Didn't go so well. I stopped in a local lumber yard to see if they stock it. They told me they didn't, then the guy remembered there was a pallet out back. It was grey. He told me to take whatever I wanted, no charge.
Tried to use a 2x4 and cut it down. It cut well and looked OK. Went pretty well until I tried to drill the holes. It just made "fuzzy" holes that were impossible to clean up. It weighed a ton too. I just scrapped it.
I made sacrafice rails from 1'' x 2'' steel channel and I can attach to them for other things, actually less expensive than wood replacements.
I blew out the wood (oak) ones at Calico.
I have used the composite boards as well, the secret is to have really sharp tools. All for nothing as the next owner went back to wood! Then again not much wheeling to be done in D.C. eh , Gouda!
Like Morris I also made the rails from steel channel. Mounted them with SS bolts with rubber grommets behind the rail to provide some give. Made each side from 2 pieces of steel to make them easier to install. Local fabrication shop did them for me with holes drilled and tapered ends for $100.
Paul
Paul C.
_________
'73 Swiss 710M SOLD
'89 Puch 230GE
To remedy the fuzzy holes use a forstner bit. You need them to make the recessed holes anyway. The final through holes won't be fuzzy either. Use a small diameter drill to make the pilots so you can drill from both sides. The metal rivets in the body will need slight recesses in the rails on the inside. Drill SLOWLY, this stuff MELTS. Use a drill press, small bench one works fine. There is an order to drilling:
1) Drill pilot holes with the smallest practical fluted drill bit all the way through (it might be a bit fuzzy but it won't matter)
2) Using forstner bit drill very shallow holes on side next to truck centered on the pilot hole large enough to allow rivet nuts not to hold out the rail
3) On outside of rail drill large hole diameter for recessing the bolts centered on the pilot hole
4) Use smaller forstner bit to drill through hole. You can do this from both sides since you have a pilot hole.
Don't drill through holes with small forstner bit first as you won't be able to properly center the larger bits later (well, easily...). Follow the order above for each hole. You can pre drill all the pilots first of course. That will help you check your spacing against the truck.
If you're off a little it is possible to hide this in the recessed hole by rounding out the through hole a bit in the appropriate direction.
Biggest problem with Trex or other manufactured wood is that it is not very stable and on an M you need to support it well when you cut it. The Ks are easy since the length doesn't let it bend much.
Try it again since it is FREE!!! I bought a 12 foot piece about 5 years ago for $25 for my K. Since then I have made others out of the cheaper stuff at Home Depot. I don't like the gray as well, the brown Trex went well with my truck.
Thanks for the tips Russ. Yeah they tried to talk me into taking the whole pallet so I can definitely get more. I might try it again. Only cost was renting the table saw and that was only $20 for a day.
If you are looking for a modified classic look, I highly reccomend IPE wood. Hard as nails, and gives an awesome appearance. It is pretty much impervious to water etc., hence it's "100 Year Wood" monicker.
Make sure you have quality blades/drills as this stuff is hard, but the end result is great.
Cheers,
Scott
Expedition Imports Corporation
Vallejo, California www.expedition-imports.com
"You didn't buy a Chevy..." "Hows that Amazon tech support working out...."
As easily as my wood rails failed I can not imagine going back to wood.
I came up with some metal rails and one of the members of the SWPA is now producing them. I believe he has 8 units on other trucks. I have used them in every circumstance including being hit by a pickup. Never any damage to the Pinz or the rails. In my opinion a much better option and you only have to deal with it once.
mjnims- What does he charge for a set of those rub rails? Contact info? I like the way that they tie the rear bumper into the side rails. I would think that that stiffens the rear bumpr considerably.
I agree with the other guys Mike, those rails look great! I replaced my original wood rails with gray Trex about a year ago. If I knew about these metal rails I wouldn't have wasted my time with the Trex. Good idea tying the rails into the rear bumper like that.
I have had the set I made for my 712 on for a couple of years but we just finally got a member who was willing to reproduce some of the items I have on my truck in numbers. I have used the rails on a bunch of occassions and am really glad they are metal. I think I would have spent a fortune in wood by now. Tim is working on extending the rails down and following the door openings. I do not have a bender that is capable of bending with that much accuracy, so it was not an option when I made them. The tubes are 1 1/4 schedule 40 steel pipe or roughly 1 3/4 outside. They are very tough. A couple of the members are having them extended to make boat racks and other accessories.
