----- Original Message -----
From: Al Heath
To:
amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 9:30 AM
Subject: [amphicar-lovers] Re: steering box brace
What's wrong with this " 'bout right" approach?
Visit Home D. (or other such store) and get some flat steel stock, metric
bolts the next length up to account for the steel thickness, and a lock
nut, washers, can of spray paint... Using the approximate angle down to
the vicinity of the magneto valve or the attachment point you've picked ...
basically looking for a very short lever to the floor making an approximate
isoscelese right triangle with the steering box, roughly check the angle
and cut the new metal bar to the approximate length for now... it is
approximately a straight shot from steering box front to floor. .... kinda
mark some lines where the metal bar would lay against the steering box
front. Leave the bar a tad long to account for variations in how well you
do the step. Using the lines you marked and the steering box front cover
(or the thin metal spacer) as a guide, drill 3 or 4 or 5 holes (don't
forget the center hole for the horn wire...) in the steel (depending on
width of the steel you bought - 2 to 3.5 inches ... your choice) Now that
it is "rough'd in", lay it in place attached to the steering box to check
bolt hole alignment, mark the final cut length, bottom angle, perhaps a top
notch for the magneto valve, and center punch the hole position(s) for the
bottom bolt(s) now that the angle is locked in due to the alignment of the
bolt holes on the steering box, and any excess from the steering box area.
Take it back out, cut and drill, recheck fit,...when good, spray some black
paint on it and reassemble when dry. If you want to weld a new tab instead
of using the fuel magneto tab, do that using some scrap angle iron to the
floor (and damp rags/blanket packed around gas tank .... well ventilated
.... tied fuel line/magneto value up out of the way ... didn't disconnect
to avoid "fresh" fumes ...) , you can make the tab large enough for two
bolts. Total Cost .... maybe 10 bucks. Time ... couple hours depending
on the distance to the store. Tools ... a hack saw and a sharp drill bit.
(It is a bunch easier with a band saw to make the metal cuts, but what
better way to build up those arm muscles....) Real engineering design
behind this, none. "The 'bout right" method.
Al
Nothing "wrong" with your brace idea, Al.
Really, every brace idea that has been presented here is "good enough." Every
design will have some advantages, and some disadvantages. I wasn't knocking
anybody's efforts here, just speculating on the design features of each. What's
most important is that you get your steering box braced; by whatever design
suits you best.
BTW Al. Remember the part about replacing the four bolts into the plate that
mounts to the front of the steering box? (That's the plate that has the center
hole for the horn wire.) As you face astern, toward the front of this plate, the
upper left bolt has a critical length. All eight bolts at the top of the
steering box look similar, but the top left bolt needs to be (IIRC) 2 mm shorter
than the others. If you use one of the long bolts in this hole, you will hit the
steering sector gear with the base of the bolt. So, if (due to your new bracket)
you get a 3/8" longer bolt, remember to put a couple of flat washers under the
bolt head to compensate the bolt to the exact length.
Ed
El Cajon
67 Rust Guppy
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