The Koffer Connection
13 November - 20 December 2012
The connection of the Koffer to the Truck, had always since I bought it, never been very good.
So I now finally get round to rebuilding it in a stronger and better manner
This is the old connection of the Koffer to the Truck Frame at the front. The Koffer is sitting on 3mm steel and held on with only one 12mm normal strength bolt and some bad welding!
This is the connection in the middle of the koffer. Again held with one small bolt (removed) !
So Ive had to jack the Koffer away from the Truck so that I can take out all the old Cross members that it was sitting on. The person who had fitted this had also put little spacer pieces under the Koffer frame as the back cross member was higher. My plan is to cut all the old cross members out and replace them with new ones of the same size 8mm wall thickness 100 x 100mm. Then Ill mount springs at the front and middle cross member and fix the rear.
So this is the middle cross member after I have cut it away. It will be removed once I have put the new cross member in position. Here also can be seen one of the spaces under the cross member.
Another thing that needed doing was to cut out a strip along the bottom of the koffer front as it was all rusted through
After cutting out the rusty strip I machine wire brushed then painted over the remaining steel with Brantho-Korrux
Then I riveted a 2mm steel plate over it putting it down on a seal of Sikaflex
This is the old back cross member after I cut it away from under the koffer
Cutting away the cross member remains.
The steel U profile to the right has to be cut
out as it has 6mm difference in height to the koffer frame. This had been the frame that held the old sliding steps from the back of Koffer
So in the meantime winter has arrived and I end up working for days under the Truck in this blizzard
This is the back cross member and Ive had to drill holes in it so that the rivet heads of the frame sit into them
Notice the snow has already filled the drilled hole up and the ground under where Im working is now ice!!!
Here is the back cross member sitting in place
The rear connection plate is now bolted on with 10.9 strength bolts.
Same on the other side and then painted with Brantho-Korrux
The old front cross member took a lot of cutting to remove, then grind back all the rough edges
Cut away part of the old original koffer
connection support so that I can fit in
the new one that Ive built
connection support so that I can fit in
the new one that Ive built
The front area is now all cut clean and ready for the connection pieces to be bolted on
The first of the upper spring holders is in place and waiting for the bottom holder to be mounted before installing the other bolts and tightening every thing
Now the first spring holders on both sides of the front have been bolted on and painted
This is the right hand middle spring holder mounted
Here is how it works. Ive jacked up the side of the koffer and the cross member has lifted away from the truck frame while being held on with the spring. The cross member is sitting against the side of the lower spring holder and this provides the lateral support of the koffer
So here the Truck is in action and the koffer suspension system is working!
Here can be seen the different movement between the cab and the koffer