You guys think it would be ok to pick up one of those harbor freight tubing notchers? I know they need some love before they are even used... But 40.00 is cheap enough... And might be better than my grinder... I can't say my notching has been very good... But it's getting better...

http://www.harborfreight.com/pipe-tubing-notcher-42324.html

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Ty915Z0GrJo&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTy915Z0GrJo

Otherwise I will keep grinding and cutting.

I've got one and have used the crap out of it.will work better than a grinder for sure. Chad

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NOW GAS IT!!!!!

thanks for the reply... I will stop in to the store in the morning and see if they have on there...

I used a Harbor Freight notcher for my entire car plus a couple other little projects. I've about destroyed it now but it's still going. My clamp down bolt stripped so I just drilled and re-tapped it bigger. Not bad for the cost.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Squirt oil at it often and buy extra 1 1/2" hole saws. Mine lasted for my entire first buggy build.

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Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
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Thanks guys... I think this will help me out a lot... Do you bolt it down or can I just use it unattached on the floor? I am going to go pick one up this afternoon.

It is best used in a vice. I made a freestanding base out of an old wheel and tire a small 3/8 plate and a square tube as a post. That makes it easy to move around especially when building a frame.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

Smart Idea Red... I will have to look for something that works with the amount of space I have... in a pinch I hope some awkward position on the floor will do. I just got back from picking one up... I have added the washer like everyone else... looks like it should do well... I will give it a try next Friday when the tubing shows up... till then I am trying to figure out how to use it... looks like my angle meter will help me figure out what to set the tube at? I hope this works well... my grinder and cut off wheels are OK in a pinch but man its a mess and not as good as I would like to see. More later... If I get free time I may experiment with the left over tubing I have now... Thanks guys for the feed back on the tool... looking forward to getting my shocks on and wheels on the ground...

Here is a very nice shock mount. A little overdone, maybe, for a smaller car. I like the strength this type of mount gives. It would need to be altered some to account for a single shock.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Man that looks nice... You have any side shots... Is that 1.5 and 1 inch tube? I can try to repro...

Don't have any side shots yet. I'd say 1" but could be 1.25".

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

nice

Thanks... I will try to break this concept down for a single and do what I can...

big help...

How goes the build?

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

Hey Red... It's going slow... I had to go pick up a better drill for the tubing notcher... But I was able to get some work done... I have the upper bar tacked and the horizontal bar tacked, and the shock mount tacked... Working on bracing now. The harbor freight tubing notcher is better than the hand grinder... But low grade tool... The upper bushing keeps popping out, the bolt to clamp the tube stripped out and I replaced it with a better one... I need to work on it some more so its centered but still better than the grinder... I burnt up my first hole saw bit today... Wd40 not working well enough for cutting oil... Need to get some, or I may just use motor oil... I also lifted the shift box up a bit so the shift rod is level... I sanded the bushing a bit so it wasn't so tight... It's coming along... Once I get the bracing tacked up I will take a few pics it should work out fine... Once I get this out of the way I will be looking for ideas to re in force where needed... ALS I have a tweaked cage in the rear... Mor on that later.


Thanks for asking...

Man we need to see some more photos, I cant build anything right now as I am on the Obama payroll at least until I find a new job. Winter boredom has set in.

Jonesing to build something, I need to burn some wire.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

I may try to cut up a few more tubes to brace the shock mount later today... I had to pick up some cutting oil and some hole saw bits... I decided to stick with my original plan for the mount... I figured I already had what I needed to get it done, so why not. I hope to have the thing sitting on the wheels by this weekend...

pics to follow

Just an FYI make sure your shock mount bolts are grade 8. They handle the shear forces better than a grade 5.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

I found some at the local hardware place... I will get pics as well... All I buy is grade 8 or 9 but to be honest I forget what they are... Will stop by after work.

man, I stopped off to check... the bolts I picked up are axle bolts for a lawnmower... lol.... they are perfect for the shock mounts... but I doubt they are grade 8

I will just use them for mock up and then order some stuff next time around... I need upper and lower shock bolts (mounts are 3 1/4 wide and I need lower limit strap bolts 1 1/4 I think)... I like the shoulder stuff more so than a jam nut option...


I will find something... thanks for bringing this up Red...

Let me know what you need, size length and I can call my suppliers and have them drop shipped to you if you don't have a bolt and nut specialist. I can also get the grade 8 nylock nuts as well. Being in construction does have it's advantages when buying steel and hardware.

More than likely the bolt you have a just mild steel. they will not last long off road, a little more load than a lawn mower wheel. Now if you are using blade bolts they will be hardened grade 8 but a bit short for your needs.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

that's cool... I will let you know... I have like 3 locations I try local before I look outside for a source...

As it is I think I need:

4 bolts for 3 1/4 x 1/2 mounts (guessing 3 1/2 or 4 inches long - I will measure what I have)
2 bolts 1 1/4 / 9/16

all nylock nuts to go with...

I am running late tonight so I don't plan on going out to the garage... will try for pics though, or just shoot for tomorrow for some work.

the Grade 9 stuff is located here:
http://www.pacificcustoms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PC&Product_Code=f911bolt12-20x325&Category_Code=fox-shock-mounts

Never used a grade 9 fastener, I buy my fasteners for about a quarter of that cost. I bet the nuts, washers and bolts are less than that. Just let me know. I used lightning bolt and screw in Tampa, Florida. They ship all over the country and I get dealer cost since I have bought at least a half a million in fasteners in the last fifteen years.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

I just go to tractor supply and buy grade 8 in bulk. McMaster Carr is a pretty good source too and ships really fast. I've never used grade 9. I've also never broke a shock bolt. Our snow plows are all grade 8 and let me tell you they see some abuse. 40mph into pot holes and curbs for years. I've broke a bolt here and there but it's not like I wouldn't trust to use them in a shock bolt. Just my $.02

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

I will try Tractor supply this weekend... I have only used grade 8 as well... that link just caught my attention is al.. do you guys just used the bolts that are threaded to the head or did you use a shoulder bolt?