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Continued working on the rear, lower control arms....boy tubing notchers make this easy...

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Have the rear lower control arms ready to start to tack together to then install the pivots on the frame...



There will eventually be a diagonal in the rear, lower control arms and then a plate near the outer pivot to add a little more strength and then the lower shock mount will be welded to the plate.

Then started working on the rear, upper control arm fixture and then started laying parts into the fixture...



Thinking we did not bend the one tube enough. Will have to give those a tweak to bring into tolerance. Hopefully get these back after the first of the year to keep going on those.

The left side tube needs to be shortened a bit to line up correctly and then start tacking together.

Back to working on the pivot brackets

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Braved the mini Polar Vortex temps this morning and spent some time working on the rear control arm mounts....





I don't have them located yet but this is about where they will end up. Then started working on the upper mounts but did not get too far...





The upper mounts need the rod end holes installed yet and some cleanup work done before they are attached but this is about where they will end up. They don't show up really well in the pics, however.

I did get the S tubes bent a little better over the holidays so will get back to the upper control arms soon.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Found some time to continue on the rear, upper control arm mounts and got these pretty well finished up. Have them roughly positioned on the frame but not tacked yet.





The temps warmed up some this afternoon so ventured into the garage for more control arm work. Have the outer end of front tube cut to fit. Need to shorten the inside end where the rod end will attach.



Started looking at the rear tube for this control arm but ran out of time.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

The weather and free time aligned this afternoon so spent some time in the garage...

Started by tacking the rear, lower control arms together.



The bushings pulled a little but was able to flex them to get the bolt in for the rear knuckle. I had started making a spacer last month to get the lower knuckle spacing and alignment correct so I finished that and bolted that between the bushings and then tacked the other sides of the control arms which seemed to work pretty well. The control arm bolt goes in much easier now.





Then located where the front mount for the lower control arms will be and tacked those in place.



Then just had to install the control arm into the chassis!!!






I will add a cross brace to the control arms per the cad model earlier but am out of tubing at this point so will wait to tack the rear mount into the chassis for now.

Then worked a bit more on the rear upper control arms. Tried to straighten the S bent tube a little so put it in the vice and put the floor jack handle on the tube and started to gently pull. It seems that my vise is not bolted securely enough to the bench as I was about to peel the vice off the bench before stopping.

Then tried to pinch the bend a little by clamping it in the vice- again, no go. Then tried the propane torch but still no go. Will have to get the tubes bent a little more.

Tacked the outer section of the upper control arms together and ground a little bit out for the tube to attach.



Started cleaning up a bit and the shop vac has been making some noise for a while- sounds like a bearing going out so pulled that apart and oiled the one bushing and she is now nice and quiet... A good day in the garage.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Oooooops

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Have been thinking about more lighting in the garage lately so decided to hang one of the florescent lights from my old storage space....



Then got to work on the rear upper control arms. Took the fixture and control arm parts back to my co-worker's place and tweaked the bends a bit to make them connect to the outer pivot and looks much better.

Cleaned them up a little and trimmed to fit.





Need to tack them together and then move on to locating the chassis mounts- hopefully tomorrow...

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Made a little progress lately- ordered some parts. Found a great deal on rod ends from Steinjager (http://www.steinjager.com) so decided to give them a try. Ordered a 10 pack of 1/2-20 LH rod ends to test and here is a pic comparing these to the parts I had purchased previously..





Parts look about identical and feel the same, resistance wise.

I also ordered more threaded weld bungs for the rest of the rear suspension but I am still waiting on these parts- grrrr.

Hopefully get into the garage this weekend and get the rear, upper control arms tacked together and can then tack the mounts for these to the chassis.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

So...the threaded tube ends finally showed up last night so wasted no time in fitting them into the rear control arms and tacked the rear, upper control arms together.



And with the rod ends installed..



Then had to put the arms into the chassis with the rear knuckle.









Only the front mount for the lower control arms is tacked in yet as you can see from the pics. Need to consult the cad model for spacing on the other mounts as the upper control arms pulled just a little with the tacks. Wheel end seems to move well and adjusted the upper mounts slightly for 0 camber around the proposed ride height and then the camber goes a couple degrees negative at the top of the travel- just like I was hoping and like the stock Miata geometry.

The lower control arms will get an additional tube from the front mount diagonally to the rear and then a sheet metal plate on top before the shock mount is added.

Next step is to check the model and then tack the mounts in. I want to make sure the arms are the same width from right to left. Then tack the rear diff mounts into the chassis and test fit the halfshafts!!!

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Control arms are looking great.

Done any racing with the integra this year?

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30 years old, not sure what I want to be when I grow up…

Thanks Joshua. Been fun so far and cannot wait for the first drive...

The Integra will be coming out of winter hibernation tomorrow and then I can start on the few remaining items to get it ready for the track. Maiden track voyage is probably going to be Memorial Day weekend (fingers crossed)... Nothing major to finish but a fair amount of detail stuff.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Found some garage time over the long weekend and got the rear control arm mounts tacked onto the chassis and all the arms pivot!!

Then tossed the rear diff into the chassis to see how this fit. Need to trim some off one of the upper rear control arm mounts so the diff can slide rearward a little more... The diff was a slight pain to put into place through the chassis tubes but seems ok.

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

Been stewing over the rear diff mounts- had to grind a little off the mounting ears but it fits fairly well so tacked the mounts into the chassis last night.





I do need to probably find a more permanent solution to the ratchet strap holding the front of the diff in position..

Then started clearing the table up a little so I can start welding more of the chassis together. Need to get it welded together so I can pull it off the table to start on the engine mounts. Did put some roller assemblies under the build table so I can move this around the garage more easily.

Tonight I had to put the left side control arms in and then the halfshafts to make sure they fit!! Not that I was too worried...

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

So working on welding the chassis together as it is so I can remove it from the table to fabricate the engine mounts and then the front diff mount. Started just trying to clean the area around the joint being welded but then started grinding the tack on the part being welded allowing the other three tacks to hold it in place while welding. Most are going pretty well...





Had this happen a couple times- probably need to turn the heat down a little but I am getting good welds and these with the same settings so not totally sure about how to fix it. A couple of the early joints had some larger gaps which probably is not helping.



Most of the front section of the chassis is welded- except for the very bottom and the areas that would be upside down when on the table. Those will wait until the chassis comes off the table.





Looking forward to taking it off the table!!

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build log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11946

I definitely patched a few holes during the build. Lots of added filler. You'll get better. If you don't like a weld, or think you might not have gotten good penetration, it's perfectly okay to grind the bead flat and weld it again. I did that about 50 times when I was starting out.