So today I decided that the tree sliders would be done. The weather was looking good so out came the steel and the grinder.
To make the sliders I have chosen 60.3mm Dia tube 3mm thick. It is a l to bigger than what you normally see, like I say t the wife lol, but then again the Hornet is also a bit of a beast so can pull it off. Oh more innuendo...
I have seen the ordinary tree sliders but they look quite small and weedy. I know that they aren't, and in fact the larger diameter tube may be weaker but here is the method in my madness.
Impact is either transferred or absorbed.
If it is transferred it will eventually break the weakest link in the chain. Attach a strong tree slider to a rusty chassis and bang, you have dents and twists in the chassis. Attach a strong slider to weak mounts and you have deformed sliders that have bent upwards on their mounts and you can't open the door.
Alternatively I have gone for an option that will resist the standard abuse, but when hit hard, should deform and therefore not pass on the force of the impact to the chassis. Therefore they are to some extent sacrificial.
Firstly I started with the positioning.
As you can see. The door has already taken a beating for a tree. Should have done this job sooner. The other side is worse!!
Trying to keep the items inboard enough and high enough to be effective but not reduce clearance too much.
Then I cut the mounts and these were seam welded straight onto the main tube.
I then notched the mounts to sit on the underside of the reinforced RHS sills. Unfortunately that's as far as I got as the rain started again!
More to come as soon as I can get out there and finish them.
