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Hey Guy's I am planning my Tub Support and wanted some feed back before I get the angle grinder out.
I have an older 70's Argo 8x8. The tub has some droop so I need to put some support in to clear the tires. I also replaced the motor and need to make some room in the engine bay. I can run it with the hood off the air breather sticks up a too far to keep the hood on.
I am in the planning stage at this point. So far the plan is to put c channel between the upper and lower tub. This will give me the extra space I need and keep the droop out. I want to tie the c channel into the frame with some square tube.
I am concerned about weight and keeping some flex in the Tub. I also want to keep it so I can remove the entire support.
Has anyone done this yet? Any words of wisdom. I have seen square tube used to support the tub but haven't come across anyone using it to split the upper and lower portions to give more clearance between them.
When I am done I want to have hitch receivers front and back for winch/boat motor.
Here is a picture of what I am thinking
Orange is the tub, Black is the new supports, gray is the frame
How you going to fill the gap all the way round when you space top and bottom apart ? It may take in water if not sealed completely, quite a lot of water
Oh I have looked over the "Got Droop" thread more then a few times. Great write up.
I am going to use the c channel all the way around, thinking 2 inch with 1 inch flange. That will give me a 2 inch rise between the top and bottom, then just use bolts to connect the flange to the top and bottom sections. Some silicone will keep the water out.
Here is a picture of what I am thinking. By putting the top flange over the plastic it will give me a nice finished edge. If I need to split the tub I will just need remove the bolts from the bottom and remove the top along with the c-channel and the rest of the supports.
It will make splitting the tub PITA but I was thinking that would cut the upper portion of the tub so I can make a larger hood. That little hole they give you to get into the engine bay doesn't leave much room. By cutting the upper tub just behind the firewall it will make for easy access to everything up front.
Also thought about building storage in under the back bench seats. But I think that will be in a later phase. One step at a time.
I have now hinged a new front seat and put storage under it, probably only a few inches deep but large enough to keep jump leads, winch remote and a few tools in. I've also now fitted a rear seat across the back. Under this I shall put the battery (move some weight backwards) and probably silly items like air horns
Can't see why your idea shouldn't work . Bending the channel to the correct rad may be a BIG problem unless you cut and weld every 1/4 - 3/8 inch or so
Sooner you than me on that one as it will be tedious in the extreme. making a body band is bad enough and they only have one flange to cut and weld
Surely the tubs aren't going to flex at all with that on though ? And why do you need the extra height ?
Just reread the first post, you've changed the engine and need the height I see. We're just playing about with vacuum forming here now. I could do with a modified engine cover as I would like to fit an electric fan in it to draw heat out. Believe it or not the biggest problem at the moment is getting orange hdpe over here. I can get black and a few very bright other colours but not orange. If it remains impossible to get I'll go with black, make a plug and vacuum form a new engine cover with a raised centre with vents in.
I had thought about that, I used some body metal to make a riser for the hood but I have heat issues as well and very little clearance for the exhaust and it looks funny with this high rise hood. The hood just doesn't give me the room I need to work on the engine, It's just to cramp. I want to building a fan or two to pull heat out and revers the vent so when I motor into a water I don't end up giving the engine a bath.
I am not looking forward to the cutting and welding that will have to happen to bend the c channel around the corners of the tub, it's going to PITA for sure.
I am hoping to get started next week so I will post some pictures as I go so you will be able to feel my pain :-)
Has anyone cut the upper tub to make bigger access to the engine bay?
I am thinking of cutting the tub just behind the fire wall so it all lifts up and let me at the everything so I won't have a need to ever split the tub.
Did you have any problems with the added weight?
Did the supports cause any issues with the plastic tub cracking due to lack of flex?
Did you tie into the frame by welding your supports on or did you bolt them so it could be removed?
Now that you have been running with the supports any "Wish I had done"?
I like the under the seat storage idea, I have already moved the battery out back
No problems at all. The weight is negligible, you can stand in the middle of the completed frame and pick it up with one hand. I bolted the six legs to the frame with 1/4" bolts, they're only there to locate it really as the outer frame holds it all in place. I haven't had any "I wish I had done so and so" moments to be honest, the only thing I could have done to make life easier was to tie in a front tow point. I did install front and rear winch mounts as part of the frame but didn't do a tow point on the lower tub. I suppose it would have been easier while it was all apart.
Front and rear seats are part of the new frame on mine now so it takes all the load off the tub.
I can already feel your pain from cutting and welding all those little cuts, pics would be good though so I can really sympathise with you (do you really believe that ?)
A buddy of mine has an orange 8x8 with a body lift. It's just like you're talking about with the C channel, but it's about 3 inches of rubber. It was on his Argo when he bought it. It also has a 20hp Honda, so it might have been done when the engine was switched. I don't know if it was a home-fab job, or if its something that can be ordered. Looks nicely done though.
Well I polished off half a case of beer and pulled everything out of the old girl. Going to swing by the scrap metal yard today at lunch and see if I can get some c channel and tube to get started on the steal work. I will upload some pictures over the weekend.
Tub Support
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. Bending the channel to the correct rad may be a BIG problem unless you cut and weld every 1/4 - 3/8 inch or so 
