Botched tub job...can ya'll guide me through this?

[team39763]

I bought that $173 aluminum tub kit from Autoweld and I can't seem to get them in correctly. I made the template out of cardboard and test fitted it. Obviously I measured wrong and did countless other things wrong. Can I have some tips on how you guys did your tubs? I only have a few days to get this done before it's too late.

The inner bedsides are cut out. The original tub area is lengthened to 44 inches. The bed has been widened all the way to the frame. Should I be looking to attach the tubs to the frame? I'm completely lost on this project and I don't want to throw away the money I spent on these tubs.

[Hottrucks]

I used my original tubs cut them 1" away from the bolt flange agains the bed slid the rest ove to the frame rail and redrilled the stock floor and bolted it back down the cut a piece of 5" wide filler and welded it in starting on the top in the middle

look at my build theres some pics

[vin63]

Originally Posted by team39763

I bought that $173 aluminum tub kit from Autoweld and I can't seem to get them in correctly. I made the template out of cardboard and test fitted it. Obviously I measured wrong and did countless other things wrong. Can I have some tips on how you guys did your tubs? I only have a few days to get this done before it's too late.

The inner bedsides are cut out. The original tub area is lengthened to 44 inches. The bed has been widened all the way to the frame. Should I be looking to attach the tubs to the frame? I'm completely lost on this project and I don't want to throw away the money I spent on these tubs.

Sorry to hear about this. It sounds like you're not sure how to attach the tubs to the bed? If there is not enough material left to put a brake at the ends for a mounting lip, I would probably work with 90 degree angle aluminum to attach the tubs to the bed. Here are a couple of links that may help with some visualization regarding handling wheel tubs.
http://cachassisworks.com/Stories/HowCAC-007_WEB.pdf
http://cachassisworks.com/Stories/HowCAC-009_WEB.pdf

[team39763]

Thanks for the advice and the links guys. I tried the widened stock tubs, but I wanted more "bling" in the bed...you know that look that just screams "racetruck". I ended up getting the aluminum tubs to fit correctly. Thanks for the help guys. I'll try to snap a few pics once we get them finished and the get the rollbar done.

[Marv D]

I'm not sure where your at with the project,, or exactly what you have going on,, but..hope some of this helps

If you go to Chris Alston's "chassisworks" site he has some nice tech articles on subframe, tub, cage and backhalf projects. Should be something there that will help also.

Easiest is to make up a 'dummy' cardboard tub like you did, and use a 'offset' from the mating surface. In other words, once you have it fitting 'roughly, you trace along all the bed sides, any other clearance areas with something that will offset you INSIDE like 1/2" or 1" or whatever, as long as it is consistent.. This gives you room to mark areas that you can't get to to mark correctly. Then take your template out and cut exactly 1/2" (IT the 1" or whatever) OUTSIDE your mark Always will have some small tweaks and trims to get it exact THEN make the cut on your aluminum and it should fit pretty easily.

As far as how to 'attach' it at the outer edges.. SOP is rivet / bolt the inside to the frame and to attach the floppy outside edge,, SILICONE!! Yup,, just get everything nice and clean and push the tub into shape however you can. Then from the underside glue it to the body with GENEROUS bead of good silicone caulking. On the inside smooth it out with your finger and let it set up.

About every tubbed race car you see will use nothing but silicone to attach the outter edges of the tub. It also seals it so burnout box water can't get through to the inside of the bed. When and if you ever have to change the tubs (because the rocks beat the CRAP out of aluminum tubs and it looks like CRAP) you will be amazed at the bonding strength of that stupid silicone caulk.

[wildearp]

I bought a steel tub kit and welded it in the first time I did one. The second time I just made mine from 18 ga sheet metal. You can make some half moons and weld a ribbon to a set in about an hour. You can shape the ribbons by bending them over your tire. All I used was a Mig welder, a pneumatic metal shear, and a small grinder to clean up the welds. Seam sealer makes it look pro.

[team39763]

I ended up getting them in correctly and it looks OK. I just need to redo the bed floor so it can look good. I'll post a pic next time I take the bed cover off...might be soon...BigJim got me thinkin' about doing a Lexan bed cover.

[fastwillie 696969]

YouTube - pro -pick cover

get one of these covers there awesome

[team39763]

That was pretty cool.