Sequoia Family Crawler

Hey now it's only been 3 weeks I'm not as young as I used to be. Did get shock mounts in but being riding season progress is slowing.

Files are too large though so you'll have to use you imagination. Keep your hopes low as it's all hand cut and my first time.
 
I got ya Mai-tai. Saved images from irate4x4 thread and reposted here no problem.

Got the upper shock mounts complete by adding a third tube and building tabs off them. AC lines are a hassle on the passenger side and the driver ended up about in the way of the master cylinder as expected.

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I wish I had more progress, haha.
I did get the radiator mounted, had to go with a smaller 19x21 twin row aluminum to fit inside the steering box.
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Also started on the rear suspension. I had planned on fabbed trailing arms with the shock mounted behind the seats but changed to a cantilever to keep the floor intact and minimize the sheet metal work. Detail specs to come once it's done but here's a sneak peek.
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I wish, but this year hasn't started out so well. Between the moto weekends starting back up, the power being turned off nearly every week, and a cold that squashed the new years week it's been slow going. I need to get some momentum back as this build is dragging on for too long.
 
What gas tank did you go with to fit between the shocks behind the axle? what unit bearings also? Looks nice and compact
 
Might as well detail through the plan for the rear end. I started with a link calculator to ensure the pinion angle behaved as I wanted. Also managed to build in roll oversteer for more predictable handling. Most of it is pretty standard 4 link stuff.

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I ended up going with a cantilever setup to keep the body tub untouched. I ran through quite a few iterations of geometry to ensure a rising shock rate and attempt to keep the rest as linear as possible. The last couple inches are decreasing but you're in the bumpstops anyways so it really doesn't matter.
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The shock location is mainly dictated by the new crossmember across the rear of the frame and the height limited by the body tub. The pivot is pushed close to the axle to minimize the chance of scraping on the rocks and hangs a couple inches taller than the axle pumpkin at full bump. The frame is so wide that the shocks are mounted on the inside of the frame and the pushrods are about at the width of the lower links so should be as stable as a typical trailing arm suspension. A tube subframe will be built to stiffen up the rear portion as well as mount and guard the gas tank. Gas tank is GM26C from a 87-96 GM van with 33 gallon capacity. Will have to modify for Toyota pump.
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The cantilever arms pivot on unit bearings from a 96-07 Dodge Grand Caravan. The bearing keys tightly into a 1/4in plate and is secured with 12.9 hardware. Not sure if it's needed but I have a 1in bolt to run through the middle to simulate a CV stub to help hold it together. I'm fairly certain they should hold up as the standoff height was the smallest I could find so should put less bending stress into the bearing.
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That's about all I have for now and truly wish there was more. I did get all the link bars complete and assembled. Astute viewers would see a uniball on one end of the lower links. This will eliminate all chance of them unscrewing as well as provide a smoother skid surface for the rocks.
 
did you have to relocated oil filer or anything when you made the new frame? Also the steering shaft from firewall to box did you just change it where it went to factory rack or did you go up to the joint inside the firewall?
 
Stock oil filter and cooler in stock location, haven't tried to remove it but should be enough room. The steering shaft has a joint inside to a carrier bearing of sorts in the firewall then a joint outside at the rack. I removed it all and used two universal joints and a slip shaft just as you would in a pickup. Still need to make a new firewall filler panel.
 
Fuck yeah Brian!! How did you calc the shock rate? I would love to run that on the trackers rear to see just how bad it is

Cant say ive ever had link bars come unscrewed/loosen up from crawling. Mine never have and the crawler guys ive been with only had them loosen because they put joints in that didnt have enough flex to the actual flex the vehicle had, so it would loosen them. Mine are pretty beat too from smashing rock edges with them
 
To calc springs needed on my cantilever setup I used a single spring. Then measured how much it compressed and how much shaft showing at ride height, then was able to calculate the spring rate needed since i know the effective corner weigh acting on that shock/spring.
 
I modeled the geometry up in CAD and stepped through 1in increments of wheel travel to make the plots shown. Not terribly difficult since I had to design the swinger and verify clearances anyways. It really helped get the rate change down and ensure it doesn't invert anywhere. Once I get a real sprung weight it will also help pick spring lengths.

I have never had good luck keeping jam nuts tight on links. Ended up tacking them all on my prerunner and buying a 3ft long adjustable wrench for the Jeep which still loosen up. You are right though it generally happens when you over-rotate a joint and having spherical joints at both ends should eliminate that as well.

I have used a coil spring placed on a jack to lift my truck to calculate the sprung weight by measuring the spring compression and multiplying by the rate. Use two different rates to double check the math. Kind of sketchy but I haven't died yet.
 
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