wanting to relocate lower control arm brackets

[VegasAnthony]

I want to use these

to move my control arm mounts back and up behind the axle housing ..will it work any problems something like the drawing

comments??

 

[mbryson]

Very similar to what I just did. I used 3/8" brackets, though.

 

[VegasAnthony]

anyone?? else

 

[Lucas]

this sounds cool, what about the geometry of the CAs while moving through its travel?

 

[ChuckD]

http://www.jeepfreak.com/long_control_arms.htm

I'll probaly end up doing it to, I have plenty of 3x6x.188 Rect tube laying around from my rear bumper.

 

[Goatman]

anyone?? else

Yeah, I did it on my D30, and now on my D44. Just be ready, you'll wear out your upper control arm axle bushings more often. I'd also use heavier tabs than the ones you showed, those are for shock mounts which don't take the twisting that control arm mounts will take.

 

[VegasAnthony]

Yeah, I did it on my D30, and now on my D44. Just be ready, you'll wear out your upper control arm axle bushings more often. I'd also use heavier tabs than the ones you showed, those are for shock mounts which don't take the twisting that control arm mounts will take.

hey richard got any pics of yoiur fab??
also what metal would yoiu suggest those tabs are from spidertrax they have 1/4 thick ones also??

 

[VegasAnthony]

any of these work

 

[mbryson]

Mine are very similar to the J and K pieces.............happy welding.

 

[Willis]

any of these work

I think these are all mounting tabs for misc items, non of which would be strong enough for mounting LCAs. Most of those tabs are probably 1/8 or thinner. You'd want 3/16 or thicker. If you don't have a way to make some of your own, draw up some, and have them made. I don't know of any pre-fabed mounts strong enough for LCAs, but I am also not shopping for some either. Before buying, make sure you know how thick they are. Most, if not all of those tabs are made by this company: www.aa-mfg.com . Most of these 'frame tabs' that you will find sold by many companies, are actually manufactured by these guys. Cut the middle man and go direct, if that is what you are shopping for.

Also, in j,k,l,m etc, you need to pay attention to the radius of the arc. Most are made for 1-2" tubing, you could fix that with a die grinder though. Also pay attention to the distance from the center of the radius arc to the center of the hole in the tab. Make sure there is enough room for your control arms.

 

[ChuckD]

Anthony, It's not the thickness as much as the form. You can use the 3/16" to 1/4" tabs, but add a plate to box it up. Make it look like a piece of channel, I thnk a piece of 3 x 4 x .188 rect tubing would work really well. You can cut just about any shape out aa hunk of that with a skill saw and a metal blade.

 

[Matt]

Use "V" (qty 4) and then add a pair or two pairs of "G" 90 degrees to the bracket and parallel to the axle tube (or be really fancy and line a pair of "G" up on each side so they look like this:

...|.....| = Axle tube
.._|\_/|_ Tab 1 = "V"
..______ Tab 2 = "V"
...|/ . \| Two of "G" are the slashes
...|.....|
...|.....|

The axle tube would run up and down; you are looking into the opening of the two tabs for the arm to mount in my crude drawing

Triangulated gussets....

Matt

 

[Matt]

For mine I used 1/4" and then 3/8" on the side where I had to weld to the cast iron - figuring a stiffer bracket would transfer some of the load to the other side of the bracket which was welded to the axle tube (apparently it works as I have bent that lower link twice - 0.34" wall tube)

Matt

 

[Safari Ary]

Matt, I'm sorry, do you think you could explain your drawing a little better? I'd really like to understand it, but I'm having a hard time. Thanks

Ary

 

[VegasAnthony]

some of those tabs are actuallu 1/4" thick and those are the ones Im thinking of using to do something like this

defintly going to box the top and perhaps fome kind of skid at the bottom..

 

[Matt]

My confusing drawing was meant to setup something like the upper control arm mount in the last pictures VegasAnthony posted - I was just saying that rather than running the gusseting 90 degrees to the surface of the plate (instead run them 45 degrees to the LCA tab...

VegasAnthony:

If you model it after the pics you posted you should be fine- just gusset the crap out of it

Matt

 

[ChuckD]

Looks good to me, I'll do the same once mine are totally thrashed.

 

[VegasAnthony]

[B
VegasAnthony:

If you model it after the pics you posted you should be fine- just gusset the crap out of it

Matt [/B]

umm explain gusset???

kinda new to fabrication...

 

[Safari Ary]

Anthony, I really mean this in the nicest way possible, but if you don't know what the word gusset means, I have a feeling this project is over your head. If you're still wanting to do this, I'd HIGHLY suggest getting an experienced fabricator to help you out.

BTW, gusset is a word that is synonymous with brace, i.e. at a 90* joint, you add a triangular piece of steel as a small brace, that is a gusset. HTH

Ary

P.S. Hope that didn't come off to harsh, really not trying to be a dick....

 

[JJ13]

What he said really is true. By building it yourself you really are taking your life into your own hands (and whoever is on the road if it is a road driven rig). So if you aren't 100% confident in your ability to engineer and fabricate the parts plz find someone to help you. If you are anywhere near Washington State I would be happy to help you (judging by your name you aren't , but just thought I would offer). Anyway good luck and please make it safe.