This Mod Left Me Speechless

[ratboy]

Mark,

For your entertainment - when I got rid of stock trailing arms, I've looked at the contact pattern. The bushing flange was barely touching the frame outrigger - with the total area of contact less than three times the area of these washers.
So... pulling on these bolts (while reversing) is completely unaffected by this ghetto mod. Pushing on the flange is affected, but barely - and to me the shear load on the top bolt would be the most, albeit still minor, concern.
Speaking of the frame bracket - this mod creates somewhat higher local stress on the mating surface of the bracket, but removes persistent stress from the weld between the bracket and framerail. Pick your poison.

The roll-eye attitude of DW does not always mean something's right or wrong, as it very often is with any collective opinion.

That said... I would never do it like that, but I see a 1/3-ass and 2/3-ass approach to it - use a spacer instead of stack of washers on the top bolt, or make a tapered 2-degree shim. Better save some dough for heim-jointed arms.

i see your point, but what about the braking force? the axle will be pulled back as the weight of the truck tries to continue forward as well at the additional load created by stopping the axle twist. if you used the shim under the head and nut on all three bolts, it might be ok.

 

[williambrea]

Glad you got a hint. Ranting and raving and laughing aside, no one here wants you to kill yourself, kill someone in your Rover, or kill some innocent person in another car. Best to check before you start modding things if you're not sure what you're doing BEFORE you do it.

Actually, that idea was suggested to me by p76rangie on LRO. Using grade 5 bolts was a bad decision on my part regardless.

Here is his quote

It is very simple. Sit the car on flat ground with its usual ride weight. On the bushes that connect to the chassis, there are 3 bolts holding it to the chassis. Two bolts across the top and one on the bottom. Put washes between the chassis and the bush on the top two bolt holes until the bush is at the same angle with the trailing arm. You will also need to put at least 1 washer on the bottom mounting hole due to the extra angle you want it to sit at. If you have an old bush you can cut the rubber off of it and cut it off across the top and use this top bit as the spacer.

 

[Mongo]

HOLY COW BATMAN...you actually listened to Ian...guy's a idiot, and if you surf that site, you should have known

 

[mbrummal]

HOLY COW BATMAN...you actually listened to Ian...guy's a idiot, and if you surf that site, you should have known

x2

 

[williambrea]

Lol

 

[jhmover]

P76 Rangie is not the dude to listen to about any mods. If BS was money he'd be a billionaire.

 

[p m]

this advice -

If you have an old bush you can cut the rubber off of it and cut it off across the top and use this top bit as the spacer.

is better than a stack of washers. But...
Williambrea - whatever you build, try to keep bolt heads' and nuts' surfaces parallel to the surfaces you are trying to join. It was not a completely stupid mod, and it could have been executed better, if you used tapered shims.

 

[n8thgr8]

The minor thing is stacking washers is uncool in my book.

I used to stack washers to correct a crunched front end when I drove a 1982 Honda Hatchback!

 

[williambrea]

Hey im still alive btw! I changed out the bolts with grade 8 bolts and the Grade 5 bolts were fine when I pulled them out. Only slightly bent! Looks like im going to live

 

[gmookher]

thats not HD...

 

[DennyDoler]

thats not HD...

No it is, HEAVILY DISCOURAGED!

That fact that they bent shows the potonetial failure William. You should correct this before you or someone else gets hurt. And this being posted all over the place and something does end up hurting someone is not going to fair well for you, just saying.

Good luck!

 

[Blue]

Hey im still alive btw! I changed out the bolts with grade 8 bolts and the Grade 5 bolts were fine when I pulled them out. Only slightly bent! Looks like im going to live

You, sir, are a moron.

 

[DownUnder]

What is Wong with some people!

That is just about the worst mod I have ever seen....:banghead:


It's one thing to do a craptastic mod, what I don't understand is, why one would post a pic of it for all to see.......

 

[Tugela]

Who owns that, Red Green?

Valid question! Keep your stick on the ice. We're all in this together, and I'm pullin' for ya.

"I am a man, but I can change. If I have to. I guess."

 

[williambrea]

If I made a correct spacer that angled the bushing so that the bolts were properly load-distributed would Dweb approve?

 

[p m]

Why bother? It is easier, and not much more expensive, to have heim-jointed trailing arms.

 

[az_max]

If I made a correct spacer that angled the bushing so that the bolts were properly load-distributed would Dweb approve?

you could fab up a metal spacer with the correct angles. You'd have to make sure the nuts on the back side of the frame mount match the same angle, or you will have problems. Or you could buy trailing arms designed to work with a lifted suspension, like this.