Part 14 – Rear axle Bracing
After building the reinforcement plate for the rear lower control arm brackets, I decided to make some changes to the way the rear axle was held in place. The standard arrangement is that the center section is attached to the frame with 4 bolts at the top and stabilized with a brace from the rear main frame that attaches to the lower control arm pivot shafts. The original brace is in the next picture.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...arendbrace.JPG
I redesigned the rear brace so that it attaches primarily to the new reinforcement plate and also to the control arm pivots.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...wrearbrace.JPG
Here’s how it looks installed.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...einstalled.JPG
I then made a similar, but shorter brace to go in front of the center section.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...frontbrace.JPG
This picture shows the bracket mounts that are welded to the frame, they are tapped for the mounting bolts and located low enough to clear the rear stabilizer bar.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...racemounts.JPG
Here are a couple pictures of the front brace installed.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...einstalled.JPG
http://www.uniquecobra.com/gallery/f...installed2.JPG
Broken Bolts - Pocono road race course
I've got Grade 9's in with the tapered sleeves. So far so good. I also firmly believe it was the slapping on and off the throttle that created the shearing. Those Hoozier Street TD tires can sure hook up the 560 lbs of torque. Wonder what's the next leakest link in the chain? No more Pocono for me. Done that, been there and I have the pictures for the memories.