Hi. New to the forum and haven't been able to find the answer to my question on other threads. My son and I have made good progress on our build of a slightly modified (Lengthened) Grand Daddy build. The last thing to weld is the A Arms for the front suspension. The plans reference a bushing to use where the A arm meets the steering block where there is a 2 1/2 inch spindle bracket. Essentially I need a 5/8" ID x 1" OD x 2 1/2" L spacer/bushing. I cannot find anything like that. I could cut tubing down, but the only thing I'm finding in those dimensions is stainless steel and super expensive. I considered adding brass flange bushings to each end of easily found 3/4" ID x 1" OD x 2" L spacers. But that adds about $75. $75 in the grand scheme of the overall build cost is not THAT big of deal, but thought I'd check here to make sure I'm not missing an obvious solution. Thanks in advance!
Spider Cart Grand Daddy A-Arm help
- Thread starter kpwalker
- Start date
ezcome-ezgo
G'me sumthin to write on
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
Best bet price-wise is the bushing (link #2)
Thanks @ezcome-ezgo - while I'm handy, I'm new to engine/suspension/welding projects... do you suggest using a 2" bushing in the 2 1/2" bracket? Does the resulting 1/2" gap create a problem with potential movement, or do I simply fill with washers? Thanks again for your help!McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.www.mcmaster.com
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
Best bet price-wise is the bushing (link #2)
ezcome-ezgo
G'me sumthin to write on
Either use washers or buy a 3" one and cut it down. I personally would use washers.
pearl111
Well-known member
One of These bushings could be cut down to fit, the other one should fit.
They are found at ....RCF micro mini bikes.
They are found at ....RCF micro mini bikes.
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KP, I've been working on a modified Granddaddy for a while and ended up making my own A-arm ends out of pipe and pouring polyurethane bushings. It is a project with the kids and trying too hard. Wished I would have used the 4-bar rod ends that can be found on multiple sites, one link below. More cost, but much less fab. Need to get the correct size and handed weld-in bung. Weld around the end of the tube and pre-drill holes in the tube to allow for plug welds. Used similar for heim joints at the king pin.
Amazon.com: Forged 4-Bar Rod Ends, 5/8-18 LH Thread, Zinc Plated 2 PK : Automotive
Amazon.com: Forged 4-Bar Rod Ends, 5/8-18 LH Thread, Zinc Plated 2 PK : Automotive
Thanks for everyone's quick help! @pearl111, the bushings at RCF is exactly what I needed. Thank you. We're having a fun time... my son got a little board with all the welding, so we took a break and started setting up the rear end. This is before the MCP hydraulic brake and battery box was installed. If anyone has any tips for installing a remote choke on a 459cc Predator Engine, I'll take them! Or for that matter, sees anything in this picture that looks off. If I had to do it again, I would have lengthen this part of the frame (and widened a few inches) as well.
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I can tell you how I did it.
I purchased 3/4 ID by 2" steel seamless bushings from HD. You can buy them in packs of 5. The price is reasonable:
You'll of course need 2 of these and end up with extras. I ended up using the extra two in the same manner for the rear subframe.
If a guy has access to DOM tube of the exact ID, you could make these yourself, but ordering the premade seamless bushings worked out better for me for both cost and convenience.
I ordered oil impregnated bronze flange bushings, 5/8 ID, 3/4 OD, 1" flange OD from bronzebushings.com. These will press into the 3/4" ID steel bushings. Price was better for anything local, and now they're even cheaper it appears at $2.13 each. With shipping I remember coming out around $3 each:
www.bronzebushings.com
The flange on the bronze bushing plus the 2" length of the steel bushing is still about 1/4" shy of filling the gap in the spindle bracket. I filled that in with 5/8 machine bushings (kind of like a precise washer). I found heavy steel ones local that were about 1/8" thick, 1" OD, 5/8 ID.
In order to line up the steel bushings for welding I bought a long 3/4" bolt (14" I think) from fastenal (we have one local, much cheaper than the hardware store), and cut a section of 1" tube as a spacer (I think it was .120 wall) for spacing between bushings and used that as part of the jig to weld the A-arms on. Once you are welded, you can press your bronze bushings into the 3/4ID steel bushings (don't do it before you weld, you'll smoke the impregnated oil out of the bronze).
So, that's how I did it for the grand daddy. All that said, if I was starting over, I might consider using one piece of long tube (rather than two short tubes with two connect points to the steering box), and one bronze bushing at either end. Cut the spindle bracket in half and use one half at either end. You'll have a much easier time avoiding binding, and warping in the arm after welding. You'd need a very long 5/8 bolt, or you could even just use 5/8 rod or steering shaft for the pins.
I purchased 3/4 ID by 2" steel seamless bushings from HD. You can buy them in packs of 5. The price is reasonable:
Hillman 3/4 I.D x 1 O.D x 2 in. Seamless Steel Spacer (5-Pack) 880425 - The Home Depot
Spacers are fasteners that are used to create space between two objects, often to properly position them. In the world of electronic components and electronic hardware, spacers are typically used to space
www.homedepot.com
You'll of course need 2 of these and end up with extras. I ended up using the extra two in the same manner for the rear subframe.
If a guy has access to DOM tube of the exact ID, you could make these yourself, but ordering the premade seamless bushings worked out better for me for both cost and convenience.
I ordered oil impregnated bronze flange bushings, 5/8 ID, 3/4 OD, 1" flange OD from bronzebushings.com. These will press into the 3/4" ID steel bushings. Price was better for anything local, and now they're even cheaper it appears at $2.13 each. With shipping I remember coming out around $3 each:
DPEF101210 | Driplane Flanged Bushing | 5/8 ID x 3/4 OD x 5/8 OAL x 1 FLOD x 1/8
DPEF101210 Dri Plane Flanged, P/M, 5/8
www.bronzebushings.com
The flange on the bronze bushing plus the 2" length of the steel bushing is still about 1/4" shy of filling the gap in the spindle bracket. I filled that in with 5/8 machine bushings (kind of like a precise washer). I found heavy steel ones local that were about 1/8" thick, 1" OD, 5/8 ID.
In order to line up the steel bushings for welding I bought a long 3/4" bolt (14" I think) from fastenal (we have one local, much cheaper than the hardware store), and cut a section of 1" tube as a spacer (I think it was .120 wall) for spacing between bushings and used that as part of the jig to weld the A-arms on. Once you are welded, you can press your bronze bushings into the 3/4ID steel bushings (don't do it before you weld, you'll smoke the impregnated oil out of the bronze).
So, that's how I did it for the grand daddy. All that said, if I was starting over, I might consider using one piece of long tube (rather than two short tubes with two connect points to the steering box), and one bronze bushing at either end. Cut the spindle bracket in half and use one half at either end. You'll have a much easier time avoiding binding, and warping in the arm after welding. You'd need a very long 5/8 bolt, or you could even just use 5/8 rod or steering shaft for the pins.
There is some detail on how I did the A-arms in my build thread on page 1: https://www.diygokarts.com/community/threads/first-build-grand-daddy.46042/
panchothedog
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What diameter is your rear axle? Is it hallow or solid. The reason I ask is because you have a lot of overhang or space between the frame rails and the wheels. With that big block engine you are carrying a lot of weight back there.
I am no engineer, nor qualified to say how far is too far, but have seen others
warned in similar situations. Is your planned running areas on or off road?
I am no engineer, nor qualified to say how far is too far, but have seen others
warned in similar situations. Is your planned running areas on or off road?
Hi... I missed your comment. I took a break from the build, but am back at it. I'm using a solid 1 1/4 inch aluminum axle. It's what was outlined in the plan (although I am using a bigger engine... so....???). https://www.bmikarts.com/1-14-Solid-Aluminum-Axle_p_512.html
I used the same 1.25 solid axle. It worked fine for about a year, and took some abuse (a few rides on rough terrain with 400 lbs of adults), but it eventually did end up snapping right at the bearing. I ended up ordering a chromoly axle 46" .25 wall to replace it. I had other issues with the keys working their way out too. The aluminum may work fine for you for a long time, but it's no big deal to replace if it breaks.