Fabricating Spring Mounts

I am in the process of building a new 2 x 4 x 3/16" frame for a 1967 CJ6 and have lots of scrap that can probably be made into the front and rear spring hangers. Has anyone done this? I really would like to know what inside diameter and gage of the tube steel that fits inside the hangers that the insulator (?) Sleeve fits into.

 

I don't have the answer to your question but it would be great to see pictures of your frame project. I have the same Jeep and have been thinking about upgrading the frame.

Thanks.
Tom

 

Lots of good fabricated spring hangers out there on the market ........not sure what equipment or skills you have...........Some of these folks sell this stuff so reasonable that it's hard to even take the time to Fabricate something unless it is specialized..........I have access to a Laser Burning table so for me It's just a quick drawing on the cad program and push the button.............On spring bushings lots of folks have gotten away from the pressed in sleeve type bushings and use the aftermarket High energy Polyurethane bushings with a tubing sleeve , they work quite will with a little lube, are quiet running and last along time and are easy to change.

 

I fabricated mine. I took some pipe, slotted it and closed it to get the right ID. This is contraindicated. I will be cutting them off and either doing it right or buying the correct ones. I have wrangler springs on a 2A frame, so they are not as cheap as id like. On the static perch side I cut and notched some 3/16 wall square tube that actually worked quite well. Since youre fabbing your whole frame, why dont you take a hole saw of whatever tube youre using and eitherr go through the frame or a welded on spacer, insert tube and weld? I know some guys here have done that before and you can easily search pics of it.

 

Something like this, perhaps. You need to have your springs, if you don't have them already, as they will dictate what size tubing you will use. The wrangler springs I used have different size bushings depending on which end you look at. I agree with tarry99 though. I bought the fixed end mounts as I could hardly make them from DOM tubing cheaper than what I could buy them for. Rubicon Express has decent mounts, at least for the Wrangler springs.

 

Ruffstuff

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These are for wrangler springs

 

Wow. Those are cut perfect. What did you use?

 

I had never considered mounting the springs directly through the frame. My plan was to add a 4" lift. Mounting the springs directly through the springs would cut down on the lift?? Is this a common way to do this? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

 

I did this as part of a shackle rev. on the front springs. As I was doing a springover I got plenty of lift anyway. I did it this way as a matter of geometry. My shackles are fairly long, but they are at about 40* angle. this gives me quite a lot of droop in the suspension travel. The M38A1 frames that came stock with the front shackle rev. have the spring mount up in the frame, further up than mine. I have a Milwaukee cut-off saw that I use for cutting the tubing. I might add, there is a lot more involved in putting the mounts into the frame and unless you have a specific reason why you need to do it I'd recommend using surface mount attachments.

 

Here's how I made the recess. I found the centerline and drilled a pilot hole through the frame. Then used a hole saw to cut the recess. Just below the C clamp you can see the original M38A1 rev. shackle mount hole.

 

John, I like that little drill press do-dad you have clamped to the frame........might have to borrow that someday......Used to have a nice old Milwaukee magnetic drill with power feed that weighed a ton that we used to drill frame rails on the big trucks..........some how it grew legs and never found it's way back!

 

Terry: It's a Port-Align (sp?) Sears used to sell them. I found this one at a yard sale. You are welcome to borrow it anytime.

 

Holy Wow. nice fab work.

 

I used a similar but more hillbilly technique on my M38a1. I had a 2x8 laying in the shop that I bored the hole through with the proper sized hole saw. Then I clamped the 2x8 onto the frame lined up in the correct spot. It kept the hole saw from walking all over and making a mess... As I was cutting the hole my wife poured the cutting oil between the 2x8 and the frame. It worked pretty slick

 

thats a great idea. to solve that issue I use a piece of 0.25 plain drill stock in place of the drill bit.

 

Tom, I just updated my project post (http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/show...d-The-Road-I-Probably-Shouldn-t-Have-Traveled) with plans and pics. Maybe they will help or we could exchange ideas/suggestions.

 

Thanks I will check it out.