Homemade D44 Hummer Hi-Steer Arm's

[HotRodYJ]

Just had to show these off. The problem with running Hummer wheels without re-centering is the 7" back space. Normal off the shelf high steer arms wont work in many cases, they just wont clear the wheels. I've only found 2 companies that even offer a special arm to clear the Hummer wheels on a D44 and they ain't cheap. How's $250-275 sound to you?

I decided to make my own. I designed what I wanted in CADD and cut out cardboard dolls until I was happy that my design would fit the way I wanted it to. I am blessed to have a neighbor that works in a machine shop and can squeeze in this type project and do it out of scrap material on occasion. He cut the arms for me out of scrap 1" plate steel on a computer controled plasma cutter. He says what you see is the way it came off the table. That's one clean cutting plasma!! Then he drilled and tapered and/or tapped the holes according to my specs. The Tapered holes that attach the arms to the steering knuckle have the proper 26.5 degree taper in them to fit just like there supposed to using the correct tapered cones. You'll also notice the Rod End attachment holes are tapped. Most arm's, if used with rod ends's instead or TRE's, are just drilled and bolted thru with a nut on the backside. That never made alot of since to me since you use at least 3/4" thick material anyway, so I've always threaded mine instead with fine threads for strength.

Final cost? ZELCH... ZERO... NADDA!!!

Here's the end product...

http://www.4x4grace.com/photos/albums/userpics/10010/normal_D44%20Hummer%20Arms.jpg
http://www.4x4grace.com/photos/albums/userpics/10010/normal_One%20Inch%20Thick.jpg
http://www.4x4grace.com/photos/albums/userpics/10010/normal_Pass%20Side.jpg
http://www.4x4grace.com/photos/albums/userpics/10010/normal_Proper%20Tapers.jpg

[TiredIronGRB]

They won't work, they're too thin... :shock:

[pplblazerdude]

Nice. free makes it even better.

[BillM]

Nice score Brian.

[FJcruzer]

Are we sure there thick enough? Should we double them? :D

[BroncoMike]

Nice Brian...if they do work then you and your bud need to be the 3rd company to make these! :D

BLING BLING'N!!!!

[TiredIronGRB]

Nice Brian...if they do work then you and your bud need to be the 3rd company to make these! :D

BLING BLING'N!!!!

You could sell them easy, I saw some on Pirate that weren't half as strong looking.

[HotRodYJ]

...if they do work...

What do you mean "IF they work" , always a wise guy :roll:

To be totally hoest, the only thing that would be"wrong" with this is Ackerman angle. Ackerman is considered by most to not be very critical in an offroad vhicle anyway. I wont get into the details of Ackerman and proper angles, etc only to say it is near impossible to have proper Ackerman in a Hi-steer arm when using a very deep BS wheel unless you go to a rear mounted Tie-rod. I did calculate angles and drew the results in CADD to see what will happen with my arms vrs a standard of the shelf arm, vrs truly correct Ackerman. Basically an off-the shelf arm will have no change in toe at all as the wheels are turned. Correct Ackerman on my rig would result in a 1 degree change toe-out with the wheels turned at a pretty steep 20 degrees, and my arms will actually give me the exact opposite of 1 degree toe-in. So I'll end up 2 degree's wrong compared to proper Ackerman, but only 1 degree different than what anyone else is running in an off the shelf standard arm. Even less angle difference at not so steep turns. Conclusion, I doubt seriousley these will be any problem at all. I'll feel the lockers at both ends long before I'll feel the results of bad Ackerman. I did run a rear tie-rod for a while but it became an issue with oil pan clearance and I had to change.

Actually I have the book "Chassis Engineering" by Herb Adams, and it doesn't even mention Ackerman at all. I think it's a fairly new concept. as many older vehicles, especially trucks, don't have proper Ackerman either even from the factory. It's my belief that proper Camber and Caster have much more to do with how well a vehicle turns than Ackerman does. Not that it's not important, just not critical.

[BroncoMike]

...if they do work...

What do you mean "IF they work" , always a wise guy :roll:


:lol: :lol: Ya knows I wuv ya! :P :P

I whernt try'n to be a wise guy. Just going off what George said up top. After reading your above tech info I think you've got a good part for yo rig.

[BillM]

I thought you made those for me Brain?????? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[RTJ]

Yeah, what he said about anchorman........and stuff!

:roll:

Just kidding!

[HotRodYJ]

I know your just ribbing me...then I had to go off and get all technical and stuff. You guys can wake up now. Lecture time is over 8)

[BillM]

I thoroughly enjoyed your lecture on Ackerman Angles and the Theory of Relativity.

[thebest4x4xfar]

I thought about this last night and I did some math and I really don't think these will work. It looks like your cycloric triharmonic angle is off by about 2.27? in the collateral offset hypnoid direction. Your polyphonics will induce a meta and an ortho tangential force on the camber bearing thrust load resulting in a uplift in the mixolidian force vector.

[pplblazerdude]

I thought about this last night and I did some math and I really don't think these will work. It looks like your cycloric triharmonic angle is off by about 2.27? in the collateral offset hypnoid direction. Your polyphonics will induce a meta and an ortho tangential force on the camber bearing thrust load resulting in a uplift in the mixolidian force vector. English Plz.

[HARDBODY630]

I thought about this last night and I did some math and I really don't think these will work. It looks like your cycloric triharmonic angle is off by about 2.27? in the collateral offset hypnoid direction. Your polyphonics will induce a meta and an ortho tangential force on the camber bearing thrust load resulting in a uplift in the mixolidian force vector.
ummmm wow...that just made me feel REALLY stupid...

[HotRodYJ]

Yeah I'll translate it for him. He's jerking your chain. :lol:

[pplblazerdude]

Yeah I'll translate it for him. He's jerking your chain. :lol: I figured as much but read it like 5 times and had a puzzeld look on my face. :-k

[HotRodYJ]

Think about it, the guy drives a pastel green Rover. (I also know him pretty well so I know he's joking)

[HARDBODY630]

haha, that is true. So have you got them on yet Brian?

[HotRodYJ]

Not yet, may be tomorrow. I have to move the steering box before I can go full high steer but I can go ahead and bolt them on and use it as cross over for now until I get the rest done. Tie rod that high up wont clear my pitman arm because I moved the axle 2" forward. Easy enough to fix, just takes time.

[Pitch]

I know this is old stuff but I appreciate best4x4byfar and his assesment of the situation must be a music guy gettin' all mixolidian in us