ARSS - Adjustable Redneck Suspension System (cont.)
Time to install the crossmember, already.
Made some new end plates out of 3/8, because I could.
Here's one thing I would recommend for this sort of thing: using internal stubs. They do a good job of keeping the crossmember from falling on your head while you're fine-tuning it for length and keeping the center in the center where it belongs. The Jeep frame, she is not perfect.
You'll notice the stubs are in the center. I chose to put them there and trim the bottom about an inch.
Cleaned up that rusty old 2x2 and gave it a paint job. A really ugly paint job.
Welding the ends on, three passes of TIG. After the third pass had cooled, the ends of the 3/8” plate had moved inwards 1/8”. Took an acetylene torch and a sledge hammer, but I got 'em straight again. I hate cold welds .
Those sliders aren't going anywhere now. Glad I didn't put them on backwards or anything.
Measured, re-measured every way I could think of, and when I was finally satisfied it was as close to perfect as I could get it, I welded 'er on, inch by inch, going side to side. I guess my camera batteries must have died, because this is all the pics I have of this phase. Felt great to finally git'r done.
Doing some mockups. The frame-side UCA brackets are held on with big 'C' clamps here. The lowest UCA position is used here because it has the potential to put the frame in the way of the nut. Decided to do some other things before I tackled these brackets.
Heeyyyy...how'd my frame get all droopy???
Welding the adjuster threads on. The outers are 1/2” fine threaded bungs. The inners 3/4” fine threaded nuts welded inside pieces of tubing. Notice that the bottom rounded part is a little angled? They're both like that--an artistic touch.
The inner adjusters holes and threads are at an angle, so I needed a flat surface for the lock nuts. Did this pretty recently.
Somehow drilled this hole closer to the bracket than it should have been, but it does the job.
Coming up next, the back-half and other stuff.
Time to install the crossmember, already.
Made some new end plates out of 3/8, because I could.
Here's one thing I would recommend for this sort of thing: using internal stubs. They do a good job of keeping the crossmember from falling on your head while you're fine-tuning it for length and keeping the center in the center where it belongs. The Jeep frame, she is not perfect.
You'll notice the stubs are in the center. I chose to put them there and trim the bottom about an inch.
Cleaned up that rusty old 2x2 and gave it a paint job. A really ugly paint job.
Welding the ends on, three passes of TIG. After the third pass had cooled, the ends of the 3/8” plate had moved inwards 1/8”. Took an acetylene torch and a sledge hammer, but I got 'em straight again. I hate cold welds .
Those sliders aren't going anywhere now. Glad I didn't put them on backwards or anything.
Measured, re-measured every way I could think of, and when I was finally satisfied it was as close to perfect as I could get it, I welded 'er on, inch by inch, going side to side. I guess my camera batteries must have died, because this is all the pics I have of this phase. Felt great to finally git'r done.
Doing some mockups. The frame-side UCA brackets are held on with big 'C' clamps here. The lowest UCA position is used here because it has the potential to put the frame in the way of the nut. Decided to do some other things before I tackled these brackets.
Heeyyyy...how'd my frame get all droopy???
Welding the adjuster threads on. The outers are 1/2” fine threaded bungs. The inners 3/4” fine threaded nuts welded inside pieces of tubing. Notice that the bottom rounded part is a little angled? They're both like that--an artistic touch.
The inner adjusters holes and threads are at an angle, so I needed a flat surface for the lock nuts. Did this pretty recently.
Somehow drilled this hole closer to the bracket than it should have been, but it does the job.
Coming up next, the back-half and other stuff.
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