new trailing links

[darkstar]

On topic with the Carnage and a question thread, I am putting on some new traling arms that Keith a-la Rovertracks built for me. Nothing real special about them, other than the mounts--they are designed to give the ultimate in wheelbase adjustability. They are bolt on (after all factory mounts are cut off, and new holes are drilled). When I need to lengthen the wheelbase more than the thread at the heim joints will allow, I just unbolt, move a couple of notches, drill new holes, and there it is. Granted, it would have been a lot less time consuming to just weld the mounts to the frame, but oh well. Still a fun project.

The material is 1.75 .25 wall DOM, with a bend for clearance.

[darkstar]

Frame prepped--the only thing not done here is the sleeve for the 3/4" bolt that holds the heim joint. The sleeve was made from 1" thin wall tubing and welded into the frame. The large hole that is vertically centered was there--it is on the outside only.

[darkstar]

the frame bracket

[darkstar]

drilling a pilot hole for the through bolt on the inside of the frame, with a neat setup from Keith.

[darkstar]

I expected it to be pretty easy to drill the 3/8" holes through the frame, but it turned out to be a bitch. I broke a bunch of drill bits!! I don't think it would have been possible without a body lift. it was tight.

[darkstar]

complete.

[cptyarderho]

I really like the idea of moving the arm mounts up and out of the way, mine are getting beat up. How thick is the plate section that makes up the outer part of the bracket?

[darkstar]

the bracket is 3/16". the through bolt is 3/4" mounted in double sheer

[aloharover]

Originally Posted by darkstar

the bracket is 3/16". the through bolt is 3/4" mounted in double sheer

Awsome. Can't believe the bit issue. Not like the frame is that thick.

Is there a plate on the indise of the frame?
Do the bracket bolts go all the way through the frame?
Did you sleave the bracket bolts also?

Pete

[darkstar]

Originally Posted by aloharover

Awsome. Can't believe the bit issue. Not like the frame is that thick.

Is there a plate on the indise of the frame?
Do the bracket bolts go all the way through the frame?
Did you sleave the bracket bolts also?

Pete

There is a second layer of something at the top--that's where all the bits broke. The bracket bolts do go all the way through, and those holes are not sleeved. the bolts come in at the very top and bottom of the frame, close to the bend, so sleeving them is not necessary. there are 8 of them per bracket, so the clamping force is really spread out. plus it would have been too much work. if each one needed to be sleeved, it would have been better to just weld it all to the frame.

edit--another factor is the top row of holes is right where the weld bead for the factory bracket was, making the metal much harder. I'm sure you've tried to drill through a weld before, so you know how much it sucks.

[DiscoDino]

When I chopped my rear section of the chassis (check out the thread "chopped"), I noticed a "zig-zagging" 3mm run across the WHOLE chassis - I think I'll dice up the lost section to reveal exactly what I am talking about. FWIW, I've never cut or drilled at the chassis, so this coule be the reason why the Rover chassis are so known to be strong...

[Bush65]

Originally Posted by DiscoDino

When I chopped my rear section of the chassis (check out the thread "chopped"), I noticed a "zig-zagging" 3mm run across the WHOLE chassis - I think I'll dice up the lost section to reveal exactly what I am talking about. FWIW, I've never cut or drilled at the chassis, so this coule be the reason why the Rover chassis are so known to be strong...

Most of my experience is with early rangies. Where they have bolts though the chassis rails, there is a pressed plate about 1.6mm thick, inside the rails to prevent the rail crushing. A 'C' shape is pressed in where the bolts go through (center of 'C').

This is what I believe you are referring to.

[ISUZUROVER]

Originally Posted by Bush65

Most of my experience is with early rangies. Where they have bolts though the chassis rails, there is a pressed plate about 1.6mm thick, inside the rails to prevent the rail crushing. A 'C' shape is pressed in where the bolts go through (center of 'C').

This is what I believe you are referring to.

All Landie, Rangie and Disco chassis I have owned or worked on have this (newest one I owned was a 1998 model disco). On early Land Rovers the "zigzag" plate is more like 2mm or 2.5mm. If I bolt anything through the chassis I drill the holes larger and weld tubes into the chassis rail, with the same ID as the bolt diameter.

[KevinNY]

What are you doing with the old rear links? I'm interested if you are selling them.

[darkstar]

I'm going to sell them, but I want to see if I can sell them locally first. I would rather not ship them.

[KevinNY]

I'll pm you my email address so you can reach me if local sale does not work out.

[aloharover]

Originally Posted by darkstar

the bolts come in at the very top and bottom of the frame, close to the bend, so sleeving them is not necessary. there are 8 of them per bracket, so the clamping force is really spread out.

Makes perfect sense. Wonder how much force will even be on those 8 mounting bolts where the main arm bolt goes through the frame.

[Twisted90]

Dig the mounts. The first one's that Keith ever built were for my old D90. However, they did not have the bend, they were much longer, and we used a different mounts. I beat the crap out of them for two years and the only damage was few scratches .Might pick up a set of front and rear for my project.

[marc olivares]

i love the end product, but Alex, why not just weld?
do you really think you'll need that much adjustability?
i mean once it's setup correctly, wouldn't the heim have enough length to fine tune?
or you thinking that belt and suspenders on spandex pants will give you more warm fuzzies?

[DChapman]

I have a simular set-up, but I went with the Currie Johnny Joints...

[Jack Straw]

Dan:
How many miles do you have on those joints? When you set them up did you set the preload with 1, or 2 washers? Just curious as to how the races hold up after they get some use.

[DChapman]

Not sure what you mean by washers.....On the inside of the C-clip, I have two washers, if that's what you mean. One on each side of the bushings.

As of now, I have about 15,000 miles on them. I grease them with every oil change, and so far I'm not getting any "slop".

[Bluewater]

Originally Posted by DChapman

I have a simular set-up, but I went with the Currie Johnny Joints...

rovertym mount?

[DChapman]

Steve made the mounts and the actual link. I made the threaded collor for the johnny joint and the threaded "shaft" on the link, and welded it all together.

[Jack Straw]

Originally Posted by DChapman

Not sure what you mean by washers.....On the inside of the C-clip, I have two washers, if that's what you mean. One on each side of the bushings.

That's what I was referring to. As the races wear, you adjust the preload by adding washers. Other designs (krawler, flexxx) use threaded housings with retaining nuts that you can torque down to take out any slop. The urethane currie uses seems to work well. They look good.