I went to the rubicon over laborday weekend. I had clearance issues and took it easy on the car, but still managed to bend all but one lower arm and rip the driverside lower front mount off.
Also, I sliped in a v-notch fubaring the driverside. I can probably fix most of the body damage.
pics (http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/scottsbent70/lst?.dir=/93%27+zj&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/)

Well obviously that concept was a flop:shaking:
New ideas:
high clearence (tucking arms up between the rails)
3-links
sleaving the pipe
using my trail rig instead of the dd:rolleyes:

Originally posted by bent70
took it easy on the car

did you just refer to your jeep as a "CAR":rolleyes: come onnnnnn,

did you not think about ground clearance issues, they arms hang lower than your crossmember and are half the length of your rockers, yes long arms are an advantage but if you plan on using you arms as sliders then build them to take the punishment,

one way: would be more ground clearance(more lift, fab something on top of the axle to compensate for short springs)
second way: would to totaly over kill the arms to double as sliders

there are endless possibilites so back to the drawing board

I can consider the zj a car, its got plastic all over the place, handles like a car and has a cars unibody.:flipoff2:
I knew they were a little long when I built them as a prototype to learn from and adapt to. I do want to put some more lift on too. As for clearance I could have cut the brackets down, but was to lazy. I could have gained 1-2" though.
I thought I built them overkill using 1.75sch30, figuring the .250 wall was more than enough. Thats the only thing I am really pissed about because on my trail rig I use smaller 1.5sch40 and havn't tested it yet. Don't worry it's got 3x's the clearance than the jeep. Just have to figure how to beef them up now.

do you think that you broke the lower mount because you hit something? If not I can tell you why it most likley happened. The way your radious arms are set up will cause bind and the breakage. There needs to be a bushing where the short upper arm meets the long lower arm. This will allow for the different arc that the right and left arms have when your rig flexes. There was someone that did this on an XJ and the first time out he tore a mount right off. Put a bushing in and it was fine.

Hope this helps...Phil:usa:

great job, I'd have to say I appreciate the sheet metal more than the long arms as you must have expected that damage when designing arms that drag on RR crossings. :eek: :flipoff2:

That bracket was already beat to shit and I belive way hit again. I also belive the fact there are no bushings between the upper and lower arm factored in heavily too. I was kind of expecting it and hoping it wouldn't happen. But all was ok since the other arm still had its upper and lower connected making it a true 3-link when the one point broke.
Hey, I ran out of material for bracing the "frame". Thats why my arms are so long.
:flipoff2:
I will weld in some crossmembers at the outer ends of the reinforced "frame", which will help shorten the arms and tuck them up inside the unibody.

I think TJ is right -here how I am doing this one. It is 1.5" x .5 wall with 1" grade 8 all-thread rosette welded to the inside. I hope it will hold up.:flipoff2:

Originally posted by bqnbits
I think TJ is right -here how I am doing this one. It is 1.5" x .5 wall with 1" grade 8 all-thread rosette welded to the inside. I hope it will hold up.:flipoff2:

How do you fit 1" all-thread into 1.5" .50 wall tubing? Maybe you mean 1.5" .250 wall? This is the same as my steering links and I would be a bit wary of using this for CAs. 2" .50 wall would be nice though, if that;s what you meant

SeanP

THATS WHY I LIKE LEAF SPRINGS :D

Originally posted by bent70
I can consider the zj a car, its got plastic all over the place, handles like a car and has a cars unibody.:flipoff2:
I knew they were a little long when I built them as a prototype to learn from and adapt to. I do want to put some more lift on too. As for clearance I could have cut the brackets down, but was to lazy. I could have gained 1-2" though.
I thought I built them overkill using 1.75sch30, figuring the .250 wall was more than enough. Thats the only thing I am really pissed about because on my trail rig I use smaller 1.5sch40 and havn't tested it yet. Don't worry it's got 3x's the clearance than the jeep. Just have to figure how to beef them up now.
You mean you used schedule 80 pipe for arms? Granted the stuff is thick but from what I've read pipe isn't as structurally sound as tube. I've used it to build bumpers and sliders but never suspension goodies.

thats why I converted to leaves :D

Originally posted by AthlonAJ

You mean you used schedule 80 pipe for arms? Granted the stuff is thick but from what I've read pipe isn't as structurally sound as tube. I've used it to build bumpers and sliders but never suspension goodies.

NO, I dont want to read through another pipe tube debate!!!!!
Yes DOM is better bu com-on the same walled DOM for alot more cost would have bent also look at it its all bent up!!!

But Yea, it was sch 80 right?

Id use some sch80 for my arms but mine are not long at only 16.5in and tucked out of harms way, they will hold up, but your arms are SOOO long.

The guys said build them like sliders, well alot of us use sch 80 for our sliders some use sch40.

SO Go larger diamater and thicker walled best of both worlds. you shodul redesign, that sch80 should have held up ok, but I dont know how you were driving?

Its good to see your results. keep us updated...

Originally posted by ashmanjeepXJ


NO, I dont want to read through another pipe tube debate!!!!!
Yes DOM is better bu com-on the same walled DOM for alot more cost would have bent also look at it its all bent up!!!

But Yea, it was sch 80 right?

Id use some sch80 for my arms but mine are not long at only 16.5in and tucked out of harms way, they will hold up, but your arms are SOOO long.

The guys said build them like sliders, well alot of us use sch 80 for our sliders some use sch40.

SO Go larger diamater and thicker walled best of both worlds. you shodul redesign, that sch80 should have held up ok, but I dont know how you were driving?

Reread, he used Sch 30 :eek:

Originally posted by bent70
I thought I built them overkill using 1.75sch30, figuring the .250 wall was more than enough. Thats the only thing I am really pissed about because on my trail rig I use smaller 1.5sch40 and havn't tested it yet.

Originally posted by JEEP_TJ_FREAK

Reread, he used Sch 30 :eek:


PIPE CHART (http://www.haynesintl.com/H1030aArc/WeldedSP.htm) THE SCH30 IS A TYPO
EDIT: OR THE SCH30 IS A NON STANDARD SIZE BUT IT STILL WOULDENT BE .25IN WALLED.

1-1/4IN PIPE, 1.660 OD 0.191IN WALLED
OR
1-1/2IN PIPE, 1.900 OD 0.200 WALLED
OR
2IN PIPE, 2.375 OD 0.218 WALLED.

THESE ARE THE THREE POSSABILITIES HE MAY HAVE USED.

I RECALL RECCOMNEDING HIM TO USE THE 2IN SCH80 BUT HIS OD MEASUREMENT OF 1.75 MIGHT MEAN HE USED 1-1/4 OR 1-1/2IN SCH 80 PIPE.

BENT70 CAN YOU VERIFY YOUR PIPE SIZE FOR US.

Sorry about the confusion its sch80
I am have sagged 4.5in springs on it so I plan to go back up to 7in. Also, keep in mind my tires are only 32's and the clearence they yield is very minimal. Thinking 36-37":evil:

check out 350sami's new links, you could do some doubles like that.

350sami (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79653)

STILL: what size diamater pipe did you use?

Its late right now so I'll measure tommarow, but I do know the id off hand. Its 1.5"

Originally posted by bent70
Its late right now so I'll measure tommarow, but I do know the id off hand. Its 1.5"

so its gonana be 1.9in actual outer diamater and will be called 1.5in sch80 pipe. thats .2 walled so 1.5in inner diamater.

Yep, thats it. Worked real well when sleaving my cut in half re control arms. Real tight fit. To bad it bent though.