OK I was thinking last night and I figured out how I can do the thing by myself without having to spend $40 for the other thing to use to make the thing. I just need to buy a chunk of extra heavy angle iron and drill 3 holes after cutting to length.
Seriously I can get some thick angle iron from Lowe’s or the Metal Supermarket (yes that is a real place near downtown in Dallas), a step drill bit from Harbor Freight, and drill 3 pilot holes and use the step bit to get the desired size holes and I would have the thing I desired for less than half the cost of modifying the other thing because I would still have to get the step drill to drill the hole in the steering arm from Speedway at the right distance. I already have the cutting tools for the cutting to length and to clear the kingpin boss on the spindle from when I was building bicycles (what, you forgot about when I used to build bicycles?), and I still have many things that can be used to drill precision holes in (other) things if I have the right drill bits. And as I was just saying, I need to get a step bit anyway.
Anywho, it’s really simple. I know what the distance between the ½” holes on the vertical part of the steering arm need to be, and when I get the steering kit from Speedway I’ll know what the distance of the pitman arm is, and by simple ratios I’ll know what the distance to the 5/8” hole for the drag link end needs to be. There will be no need for anything like Ackerman or the like because this is strictly to transfer the motion of the pitman arm to the spindle and the Ackerman is already taken care of through the other steering arms and the tie rod. If I wanted to get fancy I might weld part of the vertical web that I need to remove to clear the kingpin boss on the spindle to the vertical and horizontal part of the arm between the spindle and the hole for the drag link to reduce deflection of the horizontal part under hard cornering. It likely won’t do any good if I buy thick enough angle iron but, you know there’s no such thing as “too safe”. And there is also the possibility that I can’t find angle stock in that thickness. And adding the support from the vertical to the horizontal flanges of the piece will stiffen it up considerably. And if I can’t get the thick stuff I will have to weld the connection from the vertical to the horizontal.
That’s it, I’m starting to get a sore butt from sitting in front of the computer.
Witch on a Bicycle 