Barack Obama linked 2nd gen. SAS

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by 21robbie21

IZWACK, my hero, hopefully i can find my camera cord and give you a pretty visual update of mine tonight, either tommrow or tues ima start tearing down and im gonna catch and pass you , im just playing ur gonna kill me, you know what ur doing, im just making it up as i go.

Robbie, my knight in night in shining armor -- LOL believe me, you WILL pass me. I'm waaay behind! And we're all making this up as we go.

Today I obviously didn't get as much done as I wanted. These 4 stupid newbs were getting high in the garage and one of them threw up after about 45 minutes - and some of the throw up got all over my stuff -- more importantly, the welder I use to tack stuff. Freaking bastards I hate throw up so I took about an hour and a half time out until they finished cleaning.


But anyways, in response to JoshC's question about the fuel lines, I hope these pictures will explain what I did.

side view:


top view:





I also began to mockup the links. I didn't get to the uppers and will do them tomorrow after work.



Rubicon Express Super-Flex joints tack welded to conduit tubing (~$3 for a 10-ft piece of conduit tubing - perfect for mockups)








You can see that I didn't get to the chassis-mounts for the lower arms - stupid newb throwing up took time away from this






Front axle is pushed forward 4 inches brining the wheelbase to 116 (i think stock is 112 inches):





According to my schedule, I still have tomorrow to finish mocking up the links so I MUSt finish this mockup tomorrow.

[JoshC]

Wow that lower arm is long. I like idea of using conduit, good one.

Thanks for the pic. Is that bend already in the tubing lines?

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by JoshC

Wow that lower arm is long.

The lower arms are 38-inches eye-to-eye -- not much longer than the Rubicon Express Long-Arms.

Originally Posted by JoshC

Is that bend already in the tubing lines?

Yeah the bends are all there, you just have to rotate the lines to the top.

There are plastic thingies that hold the lines together (kind of like those plastic things that hold the spark plugs wires apart from each other and in a neat row). Remove these plastic holder thingies when you relocate the fuel/brake lines.

[RockRanger]

Nice caster angle on the Inner C Looking good I want to se how you do that upper link. I need ideas for when I redo my front end.

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by RockRanger

Nice caster angle on the Inner C

LOL I didnt think anyone would notice. Hehe at that angle, when you turn the steering wheel, the wheels would just lean left and right

Hehe but those are temporary of course until all of the links and pinion angle are set -- then its time to set the caster angle. I tapped those C's in about a quarter of an inch into the tube cauz its easier to hold onto the C's when lifting the axle.

[Kirby N.]

Did you get your Airshocks yet? Found some more used ones... I will PM you.

[zhanx]

wingnut you forgot about something? hint hitn cv joints

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by Kirby N.

Did you get your Airshocks yet? Found some more used ones... I will PM you.

Hehe yeah I got your PM but I've bought my front shocks already. But I soon will be in the market for rear ones so if I have money left over, I'll snag the 16 inchers.

Originally Posted by zhanx

wingnut you forgot about something? hint hitn cv joints

Woops forgot to weigh your half shafts - I'll get a weight in 2 hrs.

[IZwack]

Flexation with the conduit mockup links






Upper link running into the lower "earlobe" thingy of the engine mount. Actually this lobe thing was the IFS axle mount that I never bothered cutting so should be no problem cutting it up.

[FROADER]

What is the diameter of the actaul links that you're using again?

[IZwack]

Lower links : 2 inches square tubing
Upper link : 1.5 inches sleeved halfway through with with 2 inches - round tubing

I started cutting the real links today but didnt finish cauz I had to help an uncle rotate some tires.
The schedule says I have 'till Friday (the 21st) to finish the real links so I think I'm okay.

[IZwack]

Finished the links today -- well not completely, the upper has to be cut and welded <- easy enough.



Lower links:





Upper link:


As mentioned, the smaller tube of the upper link needs to be cut down (6" beyond the black marker line) and inserted into the larger tubing (down to the marker line)

[RockRanger]

Why so thick on the upper link? Looks pretty good though.

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by RockRanger

Why so thick on the upper link? Looks pretty good though.

Thanks

The two tubes that make up the upper linke are each 0.25" thick - same as the lower links. So I don't think its too thick

Plus I do plan on swapping in a front dana 60 in the future - so progressively, things are going to get 'larger' in size - so I figured overbuilding now is best.

[RockRanger]

everything I have read for uppers is .188 wall is plenty. The reason the lowers are so thick on most rigs cause they get bashed on rocks. Still waiting to see how the upper link is done so that I can copy it when I link the front of my truck

[Byrd91]

Very cool.

By the way...what is the lift height/ride height going to be at when you are done, any idea?

[JoshC]

Very nice looking Can we see a better pic of your welds?

[IZwack]

Originally Posted by Byrd91

what is the lift height/ride height going to be at when you are done, any idea?

I haven't measured it yet against a stock Explorer but I will sometime.

Originally Posted by JoshC

..a better pic of your welds?

I'm a newb at welding.

The link welds, along everything else in this project, were made with two SMAW welders - one 220v Lincoln and one cheapo 110v Harbor Freight. The Harbor Freight machine is mostly used for tacking as its a lighter machine and can be moved around quite easily. But I can also control it better around curves and such as it handles smaller rods -- with pretty good penetration as evident by slight undercutting on the edges of the Rubicon Express SuperFlex joints (not the picture above).

[IZwack]

links all done - steering almost all done (waiting for the yota pitman arm to chevy TRE adapter from Front Range Off Road - Colorado is so far away) - finishing panhard by 2pm tomorrow - then time to think about shock towers and what needs to be moved and/or removed to make room for the towers.

this weekend it will be shock towers and the vehicle should be sitting on its own again.

[section525]