Curtis Guise
December 21st, 2005, 13:34
<table width="75%" border="0"> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <div align="center"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Starting the cage (updated 12-22-05)</font></b></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The first step was to figure out where I needed to cut the rear of the frame off. To do this I made the mounts for my lower control arms of the 4-link. Then I could cycle them up to see where they needed clearance. I ended up cutting the frame right behind the lower 4-link mounts. A cross tube was put in behind those mounts off of the frame and that is where the upper 4-link mounts are built (I will have another section about the rear suspension components). You can see how this was finished in the picture to the right.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%" height="122"> <p align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage1s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></p> </td> <td width="27%"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage2s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> <td width="29%"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage0.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage0s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">After cutting the frame I started building the main section of the rear cage. I got an aluminum 45gal fuel tank that used to be on <a href="http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7420" target="_blank">Mark Newhan's Chevy</a> and it already had the lower cradle built for it. He changed to a different fuel cell before racing the 1000 a few years ago. The overall design of the rear section of my truck was inspired by Mark's Chevy.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">DOM 1.75" x .120 tubing was used for the main tubes.</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%" height="182"> <p align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage3s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></p> </td> <td width="27%" height="182"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage4s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> <td width="29%" height="182"> <p align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage5s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <div align="center"></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Next I started on the interior cage. The rear hoop was first and that would give me a place to start on the down tubes out the top of the cab. And the tube accross the middle will get tied into the rear cage where my shock mounts will be.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In the picture to the right you can see where I added the 1.5" x .120 down tubes in the interior cage.</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> <div align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage6s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></div> </td> <td width="27%"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage8s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> <td width="29%"> <div align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage7s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" height="11"> <p align="center"> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage9s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> <td colspan="2"> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Here is a picture after I put in the front section of the interior cage. The front a pillar down tubes go through the floor right to the stock frame. Right next to that point is where the front section of the frame gets cut off later.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The steering wheel in the picture is a Grant with a quick release that I picked up from <a href="http://www.offroadwarehouse.com" target="_blank">Off-Road Warehouse</a>. I cut the splined collar out of the stock steering wheel and welded it to the adapter for the quick release. I also had to drill and tap the steering shaft so I could bolt the adapter to it.</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Here is more of the interior cage and a shot of the rear cage after I added more cross tubes. The X over the cell is 1.5"x.120 DOM. I also mounted the air bumps and put in the tubes that I will build my rear shock mounts off of.</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> <div align="center"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage10s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></div> </td> <td width="27%"><a href="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://race-dezert.com/forum/attachments/project/curtis/startingcage/cage11s.jpg" width="250" height="188" border="0"></a></td> <td width="29%"> <div align="center"></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <div align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Pictures and details of the front of the truck will be in the front suspension section.</font></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="44%"> <div align="center"></div> </td> <td width="27%"> </td> <td width="29%"> <div align="center"></div> </td> </tr> </table>