1/16 Scale FrankenDiff

[ddmckee54]

Progress is being made, even if I don't have any pretty pictures to prove it. (I forgot to get a snapshot of the suspension assembly before I called it a day.) I will try to update the assembly drawing tomorrow, there's a bunch of stuff that's been added. I've added the cross-member that supports the frame end of the torque rods. I even edited the cross-member to put the holes for the torque rod bracket mounting bolts in the right spots. I've added the torque rods, the torque rod brackets on both the axles and the cross-member. I've added the spring hangers, springs, and spring perches - though they've only been added to one side so far.

I've kinda figured out how I'm going to make the leaf springs. The current plan is to sacrifice the tines from an old lawn broom to make the spring leaves. The tines are about 5mm wide and 0.5mm thick. The SEEM pretty flexible, but they still may be entirely too stiff.

I'm debating whether I want to try making U-bolts for the springs or not. I've got a bunch of bike spokes left over from re-lacing a couple of 20" bike wheels for another project. That would give me plenty of raw stock for making the U-bolts. For a limited production run like this, 3D printed forming dies will be up to the task.

Don