Thread: Project "Left Overs" is back alive !

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I know, Jim, but it is so hot in the shop that shorts and tennis shoes are about all I can bear. Those sparks do have a way of falling into odd places though !

Don

Ain't that the truth! I was crouched down welding on the side of a roll cage once and a piece of slag burned through my pants right next to my zipper. Fortunately, by the time it got through my jeans it had lost enough heat that all it did was scorch a spot on my underwear. Yes, I felt the heat, but it didn't leave any marks. (Whew!) Now I'm a little more careful about the positions I put myself in when welding...

I still do most of my welding in shorts and tank top, but I wear high-top shoes anyway 'cause I've learned all the dance steps I need.

Hehe, one time I was laying upside down under a dash doing wiring and when I stripped off the end of a wire a little piece went right in my nostril ! Luckily, I was able to blow it back out, but it had me worried there for a minute.

And let's not even talk about sand when sandblasting !

Don

There, see the computer added a second blow!

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Hehe, one time I was laying upside down under a dash doing wiring and when I stripped off the end of a wire a little piece went right in my nostril ! Luckily, I was able to blow it back out, but it had me worried there for a minute.

And let's not even talk about sand when sandblasting !

Don

There, see the computer added a second blow!

Only one "blow" in what I see, Don.

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

Ain't that the truth! I was crouched down welding on the side of a roll cage once and a piece of slag burned through my pants right next to my zipper. Fortunately, by the time it got through my jeans it had lost enough heat that all it did was scorch a spot on my underwear. Yes, I felt the heat, but it didn't leave any marks. (Whew!) Now I'm a little more careful about the positions I put myself in when welding...

I still do most of my welding in shorts and tank top, but I wear high-top shoes anyway 'cause I've learned all the dance steps I need.

You are lucky,Jim..I had a small molten ball of slag hit me in the chest,burn throgh my shirt,and roll down my front..Instinctively puled my stomach in ,ripped my shirt out of my pants,and,you guessed it..It rolled straight down the inside of my pants,undershorts and all....I dont recommend a tattoo down there,,a hot spark is definitely not fun either..

I was replacing a pilot bearing in my dart about 35 years ago. The bearing had disentegrated and left just the outer race. With no way to pull it. Had to cut it out with a torch. You know how that hardened stuff spits and pops. Even with my head as far away from it as I could get, laying under the car, it poped and it went into my left ear all the way down. You never saw such a mad man. I flew from under the car and had water splashing in my ear, even filled up a pop bottle and pored it into my ear. My buddie and mine and his girlfriends were all laughing. After I soaked a couple of shop rags in water draped over my head and ears put goggles back on and finished cutting it out. Now I wish we had had those camera phones back then I'll bet that would have made a funny pic. It hurt like hell............

Tonight I got the first of my 3 link axle mounting brackets cut out and almost ready for welding. Don and Dan were playing with Don's welder tonight while I was working on my stuff..........Don is starting to put down some good welds. Now I have a backup welder in case Dan gets tired of me bugging him.

We decided to go with 1/4 inch plate for the sides and back of the brackets because they will not only be supporting the lower bars, but also we are going to mount the coilovers to the backside of each one.

I forgot to take some pictures, but will do it tomorrow when we get started welding them up.

Don

Don how hard is it to setup a three or 4link system. I have contimplated doing that on the truck, but wasn't sure my welder had enough uphhm to weld the brackets on, yet it supposedly will penetrate 1/4" steel. What do you think. I could also save and have a skilled welder do it!

Steve, they are actually very easy to set up. The bars simply go one on top of the axle and one on the bottom, on each side of the axle, and they connect to the frame in a parallel spot so that when the car goes up and down they pivot like a parallelogram. The axle stays perfectly in the same position all through the travel.

The 3 bar is just the same, but the top is one bar (or in my case a wishbone shaped bar) that takes the place of two bars. Then you simply mount your coilovers, and a panhard (not needed with the wishbone shaped upper bar, it limits side to side movement on it's own) and that is it.

If you don't feel comfortable welding it, how about tack welding it and taking it to a pro to finish it up? That is what I did for years until Dan came along.

Here is how Dan mounted the 4 link on his rpu. These were the mockup bars, that were later replaced with ss pieces. Here, I found a better picture after it was all put together.

Don

I went over to the shop this afternoon and got the pieces for my axle brackets finished up. Tonight I'll toss them in the blast cabinet then Dan can weld them up for me.

That piece in the picture with the stainless stud sticking out of it is the back wall of the bracket and will hold my coilover shock.

Don

Lookin good pops.....Don't know if im a backup welder yet but I am enjoying doing it. RPU is lookin great! Don Jr

Ah, I've got confidence in you , Don. You will be welding some of my parts on before you know it.

Dan and I went to the shop tonight when he got home from work, and he spent a lot of time smoothing and welding the axle brackets. They came out great, look like they were stamped out of one piece of steel. Dan always spends lots of time on parts that will never be seen.

While he was doing that I started to clean up the rear axle housing. I used Don's plasma cutter to remove the old spring pads, and I have to say I have a new respect for it. It really did a nice job and cut right through them. I didn't even burn myself once. I may have to borrow that thing more often. After that I ground it a little smoother and got it ready for Dan to weld the mounts on.

The next step is to weld the mounts to the rear axle housing, then we can build the frame brackets to mount the front of the lower bars to the frame. Those shouldn't be too hard, as they are pretty much flat and fairly simple. Here are some pictures from tonight.

Don

Don thanks for the explanation and pics. Looks like you guys are moving right along.

Wow , I leave for a couple of weeks R&R in Vegas; and look at all the work that gets done. Looks great Don. I would have really thought twice about cutting into that three bar, but you and your boys made it look like it was never touched.

You're welcome, Steve, hope those helped.

Thanks, Rick. So how was the vacation? Do you own part of one of the casinos now, or are you going to have to go back to visit your money? Glad I don't live near there, I would be one of those guys panhandling for another buck so I could roll the dice one more time.

Don