The Chopper Compendium

I've had these Mounts on my Truck for Years.There are 2 & they support a Cooler Rack I use when Fishing.They usually hold up to 110lbs..This is how they sit....I'm putting them on a different Truck & for them to mount where I need them the Plate needs to sit sideways like this.Does this look like it will hold sitting like this or should I add bracing?

I would add braceing beer is valuable don't know if id trust one weld to hold 110 lbs of it

Bracing is good. Better to be sure.

Bracing will be added.I'll post a Pic of the Mounts when done....THANKS

Jeff - If I understand the concept, you really only need bracing on the underside. What's the span length (distance from tube to tube?) If the weld is good and 110lbs is max, probably don't even need it, but shear would be your primary force... and local bending of the plates. May want to move the bearing point / bolt connection closer to the tube Are you fabing new runners that run from plate to plate?

Probably WAAAAAY more that you wanted, but.....

I made some conservative assumptions (A36 steel w/ 0.33Fy allowable bending stress = 11.8ksi, 0.25"thick x 3"wide x 8" long) and came up with a max load of 46lb each bracket before failure due to bending stress. In reality you could probably stand on the end of the bracket and it may bend a little with a static load.

I'd run a lower support strut (will take the vertical load in a resultant axial force and transfer it to the circular tube via the weld) to the end of your mounting plate.... same width as the portion currently welded to the tube x say 0.25" thick. At those dimensions the buckling load of that strut would be 17kips (not even close to what it will see with your use).

Another option would be to better cross-section by improving the bending capacity. An easy way to do this woudl be weld a section of that round tube to the underside of the plate you currently have - notch it to "t" into the mounting tube and run it to the end of the mounting plate. ...Or use a small rectangular or square tube.

Again - probably WAAAAAY more than you wanted.

joe

Cooler rack...... didn't know there was such a thang..... my cooler sits on the seat of my truck...... between me and my fishing/hunting buddy !! .... ; )

This is what the Cooler Rack looks likeThere is 30" between tubes that slide in the Mounts....I cut the Mounts apart & redesigned them.This is what I came up with