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Installation and Review: SKINZ Air Frame Running Boards

christopher

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If you don't have a pneumatic rivet gun... buy one (Grizzly.com has a great one at a great price ... the Harbor Freight one is a POS and costs 75% of the Grizzly)
I do not have one nor have I ever used one. So your suggesting this one??

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Air-Riveter/H6136
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C
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Have used the structural adhesives many times (used to hold all of the beams, girders, and mullions to main deck panels and side panels on our 70 Ft passenger catamaran) ... trust me in that the loading on these panels is far in excess of the loads imparted on any sled ... the glass panels delaminate before the bond fails!!!

some of the products are absolutely amazing .... personally we have had better luck with Plexus than Lord Brand ... it was more forgiving re surface preparation -

there are different formulations for different applications .... best to check the manufacturer's site to select the best product for the application +most offer a range of open / work times as well.

Not sure re the release procedure - you may want to verify this before putting something together that you may want to remove at a later time (down sid eof structural adhesives) ... remember that aluminium does not withstand elevated temperatures like steel.
 

NapaMatt

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Ok.. well i see these type of adhesives also made by 3M Product line...


Napa Carrys them... There is a wide Varity of them out there for each job / temp and / Use..

Also Get Extra mixing tubes! You will need them

Yes.. Probally a good Air Riviter Gun...

Yes i am kinda basis to NAPA... Get the Good A Stuff.. As I will continue to buy there tools.. well beacuse i sell them and get a great deal.. And then i know what i am selling...

MH.. You should be getting a cut In all the products You Promote on this site! lol Free Goods!!



Until Next time! Good luck Chris.. By the end of this long weekend you should have them on!!!


Thanks Crew! Matt
 

mountainhorse

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personally we have had better luck with Plexus than Lord Brand

The Plexus products are great... I've used them on many projects from bonding a upgraded Enclosed flybridge on a 60" Bertram to the Heli-Pad reinforcement beam on the 3rd deck of a 180ft tri-deck MY...

Most of the Plexus adhesives will not release with reasonable temps like the Lord... The Lord series has also gone through QC with Polaris as the primary Aluminum/Aluminum bonding agent in all the new series sleds....Plus, it is easily available.

The 400 series Lord adhesives are actually Designed to release if needed for repairs.

I agree Surface prep is always an issue in whatever you use, Making sure that the surface is wax/grease/residue free and giving a bit of "tooth" the surface is super important.
 

christopher

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After test fitting the boards on both sides I decided that there was too much lip left over from the tunnel under the boards and wanted to trim it down a bit for a tighter/cleaner fit.

Board showing excess lip beneath it.
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I marked the excess with a Sharpie to make it clear for trimming
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The final amount for the 2nd cut.
NOTE, the amount of the lip that needed to be trimmed varied slightly from front to back.
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christopher

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Took the grinder out and made a thin slice down both sides, the deburred the top and the bottom of the lip.
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christopher

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Something I notices this evening that I wish I could fix, but can't.

The very rear of the boards does NOT come up close to the tunnel like the rest of the boards do.
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The 0.75 trim for the lip is actually a bit short back here.
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While there IS support, I think a bit more lip would have done better.
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If I had the chance to do it over again.
To the rear of the small cut where the tunnel bends just slightly, I think I would have gone for 0.90 rather than 0.75 and offered just a bit more support. I seriously doubt that this will have ANY impact at all, but its always better to be stronger.
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christopher

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Ready for the next step now.

This week I am going to grind off the powder coating along the bottom of the inside rail that will be mounted to the lip on the tunnel. This is being done to ensure the best possible adhesion of the Lord 406 bonding agent.

When that is done I will clamp the boards in place and pre-drill all the rivet holes.

The final mounting of the boards may be delayed as Skinz wants you to re-install the Upper Track wheel support brackets on the tunnel that the boards use as the rear supports, and I am planning on replacing the stock track on the sled. So I am not sure what I am going to do yet as the new Camoplast track won't be available till the end of October...
 

christopher

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Took some weight measurements today.

Old boards that were cut off.
52.4 ounces (each)

New Boards
69.4 ounces (each)

Traction Studs
4.8 ounces per side

Rivets
5.2 ounces per side

Bolts
1.7 ounces per side


TOTALS

OLD = about 107 ounces removed

NEW = 161.7

Net Gain = + 54.8 ounces
 

yammi4ever

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Holy crap you added almost 3.5#, how will you ever be able to ride it, these yammi's are so heavy, now it will never float and you will need to ride with more guys to help get it out. LOL LOL LOL

Or you could add boost...............make that reliable boost

Sorry guys had to say it before some yammi hater did (all tongue in cheek).
 

christopher

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So I ran into a little problem last night.

I drilled the tunnel and installed the rear bolts for the boards.
Bolted the front into the pre-existing bolt holes and clamped down the entire boards to the tunnel lip.

Then I slid the sled jack under the sled and lifted it up into the air so I could drill all the holes for the rivets. Sure enough, the sled lift arms come exactly where the drill bit has to go. Slid the tunnel to the left, to the right, not a chance.

Lower the sled down, remove the lift, and there is not enough ground clearance to get the drill under the lip. This baby sits LOW to the ground with no suspension in her.

No problem says I, I will just roll her over on her side and then drill.
Ya, RIGHT!

Ain't gonna happen with this one boy pulling on her.
Not to mention each time I pull her over it looks like the tunnel is going to get permanently Tweaked.

So this afternoon the call will go out to a couple buddies to come and give me a hand in rolling her over onto her side so I can get on with this Never Ending Project.
 

christopher

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My never ending project.....

Got the boards mounted onto the sled in preparation to drilling all the wholes for riveting. Bolted in the front and rear, and clamped all along the base to hold it in position.

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christopher

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The rear mounting point has to be drilled and bolted into place, whereas the front uses the pre-existing bolt holes from the old foot brace.

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Skinz supplied the bolts and nylock nuts.
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christopher

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Rolled the sled over on her side to expose the lip on the tunnel, and marked off a dot every 2 inches for drilling.

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christopher

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Drilled a couple holes, then set the Cleco Pins in them to lock them in place and ENSURE there was NO MOVEMENT while I drilled the next holes.

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christopher

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All the holes are drilled and perfectly aligned.

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Next step will be to remove the boards and grind off the powder coating from the inside edge of the bar making contact with the tunnel lip to ensure the best possible seal for the bonding agent.
 
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