What do you guys use to make your own fourlink mounts?

I've got access to a plasma cutter and a nice tig welder, and am thinking about buying some material to make parts like four link mounts for my 52 chevy and for a buddy's blazer project. What size material would you guys make those out of, .25"? I've got a couple mounts from Mac's ratz and they are 3/8" material. I think that's gonna be an expensive step up from .25".

Anyone make their own parts??

 

I try to make everything in house. But when it comes to flat plate items...... I have been using a local waterjet shop. The cost is minimal. I fax drawings over to them in the morning and pick up the part at lunch.

I could use the plasma cutter and grind....I could use the bandsaw, but time is money.

 

Well basically I'm taking a Tig cl*** at the local Votech, it was free so I said what the heck. And I've gotten the tig welding down and the instructor is cool enough to let me work on whatever I want for the next 2 months so I was thinking I might just use their time and resources to make me some parts. I've got two sets of lake headers I'll be welding and a column drop so I want to build some mounts while I have time.

What do you get your mounts cut out of Glen?

 

i usually refer to ch***isworks or one of those other big companies for reference.

Go for it while you have the access......i made almost all of the suspension pieces on my car from scratch even down to the shackles and delrin bushings for my leaf springs from scratch.

 

I use 3/16, either hot or cold rolled steel are fine. Hot rolled is probably more durable, but you would have to really beat up on it to hurt the mounts anyway. Use 1/4 if serious off-road use or high HP racing.

I design what I want using E-Machineshop and export the files to a have a local guy cut for me using a CNC plasma machine. I have like these much better that any of the universal parts I've used in the past. (maybe 10 different suppliers)

 

I use a waterjet machine, one benefit of running one at work i made my own to fit my ch***is with all the holes cad designed to be on an arc. that way you dont have to adjust the bar length to move the bar position. i can make anything you guys want. actually i did the whole ch***is of my 37 truck.

 

These guys have a lot of bushings. Scotty I always avoid hot rolled because I hate Tig welding it? Do you grind the scale off?

http://www.suicidedoors.com/4-link-parts/4-link-bushings/4-link-weld-bar-ends

 

Thanks guys... yea Glen that's who I'm looking at for the bushings.

I was thinking about just purchasing some 6" wide plate from the local metal place and just cutting them out, seems like it would be the cheapest way of getting .25" plate in smaller sizes.

 

Yep. I will clean the weld zone at minimum and blast the finished parts after welding or grind all the scale off if it cooperates. Never know what you'll get. Cold rolled is harder to come by most of the time for some reason. I've never noticed any difference aside from scale, though. I know cold rolled should be softer, but can't prove it by my experience.

 

yes and after you cut them out, bolt them together tight and grind the ends smooth, they will all match.

 

Right on.... I just wanted to make sure I was doing it somewhat right and not redneck ratrod style!!

Thanks for the help!!

 

Bushing wise, I like the energy suspension bushings for chevy truck leaf springs. They fit into 1.25 .058 (I think) wall tubing. They are about 2.5 " wide and you can use a 5/8 bolt or sleeve for 1/2" bolt. Something like $10 or $12 for a box of 12.

EDIT: Scratch the truck part, 55-57 Chevy, part # 3.2118G

 

Where do you get those from?

 

I'm sure you can get them online, but my local rod shop keeps them on hand. Part # 3.2118G. I checked the catalog online and found they are actually for 55-57 Chevy rear leaf springs. Sorry bout that. Looks like summit has them at $30 a set. I'll keep getting mine locally.

 

1/4 hot rolled plate has a yield stregnth of 45,000 vs. cold at 70,000.
the tensile stregnth for h.r. 1/4 is 67,000 vs. cold at 85,000. These are measured in pounds per square inch. The hot rolled will bend further than cold before it breaks so in the case of ch***is brackets I would go with the stronger cold rolled, no weld prep unless it is covered in an oil film and from my experience in the long run it costs less if the part needs to see paint..

 

I typically use 3/16 mild steel (cold rolled, not the hot scaly stuff), unless it's for a really heavy or very high performance application then I'll use 1/4 ms or 'moly (1/8 to 1/4 depending) for material.

Al in CT