One experiment leads to another........

[TerryH]

With the gear and motor change complete I'm onto the next thing that I need to do which is stop the rear axle torque rotation before I break something important like a spring. The D&D motor and the 8:1 gear rear end combination has really impressed me with the amount of torque that it has and I can actually feel the rear tires chattering on the launch. I know that the single leaf springs are certainly wrapping up much more than they should. I did not want to replace the leaf springs and have the air shocks be the only suspension even though I know that has been done. I felt better about leaving the springs and designing bars that would stop the rotation of the axle. This is what we came up with...



These bars are made from 1" DOM tubing and poly bar ends. Bob took the 3/8" stainless lower shock mount that he had made when we lowered the cart and welded stainless tabs to hold the rear of the bars while the front will be mounted with tabs sort of like shackles mounted on each side of the front spring hangers through the factory front spring eye bolt hole. The front tabs will actually be welded to the spring hanger on the frame once I get them installed. They bars will obviously pivot on both ends which should allow the suspension to move normally but will not allow the axle to rotate backwards loading the spring under power as it does now.





Man, do I wish that I could weld like this but I guess it's no big deal as long as I got Bob!



Stay tuned...more to come.....

[kab69440]

Looks like a golf cart version of the old Mopar "Leaf Link" drag racing modification! Nice work!

[simple man]

Nice work!
All you would have needed was a set of the old style " traction bars " that every kid had on his 66 - 69 Mustang! Back then I think they were $25 for the pair from JC Whitney Co.

[DOOmsman]

Traction masters, cool.

[TerryH]

Thanks guys!! We did consider the tration bar idea but decided that this would be cooler. I don't think that traction itself will be a huge issue but the axle rotation will be. I know that it will eventually break a spring and that would not be good. That should never be an issue with these!!

Few more details for you guys....

These ends are setup originally for a 9/16 bolt and we thought that was a little overkill for this application so Bob milled some new inserts from 3/4" cold rolled bar so the rear bolt is 3/8" and the front is 1/2". Much less enormous than how the 9/16" hardware looked.





Here's a shot of the bars by themselves...



And of the brackets by themselves...



Got the bars painted and they are drying in the shop right now. One more coat to go. Hopefully I'll be able to get them installed Thursday or Friday night.

More to come...

[Coltf1991]

Pics of painted parts?

Oh Terry, my deal is on Thursday what we have been talking about via pm. Wish me luck. Wish you could be there to speak.

[essness]

Terry, are those set up to mount to the front leaf spring mount?

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by essness

Terry, are those set up to mount to the front leaf spring mount?

They will. In the first pics you can see brackets on each side of the front rod end. Those brackets will bolt throught the factory bolt hole that goes through the spring eye, one on each side of the spring hanger. Like the rear shackes but on the front.

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by Coltf1991

Pics of painted parts?

Oh Terry, my deal is on Thursday what we have been talking about via pm. Wish me luck. Wish you could be there to speak.

Once they are dry, there will be pics of them mounted even.

We'll be praying for you on Thursday.

[scottyb]

I'm in holiday mode ...... my brain is on vacation so I will wait for installed pictures....

Actually I think I got it ~ but still I hope there is not going to be a test on how these mount below the springs....