Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

Now that I've got a set of rear wheels, I just had to set up a rough mock up to see how its looking. The whole chassis will sit taller once the rear axle is mounted and front leaf spring is made and installed. I'm liking how it sits at this point.

 

MockUp1_zps2f42fe7f.jpg

 

 

Frame2Scale.jpg

Edited by gasser59
Posted

Hi Brad,

Your model is progressing nicely and looking good.

Could you tell us a few detaails about how you're doing the front end? Styrene or brass tubing, how about the knuckles. I love to see nice suspension work on our hot rod and drag models.

Michael

Posted

Hi Michael ~

Thanks for the comment. I've always required working steering on all of my builds and since I like altereds and rails, I've had to make them out of tubing since they show. I used aluminum tubing so I can polish it up to look like chrome. When I built my Altered Ego Fiat, I was asked about the steering so here's the diagram I drew up explaining how I do it. Its fairly detailed and takes some time but really worth it in the end.

WorkiingSteering.jpg

Ask if you have any questions.

Posted

Hi Brad, now we're talking. I was hoping you use brass, how in the heck do you attach the spindle to the knuckle?

Excellent diagram by the way. This is what I'm looking for.

Michael

Posted

I attach the spindle to the knuckle by drilling out the vertical part of the knuckle and use a piece of 0.035 piano wire with the burr still on it and pushed in from the inside of the C of the knuckle. Apply a small amount of Zap-A-Gap. Once dry, I attach a small piece of 1/16th tubing with a small sleeve of 1/8th tubing up against the knuckle for more surface area for the Zap-A-Gap to hold better.

Hope this helps.

Posted (edited)

I'm back with those promised photos of the functioning front axle.


SteeringKnuckle1-vi.jpg

SteeringKnuckle2-vi.jpg

Steering3-vi.jpg

I did this one a bit differently than in the drawing by using R&B stainless steel tubing for the steering arms. They were filed at a slight angle with the side of a cut off wheel on my Dremel Stylus. I 'm so thrilled with how these came out, this is how I'll do these from now on. I'll get a close up picture of the bottom of the knuckle so you can see what I'm referring to.

Thanks for your interest and following along. Comments welcome.

 

Edited by gasser59
Posted (edited)

Brad, that's sick.

OK, spill the beans, tell me what size nuts and bolts? Are the nuts 00-90? I'm trying to weed my way through all kinds of websites for mini hardware options. I see some nice things, but I'm not sure of the scale, and I'm confused about sizes. I prefer metric system.

Can you tell us about the rods ends too?

The work looks fantastic!

Just one more though, is the front supposed to be non sprung? Is the unit mounted backwards? (Tie rods to the front?)

Michael

PS: About Zap-A-Gap, I have to laugh now. I'm going to my local Hardware Store (I live in Germany!), and telling the dude there, in German, "I need some zap-a-gap". Like the German word for a bra is; "Stoppen-Z-Floppen".

Edited by 10thumbs
Posted (edited)

OK, spilling the beans Michael. Here's all of the items used on the axle:

The rod ends are from RBmotion.com - part number1501

The stainless steel tubing is RB Motion too - part number 1542

The bolts are from ScaleHardware.com - part number THRB-05-S

The washers are Scale Hardware items too - part number WASH-05-S

The nuts are also Scale Hardware - part number THRN-05-N

The aluminum square and round tubing is from the LHS and I imagine its K&S.

You'll need to drill out the rod ends a bit with a number 76 (.020) drill bit for the nuts to fit inside them.

The straight axle will have a traverse mounted leaf spring over the axle that mounts to the frame hanger once I get one made or source one. I could have sworn that I've seen some photo etch leaf springs online in the past but I'll be darned if I can find them now. Guess I'll have to make my own from either printing plate or sheet aluminum. Let me know what the sales person says when you ask for some Zap-A-Gap. LOL

Thanks for the kind words Paul, Gene and Michael. They're really appreciated.

Edited by gasser59
Posted

Thanks Brad, I've saved the info!

By the way, I'm at a front end suspension right now, but I bought the wrong kind of solder for brass profile pieces.

Also, here a real secret type of tip for aluminum in scale. My old business backup disks, I have a ton of them left over, excellent stuff!

post-13335-0-72732800-1409686747_thumb.j

I just made a motor plate for a 32 Ford with the stuff, great!

Michael

Posted

Thx Michael. Yea, I've used that stuff before. A little stiff but works great. I really like used printing plates the best. They come in a variety of thicknesses.

Posted (edited)

Thanks Darryl. Glad you're following along.

 

As mentioned earlier, here's a couple pics of the underside of the knuckle.

Steering6-vi.jpg

Steering5-vi.jpg

 

These really show how clean the stainless steel tubing works out.

Edited by gasser59
Posted

Brad, is the tubing on the knuckle also glued? Zap a Gap?

This is really good stuff, thanks for the details. Very clean and well built.

Michael

Posted

Yes the tubing for the spindle is glued with Zap-A-Gap. I think you're more likely to find Zap-A-Gap at the hobby/craft store than you would at a hardware store but I've never been over the pond so don't know how things like this work. Where do you get your modeling supplies?

Posted (edited)

Here's a couple of shots of the chassis mocked up at this point.

Chassis9-3_zps741eda56.jpg

Chassis9-32_zps51b32118.jpg

Engine needs a final sanding then ready for paint. Waiting on my blower pulleys to arrive before doing this though. Need to work on fabricating the leaf spring and mounting system soon.

Edited by gasser59
Posted

Good news, Zap a Gap is available in Germany.

I checked out the reference numbers on the parts used, so I've zeroed in the sizes.

Things are looking good so far.

Michael

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...