Introduction and plan; New Rat rodder

[Sam_Fear]

Yeah, best to get your major parts together and then figure out your frame. Making sure everything fits and getting the right proportions takes hands on trial and error. Some guys get parts together and do a mock up with a wooden 2x4 frame. 2x3 3/8" rec. tube is what most use for frame building.

You better not be afraid of math and geometry - setting up a front suspension correctly takes a good bit of both. Setting it up wrong can kill you and/or others. Do your homework and ask questions! Start a build thread and we will all watch and help you along.

Plan on taking 3 years to build a rat from scratch (depending). So if you're impatient, make some compromises and find a roller chassis to start with or simplify your idea.

Look through a lot of builds to see what is involved.

Oh, and don't do a Google image search for 'suicide suspension', it gets kind of weird.

 

[AnvilBlockForge]

You asked about this kind of suspenion in another thread, but I'll drag it over here.

That set up is best know as 'suicide suspension' or maybe 'transverse leaf suspension'. The frame in that pic is home built.

This is a suicide suspension - called that because if something breaks, the front of the frame will be plowing dirt.

As for using a stock frame and getting that 'look', well....you can't really. You can get the extended front look using modern A-arm suspension, but it usually comes out looking very bulky and front heavy. Using a rack and pinion for steering can clean things up a lot.

Notice how far the frame horns stick out - you can cut some off, but unless you get rid of the stock steering linkage, the bulky horns have to stay.

Yeah, best to get your major parts together and then figure out your frame. Making sure everything fits and getting the right proportions takes hands on trial and error. Some guys get parts together and do a mock up with a wooden 2x4 frame. 2x3 3/8" rec. tube is what most use for frame building.

You better not be afraid of math and geometry - setting up a front suspension correctly takes a good bit of both. Setting it up wrong can kill you and/or others. Do your homework and ask questions! Start a build thread and we will all watch and help you along.

Plan on taking 3 years to build a rat from scratch (depending). So if you're impatient, make some compromises and find a roller chassis to start with or simplify your idea.

Look through a lot of builds to see what is involved.

Oh, and don't do a Google image search for 'suicide suspension', it gets kind of weird.

Yea, I've taken classes for this kinda stuff (Mechanical drafting and design all the way to the fabrication process) so I'm book smart on it. And I've done a lot of small projects, mainly bikes. I feel it's time to step it up and get my hands dirty. So I realize how much can go into a project like this, but that takes a passion, and I have it for this kinda stuff. I plan to start getting stuff together after my next paycheck when this ice storm clears, GA is getting weird on us and my California born a s don't like the cold. So as soon as I start I will definitely start a build section so you guys can maybe walk me through it.

P.S. That WAS pretty weird.

 

[BillM]

Welcome Christian...it's awesome to see some young people taking this hobby up! .....and you won't be getting much sympathy from us Canuck's regarding your ice storm!!! LOL.

 

[AnvilBlockForge]

Welcome Christian...it's awesome to see some young people taking this hobby up! .....and you won't be getting much sympathy from us Canuck's regarding your ice storm!!! LOL.

You guys probably have a garage to work in, my garage however is taken up by other hobbies right now