to Tom (tomsoffroad) for giving me a boost when I was feeling down about the crossmember being in the way - thats made a huge chunk of extra work I didn't need... but he helped bigtime and made a few bits for the front in the process.So heres the crossmember:
And this is why i need it, the springs are just too long... my bad measuring to start with:
Anyway, on with the front mounts - a piece of 75x50x3 tacked across the front crossmember, then Toms handiwork for endplates
Then the first of the spring hanger plates - Tom had used my 5mm plate making the end plates, so all I had left was my 8mm chunky bar - oh well, since its doubling as a brace for the crossmember i guess thats not so bad...
3 more and I had a whole set
Then tack 'em together and drill the 18mm holes for the spring pins - heres one spring mounted to get an idea...
Closeup of one side (note - not even tacked yet, and the springs I'm using are Hilux rear leafs to get the front wheel in the right place, so ignore the overload leafs - I just haven't removed them yet
)
Ok, so thats where I'm at... I have the axle ready to go in, and will check the need to put the new crossmember in straight away tomorrow - if I can get away with it for the time being I'll leave it because one side where I need to weld the crossmember mount in will require quite a bit of re-routing of plumbing (brakes and fuel). Steering-wise I have a tie-rod and drag-link from a 40-series cruiser which I will make fit for now, until I have finished making the high-steer crossover arms.
Steve