Harbor Fright Ammo Can - this has been done but all I've seen is where, not how.
So, here's how I did it. For the purists, all fasteners are SAE because that's what I've accumulated over a lifetime, so sue me.
I started with locating the box where it's going to sit, checking for clearance issues. Thanks to
@PaulF for mentioning that the upper trailing arm swings in at full droop, something I hadn't allowed for. So I jacked it all the way up and measured again.
Paul posted his details here, including watching for clearances -
Ok guys I've heard some off the wall storage options does anyone have anything Kool they have done other then the obvious store bought made to bolt on items
hondasxs.com
I found that 8" outside the motor mount frame rail put it where it would clear everything. So I started with cutting the two 1" angle iron pieces to length, they aren't the same. Then I fitted them to the ammo can. Since I want to store a 100' x 3/8" winch line in it, I decided to use carriage head bolts because the heads are 'softer' to a nylon rope. In order to keep them from spinning when tightening the nylocks, I squared the holes in both the ammo can and angle iron. It was a lot easier in the sheetmetal box than the 1/8" angle (duh
). I've done this for several projects over the years and have the proper sized square file.
Once the angle iron was cut, drilled and squared, I bolted it to the bottom of the ammo can, measured and cut the joining strap and welded it in (crooked
) but close enough. Measured 6 times and it still moved.
The ammo can -
Amazing deals on this Metal 0.50 Caliber Ammo Can at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
Step one thru 60. I don't normally grind welds but needed a flat surface, soooooo ....
All the parts, pretty simple -
This hole was a b!tch because of the skid plate gusset on the left, even my angle drill couldn't get a straight shot at it. I used a 3/32" pilot drill (short, so better attack angle) and then a 1/4" which stayed true to the pilot hole. I picked this location by attaching the small pre drilled angle bracket to the rear angle, putting it in place (marked earlier) and using that as my template to draw the hole exactly where I wanted it, up and down, front to back.
I intended to drill that hole straight through the frame rail and use a long bolt with a nut on the inside but because I couldn't get a straight shot at it decided to try this. In hindsight, a whole lot depended on this idea working, I didn't have a backup plan. I welded a 3/8" x 1" strap on the head of a 1/4" bolt (yes, SAE 😊) betting it would keep the bolt from spinning while I tightened the outside nylock - there's absolutely no access to the bolt head inside the frame rail (hindsight - unless you drop the skid plate). Test fit to see if I made it long enough, barely. I welded the strap flush with the far side of the bolt head and should have put it half way across.
Here you can see I could have moved the strap 1/2 the diameter of the bolt head to the left, not flush to the right. The next leap of faith, how do I fish that bolt into the frame with only a sliver of access (hindsight - drop the skid plate).
After moving the string to the very end threads, I started by trying to gently tug it into the hole and pull it into place with a magnet, no workie. So I gave it a couple of light, quick tugs, like jigging and damned if it didn't jump right into the hole. I was shocked I tell ya.
That's a 1/4" bolt in a 1/4" hole, I don't drill clearance holes. The black, making it look larger is the black paint on a q-tip that I stuck in there to inhibit rust.
Next lesson, don't do this -
before putting this bolt in. And it won't fit unless you take the nut out of the way, so all the way off. It was a perfect opportunity to drop my carefully fished bolt back into the frame but I didn't.
After putting the box in and out a few times, it marked the high point (center) of the outer frame rail and that's where I put the 1" tie strap between the two angle end pieces. 6-11/16". This is also where I measured 8" to the outside of the ammo can. Because the motor mount is in the way, the hole above the tape measure couldn't be in the center of the frame rail but there's room for a nut underneath and that's all that matters. The frame rail is arched right there, so I was able to get a wrench underneath to hold the nylock nut. That's not the case at the other end (just out of the bottom of the photo).
Trial fit and overview. I decided that I'd rather use two hose clamps than sheet metal screws into the thin frame tube. And they'd have to be flush/countersunk, harder for me to get properly tight anyway. You can see my square holes for the carriage head bolts here. I mentioned the two angle iron ends were different lengths - the front one spans the frame tube but the rear one just catches the edge since it didn't get a bolt down thru it. The corner on that one had to be clearanced to fit under the motor mount.
Ready for the ammo can. I hammered the two hose clamps flat to better fit the bottom of the box.
The R-clip was Paul's idea, I added the wingnut and luckily, got the small hole drilled in exactly the right spot for a tight fit. You can see that the angle isn't tight to the box, I used washers at all 4 corners between the box and angles so I wouldn't distort the box when tightening. You can see a little of the box's original OD Green peeking thru, not compatible with my red on white Talon.
Other dimensions - 1-7/8" center to center -
3-7/16" front of frame rail to center -
Contents - barely fit but I was able to force in an old towel to help protect from abrasion.
There might be room for one soft tie with the towel, I'll see after it settles in.
And the only time it will ever be clean -
