#subframe

We realise we've been a little quiet on the Bedford front lately, but it's not for lack of working on it; in fact we've been so busy we've barely had time for an update!

Last week we finally managed to get the subframe attached to the van chassis, which may not seem like a huge step but was in fact one of the biggest parts of the project, taking nearly a whole month of our time as we had to fabricate the entire thing from scratch.

The subframe is necessary to build the box onto, and according to the DVLA must be detachable from the van itself, so after weeks of cutting metal, welding and painting we finally got the damn thing bolted on, which has given us an excellent idea of how much floor space we'll have.

Here’s a photo of Ben learning to weld- neither of us have quite got the hang of it yet, but we’ve been learning on the go, and will hopefully be able to apply our newfound knowledge to the rest of the project.

We know this one has been a while coming, but we’re excited to announce that the latest instalment of Bedford conversion videos will be out tomorrow evening on Youtube! We are quite literally laying the foundations of this build, and for anyone thinking of building their own box from scratch this is a must-watch!

We hope you’ll join us tomorrow night at 8pm GMT- you can head over to our Youtube channel now by clicking the link below!

In trucks operating outdoors for extended periods and on complex road conditions, the subframe, as a core load-bearing component, is highly susceptible to corrosion, which directly impacts driving safety and service life. Hot-dip galvanizing is an ideal solution to this problem, providing long-term protection and performance upgrades for the subframe.

What is Hot-dip Galvanizing?

Hot-dip galvanizing is a process in which rigorously treated rust-removing steel is immersed in molten zinc, forming a uniform and dense zinc coating on the steel surface. Unlike ordinary painting or electroplating, hot-dip galvanizing has extremely strong adhesion to the substrate. Through a combination of physical isolation and electrochemical protection, it effectively resists corrosion from moisture, rain, snow, and acidic or alkaline media. It is currently a mature and widely used technology in the field of metal corrosion protection, offering excellent cost-effectiveness.

TOPOLO Subframe Kits

Core Advantages Enhance Product Reliability

High-Strength Materials

The subframe is constructed from Q355/Q460 grade high-strength steel profiles. This type of steel undergoes professional heat treatment optimization, resulting in excellent overall load-bearing capacity and deformation resistance, with a yield strength of 355MPa and above.

Long-Lasting Weather Resistance

All components undergo comprehensive hot-dip galvanizing, with the coating thickness strictly controlled to 85μm and above, far exceeding industry standards. This hot-dip galvanized layer effectively resists corrosion in complex outdoor environments (including coastal high-salt spray, humid and rainy conditions, and industrial dust), achieving outdoor weather resistance of 15-20 years, significantly extending the subframe’s service life.

Structural Reliability

The subframe adopts a modular component design, allowing core components such as longitudinal beams and crossbeams to be combined as needed. Key connection points are equipped with bolt-locking devices and reinforced fasteners based on actual load-bearing requirements, ensuring not only connection strength and stability but also enabling efficient and convenient assembly and disassembly.

Flexible Adaptability to Different Chassis

The longitudinal beam spacing can be precisely adjusted within a certain range. This design is widely applicable to various vehicle platforms, significantly improving the versatility and adaptability of the subframe under different transportation conditions and chassis specifications.