Attaching the cab to the frame

[KCStudly]

Wow! Did I open a can of worms or what?

I took it as playful chiding, and hope my reply was received in kind.

What are a few more fasteners to give your wife peace of mind?

[PSBreen]

No hard feelings around here. Honestly one of the cool things about this forum is that it gives everyone access to a very wide range of skills and talents. Sometimes it even gets an interesting discussion or two started.

[angib]

I personally wanted to use duct tape baleing wire and snot but was overruled by a 6 year old at the time, snot was too gross.

Drifting off-subject here, but you are getting close to the ultimate bonding agent which is not quite 'snot' - four letters, starts with 's' and ends with 't' - you know where I'm going, doncha?

This substance has, in different applications, both the highest and the lowest known coefficients of friction:

- "Sticks like s**t to a blanket" is an old nautical expression that tells a truth - ain't no way you're getting it off a blanket.

- "Slides like red-hot s**t off white-hot shovel" is an old Brit engineering expression and if you can read that expression without hearing a hissing noise in the background, you don't understand the subject. Just regular "s**t off a shovel" is quite sticky by comparison and a hockey puck on ice might as well be glued down.

And now we return to our normal programming.....

[Jkester]

Perfect timing on this topic. I was going to bolt the wood framing to the trailer and then screw the plywood to the framing this weekend. Now I think i'll bolt thru everything. Since the bolts heads will be on the surface now should I recess them so they can be filled over?
James

[KCStudly]

IIRC, I think it was Zach (Absolutsnwbrdr?) with the Dos Equis (XII) convertible top that said he just used carriage bolts with no recesses; with the mattress he doesn't notice the heads sticking up, no harm no foul. Maybe it was his first build.

My choice to use T-nuts buried under the top floor skin is purely aesthetic.

[Jkester]

KC - T-nuts sound like they would work well and I would probably only lose 1 or 2 plys to recess them. Thanks for mentioning them.

I took a quick look at your build thread and your detail is awesome. I look forward to following your project.
James

[KCStudly]

Thanks James. If you are going to recess them and still have them visible form the top, then I would go with the elevator bolts. They don't sound like they are at all hard to find, and they have the added advantage that the bolt comes down from the top. This is preferred when ever possible because even if you loose the nut, the bolt will still stay in the hole and at least help locate. On my build, I wanted the fasteners to be totally hidden from above, so the bolts going in from the bottom is a compromise. I plan to use a "weak" thread locking compound, and plenty of sealant under the heads of the bolts and between the cabin and chassis.

[Jkester]

I think I have given up on finding elevator bolts that are 3-1/2" long (or longer). My flooring assembly is right at 2-7/8" thick and the longest elevator bolt I can find is 3". Looks like I will be recessing the carriage bolts so I can lay the sheet flooring that my wife has picked out. Now that I think about it the bolts on the front and back will be behind the bulkhead so they won't be a problem surface mounted.
James

[Forrest747]

Ok I found a former co-worker at Boeing who needed a break and used our virtual windtunnel to build a benroy teardrop 5 feet wide 4 feet tall and 8 feet long with 1/4-20 bolts. used mikes radius for the front and back. well he ran it up till the bolts failed and teh body seperated from the frame. 894 miles per hour with a seperation from teh front bolts first. so we can do over mach 1 if the body will hold. No drywall screws on this one pure dipped in gorilla glue.

[danlott]

Now there is some solid engineering. No more chew gum and straps. I am going to use 40 bolts just incase.

I reality I will probably use elevator bolts. 3 to 4 per cross member. Not sure how many that will be, but will probably be more than I need.

Dan

[PSBreen]

Forrest,

Wow! Now I really do feel safe with 8 ea 3/8" bolts. Thanks.

[rowerwet]

I've got 4 5/16" bolts two at the front wall and two near the lower galley wall, and two 3/8" bolts at aft end of the tongue, I don't see the need for more myself. You would be shocked at how little is holding most airplane wings on, and how many wing bolts are in tension... you loose a nut and it's all over

[angib]

What? Just some bolts and no chewing gum or straps at all? You like to live dangerously, don't you?

[eamarquardt]

Re grade 8 bolts and grade 0 plywood. Home Depot can special order grade 8 plywood. It ain't cheap though.

I've rarely seen a boat fall off it's trailer. They're typically held on by three not so impressive straps. Just a thought.

Gus

[aggie79]

And, for a 2" receiver, the ball mount is held in by a single 5/8" diameter pin.