laser cut parts came in as did the rails from Art Morrison. So we're right back to where we were a couple of months ago. The rails came flat packed in a box (I do make a few IKEA jokes in the next video). The final analysis and design of the new suspension is covered on the YouTube channel. This thread is a little a head of the videos...because editing that stuff takes a lot of time.
Ok - so we're working on those LCA parts of the new cross member. They needed to be perfectly square in all dimensions. Sure do wish I had a mill - as doing this with a file is terrible work.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4595/38293959285_9c4563e696_b.jpg)
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4640/38293958045_90abe47ab1_b.jpg)
Can you believe that I spent about 6 hours making these perfect? Neither can I - I should make better choices.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4680/38293960275_10f385bb93_b.jpg)
So the idea is to mount the tabs to these as shown above. Then to put the bolt in double shear, I made these mount brackets.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4600/38293977795_3e6e49dfec_b.jpg)
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4732/38293978845_d32a120b09_b.jpg)
A little clean up.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4735/38293947285_f02133793f_b.jpg)
The way I wanted to mount these required a little bend on the bottom to make the join nice. This way I can reference the top and both sides of the tube when they get welded. I also wanted the full bushing to be captured on the LCA. So the difference required this design. The laser guys cut all these parts...so cheap.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4639/38293965705_7eb46ec7c8_b.jpg)
Jigging these parts isn't easy either. I got lucky and the following looks like a winner. First a flat screw to pick up the centre of the laser cut hole.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4680/38293956415_75ce377344_b.jpg)
A washer mounted and squared to the back was exactly the right size to sit in the tube (like tap with a hammer). What luck.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4732/38293954985_8c99a9c91f_b.jpg)
Bam - that looks like a winner.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4680/38293949585_f939acd856_b.jpg)
Added some flat screws to the 1-2-3 blocks (these are my "good" ones - can't use them for welding...but for show only). Set the screws to exactly 57 mm.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4593/39143282332_8d7f5d861f_b.jpg)
Then something like this (did I mention I could use a mill?).
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4681/38293948175_6ae4c8b7cc_b.jpg)
That should work.
You get the idea.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4727/38293962835_116c6dc8be_b.jpg)
I then have to weld on the laser cut tubes. So nice to not have to cut this stuff with a hole saw.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4589/38293967085_3397c95ff9_b.jpg)
Next up was cutting the AME bent rails. I turned the welding table into a frame rail jig with a little tube. This took several hours of measuring to get right...cutting and fitting the rails was simple.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4640/38293946175_babf92fe6d_b.jpg)
I appreciated their efforts to give me a matched pair with weld lines on the same side for the bends...but the bends did have a little twist in them. Nothing I can do about these.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4641/38293943825_1fd5624a73_b.jpg)
A little gusset can't hurt - these are going INSIDE the tube for a less agricultural look.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4599/38293945145_c3158a790a_b.jpg)
Nice TIG button welds. I've not finished these just yet - you're as up to date as can be. With luck, we'll get the rest of this done over the weekend.
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4733/38293942465_cf60587e52_b.jpg)
![Image](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4692/38293941655_52c37f8337_b.jpg)