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ouR escaPOD mods
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: ouR escaPOD mods
    Posted: 02 Jun 2019 at 3:08pm
The main thing you're trying to achieve is to support the axle ends and carry a portion of that load in the angle back to the supports. So if someone wants to try shims the most important place to put them would probably be under the support points. Otherwise the angle wouldn't be in direct contact with the axle there and would probably deflect more than would be desirable. By bending the angle its in more or less direct contact with the axle for its whole length so you don't have to worry about it. 
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Posts: 2702 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2019 at 3:51pm
Originally posted by offgrid

As a reminder, the center clamp is not needed from a structural viewpoint. OTOH it doesn't hurt anything to have it there. 
I don't know that I agree with this assessment. When I look at that structure, it appears that the axle attachment to the frame would be the fulcrum of a lever. If anything, I would want to put another u-bolt/clamp inboard of the frame about the same distance as the outboard clamp. Both sides.
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Posts: 592 		Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2019 at 4:59pm
Originally posted by StephenH

Unfortunately, I did not take pictures of the bending process. I will try to describe it better.

Edit: Hopefully, this will make it clearer.


Your simple drawing was like a thousand words, now I understand how you bent the angle iron. Thanks!
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Posts: 6417 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2019 at 7:42pm
I don't think anyone will accuse me of being an artist, but I'm glad my sketch was helpful. It turns out I do need to trim a little from the outboard side of the brackets on the end. They are too close to the arm and may interfere if they shift even a little.

Edit: I did take the end brackets off and removed some of the material to give better clearance for the arm. There is now a distinct 1/4" space between the end of the bracket and the end of the axle tube, which matches the clearance for the reinforcing angle.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 5:16am
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by offgrid

As a reminder, the center clamp is not needed from a structural viewpoint. OTOH it doesn't hurt anything to have it there. 
I don't know that I agree with this assessment. When I look at that structure, it appears that the axle attachment to the frame would be the fulcrum of a lever. If anything, I would want to put another u-bolt/clamp inboard of the frame about the same distance as the outboard clamp. Both sides.

The axle isn't a teeter totter, its a double ended cantilever. The stress on the axle is the same everywhere between the two supports.  So, to function as cantilevers both the axle and the supporting angle need to run the entire length as continuous parts. if you made the angle discontinuous then yes you would want to clamp it to the axle inboard, but that would just create a high stress location on the axle at that point, so it would bend there instead of at the supports. By making both parts continuous there is no need for clamps except at the ends, everywhere else the angle is supporting the axle because the axle is being bent downwards in the center by the end loads.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2019 at 8:57am
There is an advantage to having a center support though. When I took off the end brackets (one at a time) to shorten the overhang so the brackets would not be at risk of hitting the arm, it was good to have the center support to hold the angle in place while I was working on the brackets. If I did not have that center support, it would have been harder to do the bracket modification needed.

Addendum:  I decided to seal along the upper edge of the reinforcing angle, but not the ends. The seal should keep water out and decrease chances of corrosion. The camber should help any water that might get in to drain toward the ends where it should drain at the bottom of the V channel at the end by the arms. I used DAP Dynaflex Ultra Window, Door, Siding & Trim. The color I used is black to match. The product says "Crack Proof, Resists UV Fading & Dirt Build Up, Weather MAX Technology. One thing that helped me decide to use this is the specifications which include Flexibility: Permanently Flexible and Joint Movement: +/- 35%. I used less than a tube for the job.
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ouR escaPOD mods
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 5:24am
Originally posted by StephenH



Addendum:  I decided to seal along the upper edge of the reinforcing angle, but not the ends. The seal should keep water out and decrease chances of corrosion. The camber should help any water that might get in to drain toward the ends where it should drain at the bottom of the V channel at the end by the arms. I used DAP Dynaflex Ultra Window, Door, Siding & Trim. The color I used is black to match. The product says "Crack Proof, Resists UV Fading & Dirt Build Up, Weather MAX Technology. One thing that helped me decide to use this is the specifications which include Flexibility: Permanently Flexible and Joint Movement: +/- 35%. I used less than a tube for the job.

I was thinking about doing that but decided against it and just gave both the axle and the angle a good coating of rustoleum before mating them up. Either way, I'm sure my setup will rust faster than yours because of the salt environment here on the OBX. I had to grind and refinish my A frame this spring already due to corrosion there. We'll see what happens. 
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Posts: 6417 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 4:52pm
Our first test will be soon when we go to Florida to see my parents. I'll be keeping a close watch on it to make sure the U bolts stay tight and the reinforcing angle does not shift.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 6:35pm
I'll be looking out for that as well but I don't think it will, its not like the axle is moving around, and the friction from the ubolts is really high.   Unforlunately, it will be another month before I (hopefully) get to take a trip of any distance in our rPod. 
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Posts: 592 		Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2019 at 10:36pm

Maybe I’m naïve but if there is a worry about water collecting in the bottom of the V chanel of the angle iron why not drill a couple of small weep holes in it? I don’t know if it would affect the strength of this steel brace but I don't believe it would.

On a side note I'm looking very forward to reports on how this axle mod has worked out in real use over time.
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
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