Thread: Does this look safe?

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Does this scream death by fiery crash to you? It is the front axle for my F-1 rat rod over the springs. I also flipped the spring eyes myself, but that wasn't a big deal.




Thanks,
CHAZ

Now is this chassis in the photo right side up ??? if it is'nt then ......................................................

All the weight of the car is on the U bolts, you are just relying on the thread and the strenght of those bolts to hold you of the ground. This is also not to mention the dynamic forces coming into play when you apply the brakes. Those I beam axels were mad big and beefy for a reason to support the weight of the car under a lot of changing conditions.

There's nothing really wrong with putting an axle above the springs, most rear ends are mounted that way already. But front frame rails usually don't have enough clearance for the axle up that high, and the tie rod hits everything.
I think I'd weld that plate to the axle. There will be some tremendous torque on the mounts in a panic stop.

Chaz: I was just thinking the other day we haven't heard any updates from you lately. Glad to see you are still on the job.

My opinion is that you have actually done some things very well here. The square steel plate is nice and thick, and your u bolts look to be new and substantial. Not sure why your steel spacers needed the nuts, and simply weren't full length, but even that is probably ok.

As southerner said, that axle was made to haul lots more weight than you will be putting on it, and I agree with rpope in the welding of that plate to the axle. Crank up the amps on the welder and get a real good bead on these two to make the plate part of the axle. You have reduced room for the tie rod, but with some snaking around and planning, that should be ok.

Yeah, overall, I don't see any significant problems with it, and you should be fine. Just make sure you leave sufficient travel between the axle and frame so the car can bounce up and down without bottoming out. You might want to put two of those rubber snubbers onto the frame right where it would hit to cushion it if it does.

Good to see you posting updates again.


Don


PS: I see when you posted this same question and pictures on the HAMB you got quite a different response. That forum amazes me. They seem to take great delight in chewing people up and spitting them out. That's why I only surf it and would never belong. JMO

Don---gotta agree with you on the HAMB forum. I joined it a while back, but got turned off by their attitude toward inexperienced rodders, haven't ben back there for months.

Me too! I thought I was bad! Most of the guys on there are what I call wannabes.

I don't see a problem with it. The fact that all the weight of the car is supported by the U-bolts and threads isn't an issue in my opinion. If you do the math, U-bolts that size are unbelievably strong. Besides, most automotive rear axles were done that way for years - and we made it worse by adding lowering blocks.

My only suggestion would be to put a plate on top of the axle to spread out the clamping load across the whole spring pad, rather than just on the "ears."

I'm wondering why the suggestions to weld the plate to the axle. I see no strength advantage there. The plate is simply a pad or spacer. Besides, I wouldn't want to apply heat to the axle and take a chance on messing up the grain structure and weakening the axle.

I'm wondering why the suggestions to weld the plate to the axle. I see no strength advantage there. The plate is simply a pad or spacer. Besides, I wouldn't want to apply heat to the axle and take a chance on messing up the grain structure and weakening the axle.


Well, I just overengineer everything, and felt by welding the plate to the axle it would give a measure of rigidity to the whole thing. As for messing up anything by welding on it, I don't think so. This axle is a big chunk of steel, and the little welds he will be doing won't affect it, IMO. Like everything else, spread the welding out over two sides to keep the heat to a minimum.

We weld all the time on thinner components than this, and no harm is done.


Don

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about here so corect me (Iknow you will)if I'm wrongbut, With the spacers and nuts between the plate and axle won't this tend to let the axel roll???? especialy after awhile. It looks like your traping the nuts and spacers rather than the axle.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if the axle is shorter than the spacers it won't stay tight.

Here is just one of the "helpful" suggestions he got on brand X forum.





What Ya Need To Do Is Stop Being A Cheap Ass And Have The Axle Dropped 4" ..... Then Have The Main Leaf Reversed Or Buy A Pair Of Them Mono~leaf Lowering Springs.
Its Crap Like This That Makes The Whole Hot Rod Community Look Bad.......
Then They Start Calling You A "rat Rodder" For A Reason


Tell you what, Chaz.......next time you think about asking those guys for help, just pick up a hammer and hit yourself in the head. The result will be the same, and it will save you a whole lot of typing.


Don

Don't paint all the HAMB'rs with the same brush....

I'm not, my own Son is one. But a good percentage tend to be this way.

DOn

Is the plate center drilled to locate on the spring?If so weld it fast to the axle. I'd like to see thelower set of nuts gone,and spacers cut to size,so the u-bolts are free to travel through both flanges,and then tightened up enough to play a tune. They will need to be retightened every 50-100miles until they stay torqued by themselves. Hank

Any nice shades of blue in there????

Don

i see nothing wrong with it as long as it is tight. i'm not a big fan of welding on cast iron myself. it can be done but theres more to it than firing up the welder and burning. not something i would do. i agree with a plate on top to keep from busting an ear off. i can only imagine what you got from all the pro's on the hamb. been there once, never been back.