Tab, 3/16 Hole, 1/16 Thick

OVERVIEW

When you are deep into a custom air-cooled VW build, whether it is a rugged Baja Bug, a street-legal Manx, or a high-performance sand rail, the details make the difference between a project and a masterpiece. This A&A Manufacturing 3/16-inch hole tab is the unsung hero of the fabrication world, providing a clean and secure mounting point for everything from brake line clips to lightweight electrical harnesses. Crafted from high-quality 1/16-inch thick mild steel, these tabs are designed to be easily welded onto your chassis, roll cage, or suspension components, offering a permanent solution that eliminates the need for messy zip ties or dangerous self-tapping screws. The precision-stamped design ensures consistency across every piece, allowing you to maintain a professional aesthetic throughout your vehicle frame while ensuring that every mounting point is exactly where it needs to be.

In the world of off-road racing and custom fabrication, strength and weight management are always in a tug-of-war. These lightweight tabs strike the perfect balance, offering enough surface area for a robust weld without adding unnecessary bulk to your lightweight Type 1 or Type 3 build. Because they are made from raw steel, they provide excellent weld penetration, ensuring that once they are attached, they stay attached through the most brutal whoops and washboard roads. Whether you are plumbing a new hydraulic system or securing a custom dashboard panel, these tabs provide the structural integrity required by serious builders who demand Appletree quality. Don''t settle for makeshift mounting solutions when you can have the same hardware used by professional chassis shops across the country. These are essential for any builder''s bin, ensuring you are never caught without the right hardware during a midnight fabrication session.

FITMENT

This is a universal fabrication component commonly utilized on the following air-cooled VW and off-road applications:

• Volkswagen Beetle (Type 1): All years and models for custom chassis work.
• Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: Ideal for securing fuel lines or electrical looms.
• Volkswagen Bus (Type 2): Perfect for custom interior mounting or engine bay organization.
• Volkswagen Type 3 (Squareback, Fastback, Notchback): Great for custom suspension plumbing.
• Dune Buggies & Sand Rails: Essential for roll cage accessories and brake line routing.
• Baja Bugs: Used for mounting exterior panels and light-duty components.
• Meyers Manx & Clones: Perfect for fiberglass body mounting points on the steel subframe.
• Custom Tube Chassis: Fits any 1-inch to 2-inch diameter tubing commonly used in VW fabrication.

SPECS

Technical specifications for the FAB-3056 fabrication tab include:

• Hole Diameter: 3/16 Inches (Commonly used for small bolts or rivets).
• Material Thickness: 1/16 Inch (0.0625 inches).
• Material Type: High-Quality Mild Steel.
• Finish: Raw Steel (Requires painting or plating after welding to prevent corrosion).
• Manufacturer: A&A Manufacturing.
• Part Number: FAB-3056.
• Quantity: Sold Individually (Each).
• Application: Weld-on installation only.

PRO TIPS

1. Surface Preparation is Key

Because these tabs are made of raw mild steel, they may arrive with a light coating of machine oil to prevent flash rusting. Before you strike an arc, it is absolutely critical to clean the tab and the mounting surface on your frame with a high-quality degreaser or acetone. For the best weld penetration, use a flap disc to grind the mounting area down to shiny, bare metal. This ensures a clean, slag-free weld that won''t fail when the vibration of a flat-four engine starts rattling the chassis. If you are welding to a pre-painted frame, ensure you clear at least an inch of paint around the weld zone to prevent contamination and toxic fumes.

2. Heat Management on Thin Gauge Steel

At 1/16-inch thick, these tabs are relatively thin compared to heavy-duty suspension brackets. When using a MIG or TIG welder, you must be mindful of your heat settings. It is very easy to "blow through" the tab if your amperage is set too high for the frame tubing. We recommend focusing the arc slightly more on the thicker chassis tubing and "washing" the puddle onto the tab. A series of short tacks is often better than one long continuous bead, as this prevents warping and keeps the 3/16-inch hole from deforming due to excessive thermal expansion. If the hole does shrink slightly, a quick pass with a 3/16-inch drill bit will clean it right up.

3. Use a Guide Bolt for Alignment

When you are trying to align multiple tabs for a long run of brake lines or a wiring loom, it can be difficult to keep them perfectly indexed by hand. A great trick is to use a long 3/16-inch bolt or a piece of threaded rod to "string" several tabs together before welding. This keeps the holes perfectly aligned in a straight line, which makes the final assembly of your hard lines look much more professional. Once the tabs are tacked in place, remove the bolt to finish the final welds. This prevents the bolt from getting stuck if any weld spatter enters the hole and ensures that your hardware will slip right in once the car is ready for final assembly.