So, i broke a Grade 8 bolt........

Anybody remember the Hyatt Hotel Skywalk that fell several years back?
That was caused by two things , first the two decks were designed to hang on a single rod going thru both decks. That was altered in building so that one rod went to the top deck , another rod went from the top deck to the lower one -- result ?--- the upper RETAINER hardware now carried BOTH loads , the rods themselves were up to the task.
Secondly , cheap wrought washers were used as carriers for the decks , the extra load imposed by the design change caused the top deck washer to fold & allow the deck to slide off & fall.
Knowing the strength & metallurgey properties of your materials is vital.

 

Here's what I just did Kevin...

I figured that given the amount of force that is being exerted on the perch, it's going to do nothing but bind if you try to build some rudimentary bushing action in to the mount through the wishbone. Meaning that I don't think a bolt-through solution that allows the mount to twist relative to the spring is any better than a welded solid solution that is set up right.

Along with the bind, I think you have to worry about the surface that are rubbing, wearing out over time...

So I welded mine...

I started with stock 28-34 Spring perches that I bought new so I could be reasonably sure they weren't cracked and so I wouldn't have to cut up some old parts...
Next I got a piece of 3/16" thick 11/16" ID DOM tubing.
I made two sleeves to go through the bones and I bolted the perches through the sleeve and through the bones.
I got the angle right for the perches to meet up with the spring and I tacked the sleeves in.
I bolted it together again and set up the front at ride height and checked it again.
Once I was satisfied, I welded the sleeves in solid.
I ground down the welds.
Then I cut for diamond diamand shaped plates out of 1/4" steel plate and positioned them so that they centered on the hole for the perch and tied into the solid end of the wishbone where the bone mounts to the axle.
Then I welded them to the bone around their perimeter, around the sleeves, and with 2 rosette welds in the face.
I did this on both plates and on both axles.
Then I bolted the perch though again and set the front at ride height.
I bounced on the front a few times to allow the perches and the springs to find their 'natural' orientation and I tacked in the perches.
I cut them to length and welded them solid on the perch side and rosette them on the cut side of the bones...
Then I built up a little weldment to make sure everything was solid on the perch side...

You'll have to excuse the black primer. I work under an open carport and bare metal actually rusts in there... Wierd?

I plan on running this car for a while with minimal coating on the bone so I can check the welds over times of use.

So, uuuuhhhhhhh, tell me.... Am I gonna die?...

 

I think it looks well thought out......I like the narrowed frame to where the engine mounts are right on top of the frame....cool...

BTW, those perches look familiar.....

 

So where does a guy find a high quality USA made fastener today ????

 

#94 Try Spencer Aircraft. Beware of the Chinese invasion! Off topic but an example of how insidious this has become. There is an outfit up here in the Seattle area that takes orders from dentists all over our great country for bridges, crowns etc. These orders are then forwarded by computer to a manufacturer in China that immediately manufactures and next day ships them to the dentist that installs them in the unsuspecting patient!