The BAD AST Project - Faze II

[astroracer]

Yes sir, just the shell, I understand. The engine stand rotating heads are pretty thin steel. You will also have to modify them to reduce the head angle. Engine stands usually have the rotating heads tipped up 5 degrees or so to compensate for engine weight. You can see in my pics I used very little of the old stand.
When I had the F1 chassis in this one with the front suspension assembled and just the rear springs in place it was almost unmanagable to rotate it. I had to have another person on the other end to help control it. That was probably less than a 1000lbs... Just the chassis alone was no issue, as is the Bad Ast chassis no issue to rotate by myself. You would be better off to simply buy a little heavier tubing and make a rotisserie with a good rotating head. I built this one on the cheap but it is a chassis only fixture.
Mark

[astroracer]

I posted this in my "conundrum" thread but I'll paste it in here to keep this thread current. The "conundrum" thread can die...
I have been burning the late evening oil working on the 4 link design. I ran the geometry points thru a 4 link calculator so I know the suspension is good. It will work and has adjustability.

Rear view from drivers side.

I have ordered the tubing and Johnny Joints and will get the plate for the brackets ordered after I have the details complete tonight. The hardest part of the whole design was getting a panhard bar in the right location that worked and looked decent.

Right now I have the frame hardpoints for the panhard on the passenger side. In your guys experience is there a difference between one side or the other? I know it effects off corner bite but is there any rule of thumb for a street suspension?

I have a few more tweaks to make for brackets and such but the design is 90% right now.
Thanks for looking.
Mark

[craigs73]

that looks good .... even tho i dont understand the geometry of suspension lol

[Kybosh]

Incredible work. It's very cool to see this being done to a van.

[Bryce]

nice looking CAD work.

I would brace the panhard mounts.

[astroracer]

Thanks for the comments guys.
Thank You Bryce, I was planning to add bracing to the frame mount. This is how I did it.

I moved the upper shock xmbr rearward about a half inch and plated it with the panhard bar mount. You can see i also gloved the rail with the rear plate. This should keep rail twist to a minimum. I also added a bit of fore/aft strength with a close out plate on the outboard side of the mount.

The axle mount will see some bracing also, I just haven't hit on a good solution yet.

Thanks for looking AND responding, much appreciated!
Mark

[craigs73]

Mark

is your shock cross member going to be setting on frame rails or inside frame rail?

[Tig]

Wow, looks great. You're quite the wizz with the CAD and suspension geometry.
Now, if you could only whip something up for a 99 Tahoe 2 door 2wd ;)

Great job man, keep up the good work.

[astroracer]

Wow, looks great. You're quite the wizz with the CAD and suspension geometry.
Now, if you could only whip something up for a 99 Tahoe 2 door 2wd ;)

Great job man, keep up the good work.

Thank you sir, I appreciate the compliments! I have been running UG since V9 and have become quite proficient with it.
Craig, the xmbr will sit on top of the rail. That's where it ended up for shock placement. I will be adding a set of plates to both ends to close it off and spread the load along the length of the rail kick-up. I didn't snap pics of the final design but I will do that shortly. Right now I am spending my shop time building brackets.
After detailing rearend, frame and panhard bar brackets all weekend I started cutting out housing brackets last night. I got the uppers roughed out and will get the lowers done tonight. Wednesday will be slated for drilling holes and cleaning up the shapes. I will be taking the brackets up too the guy who is narrowing the rearend Sunday to get them welded on before he cuts the housing.
I talked to him yesterday and he said all of the new parts came in Friday so I'll get to check those out.
My Currie order arrived yesterday also. I am using their Johnny joints in the forward bar attachments. These things look great and they are HUGE! I am still waiting for the tubing to come in but it should be here this week.
Thanks for looking.
Mark

[wellis77]

How are you cutting the brackets Mark?

[astroracer]

How are you cutting the brackets Mark?

Roughing the big ones out with the plasma cutter and then taking everything to the vert bandsaw for final cuts. The edges will be dressed on the belt sander.

[astroracer]

Here are some pics of what I've been doing in the shop at night... Making brackets, ESPECIALLY ones with a lot of holes in them takes time.
Here are the 4 upper housing brackets. These will carry the upper link bar.

These are the two "big" plates all laid out. They will carry the lower links, lower shock brackets and, on the drivers side, the panhard bar bracket.

This is the drivers side with all of the holes drilled. The large expanse of metal on the right is what will carry the panhard bar bracket.

This is the front lower Johnny Joint. 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 thrd. I sure hope they are strong enough...

Here is a shot of the weld bung and a short piece of mock-up tubing. This will make up the two lower bars. I will use the mono-balls in front with a rigid poly bushing in the bar, on the housing.

I have to do a lot of clean up work on the brackets yet. Rounding corners and straightening up bandsaw cuts but that's the easy part...
Thanks for looking
Mark

[wellis77]

Looking good Mark. Makes me really want to get back to building... Keep it up! I'm looking forward to seeing yours on the ground almost as much as I am mine.

[astroracer]

Looking good Mark. Makes me really want to get back to building... Keep it up! I'm looking forward to seeing yours on the ground almost as much as I am mine.

I know where you are coming from Will! Doing all of this bracket fabrication makes me want a laser cutter! I've spent almost twelve hours making 12 brackets and still have at least a couple more hours to finish shaping and cleaning them up... Oh well, it's got to be done by Sunday so we can get the brackets welded to the housing.
I am really wanting to get this guy down on the ground myself. I have been saying the end of the month, it's going to be close...
Mark

[Bryce]

Great fab work. I miss building suspensions.

[astroracer]

Great fab work. I miss building suspensions.

Thanks Bryce. What are you doing this weekend?
Here are some pics of the fab work.
I clamped all four upper bar brackets on the drill press table and used a 3 1/4" dia hole saw to make the axle notches...

Used the same process on the lower bar brackets.
Once all of the axle notches were cut I used a wood plug to register all of the brackets, clamped everything together and drilled all of the bar mounting holes. This ensures ALL of the holes are in-line with one-another.

Did the same process for the lower shock bracket holes... You can see a couple of 9/16th's bolts run thru the bar holes to maintain alignment while I was drilling the shock holes.

Thanks for looking
Mark

[Bryce]

Thanks Bryce. What are you doing this weekend?
Mark

HAHA, Michigan is too far for a weekend road trip!

[astroracer]

HAHA, Michigan is too far for a weekend road trip!

What if you started yesterday????

[astroracer]

Got all of the housing brackets cleaned up, radiused and beveled tonight.
These are two of the upper bar brackets.

The lower right hand bar and shock bracket mocked up with the matching inner bracket.

The LH lower bar, shock and panhard bracket and it's matching inner to the left.

Tomorrow I will work on the gussets and go to a car show here in Byron...
Thanks for looking
Mark

[wellis77]

Nice work Mark!

Tell you what Bryce, between Mark and I, we'll get you to Michigan and you can have all the suspension fun you want...