Rods n' Rhodies in Florence Oregon

[ellis8500]

Hmmmm...it's getting heated here. Everybody is entitled to an opinion, but, Corley, it's not right to tell thousands of successful builders that their design is wrong. The hairpin design is tested and proven to be a good suspension design. It's not wrong, it's only different. I'm curious as to why Corley is so passionate about this. Of all the people on this forum, I've only heard of one that had a problem with his hairpin suspension failing and it was a clevis that fractured. As I stated before, you have to use high quality parts designed for the loads involved. Some builders do try to do everything on the cheap. If their parts fail, it's not a problem with the design, it's a problem with the cheap part. We've read here about some of the Speedway hairpins being sub-standard; they tend to bend. Ron Pope addressed that by offering higher strength materials for direct replacement parts. We've been instructed by some to use safety washers on our heims joints. We've heard from aerospace engineers and mechanics about the use of the proper fasteners and heims joints. My point......there are many here who know what they are talking about and I listen to them. I'm an experienced engineer; I know how do do the calculations; but I've never built a car. So I pay attention and learn.

As far as Corley's passion....if ya don't like what he says, ignore him. I thought his first post was a bit extreme, his last one over the top.

 

[ruggs]

GAB,
Gotta give ya credit on this one. You have the articulation with the shocks mounted. I give however, I'll stick with what I have and prefer....Ron (ruggs)

 

[Corley]

Gerry UK,

I'm a bit confused by this pix of your front end arrangment. Probably you have pictures elsewhere that would clearify, but can I ask what holds the front axle caster on this? Is it the coil arms on bottom and single link on top? I only see one link on each side... Also, it's not clear from this how you account for the coil arms moving in and out relative to the axle mount points? Or is that not an issue in the motion range due to rubber mounts or something? If that's the case, kudos for a very interesting design that has no bind points in normal movement.
I'm not a big fan of the coils showing up front myself, and might have used torsion bars inside the frame instead, but that's a personal thing and not a design issue. Are the coil arms also friction shocks? The only problem I can see is the steering wheel is on the wrong side. HA! You obviously do great machine work and interesting albeit unconventional design!

Corley

 

[Gerry]

Gerry UK,

I'm a bit confused by this pix of your front end arrangment. Probably you have pictures elsewhere that would clearify, but can I ask what holds the front axle caster on this? Is it the coil arms on bottom and single link on top? I only see one link on each side... Also, it's not clear from this how you account for the coil arms moving in and out relative to the axle mount points? Or is that not an issue in the motion range due to rubber mounts or something? If that's the case, kudos for a very interesting design that has no bind points in normal movement.
I'm not a big fan of the coils showing up front myself, and might have used torsion bars inside the frame instead, but that's a personal thing and not a design issue. Are the coil arms also friction shocks? The only problem I can see is the steering wheel is on the wrong side. HA! You obviously do great machine work and interesting albeit unconventional design!

Corley

Look at the bottom of the axle in the middle. There is a control arm there for caster. The rest... have a think. Only ever met one person who fathomed it out.

 

[Corley]

Look at the bottom of the axle in the middle. There is a control arm there for caster. The rest... have a think. Only ever met one person who fathomed it out.

Ah, now I see the bottom link. Crafty. So you really have a 3 link design. Perfect! I'm imagining that one of the coil arms serves as a Panard, while the other has a short slot at the axle connection, and both serve as friction shocks. Right? (That slot would be a wear point so I doubt I am right, but...?...)

I see you have used the horizontal coils in the rear as well. Do you have a similar pix of that setup by any chance? I could see possibly using the rear coil arms as the lower link on Jag type rear suspension or some other rear independent setup. Yours seems to be up higher in this pix making me think it serves as lift only..

Traditional 'T' bucket design is great, and we all love it. I'm glad to see that others like yourself can take a different, and to me, more interesting design perspective. Shoot, I love to do it differently just for the engineering challenge and to be doing it different than the crowd. I can see you love that too...