TopoRanger's Overland Ranger Build

[TopoRanger]

Here is the update on the fuel compartment. I’ve got it all welded up and ground down smooth enough for a DA sander. Then I’ll paint it all up at the house. I’ve got to cut the lower compartment opening then weld up a flange for the gasket to ride on and seal the compartment up.

it won’t match the rear under tray compartments because I hate them and I want to build my own.

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[TopoRanger]

Back to the snorkel plans. Idk how many of yall have looked into snorkels but I’ve been doing some research on YouTube and other websites. I’ve noticed a handful of guys in Australia running dual snorkels. I get the idea of it. More air. But I’m trying to figure out if our trucks in the US need twice the air. I love the look of the “dual snorks”. But I’m afraid the cross over pipe will make the air on the drivers side become too hot.
Are yall feeling like your trucks are starving for air? I’m definitely doing a single snorkel, no question about that lol.

 

[9zero1790]

Back to the snorkel plans. Idk how many of yall have looked into snorkels but I’ve been doing some research on YouTube and other websites. I’ve noticed a handful of guys in Australia running dual snorkels. I get the idea of it. More air. But I’m trying to figure out if our trucks in the US need twice the air. I love the look of the “dual snorks”. But I’m afraid the cross over pipe will make the air on the drivers side become too hot.
Are yall feeling like your trucks are starving for air? I’m definitely doing a single snorkel, no question about that lol.

i think single is fine for most applications. more direct path equals better air flow. ive seen some tractors like kenworth and mack that have dual snorkels but thats a different animal.

 

[TopoRanger]

Here is the front of the fuel compartment. I need to clean up the cut out a little more then weld on a flange for the gasket. Yeah it’s not much of a storage compartment but I was mainly going to put the funnel that comes with the truck, some mechanics gloves, and maybe some latex gloves. Who knows. In the upper portion I’m going to make a 65mm hole for the filler neck to slide into. Haven’t fully figured that part out. Once I get this near the truck I’ll figure that out.

Then here is the back side of the fuel compartment. The piece of steel that separates the two compartments is at an angle just for the filler neck. I’m hoping I guessed the correct angle but either way I’ll make it work.

 

[TopoRanger]

For the snorkel I’m going to start out with the following materials:

4” laser cut fancy snorkel cap with some design in it. I may try to design some sort of topography that will be there.

4”x 48” almuminized tube
2 or 3- 4” 90° at a 6” radius
3.5 to 4” flared section to have a one way water drain valve
14 or 16 guage sheet metal for the airbox
1/8” rubber for the top gasket on the airbox
Lexan for the see through top cover of the airbox
4” ID 90° rubber elbow to pass through the inner fender wall of the truck

I’m sure I’m missing some stuff

 

[TopoRanger]

Well I’m at a stand still on the fuel compartment so I started another project for the truck… smh. I’ve got a second winch that was sent from Warn a while back and so I’m deleting my OEM hitch, and building a high clearance hitch/ rear winch mount. Instead of it bolting to the bottom of the frame it will be between the frame rails and the winch will sit just in between the OEM cross member and the new receiver. I started out with a cardboard template for the inboard faces of the frame. They are pretty odd shaped, so I’m still on the fence on how elaborate I’ll get cutting that mess out but there will be a bottom plate that utilizes the OEM hitch bolts. Probably overly bolted down but I just want to make sure. Then for the cross member I’m probably going to use either a 3x3 with a 3/16 wall thickness or a 2x2 1/4 wall thickness. Either way it will be chopped in half and a recessed 2” receiver. I’ll put in some fancy safety chain hoops as well.

The bottom plates are 3/16” and the side plates are 3/8” thick. Again probably over kill but I was thinking about incorporating some shackle tabs into the side plates but most weld on tabs are 7/8 or 1” thick from what I’ve seen and all I have is 1/2” AR plate.

 

[TopoRanger]

I think this weekend, while there’s snow in the forecast, I will design up another bracket for the back up camera and those “hey you’re gonna hit something” sensors. Then figure out a game plan to burn those into the tray.

 

[TopoRanger]

Well I definitely have projects all over the place now. Similar to how my mind works when I’m fabricating haha. All over the place thinking and designing stuff in my head. But I found some heavy duty hinges laying around at work. ? ? so I chopped them down into individual pieces to create hinges for my future drop sides on the flatbed.

there is a 3/8” rod that goes through them. I’m thinking about getting a 3/8” Stainless rod and tapping the end of it for a bolt to hold it in place or keeping the steel rod and welding it in place. Going to bring this stuff home with me and mull it over. I’m hoping to swing by a local metal shop in Missoula to see if they are capable of bending some sheet metal into some drop sides for me then I’ll have a better containment for my camping gear this summer.

 

[TopoRanger]

Nice build !

Tutuapp 9Apps​

Thanks dude! I’m hoping to get more work done this week and upcoming weekend on some things.

I got a quote from a local metal shop to make my dropsides. They want $270 for one…. So I guess it’s a sign for me to build my own sheet metal brake and then make my own dropsides.

 

[TopoRanger]

So I got an updated quote from the local metal shop to see about making my dropsides. 3- 8’ long sections. $570 for all three.

 

[Bushmasta]

Just got a 23 Tremor from spokane, I'm live in Helena, MT. I'm currently in Vietnam and have seen some cool 5G Rangers done up here for ideas. Seems like most of their aftermarket isn't available in US, but getting ideas. I love your flatbed Ranger.

 

[TopoRanger]

Just got a 23 Tremor from spokane, I'm live in Helena, MT. I'm currently in Vietnam and have seen some cool 5G Rangers done up here for ideas. Seems like most of their aftermarket isn't available in US, but getting ideas. I love your flatbed Ranger.

oh sweet!! I’ve seen some cool rangers around Helena!

 

[Bushmasta]

Yes, I notice them now. Some lifted ones.

 

[lazynorse]

Back to the snorkel plans. Idk how many of yall have looked into snorkels but I’ve been doing some research on YouTube and other websites. I’ve noticed a handful of guys in Australia running dual snorkels. I get the idea of it. More air. But I’m trying to figure out if our trucks in the US need twice the air. I love the look of the “dual snorks”. But I’m afraid the cross over pipe will make the air on the drivers side become too hot.
Are yall feeling like your trucks are starving for air? I’m definitely doing a single snorkel, no question about that lol.

I don't know about snorkels, I tend to think they're totally unnecessary for 99% of truck use, including off road. My engine air cleaner looked fine after camping x2 weeks in Utah this last fall. Did White Rim Trail over 3 nights, drove trails and camped all over that general area, then onto San Rafael Swell for many more days. Air filter was fine. Same story for other desert trips.

I know there's a constituency that enjoys 'convoy' trips, traveling with multiple other trucks. My wife and I go solo, but if you're butts to nuts behind a bunch of trucks, I suppose you're living in dust clouds perpetually. Then, I could see a need for a backwards facing snorkel. My time in someone's dust cloud is very limited, and if I sense I'll be behind others for a while, I'll pull off and wait until I have a free trail in front of me. You're not sucking that much if any dust when you're alone.

Given snorkels are designed mostly for dust and not water crossing, utility becomes more questionable. I understand our alternators will fail in a water crossing long before need for elevated air intake.

From what I've seen and read, they do not provide 'more air,' in fact they provide less. HVAC guys can tell you that, any further length, diameter changes, and bends of pipe where air goes through hugely limits volume. There's also a lot of doubt over 'cooler air,' e.g. our motors don't need cooler air and snorkels don't provide consequentially cooler air.

 

[RangerPNW]

I don't know about snorkels, I tend to think they're totally unnecessary for 99% of truck use, including off road. My engine air cleaner looked fine after camping x2 weeks in Utah this last fall. Did White Rim Trail over 3 nights, drove trailed and camped all over that general area, then onto San Rafael Swell for many more days. Air filter was fine. Same story for other desert trips.

I know there's a constituency that enjoys 'convoy' trips, traveling with multiple other trucks. My wife and I go solo, but if you're butts to nuts behind a bunch of trucks, I suppose you're living in dust clouds perpetually. Then, I could see a need for a backwards facing snorkel. My time in someone's dust cloud is very limited, and if I sense I'll be behind others for a while, I'll pull off and wait until I have a free trail in front of me. You're not sucking that much if any dust when you're alone.

Given snorkels are designed mostly for dust and not water crossing, utility becomes more questionable. I understand our alternators will fail in a water crossing long before need for elevated air intake.

From what I've seen and read, they do not provide 'more air,' in fact they provide less. HVAC guys can tell you that, any further length, diameter changes, and bends of pipe where air goes through hugely limits volume. There's also a lot of doubt over 'cooler air,' e.g. our motors don't need cooler air and snorkels don't provide consequentially cooler air.

I think you nailed it, its primarily useful for convoy duty. I know you can make them beneficial for water crossings, but that usually requires routing all your breathers into said snorkel among the other waterproofing.

My main beef with the snorkels i see for sale here is that they're just molded plastic, not the nice aluminum ones you see on the Aussie rigs...

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