Diamonite Electrathon America Racer

[Functional Artist]

These things happen

Actually, I had a feelin' as I wasa buildin' the swing arm (man this thing is turning out a bit longer than I thought)
...& so, wasa kinda expectin it

Don't worry...my friend, I got weapons of mass destruction

So, I did some measurin' & markin'

Got out some tools & PPG

Drilled some holes to establish nice-n-rounded inner corners
...& used the vacuum ta "suck up" the debris

Post-surgery

Um...kinda tight??

I must say...we gettin' closer

 

[Functional Artist]

I Installed the spindles & front wheels

So, I could do a front wheel clearance test

A little "tight"
...but, not too bad

Looks like it'sa gonna need just a little (dinky) bit of trimmin'

 

[Functional Artist]

Now, let's get T's hubs mounted
...with the rotors
...& Caliper mountin' bracket

Another view

The Caliper should "go" about here

Ta make some Caliper brackets I got out some 11g. steel & an old Aluminum sign (~1/8" too)

First thought (attempt) was to make the Caliper bracket outta the Aluminum...ta help maintain "lightness"
...so, I used my plastic template ta mark the Aluminum

Close up "side view" of materials

But, after cuttin' 'er out
...I noticed some warpage

Should look like this

That's NOT good if it's already warping

Back ta the material "pile"

 

[Functional Artist]

Whilst lookin' for more materials ta work with
...I noticed:

K - Read
...on the side of a little box??

Hey it's a note from my buddy T
...from (way back) when he sent the hubs, to me

He's sooooo Kool!

Thanks, T
...your the best!

Whilst I wasa lookin' it started raining
...so, I had ta "weatherize" the monocoque

But, inside my new & improved work area
...wasa still nice-n-dry

The 11g. steel just seemed too "beefy" & heavy for this situation

So, whilst a lookin' I found a piece of 16g. steel (bent into a channel) as seen on the work bench in the above pic

IDK that just seemed a bit too thin
...but, this piece of ~14g. seems ta "fit the bill" much better

* It's NOT a pristine piece
...but, I think I can "work with it"
...& try it as a prototype
&
If it works out well, I'll get some nicer 14G. steel

First drilled out the inner curve (gook 'ol Step drill bits...again)

Then, went ta cuttin'

 

[Functional Artist]

A little while later, it started raining harder
...shortly after I removed the "winterization"...of course

Then, it started a stormin'

So, whilst I wasa "forced" ta take a break
...I did some doodlin'
...& drew up some Patriotic flames...I guess you'd call 'em

I'ma thinkin' that something like this would/maybe look kinda kool, on the racer

* Maybe just tattered ends (instead of flame flickers)
...or maybe even separated stripes "freely" flowing in the breeze

** Folks feel free to "play with"
...& expand on this concept...if ya want
&
*** If it looks kool
...maybe I'll put 'er on the racer

 

[Functional Artist]

I did a bit more work on the Caliper bracket (prep work before bendin')

Put 'er in the Vise (aligned with the bend line)

The Impact Persuader (hammer) did the rest

Looks like this

Should "go" about like this, on the Spindle

Top view

Should intersection with
...& bolt to
...the Spindle's Steering Arm
...like this

 

[Functional Artist]

Test fit of Caliper, on the Bracket
...Caliper & Bracket on the Spindle
...& of Caliper & Bracket, on the Spindle, with the wheel mounted

Another view

Test fit of Caliper, on the Bracket
...Caliper & Bracket on the Spindle
...& of Caliper & Bracket, on the Spindle, with the wheel mounted
...mounted on the racer

Another view

 

[Functional Artist]

IDK after workin' with & assembling everything
...this 14g. steel now doesn't seem "beefy" enough

So, I looked & found some 12g. steel
...& went ta cuttin' a (2") strip off of the end

12g. piece, marked for trimmin'

* A "trick" to make makin' these a bit easier, is to drill the Spindle hole first
...then, align, the template for markin'

** Because "if" this hole doesn't get drilled exactly in the center
...everything WILL be "off"

After trimmin'
...we go, back ta the Vise
...for bendin'

After test fit & alignment check, I went ahead
...& bolted the Caliper Bracket, to the Steering Arm of the Spindle

Another view

* Why does the Caliper Bracker need ta be bolted to the Spindle?

This is so, when the Brakes are applied (Caliper clamping down on the Rotor)
...the Caliper & Bracket don't "spin" with the wheel

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

A brilliantly simple solution. Carry on.