how thick for fab??

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FatMan
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how thick for fab??

Post by FatMan »

how thick of steel did you guess use to build your trac bar mounts. im wanting to build mine similar to Baileys. plate with a drop piece and some supports.. is 1/4 over kill or should 3/16 be fine?
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Post by no v8? why drive? »

go 1/4", the trac bar takes alot of abuse on side hills and with the front flexed out and it will ruin your day if something fails. Tie it in to the crossmember as well to keep it from flexing the frame.
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Nobody
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Post by Nobody »

If you are using a hunk of square tube, it doesn't really need to be that thick. The problem is, the trac bar bolt hole will waller out if it isn't thick enough. I fixed this by welding on a couple washers to the outside of the tube.

YOU MUST use a brace to the engine crossmember.

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FatMan
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Post by FatMan »

well i have some 2"square tube but i dont think it'll fit the trac bar arm. i need to measure so i can get something done this weekend.
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bailey
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Post by bailey »

I used 2.5" x 2.5" tube, 1/4" wall, because that's what my local metal provider had in the remnants section. I ended up welding "plate" washers on the inside to better fit the trackbar as there was a gap between the bushing and the tube. I guess the bonus was that it probably helps prevent the wallering as Nobody said.

As everybody said, run the brace for sure. I have seen some nasty pictures of very short drop mounts (so short that they thought a brace was unnecessary) rip out the frame.
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