[Joe Dillard]

Recently I had mentioned in another truss thread that I was going to build a new truss, with a little different design. Well, yesterday I built a couple more and here’s what I ended up with. This can be done with some basic shop tools in your own garage. This is what I used:

14” Chopsaw
MillerMatic 175 MIG welder w/CO2/argon mix tank
14” drill press and 6” cross slide vice
Various bits from my drill index
Bench grinder
C-clamps
Hand clamps
White marking pencil
Measuring tape
Square

Metal supplies used were:

1.5”x1.5”x.188 wall tubing
1.5”x1.5”x1/4” angle iron
5”x1/4” plate
3”x1/4” plate




I started things out by cutting two pieces of plate to 5”x6” in my chopsaw. I have a couple other prototype trusses lying around that I can use portions of as templates so that I can mark the ubolt & centerpin holes.

Here, I have one of the plates aside, and one plate clamped onto an old truss so I can mark the holes for drilling on the press.



I purchased a 6” cross slide vice some time ago that I hadn’t even taken out of it’s box – so now was as good of time as any to make use of it. Here it is fresh out of the box.



Here, I’m drilling some pilot holes for the ubolts. IIRC, I started out with a 5/16” drill bit to make the pilot holes, then moved up to a 9/16” bit.



As you can see, I have stacked the plates so that all the holes match perfectly.



Next up was to cut some 45* notches in it and leave a small ~1/2” snout at the ends.




Drilling centerpin holes. You may notice that on this truss, the centerpin holes are offset ~1”, which is correct since I did a 1” stretch some time ago & need the centerpin to be drilled 1” towards the back of the plates.



Here I’m test filling the plates after I drilled the centerpin holes.

Driver side.

[Joe Dillard]

Passenger side.



Next on the agenda was to cut the center cross brace made from the 1.5”x1.5”x.188 tubing to length. IIRC, it ended up being ~34.5” long.



Once it’s the correct length – I slice a 45* notch from each end.



Test fit passenger side.



Test fit driver side.



View along the length.



View from behind on driver side.



Next up is to fabricate a cradle of such. To do this, I use the 1.5” angle iron & trim a slice from it so it ends up being “C” shaped once I weld things together.



Wouldn’t you know it…..my battery died on my camera. Oh well. Here’s some pics of a center support cradle I made a while back which is very similar to the new cradle except without the ubolt mounting tabs.



Next, I needed to drill some mounting holes all the way thru the cross brace, and the center support brace. I drilled pilot holes first, then came back & drilled 3, 7/16” holes. IIRC, this cradle ended up being ~8.25” in length & approximately 3” tall at the base of the “T”. I notch the ends so that they overlap the diff housing and disco housing.



That’s about it for now. I’ll be adding end caps on the center support brace and doing the finishing touches on the final fit, plus add some rattle can primer & paint to it. The end product will be able to be mounted by welding the center support brace to the axle tube, or if chosen to – use mounting tabs on the center support brace & attach the truss by way of ubolts to the axle tube.

[jgillespie]

looks good Joe, those should work out great. those going to help prevent spring wrap?

[Joe Dillard]

Naw, it doesn't effect spring wrap. It would be nice if it could.

[iowajeepers]

Ok, I don't think I'm following this truss right. I might be stupid.

But isn't the truss going from spring to spring there? Maybe I'm not following the pics right here.

But if I'm correct, wouldn't it be limiting articulation like a sway bar would?

[makaioM3]

It will help keep the axels tubes form flexing and breaking an axle.

It won't limit articulation because it's not connected to the body like a sway bar would be.

Nice work to the OP.

[iowajeepers]

Originally Posted by makaioM3

It will help keep the axels tubes form flexing and breaking an axle.

It won't limit articulation because it's not connected to the body like a sway bar would be.

Nice work to the OP.

I think thats a given. It wouldn't be a truss if it didn't do that right?

My question was, won't it limit the ability of one side to flex without the other?

Like I said, I may not be following this correctly.

I think I just had the epiphany though. With it attached on to the axle via the SOA spring pads, it could still move side to side but wouldn't allow axle wrap because of the cross connection. Truss follows the axle because it's not tied to the frame anywhere.

I think I got it.

Sorry, it's been a loooong day.

[Joe Dillard]

It has no effect on axle articulation. It flexes as it always has.

Here's a pic of my POS with one of my other trusses (which are similar) installed.

[Joe Dillard]

Oh, I forgot to mention...it acts as a bumpstop as well (old pic of a different truss & different shocks).

[Joe Dillard]

Support brace being welded.

[jsahara24]

looks good! i wish my welds looked like that!

[Joe Dillard]

Originally Posted by jsahara24

looks good! i wish my welds looked like that!

Thanks, I've been practicing.

[firefighter315]

Lookin' great Joe!

How are you gonna find time to finish this design with all of your moderator responsibilities now?!?!?!?!? Congrats again, by the way! Very deserving!!!

[RockWoRM]

Always busy, 'eh Joe. When's the SUA prototype coming out?
Yup, those welds are looking purdy good!
Who's that ugly guy riding shotgun?
Hey, not sure if Moab will happen or not... things don't seem to be falling into place ... so tell Wally "hey" for me later. Shoot me his new address if ya have it!




WRM

[Joe Dillard]

Originally Posted by firefighter315

Lookin' great Joe!

How are you gonna find time to finish this design with all of your moderator responsibilities now?!?!?!?!? Congrats again, by the way! Very deserving!!!

Thanks - the design work is complete (I haven't posted the finished work yet). It came out better than I had thought it would for being a prototype. I try to not get in a hurry & that has paid off.