Tailgate strut brackets

[AdeV]

This hardly dares qualify for inclusion in a forum as grandly named as "Gallery".... especially looking at the company its keeping... But, never one to hide behind a bushel, I knocked out a pair of new tailgate strut brackets today.

Long story short: Sold a saloon car, bought the estate version instead. Tailgate gas struts were cream crackered, so bought replacements. Each strut screws into a bracket which holds it to the tailgate. The thread on the new struts is M6, versus something utterly different on the old struts. Damn.

I love having a machine shop 

1st job was to assemble some tools & a piece of metal:



The black brackets are the original item, here's a closeup:



Anyhow, after a few hours of machining:



The radius cut should have been 10mm (to make the rounded top), and although I do actually have a 10mm radius tool, I don't have a collet big enough to hold it! So, I had to make do with a 6mm rad instead. It doesn't make much of a difference...

So, the moment of truth:



The bracket can be seen in the green ring...

I'll whip 'em off & paint 'em black, because they're a bit shiny as they are... but the end result is, a tailgate that stays up of it's own accord.

 

[Bogstandard]

This is what the site is all about Ade. Showing what you get up to.

A real nice bit of Madmodding 


John

[saw]

How did you get the green ring stay on the car....
Nice work.

[rleete]

I'll whip 'em off & paint 'em black, because they're a bit shiny as they are...

Good job.  But before painting, take a file or sander to 'em and knock those sharp corners and edges off.  You KNOW your hands or head will find the sharpest part someday!

[rleete]

How did you get the green ring stay on the car....

Now that was funny.

[AdeV]

Thanks all! They were pretty easy to make really, which is how I managed to knock them out in just one evening.

Good job.  But before painting, take a file or sander to 'em and knock those sharp corners and edges off.  You KNOW your hands or head will find the sharpest part someday!

Hah - there's a latch in the middle of the tailgate, which I always whack my head on. It's chuffing sharp too, and usually draws blood. Therefore, I reckon I'm safe from these babies!

How did you get the green ring stay on the car....

Ah, that's easy: It's a special anti-gravity ring. I used to have a load of them, but the buggers all floated up to the ceiling & I can't reach them, that's the last one... 

[Divided he ad]

Job done!

New car eh? That'd make bandsaw collections well easy! 




Nice to be able to sort stuff out innit?   



When you coming to get them seats?     








Ralph.

[bigmini]

I'll whip 'em off & paint 'em black, because they're a bit shiny as they are...

Good job.  But before painting, take a file or sander to 'em and knock those sharp corners and edges off.  You KNOW your hands or head will find the sharpest part someday!

The other reason to do this is that paint won't stick to sharp corners. You need a generous radius to stop the coating from thinning out around the corner.

Nice job. It's amazing what fixes are open to you when you have the gear.

[Brass_Machine]

This is what the site is all about Ade. Showing what you get up to.

A real nice bit of Madmodding 


John

I agree with John 100% on both accounts...

Eric