Brad & Donna's 18.57.6 OB

Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
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Townsville
Hi all,
Been on the forum for a while but haven't got around to posting our rig yet. Just in the process of finishing of my latest project of an A frame tool box so thought this would be a good place to start.

A frame tool box - looked at many different styles and types but settled on going for my own design. Main purpose for me was to carry Yamaha genny, jerry cans and room for other items. I have standard length drawbar.

Custom built boxes aren't cheap, most going for between a grand to fifteen hundred and still not exactly what I wanted. I have gone down the path of buying a " bog standard" box for $250 and then spending $350 getting it modified - custom box for under $750, happy days :)

Box I bought is 3 mm checker plate, 1200 x 500 x 500 welded seams, dust seal and gas struts, I then had the 2 end sections added. I doubled up on the end walls as part of the mod to add additional strength. Also the local guys who did the welding for me pretty much insisted I put a sheet of 10 mm marine ply under the whole box and bolt it together to provide a really good base to mount on. He told me he has repaired " dozens" of A frame boxes before that crack due to the constant vibrations, better being safe than sorry I suppose.
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I mounted the gas regulator on the back of the box out of the way, it can still be reached for the top easily.
Shouted my self a new regulator at the same time to be safe.
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Mounted the gas bottles using existing bottle holders and doing some modifications to make them suit.
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Spent about 14 hours so far and all is mounted and complete. I have done some work on the inside as we'll to enable the jerry cans and genny to be mounted. Lining it with boat carpet tomorrow to finish it off, will post the last of the pic's then with it all loaded up ready for Xmas.

Caio
 

blacky

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2013
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Townsville QLD
Nice box mate! the extra ends blend in nicely, looks like it was meant to be. My van has the standard length bar and i'm thinking i'll do something similar, if i ever get 'round to it.

Cheers mate!
 

Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
33
48
Townsville
All,
Have now completed the project. Added some timber to make sure everything fits snug and doesn't rattle. Then got some boat carpet and lined the box. This should stop not only rubbing metal to metal but lower the vibrations as well. every thing mounted that I needed plus room to spare.
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Had a good day and got this finished nice and early so took the opportunity to relocate and mount tent pole carrier from the front boot to rear under van.
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Also Did this last week but thought I should post today as well. Mounted extraction fan in fridge vent to assist with dispersal of hot air. Have plenty of trouble out here in summer with 3 way fridge efficiency. $30 bucks from jaycar and about an hour to install, seems to be making a big difference so far. Amazing how much heat it is blowing out of that top vent now. Also added an on/off switch, reckon it would be quite noisy at night when every thing else is quiet.
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Note to self - chose a day when it's not 40 deg in mt isa to spend a day in the sun doing your mods !!!!

That's it, ready for Xmas break, just gotta load the van and fridge and get on the road.
 

Colby

New Member
Sep 15, 2013
1
0
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Horsham
Great job Brad, I am definitely stealing your tool box idea, I only have the standard bar on my 17.56-2 OB the financial controller wouldn't let the buget stretch to the longer A-Frame. But with your design I can make the toolbox work then I will shift the spare underneath with a hilux spare winch. I take it that's what you have done?:)
 

Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
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48
Townsville
Colby,

Didn't relocate spare - ours is mounted on rear bar. Only had to shift gas bottles and water tap to make it fit.

Cheers
 

Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
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48
Townsville
Hi all,

Couple more mods today, busy day but good to get some things off the list.

First up was some shelves in the rear cupboard. Plenty more room for folded items which are far more common than hanging items. Pretty simple design, just divided the cupboard and mounted 4 shelfs. Used 10 mm marine ply for divider and shelfs.
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Next was to get busy with the electrics, first up was mounting a LED strip light in the fridge...... Handy for midnight snacks !!!
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Then fitted a battery isolator for when van is in storage. Mounted it under table down nice and low out of the road, good to have peace of mind that everything is turned off.
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Next item was fitting a second 12v water pump switch on the outside of the van. Couple of times have wanted water to wash hands while traveling but is a total pain to open up van to turn water pump on just to get some water. Pretty easy mod really, just added a second switch and tee'd into existing water pump wires, now have switching ability inside and out.
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Anther day of mods , will they ever end..........
 

Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
33
48
Townsville
Love the fridge light is it on a sensor or switch or on all the time?
Hi Triton,
Light is on all the time as soon as 12v is turned on, I did think about getting serious with switches but figured the LED draws such little current that it wasn't worth the worry. I just picked up the 12v power for the fridge to run the light which made it easy.

Cheers
 
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Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
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Townsville
Love the toolbox mate.. Do you have any spec on it??
Dean,
Don't really have a spec so to speak. Box is 1250 x 500 x 500 standard straight off the shelf of any toolbox retailer. Main things I looked for was 3mm thickness with fully welded seams, you can get boxes with folded seams cheaper but I reckon they wouldn't last long.
Local aluminium welder put the ends on, basically just used the shape of the gas bottle as a template for the rolling to make every thing fit nicely.
Mounting it on marine ply gives it a super strong base, I would highly recommend taking the extra time to finish it off, should last forever.

Cheers
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
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Brisbane - Carindale
Karumba mate, about 2000ks North of you guys, don't have to worry about traffic up here !! Still be about another month before we see the full influx of our southern cousins coming up to visit.
Yeh mate I reckon the Easter Rush back into the Isa would have been a shocker :)
reckon anyone driving back into Brissy today would have had a pretty ordinary time.
Karumba eh, always wanted to go there, catch anything up there..
 
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Brad & Donna

Active Member
May 13, 2013
69
134
33
48
Townsville
Yeh mate I reckon the Easter Rush back into the Isa would have been a shocker :)
reckon anyone driving back into Brissy today would have had a pretty ordinary time.
Karumba eh, always wanted to go there, catch anything up there..
Caught about 8 Bream that were keepers, couple of crabs but only jennies. Talking to a few others it was pretty quiet on the bite. It's worth while a stop over just to look around, it a really good road in and out so easy to get to.
If you are doing the Savanah Way trip it's a good stop over.
 
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