lots of inspiration from Blaine’s method. A few more pictures to reference.
One final note. I was planning on putting Counteract balancing beads in the wheels through the valve stem after I was done since I've heard that balancing the Hutchinson wheels is challenging. However, once I was all done (of course - why didn't I think of it at the start), I realized that with the rubber cylinder inside the wheels, there are two separate air chambers in the wheels, with two large holes, about 1/2" in diameter, in the rubber cylinder to equalize pressure throughout the tire. The valve stem leads to the inner, much smaller chamber. The beads will be inside the smaller chamber, close to the rim, rather than out at the outer edge of the tire where they are supposed to be. I don't know if they'll eventually find there way through the two holes and out to the outer chamber. Centrifugal force will want to put them there, but each one will have to roll past one of the two holes to get there. Now I'm not sure if I want to try them because if they don't get to the outer chamber, I think I'll have issues, and then I'll have to disassemble the wheels to remove the beads. I guess I'll try having someone balance them.![]()
Hindsight is always 20/20. Should have just dumped em in before you installed the outer half’
Back with a quick update on the rear frame raise project. As I noted earlier, I decided to replace the rear cross-member (the one in front of the bumper, right @mrblaine?) with the actual bumper. Originally, my plan was to modify my Dirtworx bumper, but after mulling it over, and taking Mr. Blaine's advice to make sure the bumper is stout because replacing it once it's part of the frame is a pain, I decided to start over (anyone interested in a low hours Dirtworx bumper powder-coated OD green?). So I came up with a new design. Unfortunately, it's just in my head right now, but I did have some pieces made.
To make it stout, I wanted to tie it to the front cross-member (it's an LJ, remember) with multiple connections. I also wanted to have recovery points with nice radiused corners for soft shackles, but the problem with that is when used with a steel D-ring shackle, it changes the load on the pin from nearly double-shear to 100% bending. Not good if you want to ever remove the shackle. So I decided to put both on - two recovery points with radiused edges and two with square edges. These will go through the bumper (I had steel templates made to cut the holes with plasma), welded on both sides, and then get welded to the front cross-member. Stout.
So, back to Fusion 360. I designed both, and then had someone in China make them through Xometry (first time using them, and I'm pleased). I really wanted them made in the USA, but the quote for that was three times the quote to have them made in China. Arrrggghhhh! I really don't like having to throw out 'Mercan pride for being cheap.
Here are the designs of the two recovery points. First, the soft shackle version:
View attachment 535644
Next, the steel D-ring shackle version:
View attachment 535645
The big downside is weight - 17 pounds for four of these. Ouch. The other downside is lead time due to the China connection. I ordered these on May 27, and they are out for delivery today. I'll post a picture this evening.
three weeks isn't bad to send a design, have them manufactured, and back in your hand.
three weeks isn't bad to send a design, have them manufactured, and back in your hand.
Not for nothing but to address your shackle pin issue, if you were to acquire a couple of the 5/8" Crosby or similar Alloy screw pin anchor (bow) shackles, you would never encounter any situation that would render them inoperable. WLL is 5 tons, proof is 2x that, 4.5 x that is design factor. In a perfect world, to bend the shackle pin, you would have to find a way to hold it centered. It will shift over to one side or the other and move that load next to the point of highest resistance to bending.Back with a quick update on the rear frame raise project. As I noted earlier, I decided to replace the rear cross-member (the one in front of the bumper, right @mrblaine?) with the actual bumper. Originally, my plan was to modify my Dirtworx bumper, but after mulling it over, and taking Mr. Blaine's advice to make sure the bumper is stout because replacing it once it's part of the frame is a pain, I decided to start over (anyone interested in a low hours Dirtworx bumper powder-coated OD green?). So I came up with a new design. Unfortunately, it's just in my head right now, but I did have some pieces made.
To make it stout, I wanted to tie it to the front cross-member (it's an LJ, remember) with multiple connections. I also wanted to have recovery points with nice radiused corners for soft shackles, but the problem with that is when used with a steel D-ring shackle, it changes the load on the pin from nearly double-shear to 100% bending. Not good if you want to ever remove the shackle. So I decided to put both on - two recovery points with radiused edges and two with square edges. These will go through the bumper (I had steel templates made to cut the holes with plasma), welded on both sides, and then get welded to the front cross-member. Stout.
So, back to Fusion 360. I designed both, and then had someone in China make them through Xometry (first time using them, and I'm pleased). I really wanted them made in the USA, but the quote for that was three times the quote to have them made in China. Arrrggghhhh! I really don't like having to throw out 'Mercan pride for being cheap.
Here are the designs of the two recovery points. First, the soft shackle version:
View attachment 535644
Next, the steel D-ring shackle version:
View attachment 535645
The big downside is weight - 17 pounds for four of these. Ouch. The other downside is lead time due to the China connection. I ordered these on May 27, and they are out for delivery today. I'll post a picture this evening.
That jewelry that I had on the bumper in a previous photo was Crosby alloy shackles - got 'em from Grainger (they seemed to have as good a price as anyone):Not for nothing but to address your shackle pin issue, if you were to acquire a couple of the 5/8" Crosby or similar Alloy screw pin anchor (bow) shackles, you would never encounter any situation that would render them inoperable. WLL is 5 tons, proof is 2x that, 4.5 x that is design factor. In a perfect world, to bend the shackle pin, you would have to find a way to hold it centered. It will shift over to one side or the other and move that load next to the point of highest resistance to bending.
I promise, you aren't.why take the chance if I don't need to?