1,575
edits
Changes
no edit summary
===Prepping The Strut Channel===
#Drilling the Holes
##Flip the Strut Channel face down so that the open part is against your bench and you are looking at the back.##Measure the exact width of the Strut Channel, divide that in half. Mark the center line of the Strut Channel in several locations. Using a pencil and ruler, draw the (lengthwise) center line of the Strut Channel.
##Measure the exact length of you section of Strut Channel (it might not be exactly 5'), divide that number in half, and mark off the center of the piece.
##At this point you should have a cross where the center bolt hole goes. Using your Metric Ruler measure out 30cm & 60cm in each direction and mark those points. Double check your measurements after doing so.
##Then go back and, using a 23/64" Drill Bit drill out each pilot hole. The photos below shows the finished product. You can see the pencil marks as well.<br />[[File:Strut_Channel_Bolt_Holes_1.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Bolt_Holes_2.jpg|400px]]
#Mounting the Spacers & Flat Washers.
##Place a Spacer on top of a bolt , freshly drilled, hole and put a drop of glue on each side. You don't need much. This isn't meant to be structural, just to hold the spacer in place. We will remove the glue later. Make sure the Spacer is properly centered. Repeat for all 5 holes. <span style="color:#55E439">Let this dry for several hours before moving on to the next step.</span><br />[[File:Strut_Channel_Spacer_1.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Spacer_2.jpg|400px]]##Once the glue has dried we're going to tack a Washer on top of each spacer (I wanted a Washer against the truck to ensure that torquing on the Spacer wouldn't damage the truck body.) Because of the way Washers are made (stamped out) they have a smooth side and a sharp side. Put the glue on the sharp side so the smooth side contacts the truck. Place a single, teeny-tiny, drop of glue on a washer and place it on top of the spacer (we use a tiny amount of glue because we want the washer to be able to come apart break free in case everything doesn't line up quite perfectly.) Make sure it is centered. Repeat for all 5 holes. <span style="color:#55E439">Let this dry for several hours before moving on to the next step.<br />[[File:Strut_Channel_Spacer_3.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Spacer_4.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Spacer_5.jpg|400px]]
#Congratulations! The Strut Channel is now Prepped! Time to install!
#Take one Bolt Assembly and place it through a Hole/Spacer/Washer in your Strut Channel Assembly. Slide the entire thing into place in the bed of the truck (you will have to put each Spacer into the hole you drilled in the bed liner.
#Using your fingers screw the bolt into place but leave it very loose. Repeat this procedure for all 5 bolts.
#Go back and tighten everything upwith your 13mm Socket/Wrench/Extension. I like to do this in 2 pass. The 1st being kinda sorta tight. The 2nd being really tight.
#Now go back with your Utility Knife and cut/pry the Gorilla Glue blobs off where they are showing (this shouldn't be too difficult).<br />[[File:Strut_Channel_No_Glue_1.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_No_Glue_2.jpg|400px]]
#Congratulations! You're done! You now have a really useful, really good looking, install of Strut Channel in the bed of your Gen2 Nissan Frontier!<br />[[File:Strut_Channel_Complete_1.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Complete_2.jpg|400px]][[File:Strut_Channel_Complete_3.jpg|400px]]