Rig build from Australia

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I thought I'd take a bit of time and show you guys the buildup of my 'rig'Keeping in mind large pickups are prohibitively expensive over here and I didn't want to go overboard buying a truck, I have built up my Mazda BT50. For those that don't known what it is, the best way I can think to describe it is as a compact pickup. Mazda badge engineered it and its based on the ford ranger sold everywhere but North America. If things go well and there is plenty of work after 6 months or a year or I get a contract to work on a mine site, then I'll upgrade to something like a 4x4 Isuzu or Canter.I'm getting pretty damn close to the GVM so I won't be carrying much gear. I have a new Miller Big Blue Air Pak and I will fit a truck box to the rear of the tray to securely store a new 12VS wire feeder, welding leads, power tools and some hand tools. You'll see a recess behind the cab and that is where I'll be storing the gas. On one side I'll have argon and oxygen cylinders and on the other side I'll have an LPG cylinder. I'll attach some pictures of my progress so far. There is still a fair bit to go but I had to get it to this point so I could pick up the Big Blue.The basic frame. I added another little bit to this to support the welder but I forgot to take a picture.This is after I got the sheeting cut up and tacked on so I could drive it home.And with the welder fitted. I'm pretty happy with it and I suppose I should be happy with it. Its the most expensive thing I have ever purchased. It was $8000 more than the car its on.
Reply:Which one is the truck?
Reply:that welder is massive!
Reply:Damn that is nice.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Looks great. The welder looks huge compared to the truck.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Gonna put a snorkle on your welder also?  That is a serious rig.  Please show us more pictures as you go along.
Reply:would be interesting to see that snorkel in use. does the Miller come with a wet suit i am wondering about the max load rating of those tires.
Reply:Research Timbren helper springs.  I use them on all my lgiht duty trucks.  They are even on the front of my C7500 from the factory. They are by the best option IMO for a helper spring.  I would put the biggest transmission cooler I could find on that as well if it's an automatic.  That is a huge welder.  I'm driving an S-10 unitl I put a remaned engine in my 2500hd and could not imagine putting that size welder in the back. Nice Work on the bed!!
Reply:It's rated for 1300kg on the back and it can legally tow 3000kg. The snorkel is there to get the air intake out of the wheel arch. The air filters last a lot longer with the snorkel picking up nice clean air and I used to do a lot of river crossings so the snorkel was pretty important. My biggest worry is the duel mass flywheel on it. They have a habit of coming apart and burning clutches on the earlier models. I suppose the welder looks big but its smaller than something like a Air Vantage or a Vantage 580. To give you an idea, the mazda is about the same size as a Chevy Colorado. Hastings Deering who are the Cat dealers in North East Australia use these for their onsite diesel fitters and they load them up to GVM and have little trouble with them so I'm not too worried just yet. The new 2016 Ram is supposed to be coming over here as a factory RHD truck so I would like to have a look at them when they get here but the market in Australia is a lot different to America and Asian built trucks are a lot cheeper to buy, insure, register, service, and get parts.The tires are just under 32'' BFG KM2's and are a Light Truck tire so the load rating will be fine.This is one of the trucks my old boss had for me. Its by far the smallest one but it was set up for one person where the other trucks had 2 Air Vantages and tools for a crew of 6 fitters and 3 riggersLast edited by D1cko; 06-16-2013 at 12:35 AM.
Reply:Sometimes. I'm based in Rockhampton.
Reply:You need a nice Mack for all that gear.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:If this is current http://www.numbeo.com/gas-prices/cou...ntry=Australia I can see the reasoning behind the mini trucks.  Probably happen here one day maybe."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Those fuel prices are pretty close. Around here its between $1.50 and $1.60 per litre and about 10-15 cents more for premium petrol. Diesel is normally a little cheaper but the fuel companies fluctuate the price by up to 10 cents over the period of a day. They have their place and they are popular over hear but there isn't really anything between these and a proper truck with a flat deck other than the landcruiser and even then the new generation of compact pickups are matching the payloads with more comfort and safety.
Reply:Nice set up man! I know you guys are a little limited with your resources over your way, so ya make doo with what ya got! I saw a Lincoln machine on a highway repair truck last week, it was the biggest air vantage I ever saw in person, it had to be the size of a minivan. I actually laughed while I was driving. It was so big it was funny. Nice build and nice set up bud! I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by kaldResearch Timbren helper springs.  I use them on all my lgiht duty trucks.  They are even on the front of my C7500 from the factory. They are by the best option IMO for a helper spring.
Reply:Wow...Wow, speechless...Heaven on Earth.
Reply:Your rig is gorgeous. Did you get the deluxe model by any chance?By my figures you have more than $50k invested with more to come?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaD2764381I've used Timbren springs on the front of my plow truck.  They work great.I tore up one set, but they were lifetime warrenty - they sent me a new set I later welded up a new mount for them and used them in the rear to hold up a slide in camper.Dave J.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonYour rig is gorgeous. Did you get the deluxe model by any chance?By my figures you have more than $50k invested with more to come?
Reply:Originally Posted by D1ckoI'm not sure what the equivalent to this machine is in America. We only get on model and the only option is a choice of 3 VRD options and even then that depends on the part of the country it's being used. It does have the cold start aid but no jump start terminals but other machines I have used didn't have the cold start aid so I'm thinking we get whatever Miller sends over. I was a bit pissed off though because the little panel next to the air tap was damaged in transit. It looks like someone had smashed a forklift tine into it at some point. I asked the dealer about getting a new panel today when I picked up the wire feeder and he said WIA who is the Miller importer here don't care. He had other machines turn up with holes in the side where forks have been jammed in and WIA/Miller said its only a welder. Your figures are pretty close. The machine was $39000 on its own. The wire feeder, 10m cable set and tweco gun I got today was $4000. There are a few other little bits and pieces to get but they should be pretty affordable. I managed to pick up a big aluminium tool box today for $400 to store the wire feeder and other gear. I don't think I could have bought the for less than that.
Reply:$39k welder on the back of a mazda.  you're halfway around the world from me, but if for some reason you ended up in west virginia, you'd fit in just fine around here.  good luck to you.
Reply:Thanks for the kind works. If all goes to plan I should have the tray finished on the weekend and with a bit of luck painted. I'll post a pic of the tool box when I get a chance.
Reply:Time for a bit of an update. I was a bit worried about the springs on the Mazda with about an inch and a half travel left. It was going to cost $1400 for new springs or I could but it towards building a trailer. So after doing the maths if figured I'd be better off making the trailer. I have knocked up the chassis and now I'm waiting on the springs, axles, hubs and brakes to turn up. Its going to be 10'x6' and have tandem axles with a 3000kg GTM. I would have liked to build a gooseneck but I don't have the space to build one at the moment or the money. This is the travel I have now.I have finally got around to installing the light bar lights and number plate. All I have to do now is put in the SHS dropper on the ends of the light bar to stiffen it up and give me a place to install a rope rail. There will be more work to finish the tray but my focus is on getting the trailer done then I can tidy up the tray and paint it. This is the mostly finished light bar with the lights installed.
Reply:IMO that is plenty of travel.  We usually end up with about 3/4-1" of travel(empty/unloaded) on our trucks after installing Timbrens. My trucks are not always loaded though.  This is on 4 trucks with ~ 800k combined miles.
Reply:using those overload rubber bags (choice of air adjustable or just bags) can also be a good alternative to buying new set of leafs.I checked them out and they are similar to products that are available here. What a lot of people are doing is putting in airbags but the chassis isn't designed to have a load baring point between the spring hangers and they are bending at the bellows. The added advantage is now I won't have to drag the welder around when I'm picking up parts or doing quotes and the fuel economy has gone to **** since the welder was put on the back.
Reply:Another quick update. I installed one of the cylinder restraints today. The brand is 'Bottlechock' and they are made by a company called 'vision safe' over here. I like the design and since they are made for restraining cylinders, it makes for less paperwork with insurance and site procedures. There will be another bar to support the top restraint as well as another set of restraints for an LPG Cylinder. I also got the connote number for my trailer parts and they should be here on Tuesday which doesn't leave me much time to get the trailer finished in time. tNext weekend I'll be driving up to Townsville for the V8 Supercars which will be about 11 hours each way and I'd like to have the welder off the back for that trip.