AJ120s 2009 D4D and DIY camper trailer

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Have you ever considered a smartbar bullbar for your rig AJ120? Especially if you value safety.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

where did you get the stickers

The bottom Pradopoint.com sticker I got from a guy on ebay, too long ago to remember who he was.

The GTG 2012 sticker I had made for last years GTG at the local sign writer.

The Big Deisel sticker I got from Wooley, he had his local sign guy make one for his rig and I got him to do one for mine.

Haven't done anymore on the roof consol, I was going to ge to get a guy around the corner to upholster it but spoke to him the other day and he is no longer doing upholstery.

Hopefully rear bar pics soon as well.

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

Haven't done anymore on the roof consol, I was going to get a guy around the corner to upholster it but spoke to him the other day and he is no longer doing upholstery.

I just got a quote from the local car upholterer to do mine, 5mm foam and colour matched vinyl - $300! I think I might have to borrow the wife's sewing machine again

[azprado Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close azprado]

Hey Andrew,

Where was this photo taken looks familiar but can't place it?

[REV Find all posts View Profile Close REV]

Have you ever considered a smartbar bullbar for your rig AJ120? Especially if you value safety.

Hey ntp I don't know how smart this one is.

I do believe that there are a few people still smarting.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hey Andrew,

Where was this photo taken looks familiar but can't place it?

That was taken at Waukeringa, which is on the edge of the Flinder Ranges North of Yunta on the road to Arkaroola. The building was the old hotel for the nearby and now abondoned gold mine. I believe the hotel was still operating as late as the 1970's so its deteriorated pretty quickly since closing.

That photo was taken during one of the recces for the 2012 GTG, we tried an all dirt option from Bendleby to the Riverland travelling through Yunta and down through Dangalli. It was a good drive but unfortunately would have been a 2 day drive with no where for a large group to camp.

Cheers Andrew

[azprado Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close azprado]

Ahhh that would be it, spent a day or two in that area on the way down from Broken Hill to Port Augusta last month, thought the area looked familiar.

Thanks for the info.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

AJ120 Rear Bar

I have started a dedicated thread about the rear bar here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...956#post394956 for those that are interested. If you have questions please post them in that thread and allow my build thread to remain (relatively) uncluttered.

OK, I know a lot of you are keen to see the rear bar I have been working on. It’s been a lot harder than I expected to get it developed, mostly due to a lack of equipment on my behalf that would make it easier to reproduce each part accurately enough to produce these, which is a lot harder than a once of custom job.

Anyway what I wanted to achieve that is different to most if not all other bars on the market is the following.

1. Rear bar to extend all the way to the wheel arch.
2. The option to have a single wheel fitted so that it lines up in the original spot so it looks neater. Ideally a reversible mount so it can also accommodate a second spare without needing to change arms.
3. A neat finish where the bar meets the body work, I have not really seen one that I have particularly liked the finish on.
4. Off course all this needs to be achieved at a realistic price and with my limited workshop.

What I wanted to avoid was things like this poor fit on the Kaymar.

[


And pretty ordinary fit and finish like on this one.






Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

After seeing Treky’s bar build I decided that following suit and using RHS for the main bar was the way to go. After much agonizing about how to mount it and the various towbars that might need to fit with the bar I decided intergrating a towbar would be the best way to go. Lots of research followed about the legalities of that and the testing needed but I should be able to get it tested and certified without much trouble once a prototype is complete. Unfortunately the testing involves stressing the bar to the point where it is no longer serviceable so it will have to be scraped!

Pics are a bit out of order as I missed photographing a few steps. Mounting it was a real headache given if I sell these they need to be able to be fitted without the need for major modifications to the vehicle, so at this stage there is no drilling or welding involed as it utilises existing mounting holes. I may offer the option to weld on a small bracket that whilst should not be needed would add a considerable amount of strength to the mount, but still working on that and other options.

Anyway, always fun cutting into the bodywork on your pride and joy, more nerve wracking when it’s a prototype and no guarantee that place I cut it was going to be the where it needed to be once finished.






So far so good as far as the cut goes, I did lower the bar slightly (twice) from the original plan so my cut is about where it need to be once I fit some pinchweld to neaten it up. As you can see, side wings all the way to the arch. I have made and remade the wing quite a few times now to get it a bit more shapely. A lack of equipment that I have as well as local engineering works lacking quality equipment made this a pretty a difficult little part to get right, but we got there in the end.




I’ll add more later.

Cheers Andrew

[winniliss Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close winniliss]

Good work AJ. I would be interested in one of these units because as stated, other bars don't extend all the way along the wheel arch.

The following interchangeable options would be good:

1. One spare wheel mount only,
2. Two spare wheel mounts only, and
3. One spare wheel mount and one twin jerry holder

What lights are you looking at using, LED would be good. Also addition and or brighter LED reverse lights would be good. Similar to these:

http://visionled-lights.com/led-reve...ty-light-.html as an example

Cheers

Winston.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

A couple more pics!






I didn't take a pic when I had the rear bumper fitted at one stage but the pic below shows the final cut for the rear bumper, so with some pinch weld run right round the entire cut the step into the rear should remain the same as original using the original plastic trim to make it as neat as possible.




I'll add more as I take more pictures.

Winston, I will answers your question a bit later in the rear bar thread here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...956#post394956 along with a answers to a few of the other questions.

Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Anyway what I wanted to achieve that is different to most if not all other bars on the market is the following.

2. The option to have a single wheel fitted so that it lines up in the original spot so it looks neater. Ideally a reversible mount so it can also accommodate a second spare without needing to change arms.

So far so good with the reversible arm on the RHS, here are a few pics with it set up with one spare only, and then set up to take 2 wheels. I will get some pics with the 2 wheels fitted at some stage.

Wheeel lining up with original position.



Reversible fram on RHS and then both arms fitted for fitting of 2 spares.





I have also updated the rear bar thread with these pics.

Cheers Andrew

[outback7 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close outback7]

Great set up Andrew......

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

AJ120 Rear Bar

Few more updates on the rear bar.

I got some struts for opening the swing arms, they do a ice job but I think are a bit underpowered, It was pretty hard to work out what strngth to get, started with a 150N unit which is fine on the flat but I think will be not up to the job when on an angle, so will look at getting them regassed around the 250N mark should be sweet.

Also cut some T slots for the high lift.

Recessed the tail lights, in the pic the light is just hanging in there, so not quite fitted as neatly as it will end up.










Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

After the last fit up with it all welded together, as opposed to being tacked I was still wasn't happy with a bit of movement in the bar. I tried pretty hard to avoid make it as strong as needed using only existing factory mounting points but in the end I wasn't entirely happy with it, so I welded a small braket to the rear of the chassis on either side which reall doubles the strength.

No bracket welded





Clean the paint of the chassis for a good weld



Weld the bracket in position and drill for an extra bolt



Hopefully I get it cleaned up and then off to the powder coaters, hoping to have it painted and ready for show at Mount Pleasant next weekend.

I will also update the rear bar thread.

Cheers Andrew