C-Notch

im wanting to Notch my B-2000 but i dont want the run of the mill premade notch.. i have some thick diamonplate.. not sure of how thick.. but id like to use it... im decent with a welder... but what all would i need... im still static'd im going to use a custom 4 link i already have fabbed with a panhard bar... but i was wanting to know how i should reinforce it? i weld exhausts mostly so frame work is a new one for me

Well I would not do a c notch first off, a step notch would be safest....but you can build it in quite a few shapes and still have it strong enough to work...

If you really have to C it instead of STEP it then build a / \ shape with a flat top, and then weld that in...of course leave as much of the frame as possible on top of the notch....I don't recommend taking more than 1/3 of the stock frame out....and also pay close attention to the welds, as the stock frame is not too thick, and if you are welding a lot thicker plate to it then you have to make sure you get proper penetration on the thicker plates withouth burnthru on the stock thinner frame...

Also I would do a plate that extends 6 inches in front and behind the notch on the inside and outside of the frame....and plug weld it to the frame as well as stitch it to the notch just for added strength.

would it be a bad idea to make a notch out of rectangle tubing. like three pieces for each notch in stead of the 4 plates that usual notches have???

the nice thing about the 4 piece notch it the extra are you can weld to...making it stronger....some companies will sell you a tubing notch that you can weld to the top of your frame, but i prefer the 4 piece style, both for looks and strength.

Here is a pic of my notch! Hope this helps you with the shape!



Dev

That is a 4 piece above! Its super easy to do and way strong!

How do you weld that notch together? I have the same one. Im not sure if I should weld the side to the top, then weld that to the frame and cut out the frame and welding in the bottom piece. Or do I weld in both sides first, then the top and then the bottom last?

Ill post pics of the install!

Here you go:

First find your measurements, and clamp the sides onto the frame! Get a nice tack on both the outside and inside of the sides to hold them in place!



Second make sure the top piece will slide into place. I put some gussets on the inside before welding the top piece in to make sure the sides did not warp during the finish welding of the sides!

Put the top piece in and again get a nice tack all around. Use a rubber hammer to get all the lines to come together! And then finish weld the top piece to the side and where it meets the frame!




Third take your trusty sawzall and cut out the section of frame inside the notch! And then install the bottom piece to the notch making sure you leave the edge of the bottom plate on each side to weld on! They make it that way for the welding purposes!

Then weld her all up, grind the welds, flap the welds, and your done!

Here is a pic of a finished notch all flapped down. Sorry about the quality!



Dev

sweet... Thanks for those pics. They help greatly... As for the cross member for the gas tank... Did you put in a fuel cell or make a new bracket for the gas tank?