Not so budget 3-link build

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by slimneverdies

Ah man! You should have left all that pretty metal bare and put some protectant over it......

That's what I was thinking to. Scotch brite it all and clear coat.

I understand what a dimple die is. What do you use to stamp it? Does it require the pressure of an electric punch press, or just a hydraulic hand press.

[edflores]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

That's what I was thinking to. Scotch brite it all and clear coat.

does that actually work? no one can tell me how i keep the metal look. i wanted to do that on my dropmember, and in my 4 link, as well as my bumpers and trim.

[Twisted Minis]

A lot of people have said I should have just cleared everything. I've cleared bare metal before, and it turned yellow over time. I hear really high end clears take a long longer, but they still yellow, and they are a lot more expensive than flat chassis black.

For the dimples, I use Blair Holcutter's to make the holes, and a press to form them over the dies.

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

That's a sweet set up man, How much lift can you get using that joint on the wishbone? I've just never seen one done that way, but it looks killer man!

It cycles about 20 inches.

[scotts62]

Yeah that turned out really good! Nice job

[Twisted Minis]

Originally Posted by edflores

does that actually work? no one can tell me how i keep the metal look. i wanted to do that on my dropmember, and in my 4 link, as well as my bumpers and trim.

Only thing I have found to work, is spraying everything with WD40. And cleaning it thoroughly and re-applying the WD40 every so often.

My powder coat place says they can do it and guarantee it won't rust, but they still have to blast it to get proper adhesion. Otherwise they will not guarantee it.

As I said in the last post, my experience with clear is that it yellows over time.

[slimneverdies]

I dont know what it takes to keep it from turning yellow but if I could do those airplane welds I would never cover them up. Do you build these for others or is this just for personal whips? I got to step up my welding skills up, and tell me it is tig welded together!

[slimneverdies]

Oop's dumb question. Look at your avatar

[Twisted Minis]

Some is TIG, some is MIG.

I haven't worked on anything of my own in at least a year.

[AceX]

Poor Frank needs some love Seth.

[edflores]

Originally Posted by AceX

Poor Frank needs some love Seth.

frank was sold yesterday i think.

[AceX]

Say it aint so!

[Twisted Minis]

Ya I did.

I was working on a wishbone for p8ntballer1911 today. Got it shipped out, but took a couple of pictures first.

I first welded the 3/4" threaded bung into some 1.5" tube and plug welded it. I then sleeved it with a piece of 1.75" tube, with one end notched for more surface area, and welded them together. I also welded a 3/4" billet steel stud to a Ballistic pivot joint (big).



I then built the rest of the wishbone around that.



And the overall piece.

[p8ntballer1911]

looks great!!!!

[edflores]

can you pm pricing options on something like that? im looking to get rid of my 2 link.

[Twisted Minis]

Yessir.

[D13]

Is that a 3-D (heim type) joint on the front of the wishbone? Otherwise I would think it would bind.

On the wishbone, the axle mounts run crosscar parallel. As long as the axle is level crosscar this is fine, and it will rotate in the up/down plane around the front joint. There is enough compliance in the lower arm bushings to allow this.
Now, what happens on a corner when the axle tries to move side-to side? The triangle wont let it because all of the bushings have very little compliance side-to-side, right? So the whole wishbone will load to one side, and will have a rotational load looking down on the front joint. The lower links will also allow only a little compliance, with a push/pull that wants to rotate the axle back into position. So although there is a large load on the front of the wishbone it's probably not going to bind badly.
Now let's hit a pothole. The axle wants to roll side-to-side (one wheel up and one down). But the wishbone connection at the axle is U/D only, so the rear end and wishbone pivot around the front bushing of the wishbone. If this is not 3-D then it's going to turn the threads on the link and that doesn't bode well.
And now hit a pothole on a corner and the twist load at the front becomes... big.

Just trying to understand what's going on.

Oh, as for clearing metal, if it's not out in UV, try POR-15 clear! Tough, flexible, but will yellow in UV. Painted the rusted/ground gas tank in my garage with it 2 years ago and it looks just like the day I did it. But it doesn't see the sun.

[Twisted Minis]

It's actually a rod end. Heim is a brand, and that's one of my pet peeves (sorry).

It has high misalignment spacers in it, going from 3/4" down to 9/16". It will articulate in any one direction, from centered, about 30 degrees. On the axle side, this nets to around 18-20 inches of travel without any binding. It will also roll to the sides. It's a strong joint, chromoly, capable of handling almost 30K lbs of force.

As far as axle articulation, the bushings I use are a softer grade of polyurethane. Not Energy Suspension, theirs feel like Delrin in comparison. They do begin to bind in articulation, I won't argue with you there, but they do it well. The axle on this can articulate roughly 6 inches on each side, while the other remains stationary, in each direction up or down from level. This is more than most vehicles see on a daily basis, even on the steepest of driveway angles.

[Twisted Minis]

Kind of unrelated, but these are some control arms I am building for another project in the shop that's almost done.

[p8ntballer1911]

I really love your work. How did you learn all this? Trial and error?

[Twisted Minis]

I learn from a lot of places. Trial and error is one. Making your own mistakes I think is one of the best ways to learn. Things really click when you can see why something didn't work, rather than just hear why it doesn't work. I also read a lot. Not so much about fab, just about suspension geometry. I also grew up in a 4x4 fab shop, and grew up around a large group of fabricators. I had a job at a shop that built race chassis for a short while. I just kind of pick up on everything I learn, and try to bring it all into my own fabrication style.

[AceX]

And boy does he love his dimple dies!

Again, awesome work Seth. Each chassis is better than the last.

[LowSmoothCool]

looks killer!

[Twisted Minis]

Control arms are finished. Second shot are some adapter bolts I made to bolt to the stock frame. Last is a mock up shot.

[Joey~AP]

Allsome!

[N2TRUX]

Man don't you hate putting pretty parts on crusty frames. BTW- What the hecxk was hitting that brake booster to rub the paint off?