my 5U build

[lowfatbug]

now more fun stuff! used an old school trailing arm jig and made an extension to modify stock arms into 2x2 trailing arms. I used 2 sets of arms to make what I needed. I still hve to cut and weld in gusset plates which is gonna be a cake walk lol.

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[Zac Reish]

I have never seen anything like this in my life. I would recomend when you first drive this thing to not travel over 10 mph, make sure you are the only person in the vehicle, park your truck behind a tree, and tell anyone in the near vicinity to stay at a safe distance. Or save yourself a headache and find another set of stock arms and dont cut them in half. What you are about to try could be very dangerous.

[lowfatbug]

I have never seen anything like this in my life.

well now you have lol
if this breaks it breaks then I'll try again. I am going to find another set and cut them in half as well and do them just like these and there will be gusset plates added incase you missed it in the above post.

I have a question for you, are you always so positive? and do you ever read what is in a post or just look at the pictures and spout your negative babble? you evidently can't think outside that little box you stay inside to see that there might just be other ways of doing things than are on the one way street you seem to be stuck on.
you also keep talking about dangerous, this car will not be anymore dangerous that any other car out there. just because you don't like what I'm doing (or don't understand) doesn't mean it is dangerous. the tech inspector will be the one to decide if it is able to run or not and I'm sure he is watching this thread as well, that is partly why I am posting pics of every step I'm doing so he will have an easier job of going over my car.

[joe1369]

No hate here, love the motivation/innovation, however, maybe the woops in Texas are not 3 to 6' deep holes like we are used to in Cali, Nevada, and Az, and of course Mexico. There are numerous parts that bolt on, for a reason, high quality, jig, and purpose built. Check out TI industries, 4" over front arms and spindles for around $1000.00. Breaking any front end component at speed may injure of kill you!!!

The Class 5 UNLIMITED aspect may be a stretch, many have tried your way, none have succeeded very long.

Love the street car, very nice, but look at some of the 5 unlimited build threads, full tube cars, 3 liter motors, 5 speeds, best of the best parts and they still break, throwing away/selling arms after 1000 miles or less, that is the abuse they go through!!

Again love the spirit of the thread, keep the pictures coming, but keep an open mind also to the really huge base of experience on RDC!!!!!!!! Many have been in this business for fun and little profit for 30+ years.

[chace]

lowfatbug,
i think you might want to reconsider the extended arm. even gusseted it will be risky. use those to make a jig and make some out of a heavy wall tube. if it was on the rear i dont think i would have much of a problem but you risk a lot on the front. i think the comment above could have been worded a little better but youll be satisfied with the end product if you go tube. good luck and keep the pics coming

[chace]

sorry that was referring to zac reish's comment not joe1369

[jps1145]

how far out did you push the frame head? if it wasn't more then 6", you're going to have some tire clearance issues. But, i think that is the least of your worries...
Take the advice given. I get the whole do it yourself mentality, but there have been hundreds of builders that have done what you are doing and learned what NOT to do.

[5racer]

now more fun stuff! used an old school trailing arm jig and made an extension to modify stock arms into 2x2 trailing arms. I used 2 sets of arms to make what I needed. I still hve to cut and weld in gusset plates which is gonna be a cake walk lol.

well in another 5 years you will be a good fabricator and will learn more than you would have ever imagined and thats a good thing is what I'm saying .some take the short road and some take the long road,the long road will teach you more

[DailyPedal]

Billy, from experience, there are many things you should (but probably won't) consider...let's say the front arm breaks at speed (+40). The tire will start flopping around, tethered by the tie rod and brake line, and destroy everything in reach, (body, tie rod, steering, brake assembly, rim and tire). Then the car, if still traveling at speed, will nose hard into the ground and probably roll, maybe several times depending how fast you are going and how rough the terrain. If you are lucky, you will walk away but the chances are good that you'll suffer a broken collarbone or two and maybe a broken back or worse.
Things will be different in the back. If the arm breaks, the suspension will collapse and probably throw the car sideways if not end over end. Again, the tire and rim will destroy everything including the axle assembly and even the trans and may even reach back to the motor area...if you're lucky, you might walk away...if not, well see above...
Am I being too negative for ya? Sorry but there is a wealth of info here if you ask and many have seen thousands upon thousands of race miles and know what happens when things go bad...I don't believe people here are trying to be mean, they are simply trying to point out that while we respect your "get it done" homespun attitude, you might get hurt and worse, seriously hurt someone else including your co-dog or spectators. Even the best equipment fails off road and you are a long ways away from that. And don't believe for a second that your tech inspector will somehow keep you from hurting yourself...they will try hard but ultimately it will come down to you so you had better be smart...

[lowfatbug]

ok, you guys are making it sound like if I "buy new parts" (spend lots of money) and bolt them on and they won't break or if they do break it will some how have a different outcome than if the parts I fab break, broken parts are broken parts aren't they? and if a "new" trailing arm breaks at speed will the end result be any different? the race I went to see 39 vehicles started the race and only 19 finished, I seen a few of the ones that didn't finish and seems to me all of those broken parts were good quality high dollar parts and they broke. you see any kind of pattern with that? I know I do, that pattern is nothing you can do to stop parts from breaking except maybe (key word maybe) replace everything after each race. everyone keeps talking about "dangerous" isn't it dangerous every time you strap into a race car or any other car for that matter. dangerous to me my co-dog or spectators that is the case with every race car ever built heck with anything in life for that matter.
it was said in an earlier post that 100's of people have tried the same thing I am doing I say kudos to all those that have tried because at least they tried. I'm not saying what I do won't fail but if it does fail I will figure out why and try it again until I get it right. when I do get it right wether it is the first attempt or the 100th I will get it right. all these parts that you guys buy to use on your cars now were first made and tried out at some point by someone right?

I have gotten some very useful info and every bit of it is greatly appreciated, just having to sift threw the "scrap that" BS actually make me laugh.