sometimes you can even reach up from below (or from the wheel well) to start a bolt, but it depends upon the truck.
Yes, my truck wall are doubled and I didn't figure I would be able to get my hand up there. I have ratchet straps so I really need to be able to use a nut, lock washer and bolt. I am getting ready within the next month to pick up a few machines:icon_thum at quite a distance and I have had this E track for a good while, so this is the time I will really need it. Thanks, Jim
If I were doing it I'd avoid the side walls and just mount them to the floor. I'd be nervous with the ratchet straps that you could flex the sidewalls. I think the sidewalls are thinner gauge then the floor. Plus, I've always found it difficult to use the side anchor points in my truck, I don't think they hold stuff as well as strapping to the floor.
Jim, you're on the right track (pardon the pun!) Typically there is a plastic panel installed in your wheel wells that you can remove for access. This is the panel that prevents mud and water from being slung off of your tires and getting up in-between the bed panels. Usually you can pry the little plastic plugs out to remove the panel, and then reuse the plugs. You probably will not be able to reach up into the far corners of the bed though; just nearer to the wheel wells, although on some trucks there is room to reach up from below.
You can also feed a bolt up into a hole from in-between the inner and outer panel by using a thin piece of metal to support it. By simply splitting end of the metal you can make a little socket for a bolt head to stay in. You an also take some very thin, stiff solid wire, such as piano wire, and wrap one end around a threded rod to make a little socket, thread your bolt into it and then use it to pull the bolt through the hole. I had to use this trick in order to install some blind bolts through the frame rails into in a trailer hitch on my F450 a few years ago.
You'd be surprised how much strength a large diameter screw has though. The key to using them is to "punch" your holes instead of drilling them (or drill a very small starter hole and then use a tapered punch to expand it). The punch will roll the metal back on the sides of the hole, forming a socket of sorts for the metal screw threads. This will double or triple the holding power of the screw. Also, use a lot of screws - perhaps on 6" - 9" centers. Again, I'm talking about screws with a thread diameter greater than 1/4".
Let me know if you want to take me up on my chop saw offer. I also have a very accurate horizontal band saw (which would be my first choice), porta-band saw, a Metabo metal cutting circular saw, and a plasma cutter that can be made available.
Scott
Jim, sent you an email.
If you decide to drill through the bottom of the bed make darn sure you know where all the gas/brake lines/wiring are before blindly punching holes through it.
I would not trust 'screws' (holding the e-track) to hold down a heavy piece of machinery. Nuts/bolts/fender washers would be my preference. There are lots of ways to snake nuts/washers up in to tight places. You can even tack weld the nut to a piece of steel and leave the piece of steel in there and use it as a ready made captive wrench. Done some of those in enclosed frame rails over the years.
If you decide to drill through the bottom of the bed make darn sure you know where all the gas/brake lines/wiring are before blindly punching holes through it.
I would not trust 'screws' (holding the e-track) to hold down a heavy piece of machinery. Nuts/bolts/fender washers would be my preference. There are lots of ways to snake nuts/washers up in to tight places. You can even tack weld the nut to a piece of steel and leave the piece of steel in there and use it as a ready made captive wrench. Done some of those in enclosed frame rails over the years.
Thanks to everyone for the replies, I have had offer after offer to help, so thank you very much! I am not too far from Dave D, so we are going to try to hook up. Once it is completed, I will snap some pictures in case anyone is interested. I know that Northern sells E track in shorter lengths but I know of a place here locally that sells 10ft sections at much more reasonable prices, if you are interested. Again, thanks for everyone's suggetions and offers of help. Jim
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