Remind me never again to predict how long something is going to take.... Axle half skip-stitched after five days Interesting moment this morning. I had the TIG cables looped around my shoulders, leaning in on the first weld of the day, when the cooling-water-tube burst. Doused in five seconds, and nearly fell off the stool, arc and all!
I bet you layed your lines on a hot weld not to long ago, and this morning you kinked the line just right. POP Ask me how I know......
ThingyM: I had the leather sleeve on the lines, but I guess it didn't quite get the job done. Considering that the power lead is inside that tube, and that I was wet and well grounded, I guess I'm lucky I didn't just disappear in a bright green flash! The rear axle is in place. Welds are not as go-rilla as they appear in photos..... honest
Looks nice & strong. Many of the west coast guys are at Eagle Field so you might not get too many comments this weekend. I'm glad you didn't vaporize yourself.
Yet another setback. Turns out the spring that came WITH my axle wasn't FOR my axle. Stupid tax for this mistake will only be $103 and another lost week.
There will be many setbacks along the way, but at the end it will be one fun ride. Stick with it, we all have more time than money.
Twenty ton press smooshed that sucker flat..... and still 1/4" short. Second time I read Dick's post, well after ordering new spring, realized that I could have cut it in half and gone quarter-elliptic! New spring has reversed eyes, should reduce spring-hanger frankenbracket by an inch.
0--0-------------------0--0 Flattening the spring was just a exercise in frustration. This arrangement of spring and shackles would never have allowed any serious wheel movement. But, maybe, you might have figured out how the origional perches got bent! I've gotten over the mad: my $25 plus shipping Ebay spring, hopefully, will become someone else's $25 plus shipping plus shipping Ebay spring!
Mock-up for wishbone anchor location. Does NHRA have any unwritten rules regarding suspension points falling below the rim line? Other than on and off the trailer, will three inch ground clearance work? I know I can pie-cut the wishbones, but won't unless I have to!
From my 2008 Rule Book: 3" of ground clearance from front of car to 12" behind the centerline of the front axle. 2" of clearance for the remainder of the car. Wheelie bars can be lower.
Part one of Frankenbracket fabrication. Part one because burning in mitered-beveled-butt-weld in 1/4" pipe was a bit more heat than power lead insulation could handle!
You don't have a water cooled torch? I don't have any trouble with my water cooled set up all the way to 300AMPS. The Inquiring P-Dog.....
The Spirit of the Bug = rectangular tube and Home Depot water pipe! I'll have a new cooling tube (see post 61) and power lead installed this afternoon, in time for the two hour welding season tomorrow morning.
OOPS! Yup, I re-mem-ber now, you pop'd the coolant hose and got a high amperage shower, has your hair come back straight again now? Happy welding... P-Dog......
Never,never,never ask your wife to hold the hex on the torch body while you tighten a new power lead in place. New torch bodies cost $49. Don't ask me how I know.
I'm trying to remember why I named this thing "Miss Serendipity." While trying to complete the last twenty inches of weld on the suspension, I have: -flooded the laundry room with a broken hose fitting -burnt a power lead to the torch -broken a torch body -run out of argon -killed batteries in the auto-darken lense -suffered an afternoon of power outage after an idiot knocked down a pole! Need to finish weld the spring hanger baseplate, replace motor and rear axle, get the whole mess out of the way, and in the shed, so I can get the teardrop out and on the road. All before eight tomorrow morning! Wish me luck!
Dear Dodge Bro, You're more than welcome to come use my TIG any time you'd like and the argon's free. P-Dog........
"You've Got A Lot On Your Plate" for the next few days. Good Luck and keep moving forward. You got a tear drop trailer? Would be cool to build a flat trailer with a tear drop mounted in the front and a HAMBster riding on the rear.
Toe in is what I was worried about, it looks like enough to flip a freight train! P-Dog (all cross eyed)
The Jalopy Journal
