It looked so simple at first!

[Pete_89T2]

Originally Posted by chibikougan

Stare at it a lot then dream the solution.

Stare at it while drinking... Alcohol, the lubricant of creativity

[GySgtFrank]

Originally Posted by Pete_89T2

Stare at it while drinking... Alcohol, the lubricant of creativity

If you do too much of that your nuts will fall off.

[chibikougan]

Or nut as it would seem.

[GySgtFrank]

For those interested in exactly what idiotic plan I have in mind to build a new lower subframe.

lower subframe version 2.0 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I set up a jig of the frame rails on my welding bench and did a solid tack on 1/4" thick 1.5" angle for the base. I'm using schedule 40 pipe (.2" thick) and cutting out 1/4" rounds with the proper 5/8" center holes to make up the A arm mounts. I had to have something to keep the arms in alignment as I moved it around to get the proper inward and downward angles. Welded the first one down and am building a front support piece from 3/16" plate. Then I have to figure out how to mirror all the angles and distances on the other side. Once both sides are in and correct, I will weld in the cross brace and studs to support the steering rack. I figure I can cut away the unneeded excess when everything is solid. That's the plan anyway.

supports in and boxed by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

supports in and boxed.

[TitaniumTT]

crazy ass..... getting crazier the older you get..... and better with all the fab shit too....... Looks really good.. Especially loving the ride height... looks spot on homer

[GySgtFrank]

Thanks Brian. Working away at it. Unfortunately I seem to keep finding things that bother me enough to go in and redo it. My father claims I'll be 95 and still puttering around trying to get it to done.

[TitaniumTT]

Probably.... I've dubbed it the Curse of the Craftsman... I'll never be done with ANY of my cars because I'll always find better, stronger, lighter, faster, cleaner ways to do things...... Just make it DRIVEABLE!!!!

[GySgtFrank]

That bit of advice would be a lot more believable coming from somebody else.

[TitaniumTT]

Really? I've got more running rotaries than anyone in BAW to my knowledge.... and a few BAW members rotaries are under my cock.... I mean knife....

This is why living in an area that gets so much snow is a good thing.... give you a few months to get yer shit together...

[GySgtFrank]

Originally Posted by TitaniumTT

Really? I've got more running rotaries than anyone in BAW to my knowledge.... and a few BAW members rotaries are under my cock.... I mean knife....

This is why living in an area that gets so much snow is a good thing.... give you a few months to get yer shit together...

hmmm. You may be the only one in BAW with a running rotary. Except AJ and Dan'l who don't count. AJ because he never gets anything done beyond the stock setup and Dan'l because he can't actually drive the thing.

[JL1RX7]

You have more than three? Mine always run. Replacing the A/C on the blue one so Mom will drive it.

[GySgtFrank]

I was wondering how long it would take you to chime in. Yes amazingly enough, yours do run. A last gen 8 I would expect, but the FC is a "Christmas miracle" as they say.

[JL1RX7]

I also keep them close to stock. So that makes them less likely to break. From a 9999999595955959 percent chance to 999999999393939 chance.

[GySgtFrank]

In the continuing saga of the silly old bastard trying stupid stuff out in the shop..


Mostly together. Clearancing the steering rack has been a bit of a PITA. I had to keep nibbling away at the side where the steering shaft goes to get enough room, without going too far. The rack had to come down far enough that the plane of the tie rods was in line with the A arm pivots (as well as centered, with the tie rod pivot points in line with the A arm pivot points, of course). If these angles and pivots aren't pretty damn close you will have bump steer problems. I barely had enough room to make that happen.

steering rack clearancing 1 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr


... and a shot of the steering rack sitting up against the mounting plate in it's proper position. As you can see, close, damn close.


steering rack clearancing 2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I still have to weld in the mounting studs for the rack and close up the gaping holes I made for clearance. I should be done with the steering rack at that point, ... I hope.

[GySgtFrank]

Some already know, but I'll recap for those that don't. I had a few problems with the subframe. When I cut my tack welds loose the whole thing sprang out of shape. It turns out that the table I was using to weld my jig to wasn't strong enough and had deformed under the stress. What else is new.

The mounting arms for the A arms appeared to be straight and true, but the frame mounts were off by a fair amount. So break out the cut off wheels and start modifying.

I left the base intact to mount to the frame, but cut away the sides and fitted it to the chassis.

This is the new subframe in position. The A arms and wheels are mounted to check all the alignment specs. I'm currently using a 1/2" spacer behind my +42 wheels to allow room to go wider in the future.

crossmember v2.2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr


I'm still kicking around how to make it adjustable, but most likely it's going to get welded solid to the frame. I have to recheck (several more times) all of my measurements and readings before I do that though. I do NOT want to do this again.