Author Topic: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods and ....)  (Read 8026 times)

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2011 - 07:08:53 PM »
Do you mind sharing what you started with to create this?




It started when I bought the Energy suspension strut rod bushings. They have a different shape that what came off the car?  I used my lathe to make the first piece, that had the same angle as the new bushings. Just a glorified washer with the bushing angle on it so it would help locate the bushing. Then I machined/welded the plates on the sides and the 1/4" keystock, milled the slot in the center to hold the 5/8" bolt and then welded on the ends.
I REALLY wanted the strut rod to be mounted in rubber/poly like stock and wanted it to be adjustable, no one made such a part, so.....
« Last Edit: February 11, 2011 - 07:10:36 PM by brads70 »
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0




Offline HP2

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4478
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2011 - 02:51:58 PM »
Veeeerry nice! I wish I had someone like you in my neighborhood. Ohh the stuff we would be making...

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #17 on: February 12, 2011 - 06:10:14 PM »
Thanks! I made sway bar tabs today for the A-Body LCA's
Wish the garage had heat! BURRRR!


Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline Challenger III

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1290
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #18 on: February 12, 2011 - 07:00:24 PM »
 :2thumbs: Nice work! It's great to see some of the fabrication and imagination here!
Mike    Yakima, Washington

Resto Thread:  http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=66668.0

Offline Aussie Challenger

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 3407
  • In Kansas loaded for Drive to West Coast.
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2011 - 05:30:28 AM »
Very nice Brad, it is amazing what you can do with a lathe and a few machine tools, my son in-law has a lathe but it isn't set up yet, hopefully this year because of time. Maybe you might have to put a few on ebag and recover some costs.   :2thumbs:
Dave

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2011 - 03:33:58 PM »
I had to scrap the gold part as it wouldn't "fit in the hole" here is the revised edition.





Stainless end washer I made that fits the bushings.






Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline 72rallye

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 23
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2011 - 07:51:09 PM »
 :ylsuper:  :ylsuper:  :Quality workmanship Brad,do you do most of your own work? You seem to enjoy it. :wow: :wow:
« Last Edit: February 17, 2011 - 07:57:23 PM by 72rallye »
72 challenger rallye

Offline dodj

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 6197
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2011 - 07:58:54 PM »
If you're not careful, you might end up running two businesses Brad.... Snowblowers in the winter, Custom Mopar suspension pieces in the spring and fall. Doing the car show circuit in the summer selling your creations.
Scott
1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
Good friends don't let friends do stupid things. ........alone.

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2011 - 08:00:05 PM »
:ylsuper: :ylsuper:Quality workmanship Brad,do you do most of your own work? You seem to enjoy it. :wow: :wow:

Thanks, ya I do most of my own work. I don't have huge budgets but I'm lucky to have the tools/equipment to experiment with.
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #24 on: February 17, 2011 - 08:31:19 PM »
If you're not careful, you might end up running two businesses Brad.... Snowblowers in the winter, Custom Mopar suspension pieces in the spring and fall. Doing the car show circuit in the summer selling your creations.

 :lol: Sounds fun, but in spring/summer I service/repair lawn mowers,lawn tractors etc... winter is usually the slower time.
I thought about making these and selling them but I'm concerned about the liability issue? Liability aside I'd be just sick to my stomach if something ever happened to damage someones car or worse injure someone?
I have built tons of parts for the circle track crowd and never had anything fail, but that's somewhat different ...off road and tons of safety gear and all racing stuff has NO warranty? I enjoy using my brains as I never have had much of a budget to work with. I could never compete with budgets just in idea's. As a mold maker I often had engineers pissed off at me . The owner or foreman was usually say to just do it your way and we will make the drawings later.
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods and ....)
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2011 - 04:43:43 PM »
Today was a beautiful day! It got up to 55 F today! The snow banks were melting, I had no customers lined up wife and kids gone! :bananasmi  I had the tunes cranked ( classic rock station) singing at the top of my lungs
( poor neighbours! :smilielol:) and had a great day working away on projects! I just love days like this! I made my own tie rod adjusters for the C-Body 11/16 tie rods and finished up one LCA,  welded on the stiffening plate,sway bar tab I made ,paint and all!
Spring is coming boys!  :woohoo:
I got a question, what tie rod goes where? Left hand thread on the outside or inside?


Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline the_engineers

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2639
  • Cheap, fast, reliable...pick 2
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods and ....)
« Reply #26 on: February 19, 2011 - 10:13:06 AM »
Wow!  You do fantastic work!
Brooks

1971 'Cuda 360
2004 Infiniti G35 6-spd Coupe
2001 Toyota Solara Convertible
2002 GMC Savana 1500 Explorer Hightop Conversion
1972 Dodge Dart Swinger...keeping the Slant.  Rocking the turbos.

Offline cudazappa

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 709
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods and ....)
« Reply #27 on: February 19, 2011 - 01:19:35 PM »
You're going to need to make a rotisserie to show off your work!  All that nice stuff on the BOTTOM of the car!  While your setup, probably should make twice as much so you have display pieces...
1971 Challenger - AutoX project
2015 Dart GT - Daily Driver

Offline brads70

  • C-C.com Expert
  • ********
  • Posts: 18747
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods and ....)
« Reply #28 on: February 19, 2011 - 01:38:14 PM »
You're going to need to make a rotisserie to show off your work!  All that nice stuff on the BOTTOM of the car!  While your setup, probably should make twice as much so you have display pieces...
LOL I have a few people asking when are you gonna get it painted? I'm more concerned with how it drives/handles and brakes than how the paint looks!( The paint is a 20 footer) Someday I'll get around to getting it painted ( couple years maybe?)
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline shadango

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 3920
Re: Can you guess what this is for? ( Made my own adjustable strut rods)
« Reply #29 on: February 20, 2011 - 05:38:34 AM »
:lol: Sounds fun, but in spring/summer I service/repair lawn mowers,lawn tractors etc... winter is usually the slower time.
I thought about making these and selling them but I'm concerned about the liability issue? Liability aside I'd be just sick to my stomach if something ever happened to damage someones car or worse injure someone?

Your're right.....but then again, I wonder what it costs to have an engineer look at and "certify" something like this?

You could always patent your version and maybe sell the idea/design to a company that has the backing to test/certify and then absorb any potential liability.

Thats really nice work......