Dan: I had a look at some of the pics in your gallery, and at the risk of being told to "eff off", I noticed a couple things.....
Why wouldn't you use the poly bushed style rod ends (ie: bushed by male threaded, available from most street rod vendors) instead of welding the sleeve the poly bush goes into solid to the four link bars? The downside to welding them solid is, when you turn out (or in) the heim joint on the other end to adjust length, you are limited to min of 1/2 turn of adjustment, as the heim end must be oriented to fit back into the four link bracket. If both the poly bushed ends and the heim ends are (male) threaded (one RH, one LH), then you have infinite adjustment on the four link bars, probably not an earth shattering deal, I just don't like to see things that limit.....
On your Panhard bar, you have the differential side heim mounted horizontally, which means during suspension travel, that end is using the "misalignment" travel, instead of the normal travel (which would be the spherical end rotating inside the main shell of the heim)....I can't think of a reason this would be a good idea? Please help me understand.....
Sorry if I'm stepping on toes....I guess I hung around drag car guys too much in my formative years:):)
I did the links that way because...well thats the way I wanted to do them. Nothing realy beter to explain than that. The adjustment isn't a big deal, as I am very critical on myself durring fabrication, so the links are all the same. If it ends up I don't like them, then I will make new ones.
As for the panhard bar, I am not sold on the axle bracket yet, just havn't thought of a beter way yet. the bracket is only tacked on right now. No final welding on the axle until I get thd engine in to match the angle. You are correct that the rod end is 90° off. Not ideal for sure.
Dan, could you mount the axle end of the pan hard bar on the back of the pumpkin?, something like a bar with some reinforcing webs. When I built my Hi Boy 28 Tudor, they told me to have the four bars parallel to each other and the ground. great work mate!
Honey, If I say I`ll fix something I will, there`s no need to remind me every 6 months!!
66 f100 tabletop swb 351 Clevo C6 "Beryl"
You could do that alan, but a longer rod makes the axle move less side to side than a short rodfor the same vertical movement. I want to minimize the side to side so I don't run into teouble with the tires and the bed sides.
I think I have a beter design now, it will just be harder to make.
Dan: Ok, heim is now in proper orientation.....now we just need to make the diff end attachment double shear:):)
As far as that spindle goes....on the one hand, it would likely be ok....on the other, it is a big stress riser, so why risk a failure (and all the consequences) over a part that is likely worth a FRACTION of what your deductible is??
I am going to see if the machine shop can fix the axle. If not I may just order new ones with the 4.5x5 patern. I am going to call them tomorrow.
As for the double sheer joint, I agree that it would be better. However it will not change how the load is reacted in the axle, and the bolt a 150ksi 3/4" Grade 8, so I am not woried about it breaking.