Long travel DIY

1

 

Awesome dude! You can do a lot of stuff with a lathe and a welder. Designing a set of arms shouldn't be too tough. Since you reuse all the factory control arm mounts on the frame and factory spindle, many of the complex measurements are set. You just have to locate the balljoints. You could use the old control arms for measuring, just add 3.5" to the dimension from the pivot axis to the center of the balljoint.

Post up some pics of your progress, man. I'm super interested! Many people think this kind of thing is too complex to diy, while there are some critical dimensions to get right, it's not rocket science. With a little research, a tape measure and maybe a plumb bob I'm sure you could do great things.

 

Yea I been doin a lot of reading about geometry and my big concern is bump steer since I'll be using stock spindles , kingpin stuff is already set for the most part. And that was sort of my general plan to just add 3.5" from pivot axis, everyone makes it seem super complicated? If it's that simple cool but I think it might be tricker cause of the way the upper arm pivot axis isn't parrallel to the lower pivot axis.

Also I'd like to move the spindle forward an inch for better firewall clearance with 35's. Maybe someone could chime in about that if it's needed or not.

And I kno there's some guys on here who make rear frame box in plates? Anyone care to share a file for CNC plasma cutting? I have access to one

Thanks

 

Would bump steer be a problem as long as the steering tie rods were extended an equal amount to the control arms? All the pivot points (uca, lca, steering tie rod) remain the same, so theoretically, wouldn't bump steer at +3.5" be the same as factory setup?

 

http://performancetrends.com/SuspAnzr.htm

You could play around with this. I believe you can try it free for 30 days. I played with it to design a suspension for a car I was working on, it's a powerful tool. Measure your truck and input all the frame point measurements, input balljoint dimensions. It builds a simple virtual model and you can even cycle the suspension through droop and compression.

 

Yea I been messing with the one on racing aspirations.com, helps wrap your head around things, and about the bumpsteer you make a viable point

 

I wonder, thinking a bit more. Assuming there is a little bump steer in the oem setup, it will perhaps be exaggerated when the arms are extended. Say factory has 1/8" of bump steer, by the time the arms are extended 3.5" the amount of bump steer may grow.

That said, usually LT kits come with uca, lca, and steering rod extenders, I've not really seen any mention of bump steer from any manufacturers. I'm not an LT expert though...

 

Yea I've read a few horror stories about kits from smaller shops with I quote "hella" bump steer.

I'm gunna shoot for pretty much stock alignment numbers at ride hieght and go from there

 

Well for alignment numbers from vertical
Ride height:
Camber:0 to -1*
Caster: 5*
Toe: up to debate depending how the truck drives but starting at 0 or a little toe in

 

Also up for debate is for the lower arm.... Put the uniball cup integrated into the arm(like dirtking, solo motorsports, total chaos race series, OR make an adapter that has the uniball that bolts to the spindle then the arm just has a hole to run a bolt thru that bolts to the uniball like (camburg, other total chaos kits)

I'm leaning towards integrating the cup....

 

Interesting... I am intrigued. Following you!

 

Sub'd

 

Soo thinking about the fabrication part the lower arm i think I'm going to do 1.75" square with 3/16 plate with internal gussets,
Think that will be strong enough? The square tube will be minimum 1/8th wall

Switching to a boxed lower will be easier to fab and keep square I think.

Upper arm tho will be tubular cause of shock clearance and welding bungs for the hiems in.

 

Bought a press brake today! Boxed lower arms for sure 3/16" cold roll prolly, funny thought I was gunna save money making my own which I probably will but I'm buying tools lol, love havin tools

 

It's all gonna break the moment they touch a hard patch of dirt.

 

Nope not if I'm welding it

 

Atta boy.

 

Got all my TC cam tab gusset kit welded up ready to get glued to the truck and limit strap hardware, ordered the lower arm mount pivots from Ruffstuff and a few other things for making my jig. Soo it's a slow start but it's started

 

Money spent on tools is never wasted!