Suburban Survival

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD PROJECT BUCKIN' BRONCO CONTINUES AS WE GIVE OUR DESERT RACER FUNCTIONAL DOORS AND BOMBPROOF ROCK SLIDERS. PLUS WE'LL TAKE AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT PLASMA CUTTING, AND IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A RIG DESIGNED FOR THE END OF THE WORLD.

(IAN)>> IS THIS REALLY HOW THE WORLD IS GONNA END? NOWADAYS IT JUST SEEMS THAT EVERYONE IS PREPARING FOR THE END OF THE WORLD SOMEHOW.

STOCKING UP ON FOOD, FLASHLIGHTS, FIRST AID KITS, EVEN BUILDING BUNKERS. BUT WHEN THE WORLD COMES TO AN END DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE ON FOOT? OR WORSE, IN COMMUTER CAR FLEEING TO THE HILLS? NOT ME, WHAT I WANT IS A CUSTOM BUILT VEHICLE READY TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE WORLD.

I THINK THIS TRUCK IS THE BEST CHOICE IF YOU'RE PLANNING A BUILD FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, A FULL SIZE THREE QUARTER TON CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. IT'S A HEAVY DUTY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK, SOLID AXLE BOTH FRONT AND REAR. NOW THIS ONE'S ALREADY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF WORK DONE TO IT AND I WAS ABLE TO PICK IT UP PRETTY CHEAP. I JUST HAD TO GIVE THE PREVIOUS OWNER BACK THE TIRES AND WHEELS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER PARTS

THAT I PLANNED TO NOT USE ANYWAY. IT ONLY COST ME $1,000 BUCKS, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE TRUCK NEXT WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN. INSIDE THE TRUCK NOT MUCH IS GONNA CHANGE. THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE SUBURBAN FOR FOUR TO

FIVE ADULTS, AND TONS OF ROOM IN THE BACK FOR A PILE OF GEAR. I CAN GET EVEN MORE STORAGE BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE HUGE ROOF ON THIS RIG BY ADDING SOME TYPE OF A ROOF RACK. PARTS MAY BE SCARCE DURING THE APOCALYPSE, SO I NEED THE SUSPENSION TO BE RELIABLE AND EASY TO MAINTAIN. LEAF SPRINGS WILL STAY BOTH FRONT AND REAR, ALTHOUGH IT WON'T BE THESE PARTICULAR LEAVES.

THE MOTOR UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THIS SUBURBAN IS WHAT WE'D EXPECT TO FIND IN THIS YEAR OF SQUARE BODY CHEVROLET, A FIVE POINT SEVEN LITER VEIGHT. NOW IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A CHEVY SMALL BLOCK. IT'S 350 CUBIC INCHES. NOW THE NICE THING ABOUT IT IS IT'S A VERY COMMON MOTOR. SO IF I EVER HAD TO SCAVENGE FOR PARTS I'D PROBABLY BE ABLE TO FIND WHAT I NEED IN MOST VEHICLES. THE DOWNFALL IS THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR USES THROTTLE BODY INJECTION. NOW THAT'S A TYPE OF EFI, OR ELECTRONIC

FUEL INJECTION. WHAT IF THE END OF THE WORLD IS BROUGHT ABOUT BY AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE CAUSED BY A SOLAR FLARE THAT WIPES OUT ALL ELECTRONICS ON THE PLANET? WELL HAVING A VEHICLE WITH EFI IS PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE THE BEST CHOICE. I NEED TO REPLACE THIS ENGINE WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS PARTS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE, HAS A LITTLE BIT OF POWER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY CAN BE 100 PERCENT STAND ALONE AND CAN RUN ON ALMOST ANY FUEL THAT I CAN SCAVENGE OUT THERE. EITHER WAY THAT MOTOR, IT'S GOTTA GO. THIS TRUCK IS AN AUTOMATIC AND EVEN THOUGH I AM A

HUGE FAN OF A WELL BUILT AUTO, A BETTER SOLUTION TO HAVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD IS GONNA BE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. SIMPLE, STRONG, AND IF THE BATTERY GOES DEAD IN THE TRUCK IT CAN BE BUMP STARTED DOWN A HILL.

SO I'M GONNA CONVERT THIS RIG OVER TO A STICK. THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE AN ALL GEAR UNIT FOR

STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY, AND ALTHOUGH THE AXLES THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THIS TRUCK COULD HANDLE THESE 46 INCH TALL MICKEY THOMPSON BAJA CLAWS WITH SOME MILD UPGRADES, THEY ARE NOT THE AXLES I'M GONNA RUN. SEE I WANT AN OFF ROAD TIRE THIS LARGE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. FIRST OF ALL THE SUBURBAN IS A BIG TRUCK. IT NEEDS A BIG TIRE, BUT THE FOOT PRINT ON THIS TIRE IS ALSO VERY LARGE. IT'LL GIVE THE TRUCK WHAT'S CALLED FLOATATION. THE ABILITY TO TRAVERSE ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TERRAIN. THE PROBLEM WITH THE SUBURBAN IS THE REAR AXLE IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY NARROW. YOU CAN SEE THE PREVIOUS OWNER ADDED THESE WHEEL

SPACERS ON HERE TO PUSH THE TIRE AND WHEEL OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BODY. MY PLAN IS TO BUILD SOME CUSTOM WIDTH AXLES. GET THESE 46 INCH TALL TIRES OUT NICE AND FAT, OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BODY. GIVE THE TRUCK A LOT OF STABILITY. AND TO GET THAT EXTRA WIDTH I'M GONNA USE SOME PORTALS. AND IN THE COMING WEEKS WE'RE GONNA TURN THIS WORN OUT CHEVY INTO A FULL FLEDGED BUG OUT RIG THAT WE'RE CALLING "PROJECT SUBURBAN SURVIVAL".

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, OUTFITTING YOUR PLASMA CUTTER FOR SMOOTH, CLEAN CUTS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> WELDING TECH IT FUELED BY ESAB, MAKER OF THE ALL NEW REBEL AND OFFICIAL WELDING AND CUTTING SUPPLIER OF XTREME OFF ROAD.

(IAN)>> WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIAL CUTTING. NOW THE OXY FUEL TORCH IS A VERY VERSATILE TOOL TO HAVE IN AN OFF ROAD FAB SHOP, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CUTTING MATERIAL FOR OUR PROJECTS THE GO TO TOOL MOST OF THE TIME IS A PLASMA CUTTER. A PLASMA CUTTER USES COMPRESSED AIR AND ELECTRICITY TO CREATE A PLASMA ARC. THIS IS THE POINT WHERE THE COMPRESSED AIR HAS REACHED A PARTIALLY IONIZED CONDITION. THIS ENABLE SIT TO CONDUCT AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT. BY CONDUCTING THIS ELECTRICAL CURRENT A

PLASMA ARC IS FORMED, AND THAT ARC CREATES HEAT. THAT HEAT ALLOWS US TO CUT METAL. PLASMA ARC CUTTING WAS ACTUALLY DISCOVERED BY A MISTAKE. BACK IN THE 1950'S SHIELDING GAS COMPANIES WERE TRYING TO FIND A USE FOR A WASTE GAS THAT THEY HAD AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS PURE ARGON. SO THEY STARTED TO EXPERIMENT WITH CREATING AN ARC INSIDE A COLUMN OF FREE FLOWING ARGON GAS. NOW THEY WERE ABLE TO CREATE THE ARC BUT IT WAS NEVER STABLE ENOUGH TO WELD WITH.

WHILE USING THE ARC THEY NOTICED THAT IT WOULD

PIERCE THE MATERIAL AND THEN THE FREE FLOWING GAS

WOULD BLOW THE MATERIAL AWAY, AND BOOM, PLASMA

CUTTING WAS BORN. NOW SINCE THEN WITH THE INVENTION OF GAS LENSES THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE PLASMA ARC WELDING BUT IT'S STILL ONLY USED FOR VERY SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS. THE PLASMA ARC AS WE KNOW IT IS MOST COMMONLY USED FOR CUTTING.

PLASMA CUTTERS LIKE THIS ESAB BRAND VICTOR CUT MASTER 52 DON'T USE ARGON, BUT INSTEAD USE COMPRESSED AIR AS THE SOURCE TO BLOW THE PLASMA ARC THROUGH THE METAL. INSIDE THE TORCH THERE IS A NOZZLE, SOMETIMES CALLED A CUP, TO DIRECT THAT FLOW OF AIR. THE TIP, A SMALL METAL CONE, PROVIDES AN AIR GAP BETWEEN IT AND THE ELECTRODE. THIS AIR GAP IS WHERE THE PLASMA ARC IS FORMED BY THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT JUMPING THE GAP. THE MACHINE CHECKS FOR THAT AIR GAP EVERY TIME YOU TURN IT ON. YOU'LL ACTUALLY FEEL AND HEAR THE ELECTRODE MOVING THE BACK AND FORTH INSIDE OF THE TIP. NOW THAT'S JUST A CHECK PROCEDURE BEFORE YOU START CUTTING. MOST MODERN PLASMA CUTTERS, THEY ACTUALLY EMBED A SMALL PIECE OF TUNGSTEN

INTO THE ELECTRODE. NOW THAT IS JUST THERE TO DO THE SAME THING THAT A PIECE OF TUNGSTEN DOES IN A TIG WELDER. IT'S GONNA FOCUS THAT PLASMA ARC, AND THAT'S WHY YOU CAN GET SUCH CLEAN, PRECISE CUTS WITH MODERN

DAY PLASMA CUTTERS. NOW THE TIP AND THE ELECTRODE ARE THE TWO WEAR ITEMS IN THE MACHINE. SO BEFORE YOU START CUTTING IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD

IDEA TO CHECK THEM OUT. THE MORE CRATERED THE TIP, THE MORE LOOSE THE ARC WILL BE AND LESS PRECISE WITH ITS CUT. PLUG THE MACHINE IN AND HOOK UP THE COMPRESSED AIR.

WATER IN THE COMPRESSED AIR LINE WILL LESSON THE LIFE OF THE CONSUMABLE TIP AND ELECTRODE. SO A GOOD AIR/WATER SEPARATOR, OR BETTER YET A REFRIGERATOR DRYER IN YOUR COMPRESSED AIR SUPPLY

SOURCE, WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE CUT AND EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE CONSUMABLES. HOOK UP THE GROUND CLAMP AND START CUTTING. DEPENDING ON THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL AND SETTINGS ON THE MACHINE, THE TRAVEL SPEED OF THE TORCH WILL BE DIFFERENT. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A STEADY FLOW OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE CUT YOU HAVE REACHED THE IDEAL SPEED. A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO PICK UP WITH YOUR PLASMA CUTTER. HEAD ON DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE AND GET SOME OF THESE METAL FRAMING SQUARES. JUST MAKES CUTTING STRAIGHT LINES A LOT EASIER AND BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CHEAP, IF YOU WRECK THEM, YOU'RE NOT OUT A LOT OF MONEY. ALSO GET A SPARE PARTS KIT FOR YOUR TORCH. YOU'LL HAVE ALL THE ELECTRODES AND CUPS THAT YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN YOUR TORCH WHILE IT'S IN USE.

AND ONE OTHER ITEM THAT WILL COME IN

EXTRAORDINARILY HANDY IS ONE OF THESE CIRCLE CUTTING GUIDE KITS. NOW THIS COMES WITH ALL THE PARTS AND PIECES YOU

NEED TO BASICALLY LOCK THE TORCH HEAD INTO PLACE AND PIVOT IT ON A POINT TO CUT GOOD ARCS AND GOOD CIRCLES. IT'LL JUST REALLY HELP CLEAN UP YOUR FAB WORK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT WE TAKE SOME STOCK '66 BRONCO DOORS AND MAKE THEM FIT OUR COYOTE POWERED DESERT RACER.

(IAN)>> PROJECT BUCKIN' BRONCO IS STARTING TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT LESS LIKE A PILE OF TUBING AND MORE

LIKE THE CLASSIC '66 BRONCO THAT WE ENVISIONED WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT. NOW I'VE GOT ALL THE SHEET METAL TAKEN CARE OF ON THE

FRONT OF THE TRUCK, AND I STILL NEED TO ADD ALL THE TUBE STRUCTURE TO THE BACK THAT WILL BOTH SUPPORT OUR REAR SUSPENSION AND HANG OUR QUARTER PANELS AND THE REST OF OUR BRONCO SHEET METAL. BUT BEFORE I CAN GET TO THIS PART OF THE RIG I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PART RIGHT HERE, AND THAT MEANS A COUPLE OF DOORS. I NEED TO CUT OUR LMC TRUCK REPLACEMENT DOORS OFF OF THE MOCK UP STRUCTURE THAT WAS USED TO HELP DESIGN THE CHASSIS. NOW I DON'T PLAN ON HAVING FUNCTIONING WINDOWS IN THIS RIG. I'M GONNA PUT THESE DOORS ON A DIET. BASICALLY CUTTING THE DOOR IN HALF AND MOVING THE INNER PANEL TOWARDS THE OUTER SKIN. MY IDEA FROM THE BEGINNING WAS TO HAVE FUNCTIONAL

DOORS ON THIS RIG TO MAKE IT LOOK MORE LIKE A CLASSIC BRONCO AND LESS LIKE A FULL BLOWN TUBE BUGGY.

SO I HAD LMC SEND ME SOME BRONCO HINGES ALONG WITH DOOR HANDLES. NOW I JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT ALL WORK.

[ WELDER CRACKLING ]

(IAN)>> WITH A FUNCTIONAL DOOR IT'S PRETTY EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY I BUILT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THE WAY I DID. AND WHEN IT'S TIME TO GET IN THE BUGGY SIMPLY OPEN THE DOOR AND JUMP OVER OUR LOWERED DOORX INSTEAD OF A STANDARD BELT LINE BAR YOU'D HAVE TO CLIMB UP OVER. BUT WHEN YOU'RE OUT WHEELING YOU'RE GONNA GET THE FEELING OF HAVING THAT BELT LINE BAR BECAUSE THE DOOR WILL BE CLOSED. GIVE YOU A PLACE TO REST YOUR ARM WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL. NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CLOSE UP THE GAP BETWEEN THIS FENDER AND THE DOOR, ADJUST THE DOOR IN MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I WANT TO ADD THE INTERNAL PANEL BACK INTO PLACE TO KEEP THIS DOOR SKIN FROM JUST FLOPPING AROUND. THE TOP OF THE FRONT FENDER AND THE DOOR HAVE

TO BE TRIMMED TO FIT AROUND THE APILLAR TUBE.

THE DOOR IS THEN UNBOLTED FROM THE HINGES AND THE INNER SKIN IS PREPPED TO BE REINSTALLED.

THEN THE TABS FOR THE HINGES ARE MADE OUT OF THREESIXTEENTHS INCH PLATE TO MOUNT TO THE BUGGY. I TOOK A TOTAL OF THREE INCHES OF WIDTH OUT OF THIS DOOR, BUT BY REUSING THE STOCK PIECE ON THE INSIDE DOOR I CAN KEEP A FACTORY LOOK ON THIS TUBE CHASSIS RIG. THE HINGE IS TRIMMED DOWN TO FIT INSIDE THE NARROWED DOOR CAVITY AND THE DOORS ARE REINSTALLED.

OUR DOOR DOES NOT TRAVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LINE UP WITH THE BOTTOM OF OUR FRONT FENDER, AND THAT IS

BECAUSE ON A STOCK BRONCO BODY UNDERNEATH THE

DOOR IS A ROCKER PANEL. NOW THE ROCKER PANEL'S JOB IS BASICALLY TO HIDE THE BODY MOUNTS, LOWER THE BODY OVER THE FRAME SLIGHTLY, AND THEN TIE INTO THE FLOOR OF THE BODY TUB. NOW I WANT TO RUN A ROCKER PANEL ON OUR TUBE CHASSIS RIG TO BASICALLY FILL IN THIS SPACE, KEEP IT LOOKING LIKE AN ACTUAL BRONCO, BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED THE DOOR DOES NOT TRAVEL ALL THE WAY BACK TO OUR MAIN HOOP, AND THAT'S

BECAUSE I WANTED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT TO BE GOOD AND COMFORTABLE.

SO I STRETCHED IT TO A FULL 48 INCHES LONG. NOW I HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE. I CAN EITHER MAKE A FILLER PANEL THAT'LL GO BEHIND THIS DOOR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BELLY PAN, OR I CAN

STRETCH THIS ROCKER PANEL BACK AND THEN THE FILLER PLATE WILL JUST MATCH UP WITH THE DOOR. I THINK STRETCHING THE ROCKER IS THE RIGHT DECISION BECAUSE IT'LL CONTINUE THIS BODY LINE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MAIN HOOP WHERE THE QUARTER PANEL'S GONNA KICK IN SLIGHTLY, KINDA LIKE OUR FRONT FENDER. SO JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER BODY PANEL ON THIS RIG, NEXT STEP, CUT THIS ONE UP.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, HEAVY DUTY BODY PROTECTION CAN ALSO BE LIGHTWEIGHT.

(IAN)>> TO STRETCH THE ROCKER PANEL AN ADDITIONAL ROCKER SKIN FROM LMC TRUCK IS CUT OFF AT THE CORRECT LENGTH AND BUTT WELDED USING THE TIG WELDER AND SOME SMALL FILLER. THIS CREATES A JOINT THAT CAN BE METAL FINISHED WITH NO PLASTIC AUTO BODY FILLER NEEDED IN THE FUTURE. JUST LIKE THE DOOR, THE ROCKER NEEDS TO BE NARROWED. SO THE UPPER LIP IS REMOVED BY DRILLING OUT THE SPOT WELDS.

NOW THE SKIN OF OUR ROCKER PANEL BASICALLY SITS AGAINST THE BELLY PAN OF THE RIG, BUT YOU CAN SEE I HAVE A GAP HERE. NOW I WANT TO CLOSE UP THIS GAP, NOT ALL THE WAY BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS SHEET METAL MOUNTED TO

A TUBE CHASSIS I STILL ENOUGH ROOM IN THERE FOR

WHEN STUFF'S MOVING AROUND ON THE TRAIL. SO I'M PROBABLY GONNA RAISE THIS UP ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH. WHAT I HAVE TO DO NOW IS BASICALLY MARK THE LOCATION OF THE BELLY PAN. THEN I CAN CAP THIS ROCKER BOTH BACK AND FRONT AND BUILD SOME MOUNTS TO MOUNT IT TO THE TUBING.

[ SAW CUTTING ]

(IAN)>> THE BOTTOM OF THE ROCKER IS CUT OFF AND A NEW LOWER FLANGE IS BENT USING A SHEET METAL BREAK.

THE CAP IS MADE FROM A SCRAP PIECE OFF THE TOP OF THE ROCKER, CUT IN THE BAND SAW, AND TIG'ED INTO PLACE.

BY REUSING THE PIECES THAT I CUT OFF OF THE ROCKER PANEL TO BOTH CAP THE BACK AND CREATE THIS LITTLE LIP ON THE TOP, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PIECE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ROCKER THAT I CUT OFF, IT'LL GIVE THE ROCKER PANEL A FACTORY TYPE LOOK. NOW TO MOUNT THIS ROCKER ONTO THE TUBE CHASSIS I'M USING THESE TABS THAT I GOT FROM TMR CUSTOMS. NOW WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THESE BODY TABS IS THEY HAVE A QUARTER INCH NUTSERT PREINSTALLED INTO THEM.

SO ONCE THEY'RE WELDED IN PLACE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING TO GET A NUT AND A WRENCH IN YOUR HAND ONTO THE BACK SIDE WHEN YOU'RE BOLTING THE SHEET METAL IN PLACE. IT ALREADY HAS THAT NUTSERT IN THERE. I'LL JUST WELD ONE ON THE BACK AND ONE ON THE FRONT, AND WE CAN MOUNT OUR NEW ROCKER.

IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE OUR ROCKER PANEL MAKES. THIS ACTUALLY IS NOW STARTING LOOK LIKE A '66 BRONCO. ONE PROBLEM THOUGH, OUR BELLY PAN WILL PROTECT

EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH THE RIG BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A BETTER CHANCE THAT A ROCK IS ACTUALLY GONNA HIT THE

SIDE, AND THIS IS JUST SHEET METAL. SO IN ADDITION TO THIS ROCKER PANEL I NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF ROCKER PROTECTOR TUBE. BASICALLY A ROCK SLIDER THAT'LL GO AROUND THIS ROCKER PANEL, AND THAT'LL ACTUALLY ALSO ACT AS A STEP TO GET INTO THE RIG.

[ SAW CUTTING ]

(IAN)>> INCH AND THREE QUARTER DOM IS CUT, BENT, AND NOTCHED TO CREATE THE ROCK RAIL. [ GRINDER SPINNING ]

(IAN)>> WHERE THE RAIL MEETS THE CHASSIS THERE ARE MULTIPLE TUBES CREATING A NODE. SO THE NOTCH WILL NEED SOME MORE GRINDING, TRIMMED WITH THE PLASMA CUTTER, AND GROUND SOME MORE UNTIL IT FITS TIGHTLY ONTO THE CHASSIS. THE NEWLY BUILT ROCKER FITS BEHIND THIS TUBE, AND

WILL NEED TO BE TRIMMED TO FIT AROUND IT AT THE CHASSIS. THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS, TAKE MULTIPLE CUTS SLOWLY GETTING THE ROCK INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. [ SAW CUTTING ]

(IAN)>> THIS TUBE NEEDS SOME EXTRA SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT IT CAN HANDLE ABUSE ON THE TRAIL. EIGHTH INCH PLATE IS SET UP IN THE ESAB CROSSBOW PLASMA TABLE AND A SERIES OF HOLES ARE CUT. THEN THE PLATE IS TRIMMED TO THE CORRECT LENGTH, MARKED TO FIT THE PROFILE OF THE ROCK RAIL, CUT, AND THE HOLES ARE DIMPLED. [ WELDER CRACKLING ]

(IAN)>> THE DIMPLE DYE PANEL IS ACTUALLY A LOT LIGHTER THAN A SOLID SHEET OF STEEL BUT IT HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF STRENGTH TO IT ONCE IT'S FULLY WELDED INTO PLACE. NOW ANOTHER PLACE WHERE WE CAN SAVE SOME WEIGHT AND PICK UP SOME STRENGTH IS IN THIS ACTUAL ROCK RAIL TUBE.

INSTEAD OF BENDING UP A PIECE OF THICK TUBE LIKE QUARTER INCH OR .188, I USED .120 WALLED DOM TUBE FOR THIS RAIL, BUT TO MAKE IT STRONGER WHAT I'M GONNA DO NOW IS I'M GONNA SKIN JUST THE OUTER EDGE OF IT WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF .120 WALL DOM, AND THAT'LL BASICALLY GIVE ME THE STRENGTH OF HAVING A

QUARTER INCH TUBE ON THIS CHASSIS WITHOUT HAVING TO ADD ALL THAT WEIGHT.

[ WELDER CRACKLING ]