Once again, thanks for the terrific detail and photos. I'm learning quite a bit (and starting to drool all over my keybo890uyhgupeiahauhp-999belfa

+++
NO CARRIER

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks for the support guys:

Its been alot tougher to finish this project since the arrival of two children into my life at the same time I started this post. However, the car still needs fixing so I will keep plugging away at it.

So we are to the last part of creating a pin, sort of...since I also need to cross drill the channel, and set the first pin up again to finish thru drilling the grease channel. But I think I will finish both of those tasks today, what better way to spend the early part of our nations birthday than creating cool car parts.

In this next picture you will see that I have threaded the end of the pin. I could have used the threading functions of my lathe to cut these, but I didn't have a proper thread form lathe tool. What I did have was the correct tap, so once again for just two parts I did this manually:



Again I don't want to bore you guys with too many detail pics of silly things like taps on the end of something. Taps give a pretty harsh finish, and even good tools leave minor scoring of the parts you are turning. One of the ways I get the really nice finish you see in these pictures is to just turn on the lathe, and polish the part for a moment with a strip of sand paper. The crease of a folded peice cleaned up these threads nicely.

I am using a nylon lock nut on the pin and a grade 8 extra thick washer as the clamping medium:



The almost finished pin turned out fantastic and the second one looks as nice. So I will finish the pins today, and then set up to do the bearings. Cutting the grease channels in the bearings will be interesting. I want a channel on both the ID and OD and need to connect them, however, I don't want to weaken the bearing to the point it cracks near the machining of the channels. I haven't decided what to do yet. I will have to use a custom ground boring tool to create the inside channel, and probably use my mini lathe so I can be inside with the air conditioning when I do it...

By the way, the reason the diameter of the flange on the pin is not the same as the bearing is purely economic. The extra diameter for a steel bar was a huge step up in price relative to any percieved benefit. Since I already increased the flange area by a huge margin over stock, I figured that was good enough and not worth another $20 for 1/4" more or so diameter.

Gearhead

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64 GTO...10.80's@122 on street radials
Destroked 455, Qjet, stock ign, 2400 stall

64 Valiant
Old 225, 4spd, 2.92-8.75, 2bbl, headers
dual 2.25"

This is great stuff! I'm very visual...written instructions and discriptions only confuse me...great photos! I can actually understand what your doing!

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Rob

'62 Plymouth Savoy Wagon
'64 Chrysler 300
'47 Farmall H
Merlins are cool
Radials rule
Jets drool

hey Karl

you gonna solder the honned shells to the LCA? that would be one easy replaceable bearing after all this work, huh?

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

Hey Argentina...

Just got back from another bike ride, took the ex's son with me for 20 miler...

I hadn't really thought about soldering them because they are pressed in so well as it is...from what I understand, to remove them takes welding a washer to them for something to pull on with a removal tool. However, if you know of a good reason I should, it would be easy to do.

And you are correct, it would be a simple matter to replace these bearing if they do have wear issues. Even if they wore out in a year or two, it only costs me $5 each and an hour to make new ones. As long as they work well, replacing them would not be a problem.

That said, I don't really think that they will wear significantly. They should just keep on chugging along with plenty of grease...or not...perhaps they will crack and break from stress, or wear flat spots...who knows.

I have been thinking about your UCA thoughts on Delrin bearings. I don't really understand from your description what you mean. I would just machine the Delrin into a normal looking bushing, machine the outer shell to press fit like stock, but make a two piece inner shell to assemble before attaching to the frame.

It looks like there is room to provide a grease channel if an extension is run from the bearing outer sheel to the location of the grease fitting...just enough extension for clearance for a grease gun head.

Gearhead

_________________
64 GTO...10.80's@122 on street radials
Destroked 455, Qjet, stock ign, 2400 stall

64 Valiant
Old 225, 4spd, 2.92-8.75, 2bbl, headers
dual 2.25"

hey again gearhead

I was thinking about soldering cuzz would be some kinda beef up un that stress point in the LCA... i don't think one needs to do that but, given the extremely detailed work you're doin I thought you may do that (I dunno where I got the idea, maybe looking at the extremely precise, fine and classy craftmanship you show in your pix) i didn't followed much the back side reinforcement plates part, I did get the lower side LCA reinforcement point. Other q I have is if you would sell some parts to me/us (i really like your LCA greasable pins better than firmfeel's, ie) and the strutrods assy... man, talk about one of the finest reengineering works I've ever seen.
waiting to see the grease ducts in the bearing... oh my... i'm as anxy as if this were my prom nite

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

My LCA plates are only $20. You'll be hard pressed to make them yourself for less than that assuming you place any value on your own time. Ride your bike down to Wilsonville and you can pick up a pair here at my shop.

Hey gearhead... very juicy cam post on that other thread.

I'm experimenting with polyamide 6 (grilon) for the idler arm thing. Is a li'l bit less hard than delrin while retaining its noble properties... lil more "gummy" that delrin wich can contribute to reduce NVH yet still retaining the bearing mind engineering. I'm paying a 1mt lenght 35 mm outter diameter 14,5 inner diameter (yes, a precut inner hole for less fabricating stress) AR $ 40, wich is like 14 US $. I'll figure shipping cost soon, but for testing purposes I'll be sending you some chunks off that bar with a friend of mine that's coming soon to argentina. He leaves on 8/24 so we have plenty of time for figuring out something.

Talk to you soon.

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

HOT FIND!!!!

they make grilon (polyamide 6) loaded with MoS2 (molybden ?? disulphure) black colored stock in various shapes (square bar, solid round bar, round tube) that would make and excellent self lubricating bearing, wouldn't it? I mean, in adition to all those greasable pins and stuff, just for places like UCA bushings (now bearings?) idler arm bushing, rear leaf springs, you name it! I wrote to the factory in order to figure out A) where I can get it and B) if they're willng to export their great and cheap stuff. I pay like $ 14 for approx 2.5 pounds of grilon at any hardware store... I figure that bulk order would lower this price... of course you'll have to deal with shipping charges, etc. This factory also makes delrin (only white, but who cares) and of course grilon in all shapes listed above plus in sheets for carb spacers, etc etc etc.

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

Hi Argentina:

Very interesting. I did a search on google and found that Grilon is a grade or brand of nylon.

Anyway, there sure is alot of different kinds. I have no time, just rec'vd a 12,000 piece order for parts made on my automatic turret lathe. It is to help a friend of mine whose uncle's business had a machine break and they need parts now...I need money now!!!

So I will post when I can, and I'll be able to do some suspension work while the machine plugs away...at least for 7000 parts, then I switch to a part that has two operations and I have to baby sit the machine loading parts by hand for the next 5000 units...actually, 10,000 because I load them once from each side...oh well...I'll post a picture when its set up and running.

I did find this article about what Ferrari uses for suspension bushings, although I haven't even read it yet...

http://www.globalspec.com/FeaturedProdu ... gs/16973/0

Sleep now

Gearhead

_________________
64 GTO...10.80's@122 on street radials
Destroked 455, Qjet, stock ign, 2400 stall

64 Valiant
Old 225, 4spd, 2.92-8.75, 2bbl, headers
dual 2.25"

Hi Guys:

Just a quick update...I parted off the other pin and finished it...but then I had to get started on the work that came my way. So I haven't touched it, I spent all last week buying custom tooling and misc stuff I needed to complete this 12,000 part run. I have setup my automatic machine to the point where it is almost making complete units now. The main order of 2600 pounds of steel bar stock arrives wednesday, and then I start making some moolaaaa!!!!

I'll post a couple pics of what I am up to when the machine is up and going, then I will be able to work on the suspension parts while the turret lathe makes me money.

Then the posts will get more regular and you can see the final installation as I get to it...

Also, I'll post about my carb swap experience, I just haven't the time right now...

Gearhead

_________________
64 GTO...10.80's@122 on street radials
Destroked 455, Qjet, stock ign, 2400 stall

64 Valiant
Old 225, 4spd, 2.92-8.75, 2bbl, headers
dual 2.25"

I have a local shop that has the delrin in black, they had just made some bushings for a local car nut who had an import car & couldn't /didn't like the rubber bushings available. I coul check to find out there source on this !!!

Hi Gearhead,

You had mentioned that you were considering selling copies of your fabbed parts. Well, I have the front end ripped off my Barracuda, and I need to start ordering parts now. We know you are busy with your other project, but I was wondering if you had thought about availibility and pricing,.

Thanks,

Greg

Hi again guys:

I thought I'd take at least a couple minutes to answer and to post a pic or two I hadn't yet.

VDart:

I usually am able to buy white or Black for making the slot car wheels, but when I went to tap plastics they only had white, at least in the size I wanted.

However, if you go to any large plastic supplier for local businesses that isn't retail based like Tap, then black should be available and reasonable.

Gmader:

I'm sorry to say that getting parts to you during the time span of a suspension that is already apart is not an option. Making these by hand is extremely time consuming, and I can't go about planning CNC production until it is in my car and tested.

The strut rods from BigBlockDart are almost exactly like mine and would work great for you. You could always replace the pin and bushing later, it would not be that hard on a recently assembled suspension that doesn't have 100K+ miles of crud and rust.

Basically, at this time my plan of marketing this kit is purely based on the fact that I always try to find a way to make a little money from the stuff I do. Succesfully making money off my hobbies has kept me from ever having to have a job in my life, (I've owned a hotrod tuning shop...slotcar raceway...High Perf RC sailplane shop...a furniture delivery business(ok not a hobby but my first business at 15 yr old)...and now small parts manufacturing as well as the video production studio) and I'm crossing my fingers it stays that way. All these businesses were succesful at one level or another, but either did not fulfill me or earn enough to make it good for the long haul...but none lost money or went under for any reason other than my choice. So when this is all done and working in my car, I will consider the possibilities for the potential to create a product line based on it. My pricing probably wouldn't be that much better than any of the similar stuff on the market, although I always strive to keep prices as low as possible in my endeavors, since I appreciate the same when on the buying end.

The main thing I would like to bring that would be different, is a DVD with the package that explains not only the installation, but also the setup and workings of the torsion bar suspension, and how to accomplish accurate alignments in your own driveway.

That said...my life has a lot of constantly changing dynamics at the moment and I don't know where I'll be or what I might be producing in a few months time. After all, I already own a DVD production studio and my partner wants me there making videos, not working on suspensions...on the other hand, he wants to become involved in manufacturing products of some kind or another, maybe he will partner with me on this...or...I might get offered a lucrative position at the company that just supplied me this production run I'm doing now, they are bringing me to North Carolina as a consultant for a few weeks...and although I don't want a job particularly, they own a TF Funny Car team for which I have already done the multimedia CD rom that they use to procure sponsors...and sneaking myself into helping with the team might be enough fun to be worth having...gulp...a job for awhile. Or...the guy I would take the suspension parts too for production, announced to me the other day he'd like to sell me his business...easy terms...hmmm...and my old business partner and best Pontiac partner in crime for the past 20 years kinda wants to join into that maybe...

So anyway...I wish I could promise to make myself a couple bucks by providing you with a great suspension kit, but at this time I can't.

Now...that said, and enough about my personal crap...here is a couple pics I thought you might find interesting before I ditch the computer for another long day and nights work.

Just so you know where all this stuff comes from...not some shop, but just my two car garage on my little ranch house here in the Eastern part of the city of Portland, not far from the entrance to the fabulous Columbia River Gorge, and only 40 miles from night skiing on mount Hood.

Here is a little older picture of my garage with my turret lathe. It has been slightly rearranged since this pic to make room for the mill and engine lathe, but basically looks the same. My old distributor machine is clearly visible as is the turret lathe I will produce these 12,000 parts on. The gravity fed feed mechanism uses a couple pullies and counterweights to feed bar stock from the rear of the machine.



Also in the picture is my little swap meet metal band saw, and you can just make out that I have a small sheet metal shear/roller/bead roller/bender combo.

Hear is a picture of the mill I just bought for $500 with lots of tooling and measuring equipment.



Here is a picture of my dining room, where I eat flying metal chips off my mini CNC mill and mini lathe:



I have built some really cool stuff on these little machines, including a working steam engine that fits in my pocket, a working scale replica of a mill steam engine from the 1880's for my Dad, many carb brackets and linkage pieces and such, some really trick robot parts, some mini dragster parts for a friens kid, adjustable foot pedals for a sandrail...and I use it all the time like last night to quickly make bushings out of brass for various reasons, like to convert a starter motor into a starter for my old racing gokart, or last night I made a bushing to fit a half inch cobalt drill into the 5/8" sleeves on the turret of the turret lathe.

Back to suspension parts. Here is a couple pics of the complete suspension parts assmbled on the front lawn. The strut rod isn't cut to length yet but otherwise ready to go except for the grease channels on the LCA bearings.



And another from a distance:



Anyway...thats all the time I have today...must get to work or theres no point in having the work...

Update to this thread as of May 2nd, 2019...I fit alot more equipment into my shop. 2 CNC lathes, a CNC mill, a precision surface grinder, and another small cnc mill for inside the house in the workshop bedroom.





Karl aka gearhead

_________________
64 GTO...10.80's@122 on street radials
Destroked 455, Qjet, stock ign, 2400 stall

64 Valiant
Old 225, 4spd, 2.92-8.75, 2bbl, headers
dual 2.25"

I appreciate your efforts, and candor about your time. I will look at the BB Dart offering, but I wanted to keep the money in our "family" if I could. I learned a lot from your efforts, and will apply that to my car.

Thanks!

Greg