Barrio FabWorks Radius Arm Brackets...

[Gil BullyKatz]

In an effort to combine the simplicity of radius arms and make them a bit more capable...

Here's my take on mounting them...

These will be welded to the unibody rails...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1462.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1456.jpg

The arms will have Johnny Joints at the bracket end and mount on the inside of the frame rail for clearance purposes...

Watcha think?
progress pics to follow...

[Mr.OverKill]

In an effort to combine the simplicity of radius arms and make them a bit more capable...

Here's my take on mounting them...

These will be welded to the unibody rails...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1462.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1456.jpg

The arms will have Johnny Joints at the bracket end and mount on the inside of the frame rail for clearance purposes...

Watcha think?
progress pics to follow...where is the nut going? and i would recomend using a bigger bolt ( i use the stock size in grade 8 or better ) other than those small things it looks simple and effective.

[Gil BullyKatz]

where is the nut going? and i would recomend using a bigger bolt ( i use the stock size in grade 8 or better ) other than those small things it looks simple and effective.

can't see it in the pic but the nut's already there...

It was welded to the small bracket...

then a hole big enough to clear the nut was cut into the c-channel

the bolt is the grade 8 - 3/4" one that came with the JJ's

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1469.jpg

[Mr.OverKill]

can't see it in the pic but the nut's already there...

It was welded to the small bracket...

then a hole big enough to clear the nut was cut into the c-channel

the bolt is the grade 8 - 3/4" one that came with the JJ's

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1469.jpgAAAAHHHH, i see said the blind man. carry on with the creative engineering, i am :laugh3: :laugh3:

[Israel]

I was thinking of doing something similar, but decided against it since it looks like the arm would contact the frame rail during flexing. Are you going to make a horizontal bend to clear the frame on your arms (if that makes sense at all)?

[baseballneal86]

Looks way better than the route most people take when using the Ford radius arms (low hanging crossmember under the unibody).

I'll echo what Israel said. What are you planning to do with the arms so that they'll fit under compression? FarmerMatt put (I think) a 14* bend in his arms to make them fit. Although his frontend had also been narrowed.

I assume youi're gonna be running the HP44 full width to match the rear 8.8. This would require an even greater bend in the arms right?

Seeing you tackle this first will hopefully make my life easier :-)

[Gil BullyKatz]

Looks way better than the route most people take when using the Ford radius arms (low hanging crossmember under the unibody).

I'll echo what Israel said. What are you planning to do with the arms so that they'll fit under compression? FarmerMatt put (I think) a 14* bend in his arms to make them fit. Although his frontend had also been narrowed.

I assume youi're gonna be running the HP44 full width to match the rear 8.8. This would require an even greater bend in the arms right?

Seeing you tackle this first will hopefully make my life easier :-)


yes clearance was an overall goal...

yes they'll have a bend (or two)

and yes I'm staying full width

[Rev Den]

Very beefy looking Gil.

Locally made?
Self made?

Rev

[Gil BullyKatz]

Very beefy looking Gil.

Locally made?
Self made?

Rev

The JJ bracket was outsourced to Cabo manufacturing...

the rest was done by my fire spinning-meatfest grilling buddy Eddie

[shimmy]

keep us posted with pics... i can't wait to see the arms and everything mocked up! looks good!

-b

[Rev Den]

I thought I reconized Cabo's work. Good choices, I would let Cabo and Eddie work on my junk anytime. Can't wait to see it in action.

Rev

[XJ_ranger]

Id like to see something more than that material welded to the uniframe...

putting all the load of the front axle during deceleration from I-80 speeds on a 1' section of "frame" in the middle of the uni-body isnt what Id call Ideal....


Id like to see either a custom crossmember that ties the two together, and mounts to the 'frame' farther back as well (distributing the load)

the factory junk is located by 4 arms that have considerably less bind than a radius arm setup...

IMO - keeping the frame brackets located side to side (with a crossmember/skidplate) and front to back with some big stiffiners would be critical when locating the suspention in an area not designed to carry the loading...

[Gil BullyKatz]

bellypan skidplate to tie them together...

forgot to mention it's also going to have rosette welds and 2 bolts per side thru the frame...

but that's towards the end of the project...

I want to mount them up...

drop the 30

mock up the position of the 44

so I can build the arms with proper length and clearance

[XJ_ranger]

sounds solid!

gonna make it to WF this year? :laugh3::laugh3::laugh3:


:D

[Gil BullyKatz]

sounds solid!

gonna make it to WF this year? :laugh3::laugh3::laugh3:


:D

Well...

I HAVE to finish the 44 swap AND the stroker projects...

We'll see

:D

[baseballneal86]

What size tubing are you planning on using for the arms? Also, what does it take to bend 1/4" wall tubing? Can a normal bender handle it?

I'm assuming 1/4" is the thickness you'll be using.

Progress pics of the arms would be greatly appreciated! :yelclap:

[Gil BullyKatz]

What size tubing are you planning on using for the arms? Also, what does it take to bend 1/4" wall tubing? Can a normal bender handle it?

I'm assuming 1/4" is the thickness you'll be using.

Progress pics of the arms would be greatly appreciated! :yelclap:

I honestly don't know what thickness tubing I'm using until I cut them up...

I inherited a pair of lower longarms built by a retired NAXJA metal bitch...

He built them with an offset at each johnny joint as well...

I dunno...

Once I get to the mock-up stage, if they seem like they might work...

I might grind the radius arm mounts off the HP44 (yes I scored a welded mount version) and weld on mounts for a 3 or 4 link...

The original plan was to slice one johhny joint off and sleeve the radius arm as much as I can with the reamining material...

We'll see...

Here's some pics of the donor arms.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1477.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1476.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1475.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/bullycatz/jeep/DSCF1474.jpg

p.s. The guy that built them had access to decent supplies of steel...

Pretty sure they'll be up to the task.

;)

[Rev Den]

I would question those welds.....the look suspect. :D

My mom could weld better.


Rev

[BrettM]

a (gasp!) cheap HF pipe bender will handle minor bends in thickwall tube just fine

[Mr.OverKill]

I would question those welds.....the look suspect. :D

Revi did question those welds and they told me the butler did it!! :D

[Roxtar]

Nice work Gil.
BTW, in case you ever need to replace, the bolts are 9/16-NC Gr8.