Nate, That's a really scary story. Thank You for sharing, seriously! Fairly happy ending, too. Those kinds of experiences should only be learned 'second hand'. We never want to learn that stuff ourselves. Thanks Again.
Towing, and trailers, can be very dangerous. A big reason so many folks, and so much property damage occurs is due to the lack of regulations. I wouldn't say I am a "regulations kind of guy", but we have all seen people pulling trailers, trailers that would be scary to use behind a lawn tractor in a yard, let alone running 80 mph up the freeway. Hitches are the same way. I stumbled upon this a few years back... http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/
Safety knows no season ! That's a good site there . Imagine how I'da felt had that little boy died on my watch . Safety regulations are important and I goofed , helping a buddy who's tow rig wasn't set up to have safety chains .
The regs. already exist. The problem is, quite often, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONEL are looking for easy revenue. They don't want to get dirty looking at Joe suburbanites homemade junk trailer. That is unless the problem is so obvious a kindergartener would see it. I'm glad to hear Nate's story ended well. I'm beginning to think I've seen everything on this nations highways. I'm not bragging because alot of it I wish I had never seen. Can't get some of the images out of my head.
Mechanized DEATH I'm with you Steve ~ I wish I could get some of those accidents and carnage out of my mind . Remember this whenever you think " un regulated anything " is good . It might be YOUR Grand Kids that get maimed , crippled or killed next time .
Been working on my rear suspension before putting the caps on the c notch. This is what I decided to make to support my rear end [/URL]
Looking good. Where will you be placing the panhard bar? Mounts need to be very stout... Here's a link with some ideas, some better than others : http://www.timskelton.com/lightning/race_prep/suspension/panhard.htm
Thanks man, the pan hard bar is on the bottom diagonal from the left front it go's to the back on the right bracket. If you look real close you can see the connections. I was told that is the best way to have a pan hard bar because it does not allow the rear end to move at all. I haven't put it on because the one I got was to short so the guy had to remake it, I should have on either Friday or Monday. I also put the caps on last night.
I have no idea if what I'm looking at is safe or right, but I love what I'm seeing! Thanks for the pictures/updates! Can't wait to see the painted version! I love the way you directed the exhaust, also!
Lakeroadster, I think the track-rod mounts between the lower four bars from front left side to rear right side. TCI does their four-bar kits this way, I think our hosts kits are also made this way. This way of mounting (at about a 40 degree angle) looks OK, but I wonder if it is as strong as a panhard bar. In the event of a near "loss of control" sideways skid, there would be massive pressure on either design. A heavy-duty panhard bar seems like a better option. Track-rods on heavy-duty trucks are mostly mounted 90 degrees to the frame rail. I'm no expert, what do you guys think?
The panhard bar should be horizontal when the truck is sitting on level ground. This gives "optimal" centering of the axle. I think maybe mounting the panhard bar as shown below might be a good option? http://www.timskelton.com/lightning/race_prep/suspension/panhard.htm
Lol yeah, Here's a picture of it. My PHB should be here Monday and I'll put some pic's up.. A custom builder I talk to said this setup with the pan hard bar was his favorite. I'm told the rear end won't go anywhere setup up this way. And thanks Zip, so far I'm very happy with my choice's and the way it's turning out I've also been boxing the c notch in
Looking good Rico. Your making me want to go cut something up so I can fab. something up Nice job on the boxing plates. The panhard bar isn't a panhard bar.... I think the correct name for it is a diagonal link, 1/4 mile drag racing technology, very interesting. Do me a favor and take a picture of the diagonal link bracket that attaches to the lower front 4 bar bracket see circled item below. I am curious as to how it rotates and how big the fasteners are? Hope you aren't getting tired of me wearing you out with the panhard bar / diagonal link Q&A. I'm an engineer... when I see something I'm not used to I want to take it apart, measure everything and then run calculations to analyze and understand it. It's an affliction.....
Thanks Rico, those photos are great. I really like this set-up! I see there are nylock nuts. Do you leave the bolt through the 4 bar a bit loose to allow the diagonal link bracket to pivot, or tighten it hell-for-stout and use the heim joint to take up the suspension travel? Just curious how the manufacturer recommends the install.
Thanks I'm glad you like it, you don't know how long I research and went back and forth about which rear suspension to buy! As far as I know with the Locking nuts you just tighten each other tight and then I will put some Loctite on the nuts that tighten up to the diagonal bar and then the Heim joints work with the four link to move up and down with the shocks this is what causes the rear end to stay in one place.
I finally got my diagonal bar and here it is in place Now I have plenty of room to run exhaust all the way to back!
Looking good Rico. I'd like to model the diagonal link in AutoCAD Inventor and run a stress analysis on it, just for $hits and giggles. I've read some negative stuff on the internet about using diagonal link on the street, like here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=187382 But I also see a bunch of folks selling them for street use. To me it just seems to reason that with the long diagonal bar there should be some pretty large loads at the ends of the link, and pretty large buckling loads on the link itself. I've been wrong many time before though (ask my wife) so the analysis should help me wrap my head around what the loads really are. If you're up for it, could you get me some dimensional information on your rear suspension? A (see photo below)= B (see photo below)= C (see photo below)= D (see photo below)= E (see photo below)= Four link bar diameter = Four link bar thickness = Four link heim joint through bolt diameter = Four link heim joint thread diameter = Diagonal link bar diameter = Diagonal link bar thickness = Diagonal link heim joint through bolt diameter = Diagonal link heim joint thread diameter = Thickness of diagonal link bracket that attaches to four link bolt =
I'm real interested in this, Lakeroadster. This is exactly what I hoped you would do. I'm getting real close to being done with my cab and starting to plan the rolling chassis.
