Making Control Arm Links

[@blackspruceshadow]

See the notches in the ridges of the hex head on each left hand joint, that's the universal mark for left hand thread, same goes for fuel gas hose connections.

[@zososldier]

Hey man. if you need to block a hole for welding like the threads just jam a ball of aluminum foil in there. Doesn't burn, doesn't stick and it blocks the thread.

[@Trident_Euclid]

a c Great idea

[@zososldier]

Thanks. A lot of tig guys do it for back purging metals like stainless. Also has the added benefit of covering threads.

[@nissan300ztt]

Also helps remove heat from the weld while cooling

[@bradbest14]

FYI reverse thread nuts will have a small dash in the middle of the nut! Yours have that too. Just a good thing to remember what’s what.

[@tylerreum4011]

Always forgets to turn it on hahaha, this is my favorite channel ever

[@Shadowjeep]

madram11 and bleepin jeep are the main reason i watch youtube. keep the great content coming.

[@trickedouttech321]

Great project and build, It's looking really good. You should slow your welding down, weld a one-inch pass, rotate 90° weld an inch, either keep that pattern or go to next one keep rotating the rods and rotating the welds at 90° rotation to prevent any warping from happening. This would keep it as cool as possible. You could also put some aluminum rings around the pipe, close to the weld to draw the heat away or even cap the end your welding on and fill with water. This look to be a TIG job to me.

[@spencertressaadams8427]

Perhaps you know better than I but I thought it was worth mentioning wd40 is not a long term lubricant. Its a common misconception that wd40 is good to put on ball bearings, bike chains, door hinges, etc, etc. This is actually a bad idea as wd40 is actually a solvent. Great for getting stuck things unstuck, but it will eat away any existing lubricant and then dry away leaving your ball joints with no lube. Perhaps those are designed to work metal on metal without lube, but if they do need something, wd40 should be avoided. "wd40" brand does however make a silicon spray lube that is much better suited to that application.

[@deadcrow6888]

Spencer/Tressa Adams exactly what I thought as he put it on the links. I was like oh man... come on your better than that! in my head

[@richterman3962]

Kroil is best, wd40 is shit

[@mikeblalock9380]

WD40 is a water a displacer. Hence WD. Definitely not a long term lubricate.

[@4redwings]

Very true. It is a very good solvent. Takes off sticker residue and lots of other stuff. It is not a lubricant. Short term, long term, or any term.

[@rifleman154]

I had really good luck with welding the bungs in without joints. I made a quick aluminum non threaded heatsink that I inserted into the bore with liberal antisieze on it that helped to keep the threads from deforming too much. It let the heat stay where it needed to weld and soaked it away from the inner bore where it was non desirable.

[@bullrun4x4]

Making control arms is always fun. I prefer aluminum control arms over steel but they definitely are more spendy! Nice video!

[@boardbysled]

Aluminum links. Your center of gravity is mostly going to be effected by your drivetrain posiiton. Aluminum also holds up better then steel links. You could have also ran lighter upper links as they don't see the bending forces that the lower links do.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

Steel vs Aluminum (normalized against fatigue strength). Steel wins, and it'll make you a cup of coffee! 4140 Chromoly: 7.8 mass units, 1.5 CO2 units, 20 energy units. 7075 Aluminum: 8.7 mass units, 3.6 CO2 units, 65 energy units. Basically, using aluminum will cost you more in the long run. This is when both materials are heavily stressed until they break after repeated use, the steel can be crudely stick welded back together, after being cheaper anyway. Aluminum is easier to drill and tap. Decide what you do more often. I'll keep steel.

[@ZaoHuZhua]

Honestly a solid link of 775T6 Aluminum would probably be the best choice. I've seen them use it on rock bouncers and it seems to hold up very well. You wouldn't want a ton of sprung weight for your rig. You don't have to weld aluminum just drill and tap. Chromoly would be better however I don't have a way of heat treating my welds after tig welding it.

[@mpeugeot]

you could always send it to a commercial heat treatment service, but you might not be willing to pay for the service, but you could have solved the heat treatment process by outsourcing.

[@mpeugeot]

BTW 7075 aluminum doesn't weld for shit.

[@mpeugeot]

matt, buy yourself a cheap HF 14" chop saw, much better than an angle grinder for this. My HF chop saw was purchased in 2001 and still running strong, best $39 I ever spent.

[@mpeugeot]

I just checked, $79.00 in today's money, still a freaking bargain.

[@xenonram]

Go to the pawn shop and get a portable bandsaw. They are always there.

[@dsdiesel8667]

For wheeling I'd go all steel, maybe aluminum upper links as they're less likely to have any damage, warping, etc but I'm going to say I'd stay with all steel.

[@theezeelife292]

Steel vs Aluminum: I would prefer steel as it can take an impact much better and can be hammered back into shape easier. I wouldn't think center of gravity would be affected that much.

[@harperbillingsley9859]

When welding and you have threads that you want to protect or any other try using the carbon from acetylene it does work. Thanks for all you do!

[@rayss3323]

I was hoping you were going to share how you determined the geometry/positioning of the mounts. Nice job.

[@Dino30ish]

Depending on the aluminum used , it has a memory property about it (especially the solid stock) ..... So if you land on one of your links it may bend , but it will return to its original shape once the pressure is removed ...... This is what i was told when i was shopping for link material ...... But cost is also a factor ... So i went with 2" 1/4 wall dom , vs aluminum ....Eventually i will switch over but for now its all steel for me ..

[@confuse9]

Generally speaking, aluminum will always, eventually fail. There is a reason why they don't make car springs from aluminum. Again generally speaking. Its about fatigue strength: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_limit. If you are rebuilding your suspension on a regular basis (racing) go for aluminum. If your like me, build it once and neglect it until it fails, go with steel.

[@dsdiesel8667]

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think of aluminum bends it'll return to its original shape. This is why I always shoot carbon fiber arrows and not aluminum, because if they ever hit something hard enough they will warp and then they will never shoot straight again. 👍

[@codymoncrief2128]

tractor supply stores will also sell the joints, along with heavy duty tow shackles and a suprising amount of recovery gear etc...

[@nissan300ztt]

I dont know why its surprising. Tractor Supply in more rural areas supply farmers. I have a #20000 snatch block. Bought at tractor and it works like a champ

[@MrLawnmowerman3]

Did this with 3/4 joints, had my uncle tig weld them in. They look pretty slick painted up with the shiny ends

[@bananapudding3051]

next time leave the bung at least a 1/16 of an inch from all the way in to allow shrinkage to have less stress on joint and then do your roset welds last

[@Kink730]

just spit balling, a steel link with a springy aluminum core, strength from the elasticity of aluminum wear resistance of the steel, save weight on amount of steel (thinner wall) use heat to expand steel then slide in aluminum for presure fit and no room for rust/oxygenation then bore aluminum weld in bung.... feel free to shoot me down, not even his question... love the channel btw!

[@93cherokee37]

You've inspired me to make my own control arms. great how to video

[@vapeking8882]

draw filing as its call takes a smaller finer bite with the file and leaves a nicer finish. thanks for sharing

[@Garth2011]

Thanks for the show. Wow. You could use a turning lathe for those "sticks" as you make them or other items often enough. Could cut them to length, chamfer, bevel and even weld on one. Not sure on the idea of aluminum vs. the steel. The steel are likely way more strong than needed but I've seen them bend too. As someone noticed before, there is a better replacement for WD-40 called Pro Long Super Lubricants SPL-100. Comes in trigger or can spray. Truly, a lubricant that beats WD40 in many ways plus a protectant. It's cheaper if purchased in case quantity from manufacture vs. a can at a time.

[@peterbuilttough3406]

Just squirt a bunch of heat resistant paste inside the bung hole, protects from splatters and thread warping. Tig welding will give you flawless welds btw

[@shark180]

Shouldn't have told me to sit back and relax. I sat back, relaxed, then eneded up falling asleep and my dog took my slice of pizza.

[@shark180]

@Dalton Tobias Spam bots can have girlfriends?!

[@gavinedgar9464]

i know I am quite off topic but do anyone know of a good website to watch newly released movies online ?

[@lukaarian1480]

@Gavin Edgar lately I have been using Flixzone. You can find it on google :)

[@baylorjacob7792]

@Luka Arian yea, I have been using FlixZone for months myself :)

[@gavinedgar9464]

@Luka Arian Thanks, signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) Appreciate it!!

[@TwinTurboLsx]

Outside steel or chromoly tubing, with aluminum bar stock inside. That's the best option. Could probably get away with less or smaller tubes that way as well. Slightly if any.

[@Ken19700]

A brass plug with some high temp anti-seize would protect those bungs without risking the threads.

[@danoleary5569]

A little ball of aluminum foil in the end of the bung will protect the threads from any spatter too!

[@alasdair4161]

It's always good to reduce unsprung weight, and the difference for CG would be more than offset by performance gains from less overall weight as well as better suspension action, the downside though is aluminium is way more prone to failure if they get hit by anything.

[@SBulldog2727]

That's the American way bro. Love it. The aluminum foil idea works great too.

[@rowlinstoned3715]

Wish u showed how to determine the spot to weld the frame end bracket. I'm bout to try a long arm for my tj. I'm making my links but not sure if it matters exactly how far back I make the brakets. Awesome tutorial tho! Keep em comin

[@nissan300ztt]

Weld Chamfers are what your trying to grind onto the ends. And im glad im a machinist. Just turn my compound @37.5° and cut the weld chamfer

[@trevornelson1300]

So I like the video, just one thing I noticed, I may be wrong, but it looks like your welding in your garage that is spray foam insulated which typically is highly flammable. As a fire fighter and someone who studied architecture quiet a while that made me cringe. If that is indeed the case I would suggest putting up sheetrock bare minimum before doing anymore. You don't want a flaming rag taking out your entire garage, home, or hurting anyone.

[@randysmith4718]

fuck you asshole basement saver

[@MD-xw3gd]

I've seen the blue foam actually explode like gas

[@jimsheppard5296]

Rock bouncers typically use aluminum links because when you smack them on a rock they will bend but flex back straight. Steel will stay bent.

[@gordowg1wg145]

Sit the tubes on a length of square U section steel and clamp it down - it will stop it rolling/kicking. Stepped drills are expensive, use a reasonable pilot hole and final hole using regular drills as they are cheaper to buy and easy to re-sharpen. I do not agree with using plug welds in this sort of application as a/ the welding process can add additional stress and can promote cracking, and for some materials will compromise the temper and strength around the weld b/ as mentioned, it unevenly heats and can deform the thread form of the insert, it can also result in dingleberries self welding/tacking inside the insert c/ the strength of the end weld to the insert should be adequate as it is the full thickness of the tube d/ I'm lazy You don't need gunge on the internal threads when doing the external threads as the spray/splatter is moving away from the opening. Consider picking up a LH and RH finishing/ bottoming/plug tap to clean up the threads.

[@simken48462]

Matt, the interest in center of gravity is nil to the fact that any 4 link is going to be heavier than the stock suspension. the biggest difference is going to be price for the average off roader.

[@Maxxis1941]

I'm about 10 major steps behind you on a stretch TJ so it's nice to see your work and little hints. Thanks again. Also: new to welding. What would it do if you water cooled each pass? Warp maybe? Thumbs up.

[@Zapo9668]

How reliable are heim joints for a non rock crawler. It seems all manufactured cars prefer not to have adjustable items that can come loose.

[@christophersells9146]

Nice... How many Times have you Hit your Shin on the Car Ramps under the Table up side down...OUCH-ie....

[@marksharp9602]

😂😂😂Awesome!! love the disclaimer after the links..😂😂

[@mattfeist471]

Why not just get a bolt with the same threads as the heims? Thread it in, weld it up, impact it out soon as you're done? It's easier to take out because you don't need to grab a potentially hot heim joint, and if it seizes in, you don't throw ~$100 away.

[@confuse9]

Like the idea. Where can you buy left-handed threaded bolts?

[@jacobalfredstate]

Try Mcmastercarr, they do one day shipping.

[@jamesnicholson1686]

steel links because then they are easier to service and extra weight near the wheels is good for going up really steep hills

[@cazbit639]

I like the part when the shop rag catches fire. nice work man. don't sweat the nit pickers.

[@bertfriedman]

put that mig gun in a holder use a foot pedal and get both hands turning and controlling your pipe. the smoking pipe and burning rag on the floor is priceless and made me laugh so hard I nearly peed but I didn't pee so I just drank coffee and shook my head.

[@mohameddabous3781]

Good job I learned from your channel to much about jeep thank you

[@mohameddabous3781]

Can you please help me to get the right parts for end rod I want to make one for my xj 96 4.0

[@jacobaaron978]

personally, I think solid alloy aluminum is the way to go. look at all the rock bouncers, Almist all the top end buggies use them, there's a reason for that. certain aluminums are really ductile, but others are springy, the alloy used for links is super tough and you don't have any intermittent heat affected zones from welding. that's just my 2 cents. some will say I'm wrong, oh well.

[@mpeugeot]

It's not that you are wrong, but plenty of steels have good qualities with regard to springiness and being ductile. I think that it's at matter of time, resources, and knowledge.

[@kevinhornbuckle]

You could also use one sacrificial bolt to hold the hole true and block spatter.

[@dakota.zimmerman]

That is a good point but then you have to worry about it seizing in the hole from the heat. Still only requires replacing the bung if that happens but that is the downside to that. Plus that is a huge bolt to put in there.

[@trevorsgaragemusings]

Nozzle gel is pricey for this process ... you can safely substitute with Vaseline (premium petroleum jelly), which many welders do in a pinch when they run out of nozzle gel.

[@motorcycleguy199]

Even though you lighten up the bottom of the jeep Aluminum is stronger. If you keep bending a steel arm then it would be something great to look into.

[@chefdan87]

Only if you are using solid rod aluminum, but they have problems breaking at the threads for the heim joints. Steel is stronger than aluminum. 4340 chromoly is the best of both worlds, just expensive and you have to know how to weld it.

[@kyle3861]

what welder settings are you using on the bungs? I'm curious of the penetration vs distortion you recommend.

[@Ken19700]

I have a question for you. Is it possible to build a CJ using modern designs and materials that meets the Army's original 1300 lb weight requirements?

[@Ken19700]

I'm thinking an aluminum tub with a corvair engine is a good start. Maybe an SM420 & Dana 18 with a Dana 30 in the rear and a Dana 25 up front. Leaf springs are to heavy so they're out. Radius arms front and rear with coilover shocks might be light enough.

[@jisezer]

Ken MacMillan The CJ and Willys were totally different beasts. If you want a light, weak, underpowered jeep just go with the Willys. This is seriously the dumbest idea (no offense). You would dump 25k on a jeep that has no capabilities what so ever besides being light.

[@Ken19700]

It was just an idea to see if I could meet the army's original weight restrictions. A corvair engine should be lighter and more powerful than the original go devil engine. I'm never going to build it.

[@lastfanstanding999]

could also vice clamp a size larger short length of pipe, run your build pipe inside, and as you use a angle grinder it will be a bit easier the work on and possibly turn on its own.

[@lastfanstanding999]

love your vids, ive never seen that model jeep look so good, and from watching your vids it appears to be extremely functional too !

[@lastfanstanding999]

9:25 use Anti-Seize

[@GarageAutoproM]

Привет. Какую марку стали используете?

[@ramwall1500]

I'm sure in the comment somewhere on down somebody's already mentioned this but WD-40 is not a lubricant it works okay to get something started maybe that's seized up or rusted a little but it's not a lubricant it's mainly for dissipating water

[@TheAmericanUhate]

Always look forward to any videos you have of the progress on this build! It's going to be hard to top it though after this one is done.

[@cepot2482]

which size you use.. i confused which one i have to buying .. please help me which is better i have to using price and brand also it can help me better for jimny thanks

[@bleepinjeep]

TMR customs 1.25" heims

[@robertsingleton1187]

+BleepinJeep and here is another with tmr custom heims

[@LCSC300t]

what do you recommend to lube the joints from time to time?

[@408SPLKINGS]

KS Aerokroil orange & white label can...works great as a rust & seized penetrant & lube..$8-9 a can.

[@pebblehoppertj]

@bleepinjeep From the center of the heim to the mounting surface of the bung? What is the size? I need to know how long to cut the tube if my current ones are 16" eye to eye.

[@djtoo7]

Nice what did u have your welder set to?

[@redrobin3367]

a lot of people are saying aluminum isn't a good choice, I know a lot of people that rock race that use 6061t6 aluminum and it works just fine

[@Maxxis1941]

Tony, John, and a whole host of other podium finishers. 6061T6 is some serious beefy stuff.

[@redrobin3367]

+Secured Circus yes sir

[@Twizter68]

Red Robin Well, we build wing spars for strike fighters out of 6061 and 7075 T6, and they pull a lot more stress than any rock crawler, so....

[@chuckfinley3152]

Maybe buba doesnt have an ac tig

[@macsogandares8383]

You said 1/4" wall tubing- is this what I would find in a kit I bought from teraflex or currie enterprises? I'm looking at making my own. Also, will most tubing benders be able to bend this at small angles?

[@kapulu6259]

Mac You might have to go with a pipe bender. But I would ether go with thicker or drop a bar of aluminum inside before you bend.

[@mpikas]

The center of gravity argument is just about negligible, not really an issue. Unless it's a race vehicle and you're getting into heat treating it... steel will last longer. Aluminum will be more likely to wallow out the threads, get messed up on rocks, work harden and snap... You had me laughing when you said you were going to put down a rag on the floor to prevent a mess... I was wondering if the mess was worse than the scorch marks were going to be ;-) About protecting the threads- get a fine thread bolt the same size (an old heim will work too, just not as convenient), give it a coat of high temp grease/anti seize/nozzle gel and thread it in before welding. It should protect the threads, and prevent distortion at the plug welds unless you way overheat them. Worst case you can impact it out and run a tap through it, but running a tap in there is a last choice since it will wallow out the existing threads some, they'll never be the same....

[@stryker4240]

Do you coat your tubes insides with anything? Like linseed oil?

[@bleepinjeep]

no

[@andrealatorre4684]

Hi, what kind of steel did you use?

[@bleepinjeep]

1/4" dom although that didn't last and I went to aluminum links later on.

[@thestone3849]

you could have used a bolt or a plug to seal the inner threads while welding. LH & RH of course or a simple MS or Al taper plug made to suit

[@yandriarce2439]

Heavier steel links, aluminum will damage easily when scraped on rocks, the threads aren't as durable and aluminum tubing will need to be anodized or it will corode and seize onto the joints

[@jsecontractors]

yandri arce the Aluminum is what they all use now on the pro circuit, claims to be stronger than dom steel, and also has memory,

[@hectorortega9131]

hey? how do you replace or rebuilt the teflon bushings inside the ball jointz whem they get worn out?

[@juanflores-rp5mk]

Do u think those hyme joints with bung u used will work for a b body car?.. I wanna make my own trailing arms..I'm just not sure if they will fit in where they mount....

[@mxmang]

You could also use a bolt instead of the Heim when you weld? No?

[@billyraybullington3038]

With the solid boat sides weight in mind I don't think it will alter your cog too much. That said I say go with steel.

[@ChrisBogleFilms]

Hey Matt, im building a custom tire carrier and not sure what size to use with my johnny joints. Not sure of size of johnny joints either. I'm using .120 wall. Could you help out?

[@arze5540]

I've done a some small pipe welding like that but I can never get it to look decent like you did. Anyone have any tips for small pipe welding?

[@Alpha-to9od]

just a quick question here, im doing a track bar for my rig and i got a bar tube and tap the treat instead of welding a bung do you think it will hold?..

[@glennedward2201]

Surprised you don’t have a bandsaw. Even a cheaper harbor freight would be immensely useful for your needs. Cutting with a grinder is time consuming and far less accurate as you know leaving you having to cut long and grind to length. For future projects you can find metric sized hole saws on eBay to fit those more odd ID sizes and there is one company that sells a true metal saw but they come from China. A NOGA tool also cleans inside burrs. The correct hole saws don’t use raked teeth as your accustomed to they are carbide wide teeth more like a mill cutter. They work slow, efficient, and clean. Very cool project.

[@jakerulezd92]

Great informational video as usual Matt. A little off topic, but you should do a video on how to install a hidden kill switch for one of the Cherokees. After all of these great builds, it would be a great tutorial to help deter thiefs.

[@LalthlenglianaKhawlhring]

Will it be as strong if the weld is done with a TIG ??

[@bleepinjeep]

Stronger

[@LalthlenglianaKhawlhring]

Thanks..

[@LalthlenglianaKhawlhring]

Cab you help me buy the right Heim joint ?

[@bleepinjeep]

1.25" heim, try ruff stuff or TMR customs

[@LalthlenglianaKhawlhring]

This one in your video is 1.25" ? what is the next smaller in size ?

[@gdtengine3935]

Thanks or the tutorial video... Would you mind sharing where you ordered the joints from? I looked but didn't see where you'd shared that information... thank you!! Truly enjoy your videos... thanks for taking time to show and help others...

[@bleepinjeep]

Tmr customs!!

[@gdtengine3935]

Man am I Really feeling like a rookie and a putts all at once!! Said it within 1:30 of the video along with the "TMR CUSTOMS SHIRT" totally missed it and my apologies. Merry Christmas

[@jimredeye1]

Could you have used aluminum foil to put into the joints? Maybe ball it to a size you could screw into the joint.

[@xenonram]

jimredeye1 Maybe a polished aluminum ball.

[@erickoenig4168]

talk to jessie Haines he uses aluminum for the fact that they will bend back straight to some degree if he lands on them but he also fills his front tires with water to get his weight down low

[@janj0n]

Wouldn't think reducing unsprung weight matters at all in a low-speed, low suspension-velocity application like a rock crawler; I would think that low CG would be beneficial, but suspension link weight pretty much irrelevant. It would be what's higher up that would matter more. No charge for the opinion. I could be wrong...

[@jambeatsjeeps2586]

really enjoyed watching this vid matt. makes me want to make my own links!!

[@thomasg1671]

What welder you using?

[@bleepinjeep]

Miller 185

[@mtnton1]

Thanks for the video. Where can I find a large round file like you have at 6 minutes into the video?

[@bajadan2769]

Harbor frieght

[@Erik-88]

Hi, tube that you used ?

[@bleepinjeep]

+enrico palombo 2inch 1/4wall Dom

[@Erik-88]

+BleepinJeep ok thanks

[@indulakannangara8322]

hey any chance you can specify the specs of the tube you used ?

[@mattmoilanen3813]

He did in the first minute of the video. It's 1and1/2 DOM .250 wall thickness.

[@checoontiveros8691]

Dónde puedo conseguir las piezas ? Para hacer una similares

[@dembrowi_n_c.5111]

In my mind you would want to keep your unsprung weight at a minimum. I would go Stainless If I had the money, then I could scrape them to high hell and not worry about it .

[@raybiondolino9778]

Dylan Dembrow unsprung weight for a vehicle that rarely sees speeds over 10mph is simply irrelevant. Center of gravity is what is important in rock crawling... imho

[@WilleJamesHuff]

Dylan Dembrow he can scrape those .250 wall tubes all he wants and not worry about it still

[@diego.barisone]

What steel are the tubes you used?

[@thuggmtz]

bad ass matt I been thinking to do my four link on my 04 Yukon custom made..

[@Maxxis1941]

You wouldn't regret it. A well designed double triangulated 4 link is the cats ass.

[@WolfKingJS54]

What kind of welder do you have

[@silverbackmoose8642]

do you have a channel discount code for TMR?

[@joeyperez6584]

Are the heims really 100$ a piece? Do you have any cheaper suggestions?

[@theravedaddy]

Joey Perez go to a tyre shop, cut the ends off scrap shock absorbers and weld them on. Its what we do in the 3rd world.

[@thomasalanjensen9375]

Dude you need an air die grinder and a rotary file bit. Removes burrs, enlarges holes, and contours metal like a free hand milling machine. $10 at harbor freight well spent.

[@brandonlow27]

You said you used 24ft of 2"x.250" wall. Assuming the aluminum links are the same dimensions as the steel links, you would be saving about 300lb. As an engineering student, in my opinion, the center of gravity wouldn't change a lot from removing 300lb on a jeep that probably weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 4000lb. Add to that the fact that steel would probably hold up better to being bashed against rocks. The links are the next lowest point after your axle and tires, right about the same level as your drive shaft, in some cases lower.

[@mpeugeot]

.250 wall steel is how much stronger than .250 wall aluminum? Compare apples to apples, which means what would the same strength aluminum weigh?

[@brandonlow27]

From what I can tell, it actually looks like some of the aluminum links offered online might be solid rather than hollow, which will impact bending quite a bit (and also add weight). I found an article discussing the strength of steel vs aluminum which said, when measuring deflection/stiffness, an aluminum plate would need to be a little less than 150% of the size of a steel plate in order to achieve the same "strength". Here is the article. I skipped to the "Inch for Inch" subheading. You'll see that both the yield(bending) strength and ultimate(failure) strength are higher with the aluminum that is 1.5x the size of the steel, but for a 50% increase in size there is not a 50% increase in strength. www.kastenmarine.com/alumVSsteel.htm All that being said, if the aluminum links are solid they might actually be better, and look cool. I ran numbers very quick and sloppy and it seems like it would be about 60% as strong (for the solid aluminum vs hollow steel) but the equations I used may not be as relevant because there are a lot of forces involved in a system like that between keeping the axle in place and bashing against rocks and stuff. Also, I'm still a student (sophomore in a university engineering program)

[@mpeugeot]

+Brandon Low fair enough. There are advantages to using aluminum in some situations, but the same arguments could be made for titanium and carbon fiber. For the record, I never went to school for engineering, I don't know shit, and I am a psychologist by trade. Don't blame your education for mistakes... Just own it and always be open to learning and being wrong (which is when you will learn the most).

[@brandonlow27]

Oh yeah, every material has its place, I'm just not quite there yet in my schooling to completely analyze the tradeoffs between the two, but im trying.

[@SavageProductionsNH]

any tips for guys starting out..

[@Dino30ish]

Lots of research .... Tons of builds on Pirate forum .... And lots of practice

[@Se7enAte]

The biggest tip is to just not start. Your wallet will thank you later.

[@jsmeswagner6104]

How much was the hiem and bung kit

[@bleepinjeep]

Check the TMR website.

[@jsmeswagner6104]

I just did thier 147 per hiem..that's crazy..I think ill use. Tractoor supply again..wanted to build a better one but not at that price.

[@Shamalamallama]

what welder are you runnin?