stioc Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 (edited) Initially I inquired about the $40 missing link from the nice folks in Canada but with shipping it was going to be $60 + wait time. I figured I could weld one up myself in an afternoon for $20 in parts. Then I realized I didn't even need to make one similar to what's available on the market. I could go even simpler, lightweight and just as effective. In all honesty I didn't even spend $5 because I already had a section of 0.9" galvanized pipe/conduit laying around. I cut it to length (approx 24"), crushed the ends in my shop press, drilled a couple of holes and voila! The missing link is no longer missing A quick test drive showed immediate noticeable difference. The truck feels less nervous in turns and overall more solid. Some of you guys may be thinking that it's not strong/rigid enough because it's not as hefty as the ones on the market and I could try to convince you otherwise but I won't. I just wanted to share what I did and if someone wants to try it before dropping $60 on one it's easy to whip up in an hr. I will mention that most BMWs come with this style missing link or cross bars which is where I got the idea in the first place. Edited December 9, 2012 by stioc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottZ Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I think that the guy that manufactures the missing link even says that the method you used is the strongest. It looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howie Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I wish I had a shop press. That's 2 things I could do with it now. The other one would be pressing out the spider assembly when servicing the front drive axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theexbrit Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 This is to help stop body flex right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 I think that the guy that manufactures the missing link even says that the method you used is the strongest. It looks good. I didn't know the guy (who?) said that, that's cool. However, I think the main reason the other design is used is to provide a mounting location for the skid plates. I'm not a mechanical engineer by trade but having grown up around cars I've picked up a few things that once in a while come in handy. I wish I had a shop press. That's 2 things I could do with it now. The other one would be pressing out the spider assembly when servicing the front drive axle. Hehe I'm a gear head so I usually find uses for things like shop presses (or excuses to justify their existence?). Though even I don't use it all that much. I suppose you could use a cheap bottle jack under the rear hitch reciever to crush the ends. But if you're like me I know you'll probably get one and if so well why wait This is to help stop body flex right? Yes that's the idea and while the flexing probably won't stop but since the unibody structure (especially the older technology) relies on bracing and boxing for its strength the more you can provide those the better. I heard people say it made a huge difference for them so I thought I'd give it a try and I can feel the difference but at the end of the day it's still a lifted heavy truck. Though my perspective is usually clouded by what I have to compare it with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky2 Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Awesome job! "stioc" I dig how you roll. I also have the missinglink, I don't think it makes a huge difference but can't hurt. I have every cross bar on my Civic, trunk bar, rear control arm bar, front lower control arm, top strut mount and uni-body cross bar. All these together make a difference for sure. So, I guesss what I'm saying is let's get as many cross bracing bars we can. Strut top cross bar should be pretty easy to fab. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Thanks rocky2. I was going to fab up a strut bar at one point but since I have the leveling plates the strut mount studs don't have any room left for the base of the bar. I may have to drill another part of the tower and reinforce it but that sounded a bit more time consuming so I've tackled it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howie Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Dude, that jack-under-the-hitch is an awesome idea! Why didn't I think of that? Although, every time Harbor Freight has their shop press on sale for $169, I always consider it, but so far I've resisted the temptation... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewp29 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Is that just 1" galvanized electrical conduit? Nice Idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Yes. When I measured the OD with the calipers it was 0.9" and it worked out perfectly because after crushing it the flatter part slid perfectly in the control arm mount, 1" should work too but any wider and it probably wouldn't. I didn't measure the wall thickness of the conduit but eyeballing it it was around 1/16 of an inch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewp29 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Wicked dude, nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I plan on fabbing one up in the next week or two, thanks for the idea. I have a buddy with a machine shop that I'm going to mind while he's out of the country for a bit so a press is available, but if it is only 1/16" sidewall 1" galvanized conduit, a 3lb hand sledge and an anvil would make quick work of it as well, maybe even a large bench vice. No need to pay for a press for this project. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 A big vise may work but as I suggested a bottle jack under something strong is probably better. The reason being anytime you stretch or shrink metal you create metal fatigue which weakens it and a sledge pounding on it is going to create quite a bit of it. I had to do a couple of practice presses to dial in the correct method i.e. I sandwiched it between two 1/4" steel plates set at 1.8" from the edge. This produced a more symmetric and cleaner press but I'm anal like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Career machinist here so I know exactly what you are saying, I was just trying to make it accessable to everyone. The bottle jack under the frame bit would be good to start but I don't know if the 2 tons max would compress it sufficiently. You did a clean job of it, no doubt of that! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theexbrit Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Wouldn't an under armor bash plate (oil pan, tranny & transfer case) add strength too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky2 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Uni-body stiffeners can be fabricated http://www.tntcustoms.com/unibodystiffenersZJ.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Wouldn't an under armor bash plate (oil pan, tranny & transfer case) add strength too? Everything helps, but I suspect it would depend on the design and how it's bolted on to determine how much and in what manner. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoesandsocks Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 make me one by chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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