After responding to many nice folks request for more information regarding my post on this tunnel update, here is the same info in post form.
I hope that this will help all the handy, DIY crowd. As you know, to be a DIY person, you have to be kind of a cheapskate at heart!! LOL
To change out the entire tunnel section was more work than I wanted to do for this 400 mile "barn find" 2005 M7. My ambition tank was going to burnt on more important things.... hehe.
So, for a 2005 & 2006 this would be the same process. For the later years, since the rear coolers are a bit different, one's handy-ness would have come into play.
Picked up this cute little piece from Fastrax. It is obscure since they don't even have it on their website. They built a few of these for some local guys a while back. But heck, the price was right and I can do the work myself!
It is the most attractive, easy and least cost of it's kind that I could find.
I started by picking up a stock late model AC bumper from my dealer. Even though I didn't use the late model running board edge and rear foot rests, if you don't have a way to weld aluminum, I would suggest picking up those running board parts from your dealer. They are nicer in form and function that the older style IMO.
Then, stripped off the old bumper. Then used the new bumper to scribe my cut line.
With the angle I wanted the bumper to be at I had to remove the rivets on the side for the hose covers/protectors for the coolant lines and the rivets that hold the rear of the cooler on (very back of tunnel).
Then I commenced to cutting the tunnel on my pre-determined path. (sorry no pics of my scribe lines). I did not exactly follow the edge of the suspension mount for the running board section of the cut. I had to angle it back a bit. I did start my cut at the running board grip-edge where the suspension mount was but didn't follow the edge of the suspension mount like Cat did. This is due to the fact that the rear tunnel section on the older sled is longer, or the bumper is a bit too short (for you glass half empty guys!). No big deal. I left just enough of the running board, where it makes the bend up to the tunnel, to support the tip of the bumper.
Also, I located my scribe/cut line at the bottom of portion of the bumper that rests against the side of the tunnel. This kept my imperfect cut with a die grinder disc hidden behind the bumper but still kept 100% contact of bumper and tunnel. The cut is kept "just out of sight".
Now with the cut edges cleaned up with a sanding disc and burr, I was ready to install the close-out (the center-piece of my excitement).
The ears, or sides, of the close out slide inside of the tunnel right up close to that hose protector, the top lines up with the two 1/4"-20 nut-serts and the four rivet holes that hold the cooler on. Popped in all the rivets and ran in some button head 1/4 - 20 screws (since I cannot seem to remember where I put the gold colored Torx screws that came out with the bumper! LOL)
Then came the flap. Since I don't care for the stock flap, and have used truck floor mats in the past, I decided to buck up and buy one...... from ....... you guessed it...... FTX. I did a little angle on each side to give it a bit of a flare on each side, then riveted on the flap.
Here is a side view.
Then came the bumper. I tried to find a way to hit all the factory holes in the bumper without success save for a couple, so after I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I was not going to hit all of them. So I recommend installing rivets where the factory holes are NOT located. I did use about 12 per side if memory serves. Good steel rivets, not aluminum. Located one on that little ear that hangs down of what is left of the goofy triangle hole and then spaced accordingly the rest of the way.
Then came the foot rests and grip edge. In order to complete this portion right, I had to remove both edges to make a nice miter cut before welding up left over edge pieces. I again had to drop some more coin on these cool little billet tunnel clips FTX made up for use on the Poo tunnels. They worked perfect for my application. This is where some folks may want to just buy the cat edges since you have to remove the originals anyway for a nice cut. I would rather have a little bit different outcome that going the well traveled path....
There you have it. My best attempt in helping any DIY (not DUI ) folks!
Tools used:
1/8" die grinder disc for cutting (saws-all would work too)
Aluminum burr for fine tuning the corners
Sanding disc
Rivet gun (air works better, but hand/manual will work)
Sharpe
Tig machine (for the welding)
Scotch Bright for that satin finish!
Here is a link to the low buck mods and fixes. Some areas I had no choice but to "pay the man" and buy the good stuff. Like the Hood side vents (FTX) since nobody makes a hood side vent I like. The Power Commander (Racinstation) and the sexy little secondary clutch kit (RKT). Better Boards (F-Bomb)
http://rides.webshots.com/album/579143642nSAvEf
I hope that this will help all the handy, DIY crowd. As you know, to be a DIY person, you have to be kind of a cheapskate at heart!! LOL
To change out the entire tunnel section was more work than I wanted to do for this 400 mile "barn find" 2005 M7. My ambition tank was going to burnt on more important things.... hehe.
So, for a 2005 & 2006 this would be the same process. For the later years, since the rear coolers are a bit different, one's handy-ness would have come into play.
Picked up this cute little piece from Fastrax. It is obscure since they don't even have it on their website. They built a few of these for some local guys a while back. But heck, the price was right and I can do the work myself!
It is the most attractive, easy and least cost of it's kind that I could find.
I started by picking up a stock late model AC bumper from my dealer. Even though I didn't use the late model running board edge and rear foot rests, if you don't have a way to weld aluminum, I would suggest picking up those running board parts from your dealer. They are nicer in form and function that the older style IMO.
Then, stripped off the old bumper. Then used the new bumper to scribe my cut line.
With the angle I wanted the bumper to be at I had to remove the rivets on the side for the hose covers/protectors for the coolant lines and the rivets that hold the rear of the cooler on (very back of tunnel).
Then I commenced to cutting the tunnel on my pre-determined path. (sorry no pics of my scribe lines). I did not exactly follow the edge of the suspension mount for the running board section of the cut. I had to angle it back a bit. I did start my cut at the running board grip-edge where the suspension mount was but didn't follow the edge of the suspension mount like Cat did. This is due to the fact that the rear tunnel section on the older sled is longer, or the bumper is a bit too short (for you glass half empty guys!). No big deal. I left just enough of the running board, where it makes the bend up to the tunnel, to support the tip of the bumper.
Also, I located my scribe/cut line at the bottom of portion of the bumper that rests against the side of the tunnel. This kept my imperfect cut with a die grinder disc hidden behind the bumper but still kept 100% contact of bumper and tunnel. The cut is kept "just out of sight".
Now with the cut edges cleaned up with a sanding disc and burr, I was ready to install the close-out (the center-piece of my excitement).
The ears, or sides, of the close out slide inside of the tunnel right up close to that hose protector, the top lines up with the two 1/4"-20 nut-serts and the four rivet holes that hold the cooler on. Popped in all the rivets and ran in some button head 1/4 - 20 screws (since I cannot seem to remember where I put the gold colored Torx screws that came out with the bumper! LOL)
Then came the flap. Since I don't care for the stock flap, and have used truck floor mats in the past, I decided to buck up and buy one...... from ....... you guessed it...... FTX. I did a little angle on each side to give it a bit of a flare on each side, then riveted on the flap.
Here is a side view.
Then came the bumper. I tried to find a way to hit all the factory holes in the bumper without success save for a couple, so after I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I was not going to hit all of them. So I recommend installing rivets where the factory holes are NOT located. I did use about 12 per side if memory serves. Good steel rivets, not aluminum. Located one on that little ear that hangs down of what is left of the goofy triangle hole and then spaced accordingly the rest of the way.
Then came the foot rests and grip edge. In order to complete this portion right, I had to remove both edges to make a nice miter cut before welding up left over edge pieces. I again had to drop some more coin on these cool little billet tunnel clips FTX made up for use on the Poo tunnels. They worked perfect for my application. This is where some folks may want to just buy the cat edges since you have to remove the originals anyway for a nice cut. I would rather have a little bit different outcome that going the well traveled path....
There you have it. My best attempt in helping any DIY (not DUI
) folks!
Tools used:
1/8" die grinder disc for cutting (saws-all would work too)
Aluminum burr for fine tuning the corners
Sanding disc
Rivet gun (air works better, but hand/manual will work)
Sharpe
Tig machine (for the welding)
Scotch Bright for that satin finish!
Here is a link to the low buck mods and fixes. Some areas I had no choice but to "pay the man" and buy the good stuff. Like the Hood side vents (FTX) since nobody makes a hood side vent I like. The Power Commander (Racinstation) and the sexy little secondary clutch kit (RKT). Better Boards (F-Bomb)
http://rides.webshots.com/album/579143642nSAvEf
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