Well the most recent update. Hoot's got a set of my straps. He was/is busy playing with his new plow(envy here), but hopefully in the near future he'll get a chance to play with them and review them or offer up any advice.


Today I received from Mackin(THANKS MACKIN) enough of the spring steel to last me well into this project. I nearly ruptured my spleen picking up the roll!!.


Cadman(THANKS CADMAN) as promised sent me some samples of a 3M product. It's transparent, thick and looks like it would last a long time to alleviate any potential paint damage. I'm currently investigating a supplier for this material.


I'm waiting on 3 more quotes to come in from new manufacturer's. These shops are better equipped to handle the materials(laser cut, water jet and stamping) than our in house. I'll still have to do the finish work(hinge pin, spring steel etc) but this will allow me to mass produce vs the few hours I have free on weekends to do this myself. Hopefully one of these quotes will come in at a good number. If not our gracious host(DIESEL POWER) has offered to hook me up with the maker of his Nicktane bracket.


Mobowhunter, sorry I haven't gotten yours out yet, this weekend was busy for me, and I was out of the spring material until today.

VR, those straps are just in time. I think Hoot's cables broke after loading that awesome plowhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Shocked.gif. Thanks for your efforts it's nice to know there will be a solid replacement for the cables.


MikeEdited by: HisDMAX

There will be replacements. I feel bad about this going so slow, but I'm trying to get all this together, make it a feasible turn around time, have a great quality product. Hopefully one of the prices I get back will keep me from having to make any major price adjustments.


The best thing of all this is having a few members come together with me on this project and help with needed materials that I was having a hard time locating.


You just gotta love the fact that you can probably drive just about anywhere in North America and find a fellow freak, ummm I mean, diesel place member that'll help you out in a pinch. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gifEdited by: Victory Red

I went out tonight to pick up a new bike for my daughter's Christmas present.

HAD THE PLOW ON!

Anyway, figured I'd be stuffing a big box in the bed so I installed the straps.

Took about 10 minutes. Like Rick said... GM uses these stupid washer/retainers to hold the two tailgate bolts in. That was the only hitch.

They went on nicely. They folded perfectly and the tailgate closed without a noise.... It was dark... tonight at around 8:30 PM.

The only issue I noticed was the one got tight before the other when I dropped the tailgate down. Could there be a difference in hole centers between the two?

As far as workmanship goes. Quite nice for prototypes. The spring clips do what they are supposed to do. They look good.

I'll have to take a closer look at the way the lay in there when folded, tommorrow.

Thanks Rick

I guess they need some real world usage now. I'll be picking up 600lbs of ballast this week. I guess I'll get sandbags.

Glad you got your plow on, btw can you come by and hit my driveway it's supposed to snow Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.


As for one catching before the other. There could be a slight variance in the centers at the pivot. I found that a 1 or 2 mil difference at the punch point makes a HUGE difference in how far the strap allows the gate to open.


It could also be you got one of the straps that was made with a bit that was going bad. I went through a few bits that weekend and the tolerances could be affected by breakdown of the bit as well. This won't be an issue with the final product.


Off topic, I finally got my Cat relocated to the engine mount dual alternator location last night. Actually I had it all done on saturday but when I went to prime I took the plug out a little too far and well I don't think I need to say what happened at that point, but I got a new plug yesterday.

I guess they need some real world usage now. I'll be picking up 600lbs of ballast this week. I guess I'll get sandbags.


And of course you will ride around with this directly on the tailgate bouncing down the free way for real world beta testing ,right ???
Hope so .....
We'll be "strapped" to our seats waiting ,Don't leave us "hanging" ....

Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif Edited by: Mackin

Saw on "Trucks" last weekend they had this electric tailgate lowering and lifting device. You could sit in the cab and lower the tailgate or lift it....with a remote, pretty cool, not sure how practical. They showed it being used as a spoiler (lower the tailgate half way) LOL Jez, what's next....


I was trying to think of ways this would be handy and all I came up with is I could sit in the truck and lower the tailgate when my wife comes out of the store with the groceries. This way I could stay warm, listen to the CD and still be "helping her with the groceries"


What do you think? Divorce imminent or what LOL ha ha ha http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif

http://www.uscom.com/~hoot/cars/duramax/gmc/VR-Straps/thumbnails/DSCN4320.jpg

Here's the rest.... don't forget to use the icons. There are two pages and if you click on a pic it enlarges.

VR Straps (http://www.uscom.com/~hoot/cars/duramax/gmc/VR-Straps/index.htm)

I think they're great! Ricks worry about the bottom making a nick in the paint is overblown. The cables made more marks. These are keepers.Edited by: hoot

Here's why....

http://www.uscom.com/~hoot/cars/duramax/gmc/VR-Straps/images/DSCN4327.jpg

Wow Hoot, that's a good markup for these from a guy so well known to be......uh......blunt???? http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif


Great pics though although I really hate the way the spring clip ended up on the first shot. Doesn't look 'professional' to me. Yes it does the trick and now that I've got a boatload of material for the retainer I'll be able to improve the looks of what you have.


I'm truly hoping to get 25 sets of these made and delivered before the end of the year. There maybe some revisionary work down the road after I get feedback but for the most part I think the design overall is a winner.

All I can say is my observations are totally upfront. No icing on the cake. They installed without a hitch and work perfectly.

Look at those busted cables.... they came off a two year old truck. They must use some really soft cheap steel cable. I don't recall seeing steel cable break that easily.

http://www.uscom.com/~hoot/cars/duramax/gmc/VR-Straps/images/DSCN4311.jpgEdited by: hoot

why not just use heavier cable and sell those?

Wickedsprint, it would take some special tooling/components to replicate the OEM cable-style AND we've already seen how well they work!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Dead.gif The flat-plate style that Victory Red has so handsomely developed are a "Classic" and well-proven design that have been used on pickups for a loooooong time!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif Can't wait to get my set!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

why not just use heavier cable

I'll forward this to GM http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Dead.gif

Then wait for the phone to ring.

Well Hoot you did get them free LOL. Anyhow check my latest posting for the most recent updates.

The only issue I noticed was the one got tight before the other when I dropped the tailgate down. Could there be a difference in hole centers between the two?
It might be some lovely GM engineering too.

My tailgate straps don't have the same tension on them when there's no weight on the tailgate. The DS is taunt, but the PS has just a bit of free play. Once weight has been applied they tighten up and stay that way, even if the weight is removed. Hearing all this about the cables makes we cringe now -- imagine how I feel when I know that one cable is handling more then 50% of the weight! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif

I've tried adjusting everything on the tailgate that I could get a wrench on, but nothings made a d@mn bit of difference. Guess I'll see how the field testing of the VR Straps (hey, did you got a copyright on that name yet?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif) works out and order me a set. The pics sure do make them look good though...

Well there's a good chance it was my screwup. Since the major part of these are being made for me now the problems off a minor variance should be virtually nonexistant.

Hmmm.. in that case I'm taking then into work and having them analyzed on our CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) That baby will show .00001" differences http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Wink.gif

Hoot I actually am curious if there is a variance in your set. If they are a little off, it's probably human error. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif I'm not a machinist by trade, plus the way I was eating bits here and there I'm almost positive there is a variance.


Than again if they're not perfectly matched to each other I guess you'll have to suck it up or buy a set of the productions which will be exact. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cool.gif


You get what you pay for you know. LOLEdited by: Victory Red

I was only kidding about measuring. Jim Wilson probably hit the nail with his experience. These trucks aren't perfect and if you look at all the places where variation is possible, we probably are lucky to have what we got. For all I know the distances could be exact.

On the other hand, even if the centerline of the holes are matched perfectly, different hole dia from you worn bits would effect net distance.Edited by: hoot

Well, I don't think that I'll be shimming mine when they arrive, but I don't use my tailgate all that much anyway. As a matter of fact, I've been running around "gateless" for nearly a month now. I popped off my bed cap first week of November to get my passenger bed side replaced and haven't gotten around to putting it back on. Since I was getting so much buffeting running open bed in the prevalent Ohio windy conditions (and I was going out of town and didn't want to leave a "free -take one" tailgate in airport parking) I took mine off. I've enjoyed running around open bed so much that I've even been tempted to plunk down $400 for a soft tonneau and delay replacing the cap until Spring. Now that my 2-year-old factory cables are unprotected from weather, VR Straps are an important addition!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

What is used to attach the two pieces together at teh joint? Justa rivet? Wont that still wear out after time?

It's one heck of a rivet.....
http://www.uscom.com/~hoot/cars/duramax/gmc/VR-Straps/thumbnails/DSCN4321.jpg

What is used to attach the two pieces together at teh joint? Justa rivet? Wont that still wear out after time?


If you opened it 10 times a day, maybe in ten years? Seriously I don't think there would be much movement/wear here. Remember this isn't something new. IIRC straps replaced chains in the 60's or there about. I've bent the stew out of the old tailgates, but I've never had one of the old straps break on Me or wear out. I think cables replaced straps for profit reasons not anything else.

I was only kidding about measuring. Jim Wilson probably hit the nail with his experience. These trucks aren't perfect and if you look at all the places where variation is possible, we probably are lucky to have what we got. For all I know the distances could be exact.


I agree, I've heard it called tolerence stack up. It exists in the electronics world as well.

I just stumbled onto this post -- great work!! Any plans on making these for the C/K trucks? (I think the length is different). They sure look great and I would be up for a set for my '94!


Scott

Sklunk,


If these are popular enough I probably will expand to other makes(Dodge, Ford) and different model years. I just can't answer if this will be a one time deal or if this will become a regular "business" for me.


If it does turn into a business, the only thing I can guarantee is the prices will go up. After many hours of deliberation with my spouse if too many people begin to want these I'll have to incorporate to protect myself and my family. This was started as a pet project that ballooned into a break even venture. I'm making a few bucks a set, but once I sell all 25 sets I'll recoup my investment into this project and materials. If I need to become a business, well the costs will have to be offset to the price of these to pay for the expense of being a business. For now I'm just having fun and trying to help out my fellow diesel friends.





Also it's not a rivet but a 3/8" Clevis. So even if should start to wear or act poorly anyone can run to their local happy hardware store, buy a new stainless clevis(grinding it down may pose an issue to some) and replace if need be. I did as much forthought into serviceability as my puny mind could.Edited by: Victory Red

I've bent the stew out of the old tailgates, but I've never had one of the old straps break on Me or wear out.
Me too, and no I will NOT tell you the story... http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif