Hey im gonna suck it up and post my embarrasing breakage.

Root cause, wimmpy material. should have built it heavier... I knew better, wasnt thinking... Had "light weight" on my brain at the wrong time....

Heres what happend. Im 3rd in line up this hill on 8c at the Big Dogs - main jambo ride in Gore, VA 1st 2 winched, i said "im gonna make this" I had done great up to this point with only a minor fuel/vent line repair. Suspension was workign great etc...

I get up the first bit and hammered the 2nd part... ,to be honest i was in the zone and have no recolection of these actual events, the video shows it rather clear though.. I was being silly... Got on the skinny peddle and got bouncing. 1 bounce hit the arm (see pic) while I was under under power, it gave, pinion rolled up (worse than in pic, this was back at camp) this bound the drive shaft and the t-case mount ripped off and slammed my scabed in floor board (no time for seat to make this ride)

Axle pulld forward on that side about 6" and wedged into my tube stuff. Removed rear shaft on the spot and backed off. out of the way... aird down alot on that tire, and adjusted my rear track bar to pull it off that side, it worked enough so i could move...

I used a rachet strap to hold down the t-case, removed the rear coils and set it down on the shocks and block of wood (see below) and i was ok for now... I watched Jeff from OCC remove the many small pieces from his very nice curry HP 9" axle on his TJ. the ebrake had shreaded accidently, that axle is VERY slick, we dubed it the sleeper TJ,

When he was ready the other had passed we moved on out, him nersing his drag link, me in FWD, I got tuged in a few spots, after I busted the t-case strap, (sharp edges on my belly pan skid)

With the tcase kinda out of whack the front DS was hitting the skid at certain rpm/torque, i was just happy to be rolling on my own power...

Many repair options to think about..... Im leaning to leafs based on how well my front leafs cleared everything. Big tires rule !!!

But anyway...

http://www.yager.net/zukin/trips/20020920/dscf0586.jpg

one of me before i broke...
http://www.yager.net/zukin/trips/20020920/dscf0577.jpg

Sounds like an exciting weekend. Thanks for sharing the repair pics, I like seeing the trail ingenuity that goes into some of these repairs.

ouchhh.................. thanx for the pics

what did you make your links from??

Finesse :flipoff2:


What big tires ? :rolleyes:

are your lower links welded to the housing :confused:



:massey:

Hey, I got one of those! :D

It was made from 1.5" .120 ERW

link is attached to the housing at 2 pivot points just under the stock spring perch. and then a pinion adjusment link in the middle.

I was happy to see that none of my welds broke when things let loose, good to see things held in that respect...


While I may not be on the same scale as others with 'only' 35" tires, they are big to me... so humor me and let me call them big. :rolleyes: Finess was driving out afterwards....

-yag

Just an idea, maybe a rib along the top of your link? looks like you'd have clearance for one that ran most of the length of the link.

Thanks for the idea chris, not sure what im gonna do with it...

Based on my first inspection... I just used to light of material and when it deflected things went silly...

I was gonna add more bracing but ran out of time... Not sure if it would have been in the right spot...

keep the ideas, suggestions etc.. coming. Im listening...

I loved how this setup flexed on the trail and was able to drag over larger rocks with out fear... Its not a super flex design by any means but did what i wanted it to do...

I'm at a point where i need to decide to keep going forward with this idea or move on with more conventional stuff... So far the ideas for improvments/redo are:

1) 2" 1/4 wall box with similer design, but using 2 upper "adjustment links, triangulated in the arc needed for adjustments then triangulating them to the bottom part ... (i can draw pics if needed)

2) make a large(r) "truck arm" design. Thats u-bolted to the top of the axle (w/ perchs etc.) that goes to either 1 J-joint or maybe 2 joints ?... This would be say 2x3 ~3/16" box vertically placed, with some reinforcments where it attacheds to the axle

3) conventional leafs... <--- nice and simple

4) king/fox/SA coil over set up with conventional 4 link ish setup...

I'm entertaining any and all ideas at this point, before i move forward....

Thanks !

I'm headed outside to hose off the muddy tent and other filty stuff...
-yag

looks like that tube bent right where you welded that cross piece to it. Perhaps welding weakened it.
I'm for the add some brace on top to reinforce and go with it.
Don't give up on your ideas, you got the time into coils, stick with em. heavier tube and reinforcement should take care of that problem. good luck

One of the biggest helps you can get is to move your lower mounts down below center line of the axle. With the mounts coming off the front of the axle, there is a massive leverage arm being produced by the axle torque. It's crushing the lower arms. As the tube deflects, the leverage gets worst and a run-away failure will occur. If you mount the lower link below the axle (at least partially), the upper and lower link work together to control torque, instead of fighting each other.

I know it lowers ground clearance, but you will find that the mounts being close to the tires seldom ever causes hang-ups!

Since your triangulated arm is on the bottom, it's gonna be difficult to truss for strength. So, you are just gonna have to go BIG to avoid bends from the rocks...

Ok here is my idea,

If you don't mind adding a little weight. Step up on the wall thickness, and had a 1/8" plate to the bottom. it will act as a skidplate for everything and serve as a huge gusset:D

Mike, man it kills me to see all of the :nuke: after your mad dash to get to the event. I wish it weren't so. Anyway, as with everyone else, I have an idea too. I think you should just forget about yours and come and help me build mine! :D I mean, you need some time away from that thing so you can regroup and attack. I don't think i'm being selfish here, just trying to take advantage of a guy when he's down. Wait, did I say that???:flipoff2:

Oh, I'm taking my junk to Zuwharrie if you want to shotgun.

Bill !!!! DAMN !!!! Do i have to paint it GREEN !!!? ?@?@?

believe it or not i have 1/8" cut to fit exactly what you have drawn, but at 1:30am the morning before I left that fell off the list... I have a few other things to draw out and look at.

okcrawler - thats a good point. Orig. design was to work with the 32s and maximize things, thats not a big point now, so that will work, thanks...

NC ZUKE !!! Mines already been forgotten as far as actual work goes, just web wheeling again... i need a break.... Some bolt on stuff would be easy :flipoff2:

Ill take you up on your offer to ride shotgun, i doubt ill even touch mine by then, i have other projects to take care of... (work/house etc..)

If you were closer id swing by and throw you on the trailer... Do you go through carthage ? Its just as easy for me to go through sanford that way or around 85/220 way.... might not be worth the effort.. but might be easier if you drive like i do
:flipoff2:
-yag

Originally posted by zukipuke
Bill !!!! DAMN !!!! Do i have to paint it GREEN !!!? ?@?@?


Weeeeeelllllllll If the axle was still :rainbow: white, then yes. but since you wised up and painted it black you can go with pink if you want:flipoff2:

Originally posted by Bill4rest
Ok here is my idea,

If you don't mind adding a little weight. Step up on the wall thickness, and had a 1/8" plate to the bottom. it will act as a skidplate for everything and serve as a huge gusset:D

I mind very much, you smokin that plastic , i mean crack again ?
That skid plate idea is full :rainbow:

Originally posted by Titanium


I mind very much, you smokin that plastic , i mean crack again ?
That skid plate idea is full :rainbow:

Is this your "useless opion" ? like you i seek knowledge....

Seriously I'm curious as to why you say that? Is it the proposed color ? (ya its kinda loud....)

Or the concept. Im still searching for ideas to make this better so if you have some actual ideas/thoughts, let hear em.... Obviously i mucked it up the first time and need to do it better...

But, so far your contrabutions boarder on the weak side....

Or ....maybe your just padding ..... :flipoff2:

-yag

Originally posted by zukipuke


Is this your "useless opion" ? like you i seek knowledge....

Seriously I'm curious as to why you say that? Is it the proposed color ? (ya its kinda loud....)

Or the concept. Im still searching for ideas to make this better so if you have some actual ideas/thoughts, let hear em.... Obviously i mucked it up the first time and need to do it better...

But, so far your contrabutions boarder on the weak side....

Or ....maybe your just padding ..... :flipoff2:

-yag

Naw he's just tring to smack:rolleyes: anyway I made it green so you could see it easier, because I know there are some old:cow:'s on here LOL

After mine bent (2" sch. 80 pipe), I made the new ones out of smaller, but thicker metal (1 1/2" .400 DOM) and used two pieces with gussets in between. The gussets are not in the pictures, but they are two pieces of 1/4" plate about 4 inches long welded between the two pieces at about 12" intervals.