We wanted to dive right in and show you some of the little detail tricks going into this build.
For the rear suspension, we set up the wishbone to mount flush inside the rear crossmember. This isn't done just for looks, as it also serves to give the wishbone the exact angle we needed for our rear suspension geometry. This is why everything on a big project should always be planned ahead of time, that way there will be no "unfixable" surprises down the road. So Bobby Martins from Sadistic Iron Werks broke down this clean little trick for all to see. For more information, contact the companies listed in the source box, and visit Minitruckinweb.com for more pics of the buildup.
1. Here's a look at the position...
1. Here's a look at the position we want to mount the wishbone in (except flushed inside the crossmember, so about an inch and a half lower).
2.Bobby made a "mock-up" link...
2.Bobby made a "mock-up" link end to match the width of our wishbone to use for measurement and placement.
3.Next, Bobby measured and...
3.Next, Bobby measured and marked the center of the crossmember.
4.
5.The width of the bushing...
5.The width of the bushing was measured and transferred to the crossmember. Bobby will be using 1/4-inch plate for the side walls, so each side is marked accordingly.
6.Each side of the crossmember...
6.Each side of the crossmember was measured and marked, and then to ensure a clean cut, a hole-saw and drill was used to drill out the soon-to-be bolt holes.
7.
8.Bobby used 1-inch, .120-wall...
8.Bobby used 1-inch, .120-wall DOM tubing to ensure plenty of strength for the wishbone mount.
9.Next, we cut out two pieces...
9.Next, we cut out two pieces of 1/4-inch plate to box in the sides and support the mounting of the wishbone. Each piece was test-fitted and marked.
10.Before being cut down,...
10.Before being cut down, each side was marked and drilled for the 1/2-inch bolt.
11.Here's a mock up of the...
11.Here's a mock up of the test fitting. You can almost tell what it will look like soon with a little imagination.
12.The last piece of the puzzle...
12.The last piece of the puzzle is a piece of 3-inch tubing cut 3 inches long to smooth out the inside of the mounting hole.
13.Bobby cut the excess off...
13.Bobby cut the excess off each of the plates in the bandsaw then cleaned them up to help make welding everything a piece of cake.
14.Next, the sidewalls were...
14.Next, the sidewalls were tacked in place along with the center tubing so the excess could be cut off.
15.Now that we have a nice...
15.Now that we have a nice smooth arch for a clean wishbone mounting point, the side tubing was marked and cut.
16.With everything out of...
16.With everything out of the way, the welding and smoothing began. Not bad for a few hours work.
17.
18.The crossmember was set...
18.The crossmember was set up in the truck and the wishbone fit perfectly! We love it when a plan comes together. Stay tuned for more on Project Low Lux as we continue to piece her together.