1993 Splash build

[brinker88]

Well, I failed miserably using the shop press to "bend" my arms. Even with using a rose bud torch and heating it up (NOT red hot, bc it ruins the steels integrity) it still crushed the tubing. Looks like Im gonna have them bent on a professional bending machine. I cant afford to screw any more up. Steel's way too expensive.

 

[RangerSVT]

Did you pull out the steel stock used in the press (used as a table for pressing bearings and such), set the square tube across the 2 C channels, then used the steel stock centered and parallel between the C channel ? If you dont have a heavy enough bar ( at least .750" thick) to carry past the width of the square tubing, then it will crush it. The sides of the tubing are not the weak point, its the top and bottom "flat" part of the tubing that's the weak link, and will crush first...

SVT

 

[brinker88]

I have a piece of steel like this used for re-arching leaf springs that I used. I also put steel channel iron as a "wieght distributor" that was 8" long.

 

[RangerSVT]

Post up a pic of the tube, it may be salvageable...

SVT

 

[brinker88]

 

[RangerSVT]

The inside is to be expected, the outside of the bend don't look too bad actually. Take a 1/4" plate to reinforce the bottom (outside the bend) side, that should help from kinking the tube. From where you are at, I'd weld in a gusset in the middle of the inside of the bend and call it good. How does it look/fit mocked into place?

SVT

 

[brinker88]

It looks great. Exactly the angle and length I need it. But Im not using that one. End of story. Im kind of a perfectionist. Plus this is my life Im talking about. Ya know?

 

[RangerSVT]

I hear ya, but with it being 3/16 or even 1/4 thick, that little kink won't hurt anything if you did use it...

SVT

 

[racer1044]

Great looking truck man. Im interested to see how the radius arms come out. Looking into building a set for my truck soon.

 

[brinker88]

Get the tubing for my arms bent tomorrow. Cant wait to get these things done!!

As for Ballistic Fabrication, they kinda f%$#ed me. Supposedly the joints I ordered were backordered for 4 weeks but just came in today. My package was supposed to BE HERE today. So I called them and they gave me that information. Well, needless today, they are shipping it for free when I got done w/ them. Saved $27.00 on that ordeal....

 

[-Nathan-]

sorry to hear man...thats why people dont buy from them any more.

I like where youre going with this. I agree...dont run that bent tube. Have it done right.

 

[brinker88]

Finished the transmission mount today. I wont weld it on til I figure out the final angle it needs to be at.

And Nathan, thanks for the compliment. Yea, that tube is f$^%@ed. I havent seen anyone running a bent extended radius arm. I might as well be the guinue pig, right?

 

[brinker88]

Not much to update. All my steel is cut and ready to begin welding as soon as my parts from Ballistic get here. I decided I AM going to bend these arms to completely eliminate once and for all the tire rubbing problem most people have when building the straight extended rad. arms. Im being a guineau pig for y'all so keep a close eye on the build! Still need to order my F250 shock mounts, shocks, and stainless steel braided brake hoses.

The brake hoses and shocks are actually from a Jeep. The shocks Im using are Rough Country N2.0 shocks for a 4" lifted Wranger YJ (all four will be for the rear of the Jeep as I need an eye top and bottom) and the Brake hoses are from a Jeep Cherokee XJ. Shocks are the PERFECT length I need for the front AND rear believe it or not...

 

[brinker88]

Got my arms bent today! They ended up needing an 18 degree bend in them.

I've called dozens of places in the surrounding areas of Lycoming County and there is only ONE place that can bend 2" square tubing. Luckily they are 10 minutes from my door. Oh, and they bent them for free! Great to have contacts. I'll get some photos up after work.

 

[RangerSVT]

I was in the same boat you were, no one around me can bend square tubing but one place, and they wouldn't do it unless I had a large commercial order. So i had a buddy with a cnc plasma table fabricate my bends...

SVT