I've been feeling the need to get a Cruiser-mod fix, but the budget has been tight. After seeing Shotts rear control arm reinforcement, I decided that would do the trick without spending much money at all--even if I don't really NEED to beef up my control arms (haven't been really dragging my 80 over many big rocks).
Whatever.
Now I've got a little extra steel on my lower rear control arms that makes me feel better about extreme wheeling in the grocery store parking lot:
$11 worth of 1 x 1 x 1/8 steel angle from Metal Supermarkets.
A hand grinder.
A friend with a welder.
Some paint.
These are my first ever welds.
Some of them look like bird poo, but I think a few look alright. Turns out the nozzle on the MIG welder needed to be replaced too--before he replaced the nozzle, my buddy's welds started to go downhill as well.
I decided to spend a little time cutting and grinding the angles to dovetail into the ends of the control arms. Worked out pretty well,
The rear ends of the angles are not dovetailed completely to the ends--I left the ends more open so any moisture could drain out.
Cheap, easy, ultimately harmless and potentially useful.
Now I just need to start bashing rocks more.
Hayes
Whatever.
Now I've got a little extra steel on my lower rear control arms that makes me feel better about extreme wheeling in the grocery store parking lot:
$11 worth of 1 x 1 x 1/8 steel angle from Metal Supermarkets.
A hand grinder.
A friend with a welder.
Some paint.
These are my first ever welds.
Some of them look like bird poo, but I think a few look alright. Turns out the nozzle on the MIG welder needed to be replaced too--before he replaced the nozzle, my buddy's welds started to go downhill as well.
I decided to spend a little time cutting and grinding the angles to dovetail into the ends of the control arms. Worked out pretty well,
The rear ends of the angles are not dovetailed completely to the ends--I left the ends more open so any moisture could drain out.
Cheap, easy, ultimately harmless and potentially useful.
Now I just need to start bashing rocks more.
Hayes