Caddy V4.0 - glutton for punishment

[grizzlyone]

Another delievery from the UPS man, my tiny air ride parts:



Thats a regular size of spray paint in the pic for reference. The bags are 4" OD and go from 2.5" compressed to 8" fully expanded. Its a 1gal tank, and 1/4hp pump. I had to get the plates made up as no one I could find offers precut plates for the 4" bags.

[_WCHLVR_]

Those are pretty cool little bags. Who is the manufacturer?

[grizzlyone]

Not sure who makes them, I got them from ChasisTech

[grizzlyone]

Well finally got the the end links for the 4-link, also got a collection of precut tabs to make things a little easier and faster:



The larger links are for the bottom strait links, as they take the most load and are ~ 2 3/4" wide. The others are 1 1/2" wide and will be for the upper diagonal links. Links and some of the tabs came from Speedway, and the other brackets from BallisticFab

[grizzlyone]

Got so more work done on the subframe. Figured out the angles and placement for the upper triangulated links and got those mounted up. As well welded on some mounting strips for both the air tank and air horns:





Also got some brackets bent up and welded on some ends caps for my lower link relocations:



Basically these will bolt into the stock front leaf mounts and then relocate the lower links towards the front of the caddy and lower them for better geometry. They also make the change from the stock leaf width to my end link width. The gold nut and bolts were to keep the opening the right size while I welded the back plates on. Obviously still needs several holes drilled in them and some nuts welded on. I was able to get the bag mount plates drilled out for the mounting bolts and air fitting. But the fitting hole still needs to be bigger, just waiting on the adaptor to show up to know the exact size.

[grizzlyone]

Did a quick mock up on the axle with the tabs I have the the end links, obviously the triangulated links tabs will be on top not even with the striaght links as in the pic:

[deathhare.]

Great work here.

[_WCHLVR_]

Hot damn! Love it.

Your QA1's, are they the bearing or bushing version?

[grizzlyone]

Hot damn! Love it.

Your QA1's, are they the bearing or bushing version?

They are the bushing version.

While no doubt the bearing/hiem version is more precise those really arent meant for doing lots of street miles. And as before this redo, I plan to drive it alot. The bushings are also quite a bit quieter than hiems are.

[_WCHLVR_]

Yeah... totally agree. Isolating the axle is certainly the best for road use for sure. I just wish the QA1's would give a little better range of motion for those with height adjustable suspensions. I have found that the Daystar Poly Flex Joints when combined with a full poly rod ends is fair compromise for road use and flexibility.

The QA1 should be a perfect fit for your performance oriented application for sure.

[grizzlyone]

Finished up the cutting and drilling for the various fittings and the runners on the intake manifold and dropping it off tomorrow for welding. Also think I am going to revisit my control arm design for a V2.0. Put in a big order for a bunch of AN fittings and hardline, I am planing to do all the air and fuel lines in bent hardlines. Also made my plan for the brakes front and rear, going to order shiny bits tomorrow for those

[d-bot]

Love it.

[grizzlyone]

More progress has been made

Got the axle tacked in place to layout the tabs for the 4 links, rear shocks, and the air bag mounts:







Going to drop the subframe and finish weld all the bits later today, as well as work on finishing up the exhaust.

[grizzlyone]

Decided to go ahead and get the exh knocked out before pulling the subframe back out for final welding:





All 3 'red things' are CherryBomb glasspacks, 1 2.5" before the split then 2 2.25" units. Made up my own 2.5" to dual 2.25" Y for the set up to get the angles right and fit the space the best. Just need to weld up the glasspacks and fab up a couple of hangers

[_WCHLVR_]

Looks really nice. I am looking forward to try my hand at making my own exhaust. Found a really nice mandrel bending shop just outside Portland that ships.

[grizzlyone]

Got the rest of the links tacked up as well as well as made a mount for the air tank and the first of the 3 planned exhasut hangers:

[sk8ordie]

Quality work goin on.

Im running a 3" turbo back (catted w muffler) - and it's officially loader than I can handle. You brave Mang.

[_WCHLVR_]

Quality work goin on.

Im running a 3" turbo back (catted w muffler) - and it's officially loader than I can handle. You brave Mang.

I think its funny how these little trucks resonate. Its like the bed is an amplifier for noise. LOL

[grizzlyone]

With the previous set up I was running 2.25" turboback with 2 resonators to a side pipe only, and it wasnt to bad. Both that set up, and this one, will have downturns aimed back and down which I think helps alot with the loudness.

[grizzlyone]

Pulled the axle out and welded up all the tabs I had tacked in during the mock up:





Ordered up some limit straps and some tubing for the gas filler extension today. Hope to have it on the ground again on its wheels after the weekend, if all the parts show up

[syracusegli]

i like how you made your own beam, came out nice, nice work

[dubina4steve]

This is making me start to want to build my own rear beam for mine. This is an awesome build

[grizzlyone]

Yeah much like the lower links, pretty sure I went massive overkill with the axle. Its 2.5" S40 pipe so is 2.88" OD and has almost 1/4" walls. I have never cut up a stock Caddy axle but I doubt its even half that wall thickness. The nice thing is the S40 pipe is easy to find and relatively cheap.

[Nashty Rabbit]

adam do'n some serious work....

take care,
nash

[grizzlyone]

Getting so close to putting it back on its own wheels again......

Got the rest of the bits to finish up the exhaust, the other hanger and downturn. Also got the alu upper swedged links and the tube adaptors for the lower links. Then I went ahead and put the bags and upper links in to make sure of the tube length for the lowers:





Tomorrow will weld up the lowers and put both the subframe and exhaust to finish weld it all up

[sk8ordie]

sorry if you have already mention it - where will the fuel tank/cell be located?

[grizzlyone]

There was one quick mick up pic with it on the previous page when I had just started the subframe:

[grizzlyone]

I actually may be done welding

But really I got the axle finished up completely, added a gusset to the upper link mounts and welded on 2 nuts for the limit straps:



The straps are a whopping 10", which as it turns out are a specialty size in off road parts so they cost as much as 24"+ units, each

Also got the subframe all knocked out. Cleaned up the old air tank mounts and fully welded the upper bag mounts. Also added a 1" x1/8" strip to reinforce the edges that projected out beyond the subframe:





Pulled the exhaust out and finished welded it up with all the hangers so its 100% dont now as well:

[grizzlyone]

Oh yeah also weighed up the final assemblies:

Subframe, bare : 73lbs
Axle, bare, 34lbs

I figure the axle is a wash with the stock, and with you take into account the leaf springs, larger and heavier gas tank, I would say I really have only added ~50lbs to the truck. When you add in the fact of the gas tank holding 4 gals less and the smaller lighter battery I will be running its almost dead even from before.

But I wont throwout any % guesses, I will also being willing to bet the front to rear weight bias will be much closer to 50/50 than it was before

[grizzlyone]

Finally got the manifold back from the alu welders:

[sk8ordie]

Glad to hear the tank will remain under the bed. Cell in a bed is so tacky.

[sin bar]

BUT WILL THERE BE ROOM FOR FIXIES?


love it, adam, keep it up!

[grizzlyone]

Put in the manifold to figure out the rest of the layout, as well as got the brake booster hose made up:

[grizzlyone]

Got the lower link tube adaptors and welded them all up, shown with the uppers as well:

[vento86]

nice.. cant wait to see this thing laid out