New-b first thread and build

[Brian902]

I have a Son who learned to weld at school, he's a rod burner.

He operated excavators for years, very good at it.

I worked at a welding shop when going to school, I'm a rod burner.

My buddy who is a welder does all my welding chores.

Some things you leave to the experts!

IMHO

 

[Ferk000]

Lots of work done to be sure. Everything will probably be fine..... but these old eyes have a couple of concerns. Sorry but what I think is that you need a second set of local eyes on your welding and "structural engineering". Weld bead should not look "stuck on top" of a joint. The cross member that transfers the swing arm loads to the bottom of the shock looks a bit "light". A few other areas may need some more thought also. When you put a load bearing bolt through a tube you need to drill large and weld in a sleeve, so the load can transfer to the "thin" tube and not collapse or oval it. Love your enthusiasm and vision, just some old guy caution so you think a bit about what you have there.

Thanks for the concern, yes I know my welds aren't the best but they do hold and have been strength tested to hold. The plan was the weld in a sleeve first which Is usually what I do then the bolt will go through and will be welded in place then the bolt will be cut off so it looks like a stud coming out of the frame. As far as the swingarm goes I was able to almost bottom out the shock and it not have a problem of flexing or cracking, would you recommend I put another support on the swingarm?

 

[Ferk000]

I have a Son who learned to weld at school, he's a rod burner.

He operated excavators for years, very good at it.

I worked at a welding shop when going to school, I'm a rod burner.

My buddy who is a welder does all my welding chores.

Some things you leave to the experts!

IMHO

Can't afford to "leave it to an expert" plus, I learn a lot more by trying it myself and then making a mistake and fixing it. For me it's a learning process and I want to continue to try and improve on things. "Leave to the expert" is the easy way out in my opinion

 

[gggGary]

Just kibitzing from far way;
I see what you are trying to do with that lower shock mount. But I think the cross member should be all one welded loop to the swing arm with welded on tabs for the shock connection, that will let you put the bushings back in the lower shock also. I don't see that you have anything to keep the shock centered on that cross bar either. It's really going to want to move sideways on the arm. without rubber bushings that will crack the mount off the shock.

 

[Ferk000]

Just kibitzing from far way;
I see what you are trying to do with that lower shock mount. But I think the cross member should be all one welded loop to the swing arm with welded on tabs for the shock connection, that will let you put the bushings back in the lower shock also. I don't see that you have anything to keep the shock centered on that cross bar either. It's really going to want to move sideways on the arm. without rubber bushings that will crack the mount off the shock.

Yes I will have to machine a bushing for the lower show mount. Exactly what you said, the shock doesn't stay centered right. I am still using the lower shock bushing that came with the r6 shock but I will need a spacer on one side so it stays centered and doesn't slide