Sam, I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I have a few more questions about your drilled bushings. What’s the significance of drilling the holes off-center, as you described? Would drilling them centered on the bushing defeat the purpose? From what I interpreted, you should draw an imaginary circle around the axle that bisects the centers of the bushings, and drill the holes where that circle actually crosses the bushes. Is that correct, or are my brain cells dying a slow (or fast) death? Just trying to understand why they are not just drilled top and bottom (centered).

Yea, thats correct. Drill them on the cricle cause this is the direction that the crush tubes move when the axle articulates. Drilling them top and bottom would still work but you may as well place the holes where the bush wants to move. The difference would only be a few milimeters.

I am still going to get an arm and drill the holes and post the pictures. Was going to do them this week but was still too busy. There is a very good chance I will do them next week. Also got a jig somewhere that I can flex the bushes on to demonstrate how they work so if you can wait another week I should be able to post the pics and it will be alot clearer on how to do the mod.

One more week, I promise :D

Sam

Okay, here's a basic question for ya'. On a standard link bushing...Would there be a problem removing the crush sleeve? I'm talking about removing the sleeve that's in the M.O.R.E bushes I bought for my links...With the sleeve removed I can put in a 5/8 - 11/16ths bolt...With it I'm stuck with 9/16's.

I just can't see any reason for the sleeve in a link configuration...I can, however, see the reason for a larger bolt when linking my front end!

--D

The reason for the crush sleeve is so that the bolt can be done up tight so that nothing moves and it is actually friction on the ends of the crush sleeve that transfers the force from the crush sleeve to the mount. This works like this if the bolt is done up tight. If the bolt is loose the force goes from the crush sleeve to the bolt and then from the bolt to the mount via the bolt hitting on the side of the hole. And what this does is it flogs out the hole - im sure you would have seen this. This is the only problem you will have by removing the crush sleeve. You wont be able to do the bolt up tight and the bolt will flog out the hole eventually because the bolt is acting as a pin.

The way to use a pin correctly (like on a tractor or anything hydraulic) is to have a much thicker section where the pin goes through the mount (like a bush or boss welded on the outside of the thin mount)

What I would do (and this is just me) is to remove the crush sleeve and run the bigger bolt. Put the whole thing together and when you are happy with the whole setup I would put a decent tack weld on the bolt and the nut so that the thing carnt move. Weld it so that you can get a grinder in there (or a hack saw) so that you can still get the bolt out.

Remember "If its rough and it does the job then its not rough."

Sam

Originally posted by RockRover
Okay, here's a basic question for ya'. On a standard link bushing...Would there be a problem removing the crush sleeve? I'm talking about removing the sleeve that's in the M.O.R.E bushes I bought for my links...With the sleeve removed I can put in a 5/8 - 11/16ths bolt...With it I'm stuck with 9/16's.

I just can't see any reason for the sleeve in a link configuration...I can, however, see the reason for a larger bolt when linking my front end!

--D

When you say your stuck with 9/16's what bit of the bolt is 9/16's. If thats the shank of the bolt (as in it goes through a 9/16's hole) then you wont break that. Would you???

Or is 9/16's the size of the spanner that fits (what I call a 3/8 bolt).

Sam

9/16th SHANK. That's a 3/4" head (I think...It's late)...Thanks for the run-down Sam. I think I'll just find some 5/8th's or 3/4" bolt bushes.

These things are what's locating my front axle...They will be the bush to the top mount/link...Then I'm using a Rover radius arm as my third link...This will be under the axle about 1-2"...This will give me about a 9" spread between the upper link mounting point and the lower mounting point. I think this is sufficient for the moment arm (with 42's) to hold a 9/16ths grade 8 bolt, but I would HATE to find out the hard way. I might just plunk down the money for Curries 3/4" Jonny Joint...I would have very little deflection (vs a bush) and it would move free and easy...However so would the bush in that I'm using a pin connection at the frame (same as the stock radius arm), and this essentially mimics the Safari Gard 3-link....Geawd I'm tired...

sam I hate to say it but I bent a couple of grade 8 9/16ths bolts on my suspension before I put a double sheer on it. I was too anxious to try it offroad before making up the double sheer and ended up bended I think three of them before the day was over. Granted different suspension set up and I had a lot more force acting on the bolts than Doug will but still they can be bent. By the way Doug if you are looking for big 9/16th grade 8 bolts (anything over about 6 inches won't be carried by even the most thorough bolt warehouse at least in Dallas) you should look up Darling bolt supply http://www.darlingbolt.com/hexcapgrade8_1.htm
-ben

Thanks for the link Ben...I was wondering about those JJ's in single shear on your frame!

--D

Hmmmm. That link shows purchases only in 100 qty. ? Damn.

--D

Rockrover,

you could call up Currie and get the larger center ball thingy for your JJ that accepts a 5/8 bolt.

I'm making some new rear links for a friends D90 and that's what I'm using.

yeah that's what it says, but if you call them and claim to be a bolt distributor their minimum buy I think was something pretty low like 12-15 maybe 20 bucks and the bolts were like 3.23 a piece not too pricy all considering. But you have to pretend to be a distributor or they'll get pretty uppity with you and if given the choice definately don't do business with the distrubtor in tx they suck!!! And they don't have a minimum yearly buy or anything like that just have to sign some credit info stuff and you're in.

-ben

Originally posted by roverhybrids
Rockrover,

you could call up Currie and get the larger center ball thingy for your JJ that accepts a 5/8 bolt.

I'm making some new rear links for a friends D90 and that's what I'm using.

Yup...But I really don't have a need for JJ's on the front links...However I might use some of their 3/4" :eek: JJ's on my third link (if I don't go with the radius arm idea). The 3/4's are pretty spendy $80+ each...I'd only need two for the lower link though...Hmmmmm.

--D