Here We Go: DD Build

[DeMinimis]

Yup

[DeMinimis]

Time to start working on the a-arm front shock mounts. Here's the deal. My lower arms are 3" narrower than the originals. The deduction in length comes in the form of the straight leading tube. The length of the trailing tube, insofar as the length from the bung end to the leading tube) remains the same as the originals ( has a different bend location for wheel clearance and the angle, relative to the front tube, is different, but the overall length remains the same). The shock mounts on the new arms were, of course, done poorly. Also, they were the same (tube lengths, angles, etc.) as the shock mounts on the orig arms. That no workie. If both arms of the new arms reduce the same relative distance, one coudl use the same setup. That would have allowed the shock location to remains the same with the same setup. However, since only the front tubes are shorter, and thus the shock placement is approx 3" inward along the straight line straight tube, it just wont work (lower parts of the shocks woudl be kicked out way forward and have less clearance between them, etc.). Think of the arms as a triangle (chassis ends being at the bottom). Draw a line representing the height of the triangle (bisects the triangle). At the top, the properly placed shock mounts on the originals would be centered on that line. If both arms were reduced by the same ratio when building narrower arms (or longer for that matter), then the shock mounts would remain on that line and all would be right with the world. Instead, only the front arms were reduced and the shock mounts remained the same. All that probably made zero sense. Anyway by sliding the mounts along the straight tube, instead of placing the shock mounts along the centering line, I can't even install the coilover with the coil on it) and, as mentioned above, the shocks would be laying backwards at a pretty noticeable angle (which hurts the shock's performance, closes the already minimal space between the shocks, and shortens wheel travel). These lower mounts are the same as the upper mount. It's a three-piece design (left shock, center section, right shock). To get my shocks into the right position (vertical in relation to the upper and lower mounts and forward and aft), I had to mock my bypass the the outside rear of the lower rear shock mount (with spacer) and install the C/O in the center (had to remove the bushing that was only tacked in there (because he didn't even use the correct dual mount setup, but rather used a single and added the wings, so that was easy)). Now you're really lost, so let's catch up.

Single mount:


Dual mount (1"OD bushing through the center as opposed the .5" holes in the single):



The crap (and crooked) job on these $1548 arms (mason string on outside of lower mounts meets the inside front of the upper rear mount to get to vertical ):


Here are the mounts on the orig arms (3" wider per side). Gusset measurements and angles are all the same as the crap arms (imagine breaking the gussets/mounts loose and just sliding them down the leading tube to a new location inboard. Of course the shocks will now be way out of line and have interference issues).



BP mocked using the proper rear upper mount and fixing it to the rear outside of the lower rear mount (with spacer) to get it vertical (well, 89 degrees as it is the best I can do with this mess):


C/O mocked using the proper front upper mount and the center of the lower mount:


Using this as my guide, I was able to cycle the suspension to verify no problems and determine the placement of the upper arm tube gusset. I was also able to determine my front wheel travel will be 20" (I was expecting 18", I even drew it out, so I was pleasantly surprised).

So, I'm going to stick with the current location. I'm going to build my mounts using a center, right and right and a center left and left pieces to make the mounts. The center piece (which will, in fact, be the front mount) will be for the C/Os. That's the piece that welds across and along the lower arms of the tube gusset "T". I will have to weld a 1" bushing in that outside hole. The mount directly aft of the center will now be a center section (I'll drill this mount from .5" for the proper 1" through bushing and weld them in place. Rear of that mount (again, which is a shock mount I'm treating as a center section) will be another of the same mount for the bypass. Suspect that makes sense now. Now, the shock mounts are radiused for 1.5" tubing. For whatever reason, he used 1.25" for the tube "T" gussets. So, I'll rebuild the gussets with 1.5". I can not see any reason not to use 1.5" (no clearance issues) and the fit-up will certainly be better than the crap I got. That's the plan. If I can salvage the current center mounts (which, again, are really single mounts), then I won't have to worry about welding a bushing in the outer hole to make it .5". Suppose I coudl order a couple of single mounts, but at $30 (because of shipping), I'll see if I can salvage or I'll have to use the proper dual mount pieces I already purchased.

[Leatherneck]

We have got to get you to look and take a pic of the Big Picture. Helps those not there to see all what you are looking at, better perspective of your mad plan.

[DeMinimis]

Oh, go play on your boat Leather

Okay, big picture:

[DeMinimis]

Ain't buyin' that? Okay, here's a 10 car. Similar setup in the front (near identical but for the arm lengths). Note the bent right (your left) lower a-arm? My leading tubes are internally sleeved, so this should not happen.

[petew]

Oh, go play on your boat Leather

Okay, big picture:

Bahahaha!

[Leatherneck]

lol, he is a funny guy. It's just hard seeing the angle of the dangle from the pic, the one with a bent arm does help though. BTW, come down Thursday and we will go on a boat ride, supposed to be 85°

Your doing great, paying attention to the little stuff.

[DeMinimis]

More freakin' snow! Gave me a chance to install 33x12.5 15 KM2 tires on my beadlocks. When the tire is wide, too wide to install the ring due to rear bead not sliding far enough outward, you've got to get creative. Did this bit of stupidity in order to fill with enough air to seat the rear bead, which in turn allowed me to work on installing the beadlock. Actually worked and I didn't lose my head.

20170208_104021-600x800.jpg

20170208_163934-800x618.jpg

[CentralWAbaja]

I feel your pain....14.50 squeezed down on a 7"

[DeMinimis]

At least you had some thin sidewalls to work with. Those 3 plys on the KM2s were a real drag. Anyway, the trick worked and it took very little psi to pop the rear bead in place. I would suggest no one ever try to do it that way, ever. Next time, I'll take a the time to get a better assortment of washers. Keep thinking I may want to go to 4.5" rims in the front some day (it's been suggested). Those will be an even bigger bear (10.50 fronts).

I'll have to take the ring off one of the wheels. I have one bolt hole that is stripped (bought these used). I'll install a EZ-Lok insert in there and it will be better than new. Love those EZ-Loks. Every single thing in the world that has alumn as the base metal and uses a steel bolts should have EZ-Loks installed from the start. Everything.

[CentralWAbaja]

10.50 KM2 on the 4.5 is a bit of a bugger, but we're getting pretty good at it now. 5 Gallon bucket, 5 longer bolts, and two people is what we do, but have done a few on my own, as well has the kid now. In that case 2 sets of 5 longer bolts is what I do. Wheel on a 5 gallon bucket first set of bolts evenly spaced pulling the ring down then the next set of bolts next to the first set and pull the ring down some more. Then install all of the normal bolts and begin to evenly pull it all down. We use a little dish soap to help the process along.

[CentralWAbaja]

BTW those 12.50's look real good on there, real good!

[DeMinimis]

Why thankee!


Going to skip the Mountain this weekend. If kid #1 makes it to districts, then it's swim meet time. If not, then I'm going to try and knock out the lower a-arm shock mounts. That's the plan anyway.

[Leatherneck]

Ya have to stop stroking Wades ego, he is ridiculous now.

[CentralWAbaja]

Ya have to stop stroking Wades ego, he is ridiculous now.

Dude I totally hijacked his thread with my own coolness pics. I had to do something to make up for it.