Wedge/Tube Tunnel backcountry sled lots of pics

[NINJIN]

Wedge/Tube Tunnel backcountry sled tons of pics added 10-24-09

Been working on this for a while now, building a chromoly tube tunnel for my xlt wedge bulkhead. Will be running a 144 track under it. Got a lexan hood, and materials on the way to make chromoly trailing arms and radius rods. Should be really light. As you see in the pics the tunnel only weighs 13lbs. The stock tunnel and footwells was 52lbs i think! Still got a ways to go on it. Got to do all the tubes in the running boards and make a u cooler for the top of the tunnel and do a few more braces for the trailing arm supports.

 

[DWHalverson]

Looks good man. I'm sure you will be adding more gussets as you go. You will need them.

Dave

 

[diirtbag]

nice project ,interested to see how its finished

 

[Scott]

You going to put lexan on the tunnel like this one....or alum sheeting?

 

[NINJIN]

You going to put lexan on the tunnel like this one....or alum sheeting?

yeah i am still trying to decide that how did the lexan hold up if that is your sled? how much did that thing weigh in at?

 

[Chapman]

Thats awesome! I'd love to do that someday.

 

[longtrack156]

Nice, lexan would be cool.

 

[Scott]

Not mine. A HS buddy from here became a shop teacher in Homer, AK...He did that back in about 98 or 99 sometime up there.

I heard on here from someone that sled is still running around.

 

[rmk 700]

You going to put lexan on the tunnel like this one....or alum sheeting?

hey what size risers are those

 

[NINJIN]

looks about like a 1 inch riser with maybe 3 inch riser bars...

 

[NINJIN]

finally found a 144 xtra lite on ebay. should hopefully be here in a week or so. Going home this weekend from school. Have lots of goddies waiting. All the materials to make my trailing arms and radius rods. Have pipes and clutch stuff to put on the xlt engine. Going to have to run it this year till i get the money to get my ultra 800 together. Being a poor college kid sucks.

Still up in the air about lexan on aluminum for the tunnel skin? any thoughts?
Also any thoughts about the best way to arrange a cooler in the top of the tunnel?

Many more pics will come after 4 day weekend off from school this weekend!!

 

[NINJIN]

The skid

 

[CJ455]

This is one sweet setup.
If you don't mind sharing, what size and wall thickness pipe are you using?
And where or who did you get it through?

 

[NINJIN]

This is one sweet setup.
If you don't mind sharing, what size and wall thickness pipe are you using?
And where or who did you get it through?

Thanks!
it is 1/2"x0.058 wall 4130 chromoly. www.chassisshop.com has a large selection of sizes in lots of different wall thicknesses. If i was do do it again i would do the whole sled, bulkhead and all with probably 3/4 tube. On this project i was constrained to half inch to get it inside the bulkhead and still get a 15 inch track inside it.

 

[jskattum606]

How did you make such clean tight turns. Looks good. Any running board ideas yet?

 

[NINJIN]

How did you make such clean tight turns. Looks good. Any running board ideas yet?

i used a 1/2 od 3/8 id copper tube hand bender. Was a sob to do but got very good results, perfect bends. I am going to do tube slats for the running boards. Just haven't done it yet, dreading all the tube notching with the die grinder. No such thing as a 1/2 inch hole saw means every notch has been done by hand with a carbide tool on the die grinder. It sucks!

 

[NINJIN]

got a some more done last night and tonight

 

[wjl]

Keep us posted, great project.

 

[svensdream]

You can go thinner on the wall thickness if you like, should have rolled the chain case while you had it torn down to nothing, but never the less you took on a big project, so props to you for your ambition.

heres a pic of my tubie

 

[NINJIN]

You can go thinner on the wall thickness if you like, should have rolled the chain case while you had it torn down to nothing, but never the less you took on a big project, so props to you for your ambition.

heres a pic of my tubie

yeah i kick myself for not rolling the case. Just didn't want to get in over my head as this is already a huge under taking. Next year..my buddy and I plan to do two full tube chassis's. Your sled is amazing btw. I have pics of it saved on my comp. Soooo nice.