Maize
12-24-11, 04:47 PM
Just finished up the latest project in the shop today.
The project was to extend a 2004 Arctic Cat F7 Patriot Edition from a 128" to a 159", extend the tunnel and tuners, put a new bumper on the sled, build a mounting system for a 2 gallon gas tank and extend that brake light wiring.
Building a tunnel extension for an F7 is kind of like putting a 3-D puzzle together. Everything has multiple angles to it.
The tunnel was pushed off to one side and the rivets sheered off in a lot of places. I hammer and dollied out the body to get it back in shape then used a body hammer and wood to smooth out all the aluminum.
I got the tunnel extension bent up and put into place and then fit the rear cooler:
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1847/tgo2.jpg
Next I made a plate from 1/8" aluminum. The seat sits directly on this plate, thus the reason for using the thicker plate. I then removed the seat post from the rear cooler, and welded that to the new plate.
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/3030/tgo5.jpg
I ordered a second set of edge rail coolers. I cut the old coolers off at the edge of the new extension. Then cut the new piece to butt up to old piece and then TIG'd them together.
http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/2890/tgo4.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/2053/tgo3.jpg
The project was to extend a 2004 Arctic Cat F7 Patriot Edition from a 128" to a 159", extend the tunnel and tuners, put a new bumper on the sled, build a mounting system for a 2 gallon gas tank and extend that brake light wiring.
Building a tunnel extension for an F7 is kind of like putting a 3-D puzzle together. Everything has multiple angles to it.
The tunnel was pushed off to one side and the rivets sheered off in a lot of places. I hammer and dollied out the body to get it back in shape then used a body hammer and wood to smooth out all the aluminum.
I got the tunnel extension bent up and put into place and then fit the rear cooler:
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1847/tgo2.jpg
Next I made a plate from 1/8" aluminum. The seat sits directly on this plate, thus the reason for using the thicker plate. I then removed the seat post from the rear cooler, and welded that to the new plate.
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/3030/tgo5.jpg
I ordered a second set of edge rail coolers. I cut the old coolers off at the edge of the new extension. Then cut the new piece to butt up to old piece and then TIG'd them together.
http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/2890/tgo4.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/2053/tgo3.jpg