leaf bushings

[94Gexplorer]

im making lower long arms for a jeep d30 to sas my truck and ive got some 2" square tube and some bushing ends i cut from some stock ex leaf springs. my question is if i weld the bushing ends on the tube what should i do with the open part of it? or is it ok leave it like that, i got 4 of the bushing ends 2 would be on the axle and 2 to the frame

 

[94Gexplorer]

im already building them so im going to do it unless someone gives me a reason not to

 

[Anime]

There's lots of ways to weld a tube end to a flat piece. I'd say one of the strongest and possibly easiest would be to notch the flat part of the leaf so the tube goes into the notches, then flatten the tube so the top and bottom meet the flat part of the leaf (possibly notching the top/bottom of the tube once so it can fold on itself), then weld all the exposed areas up.

It is probably better to just make standard arms using DOM tubing for the bushings though, and cutting the arm tubing so it meets flush with the outer part of the bushing tubing. If nothing else it avoids any possible issues between the steel tubing and spring steel.

 

[94Gexplorer]

well im going to try these since theyre halfway made now but i can always upgrade later i just dont have the money right now to get the jonny joints or ballistic bushing things trying to use what i got you know

 

[j_mazala]

Let me see if I'm understanding this right. You cut the spring eyes off the leaf spring and want to weld those to a piece of tube to make your links? DO NOT DO THIS!! The leafs springs are made of spring steel and when spring steel is welded it WILL fail. Dont put other people in danger because you dont have the money to do it right the first time. Major suspension components are not something that should be taken lightly.

You can pick these up for less then $20 each

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Synergy-Suspension-Bushing-Kit-p-16605.html

 

[94Gexplorer]

im going to replace them but i dont get why i cant just burn them on there with my 220 arc welder i havnt really tested them besides banging them on a rock a few times didnt crack or break off yet. would it be the pushing and pulling the front end would do while wheeling that breaks them or just normal driving vibrations. anyone have pictures of spring steel they welded that broke and what condition was it under?

 

[j_mazala]

It has to do with the metallurgy of the spring steel itself and the heat treating processes that it goes through to become "springy" and have a memory. I'm not sure of the exact reasons and it may even work out fine if you annealed the steel, pre heat and post heat the weld, and peen the weld to prevent cracking but its not worth it to me to take that chance on a major suspension component.

 

[94Gexplorer]

ok so its like welding cast then huh?