home made running boards

[k_newman66]

heres some running boards i made over thanksgiving break. what a pita! i can see why airframes are $550. it took about 8 hrs and about twenty sticks of aluminum rod. ha. theres alot of welds. i just used the stock tubing on the outside and then 5/8 tubing for the rest of it. a twenty foot stick didnt make it all so i had to use some 3/4 in some places to finish it. i had a little jig that would hold the tubing and a hole saw that would cut the tubing at whatever angle. worked out pretty slick. then just measure cut and weld away. i just bought a pack of 3/8 in kold kutter traction screws to help with traction. and just riveted the boards to the tunnel, i didnt use any adhesive. they were pretty damn sturdy even without the rivets. i only have one ride on them, and they are alot stiffer than the stock boards. the aluminum costs me 12$, powder coating 85, rivets and screws-25.

 

[Murph]

Looks great. You beat me to it. Thinking about doing the same to our three Pro's.

Nice job!

 

[KJAssault]

i see you were using the tools in the blue toolbox. (budlight) nice work they look sweet

 

[RidnHigh]

I like the idea, i too built my own set. But unfortunately I think you messed up by using the outer stock extrusion. Without having the weight distributed throughout 100% of the boards I feel like they will fail even worse with this design. But it looks like you got some riding on them so hopefully they hold up well!! I used 4130 .065 wall chromoly, and even with all the hardware and everything factored in I have less than 250 bucks into my set. Minus time, but ya congrats they look great!!

 

[ruffryder]

I like the idea, i too built my own set. But unfortunately I think you messed up by using the outer stock extrusion. Without having the weight distributed throughout 100% of the boards I feel like they will fail even worse with this design. But it looks like you got some riding on them so hopefully they hold up well!! I used 4130 .065 wall chromoly, and even with all the hardware and everything factored in I have less than 250 bucks into my set. Minus time, but ya congrats they look great!!

What sizes of tubing did you use?

 

[BuffaloRMK]

Very nice fab work... Nice pics too

 

[ryan_625]

Loving it man! I am thinking of taking my sled into our shop at work and tabbing up my own set out of aluminum oval stock. I believe it is 6061.

 

[k_newman66]

Its alot of work but its always fun building your own things

 

[meathooker]

That's awesome! Looks recalling nice, and I like how you used the stock outer rails.

The air frames are expensive but a lot goes into making something like that.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

Nice job...they came out nice....

 

[AndrettiDog]

I'll take a set in black. I stand a better chance of getting them from you than from Skinz.

 

[FatDogX]

Great job, when are you taking orders!

 

[Matte Murder]

I was thinking of having a buddy make me a set out of smaller diameter oval tubing too. We used it for suspension parts on the race car because of less aero drag but i think it would be really strong set on "edge" for the inside and outside tubes and angled back for the cross tubes. I was going to use 4130 cromoly, didn't know they made oval tubing in aluminum.

 

[beamslayer]

Nice going they look great. Did you build the gas rack also.Are they tig or mig welded?

 

[S.Diddy]

Nice going they look great. Did you build the gas rack also.Are they tig or mig welded?

I'd say TIG because it's aluminum, and theres a tig torch and pedal in some of the pictures.

 

[beamslayer]

I missed the torch.I was wondering how a spool gun worked on a mig for this kind of job.

 

[rags319]

SWEET! What are you doing over Christmas break. I'II take a set. Black also please.

 

[Daniel Boondocker]

You would have to be a phenom to do that with a spool gun. Maybe not even then.

Nice looking boards!

 

[racerjb]

I was thinking of having a buddy make me a set out of smaller diameter oval tubing too. We used it for suspension parts on the race car because of less aero drag but i think it would be really strong set on "edge" for the inside and outside tubes and angled back for the cross tubes. I was going to use 4130 cromoly, didn't know they made oval tubing in aluminum.

You mean like this...It would be a ton of work to make boards out of it. I made this set of a-arms for my IQ. They are as light as the titanium ones and are very strong. I used .049 4130 for the lowers and .034 on the uppers. I would stay away from aluminum aero tube due to fatigue strength.

BTW, I am considering selling them as they don't fit on my pro. (They do fit but due to the way I attached them they increase the stance on the Pro by more than I want)

 

[m8sandman]

very nice, if i had the skills i'd be making them for sale. seems theres a HUGE market for these... nice to see them becoming so popular, hopefully in a few years they'll be coming stock!!!