Flexy McFlex

[stumpyGQ]

Hi all am going to extend some 3 inch shocks tomorrow about another 2 or 3 inches and put them in the back of the shorty. I know this has been done before has anyone got any pics??
How have you kept your springs from falling out?

After I do the back I also want to do the same to the front as the front shocks are fully extended at full flex too and it'll go more with longer shocks... Especially now that I chopped my front radius arm brackets off and made up a "cross link" type setup it flexes more upfront but the damn shox are too short!!

PS theyre near new so i cant just buy new ones!

[stumpyGQ]

OK so I made up the extensions for the fron shocks but will have to lift the shock tower / mount up about 70mm or so. will start that tomorrow. Also modded some old 3 inch shocks i had and added about 70 or 80 mm at the bottom of them. Probably too much at this stage as I tested the flex out as far as i could (ran out of things to drive up) and probably only need 50 or so mm added

[stumpyGQ]

here is the rear shock mount at the bottom although not quite at full flex, but must be close
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p196/joelskets/DSC00923.jpg

[stumpyGQ]

I disconnected 1 shock from the front too to see how much it needs extending and was pleasantly surprised with the extra flex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p196/joelskets/DSC00921.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p196/joelskets/DSC00926.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p196/joelskets/DSC00928.jpg

As you can see the spring sure is loose and tyre still firmly planted on the ground!!

[89 GQ]

I was talking to a guy at tough tracks he had a toyota (sorry) and to stop the springs from falling out he had made some spring relocators. What they are is basically is like a small witches hat (made of steel i think??? maybe polurathane) that meant that whenever the spring lifted back up it would hit this and slide back down onto the spring mount. may be worth a try.

Cheers chris

[oondy]

got any info on your "whatever you want to call it" link on the front there....looks the goods.

cheers

OONDY

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

got any info on your "whatever you want to call it" link on the front there....looks the goods.

cheers

OONDY
yeah X 2 looks fairly simple

[chops]

looks sorta like dobbin's x link design?

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

home made or bought ?

[stumpyGQ]

hi all.

yeah its pretty similar to the dobbins "x link" design really. Was made by me and have a bunch of pics of fabricating it. didnt really want to post them as there been some crap going on about it on other forums..? meh.

Anyway im going to put in a different dif (standard typr setup) with the extended shocks and towers and see if it still works as well... only doing this cos the other one has locker in it, drives well as it is but cant/dont want to change the centres.

will see how it turns out.....

[AussieMav91]

HAHA now thats one way to change your coils in the event of a lift! i totally didnt think of it..

[chops]

care to e-mail some photos on? I'm keen to have a gander at it and maybe have a chop at making one myself! :D

[stumpyGQ]

Yeah sure I can email them to you if you want whats your email?
It only took a matter ofa couple of hours to make up and fit, needs a few small mods as this is the first go at it. seems to work well though, even if it has bent like a banana after the first major flex!!!

YEAH EASY way to change the springs hey! :victory:

[PROFESSOR]

Great work!
I'd be bracing the link when you get a chance the link is under alot of stress under breaking, just some advice.

Here is a Link to dobbin engineering for you to have a look at for the people that haven't seen the XLINK.

www.dobbinengineering.com/ (http://www.dobbinengineering.com/)

enjoy!

Chad
0418441064

[blackxlt]

hi stumpygq
i also wouldnt mind getting some of those pics if you dont mind!!
my email is shortgq@telpacific.com.au
cheers cam

[stumpyGQ]

Great work!
I'd be bracing the link when you get a chance the link is under alot of stress under breaking, just some advice.

Here is a Link to dobbin engineering for you to have a look at for the people that haven't seen the XLINK.

www.dobbinengineering.com/ (http://www.dobbinengineering.com/)

enjoy!

Chad
0418441064

THANKS for the heads up PROFESSOR, you're exactly right, hence the DOBBIN ENGINEERING design is a lot heavier and differently shaped to stop bending.

Breaking definately puts some load on it, but its rotational load on the bolt and bush, so this doesnt affect my design.

The problem with the tube (as opposed to the taller, flatter, solid design) is under flex the lower arms push up and bend the tube rather than pivot on the center bush. Now extra bracing may help this but I beleive its in the geometry of the position of the end mounts/brackets in relation to the pivoting point.

Having said all this, it works well if you want to muck around with it but all said and done the real deal (dobbin engineering x link) is often the best.

cheers - Joel

PS After the weekend mine is so bent its renamed the banana! Ill post a pic

[RUFF]

Breaking definately puts some load on it, but its rotational load on the bolt and bush, so this doesnt affect my design.

Its rotational force on all of it. Bolt,Bush and Tube. Thats why the Tube is bending.

This set up realy isnt something you should be trying to make yourself if you do not totally understand all the forces being applied and what material you need to use to handle these forces. I wouldnt drive anywhere with the set up your running especially on road. Its very unsafe. Sorry if this seams im putting your design down but im realy just trying to help you out before you either hurt yourself or someone else with this set up. Its destin for failure. But i do applaude you for at least getting in and having a go. Your design just needs some more work.

The Dobbin X link is made of top grade material for a reason. And its shape and design is also that way for a reason.

I cant think of any tube or even solid round bar of any material that would be up to the task of this set up.

[BIG GQ]

I agree,. Not puttiing **** on you mate but this should be done a lot better and from proper plasma cut molly or similar. That setup you are running is all well and good for a "template" or similar but I wouldn't have it actually running on road or any real off road use.

I'm not meaning to put ***** on it either man but would hate to see it all go to **** at the wrong time which is extremely likely.

[stumpyGQ]

yeah mate i agree and i know you're not giving me **** i know exactly where you're coming from. Im sure you, and everone else for that matter can understand from this thread and previous posts that thats just what it is! :doh: i do a lot of structual engineering and fabrication and can appreciate where you're coming from. As ive said, read the thread, you'll get my point..

cheers -joel

[OldMav]

yeah mate i agree and i know you're not giving me **** i know exactly where you're coming from. Im sure you, and everone else for that matter can understand from this thread and previous posts that thats just what it is! :doh: i do a lot of structual engineering and fabrication and can appreciate where you're coming from. As ive said, read the thread, you'll get my point..

cheers -joel

Hi Joel
No **** just info. I assume its the braking force that has bent your tube. I did a calc for you. For a 3 ton rig at 120k/h no slipage on wheels maxium load in other words, with a 200mm lever arm being your distance from centre diff to your pivot you will need a 4000 series steel off 15mm thick x 100mm. I cannot work out the twisting moment but it is on rubber so will not matter. For mild steel you will need 25mm x 150mm to resist the modulus.
Also your centre pin and bush will be tricky, IMO it will not matter what you do it will wear out or become loose very quickly. A solution would be to use a rubber pin eye bush used on car leaf spring. Food for thought.

[stumpyGQ]

hmm thanks for the info there fella. I sure you're right in your thoughts on braking force, although thats not what bent it. Ive tested breaking as hard as I can (on dirt, not yet bitumen) and it seems to be fine. When I flex it as far as it can go, especially repeatedly it bends. anyway will try a couple more little things but for now im going to remove, as ive got another diff with a locker in it and i beleive that to be more beneficial, especially combined with its non modified reliability.

thanks for the input guys