Category: Miscellaneous

Questions we’ve been asked that don’t really fit into any other category.

Dear Welder Series… Splined sway bars vs Pinned

Dear Welder Series…

Good morning. I’m just curious as to the purpose of the one splines end option on the sway bar kits vs. the pinned both ends option. What would the benefit be from the splined end or having both ends splined vs. Pinned. Thank you! Dear Kevin…
Good morning, Kevin.

At one time (mid 90’s) our sway bars were made in 2” length increments with 1” of spline on each end. This required a lot of inventory (we had bars from 18” – 36”) and we always ran out of something before we needed a large, cost effective quantity to run replacement stock. I think splining one end, making the bars in just 2 lengths (3/4” bars at 36” and 45”), and pinning the second end was a collaboration idea with one of our pro builder customers who used a lot of odd length bars and had to cut off one splined end anyway (… that had been paid for). Recently, the cost to spline the one end increased dramatically and we were not able to find a suitable alternate splining shop. The pinned ends have never given any problem that we are aware of so the decision was made offer both ends pinned until the one-end splined bars are gone.

The splined end allows the arm to be removed more easily than the pinned end. It also allows the arm to be “clocked” on the bar, but only in 10 degree increments. (The 3/4” bars have 36 splines.)

When the sleeves get pinned to the bar before the arms are attached, the arms can be tacked so they are aligned and the pins can be positioned to be most easily removed. Then the sleeves can be removed and the arms can be finish welded.

The pinned kits cost less than the splined kits.

I hope this answers your (very thoughtful) questions.

Thanks for looking at Welder Series’ parts.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… Corvette sway bar questions

Dear Welder Series…

I am wanting to install a rear sway bar on my 1978 corvette. Due to modifications to corvette and rim/tire size, a factory bar will not work.
This kit seems to be the closest to what will work for me but it I am hoping to get some more information from you before I purchase.
1)  Can you confirm the length of the torsion bar is 45″? If not what is the actual total length. The corvette frame is right around 43-44″ wide  and it needs to sit directly under it. There is minimal area to go narrower but is probably possible. Obviously I can trim it too.
2)  The outer tube what is the supplied length?  — so I can figure out if an under frame mount will work or I will have to fab up some custom brackets.
3)  What does the under frame mount look like?
4)  The lower link mounts won’t work in my situation so can they be removed with the  coil over mounts for a bit more cost savings.
5)  Do you have a detailed drawing (or a scale PDF) that I could print out, cut out to see if it would work around the interferences I have.
If you had a 45″ kit without any bracketry (swaybar , tube, bushings, arms, couplers and rod ends for the links)  that would be ideal.
Thanks,
Mike

Dear Mike…
Hi, Mike.

1)  The actual sway bar is 45” long. One end has 1” of spline. This bar is designed to be used as-is or cut to length. We also have 45” bars splined both ends. The 3/8” thick arms mount outside the bar, so if the 45” bar was used as is, the distance outside the arms would be 45-3/4”.
2)  The supplied outer tube is 1-3/8” OD and 43” long.
3)  The under frame mounting bracket:
4)  The lower axle mounts for the links can be taken out of the kit:
5)  I don’t have a single drawing of the whole kit. Dimensions for the various parts should all be on the website.
Welder Series is a “builder supply” company and, as such, all parts are available individually. They are shown on our website with dimension details. Please get in touch again if we can give you some other info.
Thanks for looking at our parts for your project.
Paul Horton
Dear Welder Series…

Paul,
Thanks for the info, it helps greatly.
I am just working out  how to best mount it, what parts will work in my case and also ways to keep the weight of the added system in check.
Mike

Dear Welder Series… Unhole Tip

Dear Welder Series…
I tried to attach these to the review but it wouldn’t let me. I found that if I used a step drill and drilled the finish dia of the plug (5/8″) 1/2 way thru it left enough shelf to support the plug and was tight enough to fuse with the TIG.
I hope this helps,
Jim

Dear Jim…
Great idea! I hope someone else sees this and is able to make use of it. I always find it a bit of a hitch in my step when the next size on the step drill isn’t quite far enough away to go through the whole thickness of the material, and it leaves a lip that needs to be removed… this idea almost redeems that :).

Dear Welder Series… T56 Mount?

Dear Welder Series…
Good morning. I am getting ready to put an order together and had a few questions,

1. Your simple transmission mount kit, will it work for a Tremec T56 bolt pattern?
2. Also your universal sway bar. I currently have your 4 link system, will the sway bar shift from side to side for the 4 link movies a 1/4-1/2 ” from side to side when the suspension is traveling.
3. Your exhaust hangers do you have them in stainless 304 or 409?
Thanks, Mike
Dear Mike…
Good questions.

1.  All of our transmission mounts work with the 2268 and 31158G insulator. These insulators both fit your T56 trans. Regarding the crossmembers, http://welderseries.com/Transmission-Mounts-Crossmembers-c13290625, your shifter handle mounting area might hit the crossmember of the 2115 style. If you want to use this mount, the crossmember could be notched for clearance. I like the 2115 because it adds a crossmember to the frame and the drop-out saddle makes it easy to remove the trans.
2.  The rod end links in the sway bar kit allow for left-to-right movement during suspension travel. For more info about sideways movement, you could read https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxUbZIT8qqYCdmF2N2RCR2MxQlU/edit .
3.  We do have stainless exhaust hangers. Stainless hangers are referenced SS, mild steel MS.  Flanges are also available in MS and SS material.
Thanks again for looking at Welder Series for your project.
Paul Horton
Dear Welder Series…
Awesome thanks for the quick response I appreciate it

Dear Welder Series… sway bar through 34″ OD frame?

Dear Welder Series…

Wanting to buy the sway bar kit for my 57 chevy pickup but have a question.
My frame rails measure 34” outside to outside, is your 36” kit going to be wide enough as I need to put this through the center of the frame rails?
Thanks for any help,
Don

Dear Don…

Hi Don, thanks for your note. The outer tube in the 36” kit is 34” long. It should be ok – it will just look like the bushings go right into the frame rail. If necessary, you can bend the arms away from the rails for additional clearance.

DW Horton
Welder Series Inc.

Dear Welder Series… center section for 67-72 C10?

Dear Welder Series…
Any idea whether the center section will work with a 67-72 C10, and do any of the trans mounts fit a 4L80E?

Thanks,
Russ

Dear Russ…
Thanks for this note, Russell.  

Could you give me your frame’s outside and inside widths (driver’s side to passenger’s side) at the transmission insulator?  

…and the frame rail channel height at that point? (The actual frame size, not the height from the ground.)

I’ll see how the center section looks in those dimensions and get back to you.

Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series…
Thanks Paul,

I’ve got the following:

Outside frame rail width:  34-1/8″
Inside frame rail top:  29.5″
Inside frame rail bottom:  29″
Frame rail height:  6″

Dear Russ…
The center section will be snug but fine if the rails are boxed corner-to-corner off of the upper flange. If the plates are “step boxed” it will give extra space for a frame mounted booster.

This is based on how the curved lower tubes transition to the boxing plates.

I hope this info helps with your planning.

Paul

Dear Welder Series… minimum thread depth?

Dear Welder Series…
On the 5/8 – 18 adjuster kit, assuming it has approximately 2.5″ of threads on it, what is the least amount of thread that can be screwed into the 4-link bar and still be considered safe? The application is a 1952 Chevy pickup utilizing an 8.8″ Ford Explorer rear axle. It will have a 400hp small block for power. Thanks.

Dear Joe…
Joe, the generally accepted standard for minimum thread engagement is the diameter of the fastener, or in this case, 5/8”.

Thanks for asking.
Paul Horton

Dear Welder Series… 35-40 Rear Boxing Plates?

Dear Welder Series…
Do you have any frame repair kits for the rear wheel area for a 39 Ford stock chassis for restoration.
Mainly need the area at the axel hump behind the rear wheel

Bill

Dear Bill…
Bill, we have boxing plates for the rear half of the 1935 – 40 Ford frame. These might help to reinforce the stock rails, if they are still part of the frame. http://welderseries.com/Boxing-Plates-1935-40-Ford-p50906470 shows the whole kit (front and rear halves), but the rear plates can be purchased on their own. Part #354002, $50.00 each.

Do you think  this would fix the problem?

Paul

Dear Welder Series… Transmission mount for ’56 F100?

Dear Welder Series…
I’m building a 1956 F100. Supercharged 5.4 with 4r100 trans. I have purchased your engine mounts, but I’m looking for a tranny mount that will work with the 4r100
Thanks

Andy

Dear Andy…
Andy, have a look at our 2115 trans mount and crossmember:


and the 205043 Ford adapter plate:

which use the insulator/rubber mount:

205041 has recently been modified (now #205043) so it will work with transmissions that have rubber mount hole centers from 5-5/16″ to 5-9/16″. All of this has to be filtered by you knowing that I am not at all familiar with this transmission, except by looking online.

Thanks for looking to Welder Series on this problem.

Dear Welder Series… custom transmission mount

Dear Welder Series…
Paul and Dorothy,
Ordered some parts from you all a couple of weeks ago to make a trans mount for a 1990 corvette trans that I am putting in my 56 Chevy pickup. Paul even call the day after I ordered to make sure I ordered the correct parts. Thanks, I appreciate that. Paul said send some pics when I got it made and on the truck so here it goes.
Dale

Dale cherry picked some brackets from other transmission mount kits and made his own. He used our 350 adapter plate, a shock mount plate, and a little tab that normally welds into the adapter plate, but he only used one side of it. You’ll understand when you see the pictures.

This is one of the reasons Welder Series is here. Thanks for being creative, Dale.

DW Horton

Dear Welder Series… do you sell RUBBER BUCKET?

Dear Welder Series…
Hello Customer,
Greetings to you, well I would like to know whether you sell RUBBER BUCKET. Let me know the models,sizes and prices of them. Also I would like to know whether you accept credit card payment. Hope to hear back from you soon.

Best Regards,
Tommy Harrison

Dear Tommy…
Thanks very much for your time and personal request for RUBBER BUCKET. I appreciate your inquiry; I’ve been known to occasionally question the Home Depot salesman as to the availability of cross country skis at their fine store. While our product line is rather large, containing (no pun intended) many varieties of gussets, tabs, and other parts to make building a hot rod a little easier, we unfortunately have not diversified to the point of offering RUBBER BUCKET at this point. In fact, we don’t even sell Mustang II control arms or spindles. My grandpa used to say “DW, you need to get into the RUBBER BUCKET business. If you don’t, some day someone will be beating down your door (they spoke of doors back then… now it would be “beating down your inbox”) wanting all different sizes, and the prices of RUBBER BUCKET, and you won’t have any RUBBER BUCKET to sell. Alternatively, you could sell hot rod parts.”

You see, Tommy, my grandpa was right. He knew that the only alternative to selling many models and sizes of RUBBER BUCKET was to do something I enjoyed.

I took the liberty of doing a quick Google search for you and came up with a nicely made RUBBER BUCKET for equestrian purposes. I’m not sure if you’re into horses or hot rods… maybe that’s why you were asking for different models. I didn’t check if they have a hot rod RUBBER BUCKET. http://kioskkiosk.com/products/rubber-bucket

Thanks again for your time.
DW Horton

p.s. Sorry, I forgot to mention that we do accept credit card payment (and PayPal).