Brutus

Here are some pics of what I've come up with while trying to design my own front spreader bar. This is about as cheap as you could possibly hope for with regard to materials...MDF and plastic conduit...the heim joints are real tho. :rolleyes:
My idea was to centre the brackets that mounted onto the A arm bolts where hopefully it will allow the bar to do it's job of aligning and strengthening the front end better. My only concession has been to lower the bar to clear the water pump pully, but with the added strength of the 10mm (3/8") steel plate for the mounts and 27mm (1 1/8") stainless steel bar I think it should all come together ok. Any comments or opinions on how it's heading so far before I commit to steel instead of MDF?




[Modified by Brutus, 8:02 PM 7/14/2003]

camaroneil

oh,
is it beneficial to have a spreader bar in that position?????
neil

Brutus

My reasoning behind mounting it in this position is that it enables the bar to better carry out it's function by being centred between both mounting bolts as opposed to having it positioned at the furthest extremity as seen in the pre-welded production models. I'm open to anything constructive regarding my altered design.

1979toy

It looks super Brutus. :thumbs:

camaroneil

hey, i think it looks great,
i'm just thinking of pinching your design!!!!!!!!!!!!
neil

Brutus

Go right ahead if you think my design is worth copying. I suppose I could come up with some drawings and measurements if anyone was interested.

Graemeinvette

You know I have something just like that sitting in my garage waiting on me getting the electric fan fitted. :yesnod: :yesnod:

norvalwilhelm

I really like it Brutus. As usual your work is great. I am going home tonight and see if I could fit something like that on mine.
Thanks for the idea.

Brutus

Norval...maybe I should wait to see what you come up with before I finalise my own version. Anything you could design would certainly be better than mine. Here's a close up of my bracket set up.

mrvette

NOw here is an interesting thought, just why would actual heim joints be needed, is there a time the upper A arms are actually stread apart?? I would think from discussions they are push together, hense the term 'spreader'....
so, why not just take say some tie rod ends, cut the ball out of the end...making a fork looking like a ball joint spreader out of it, screwing into a cut tie rod sleeve, and weld to length on another bar/tube??? using similar plates on the ends of course with just a bolt through them...???

seems to be even cheaper yet, and maybe just as good..a little grease in the throat of the 'fork', and it's all set....

GENE

Eddie 70

I like it Brutus. Good job. This is another of those things that I would like to do to my vette. Doing it the homemade way is even cheaper. Brutus your design looks good to me.

Graemeinvette

Gene,
There would be a 2 way movement, but your right you dont need the Heim joint (Rose joint in U.K.). Your idea about the track rod adjustment is goood so all you would need is 2 small pieces of tubing welded on at 90 degrees on each end to take the bolts. Need to be a snug fit though.

Graeme

Fevre

I don't know, seems you would want some play for going over bumbs, you don't want side going over the bumb to yank on the opposite side when the upper control arm rotates. On a flat track it would probably be great but for us that live in pot hole central I would think you need a small amount of play. But I am not an engineer, I just play one on the internet. ;)

Graemeinvette

The main point of the spreader bar is to reduce the chassis flex. Then you can dial in your complience (for bumps etc) where it should be, through your suspension i.e. shock absorber or even spring rate.

GrandSportC3

Looks great Bob!!! :cheers: :cheers:

Fevre

I was thining more of allow some outward motion of the connection while maintaining a minimum distance between the two a-arms. I am not familiar with the term heim joint, does it allow one way movement or movement in a hsort distance. I guess if you use a slotted pin design it would maintain the min distance but allow some outward movement with a maximum travel distance. I am making this more complicated than it is? Just seems if the bar is fixed it would put a alot of stress on the a-arm bolts and cause the front end to shift too much when going over bumbs.

Graemeinvette

I was thining more of allow some outward motion of the connection while maintaining a minimum distance between the two a-arms. [/QUOTE]

There is no good reason for allowing any outward motion, chassis flex is a real no no in car design, the spreader bar is really a chassis strengthening item, by allowing it to move one way but not the other would build in more problems - Newton's law etc. The Heim joint is used as an adjuster for the width it has no other function in that situation. They are used instead of rubber bushings in racing cars.

Dalannex

The spreader bar looks good. This is on my list for next winter's to do's. I have looked at the VBP spreader bar, but have some question at to how to get it in amongst all of my accessories, so I am thinking of fabbing my own. We'll have to see when winter comes. It's driving season now. :auto:

-Justin

fauxrs

It would seem to me, that there is some force applied to the brackets during driving, by having the centerline of that force applied off-center of the mounting bolts, you will be applying a bending force to the two bolts that retain the a-arm crossbar.

there are two possible results form this.
1>due to the thickness of your mounting plate which is quite hefty, there may be no result, worse case might mean some flattening of the threads on the stud.
2>bending or even breaking (highly unlikely IMO) of that stud making at the least it difficult to align and at worst impossible.

I am hoping to craft a system of my own that mounts to the frame below the a-arm mount. In this position it should be possible to remove the a-arm or even align the car without having to remove the crossbrace. I think this would be of benefit for it would seem to me the best alignment would occur with the brace in place and tightened to whatever point you will be operating the car at.

the last thing I would think you would want to do is align your car without the bar on (only option with this and VBP design) then once alignment is set without bar - reinstall the bar and prehaps add a minute spread between the towers. (maybe alignments arent that precise)

in any case your parts look very good and certianly strong enough

mrvette

in any case your parts look very good and certianly strong enough[/QUOTE]


HAHA, you think?? looks like 3/8-1/2 inch steel there!!!

GENE