Sprinter 4WD Conversion Idea, GMT-800 IFS.

[luthj]

Okay, I attached a 3D pdf, thanks Dave! Flame away! One is the subframe by itself, the other is the front end assembly.

There are two thickness. 1/4" and 3/16" plate stock.

You need to view with adobes official acrobat reader. Chrome, or third party viewers probably wont work.

 

[shade]

You gave me a reason to install Acrobat for the first time in years. Cool!

Are you going to sneak your name or some mark onto the assembly when they burn it? After all of the work you've done, something discrete would be appropriate, IMO.

 

[luthj]

You gave me a reason to install Acrobat for the first time in years. Cool!

Are you going to sneak your name or some mark onto the assembly when they burn it? After all of the work you've done, something discrete would be appropriate, IMO.

Good idea, I probably should add my makers mark on one the plates. Need to call in a favor with a graphic artist...

 

[Alloy]

Okay, I attached a 3D pdf, thanks Dave! Flame away! One is the subframe by itself, the other is the front end assembly.

There are two thickness. 1/4" and 3/16" plate stock.

You need to view with adobes official acrobat reader. Chrome, or third party viewers probably wont work.

Very nice!

Disregard what I said about extending things I can see the plates pass through from the outside to the inside.

I'd stagger the interlocking corner tabs so half open weld joints can be made. Also make the tabs that insert through the materail only 1/4 of the depth so a plug weld similat to the half open corner can be made.

 

[b dkw1]

C is the answer.

 

[luthj]

Open corner joints are the easiest, but for assembly reasons I am going with 1/32 overlap on most of the edges. Its hard to align parts corner to corner.

 

[luthj]

Okay, thanks for the feedback. Changed overlap and slot height, tweaked several weld seams, etc.

 

[luthj]

Did some last minute measuring to see if I was crazy. Apparently I shifted the whole subframe back about 1.5" at some point. ?‍♂️ I adjusted the engine mount and subframe mount hole back to match. of course now the engine mount holes are off the edge of the towers, and the bolt holes are hitting subframe structure. Back to the drawing board... I think I had a design a couple months ago that fixed this issue, just need to dig it up...

 

[shade]

 

[luthj]

Good news is I think I remember how I did it, maybe... The previous design was elegant, this one won't be as much. Its getting down to crunch time. I can't let perfect be the enemy of good (a pile of steel on my garage floor).

 

[luthj]

Okay, got the geometry worked out. There are about a dozen minor features that don't rebuild now, but that's for tomorrow I think. This layout may work slightly better for the holes than other, though it requires a few more parts.

 

[Alloy]

Open corner joints are the easiest, but for assembly reasons I am going with 1/32 overlap on most of the edges. Its hard to align parts corner to corner.

You are right about corner to corner up but 1/32" isn't enough. Heat cut edges are slightly rounded and not all metal is flat. You want enough overlap to clamp it together without the force of the clamp popping it apart. Min I'd do on 3/16" / 1/4" is 0.100".

The IS cut corners will be rounded so make allowance or be prepared for allot of prep work. Might try some test cutting or get some scraps off the machine that will be doing the cutting.

Lightning holes on the side.......I was cleaning the bottom of our trailer today. I don't know what they put on the roads but the mud is like rock. I'm removing it with a hammer and prybar. Lightning holes allow for more inside welding.

I'd cut the pcs on the vertical stand ups in 1 pcs and then form/bend them.

TAC WELD WHERE IT IS EASY TO CUT THEM OFF/OUT....not in the slots.

You'll have to be careful not to weld the ******** out of this so you don't end up with a pile of krap. After test fitting.....weld...test fit....weld....test fit....weld.....test fit..... this way you'll catch and correct any distortion before it gets away on you.

TIG welding will add 2X more heat/distortion vs. wire

If there are 4 corners weld all 4 equally.

Play around with some pieces so you get an idea of how much an inside/outside weld will pull the metal

 

[luthj]

The laser cutting process with a typical CO2 laser is pretty clean, the edges are a bit rounded, but its not too bad on material 1/4" and under. Now plasma or thicker material I agree totally. I will adjust my corner overlap some.

Its going to be a slow process at first. I will do a full mockup to test assembly, then do a partial with tack welds for the core (bottom plate and cross overs). From there I will probably move to the internal welds, and finish with the exterior stuff. Its going to take several days at least.

 

[Alloy]

What are OS the dimensions of this?

 

[luthj]

43" at the widest, frame rails are 36" outside width.