ALMOST DONE!
I finally picked up a tweaked set of skids today. They need one more adjustment that is in assembly to clear inside the OEM spring plate. I got the potentiometer cleaned up and tightened up for them on the gantry control and hope it will hold until these are cut. I think I can line them out on that in the morning. They are holding the torch table in que to cut these since it is now set for these before they send off the control head for repair.
I can see some edge difference in torch and laser cutting but nothing too bad. They grind the edges a bit and I will give them a sweep with the media blast but not a fine finish. They should hold paint well that way and then we will go out and scrape them on rocks.
While we were retooling for this type of cutting I went ahead and made the bend further back so the Bilstein or any shock with larger than OEM shock eyes should fit.
We decided to make the brackets out of 1/4 as well so we can also use the same sheet material.
That beefed them up so we decided to leave out the gusset since the brackets are captive in the OEM spring plate and are now stronger. That shaves off some labor not cutting those tiny rectangles and welding them in. That sometimes pulled them out of alignment. I was concerned the torch could not cut them accurate either. I keep tweaking until we got as close to the shock as I think we can go with slight variables in assembly and not have interference. So, yea you lose 1/4 inch clearance, maybe a fuzz more with the trade off being your ENTIRE lower shock mount end and bolt are protected, and you don't lose any valuable shock travel. No blunt edges to hang up.
I checked with several of my automotive professional friends that do a lot of this sort of thing all feel like they are even stronger than before. Hefty burned in welds also attach them with the indexed slot and welded back side like before.
If you break one and survive whatever did that let me know, I will keep some spares.
Since I have had mine apart many times I decided this might be time to figure out some new u'bolts I could have made.
The theory is, high torque tightening will stretch the threads. I have always used thread locker and have not had a problem.
But, just to make them available I am working on a price that is reasonable. I don't know yet what a dealer wants.
The OEM are 14mm. Locally at the old established spring shop I have used, makes them to order. They have them in SAE sizes so a I tried a larger 9/16 with the thick hardened washers and tall nuts. They fit thru the OEM plate and we allowed a bit larger hole just in case in the skid brackets.
I got one of mine on that way and will install the other with OEM u'bolts just to make sure there is no issue since we made the brackets 1/4 inch instead of 3/16. I had it figured to work.
OEM on the left. My new ones on the right.
So if any of those patient paid up order people have any problem with any of that let me know.
I hope they get on cutting these out Wednesday and start welding.
Thank you for yer support!
The design team at Hunner EXtreme (all one of me)
PM'd you.
