Shop fabbed Ball Joint Fixture for Lower Control Arm Fabrication

Building the Lower Control Arms for my van project required a book matched set of fixtures to hold the lower ball stud mounting plates in position.
I designed these in 3D CAD and built them in the shop. Setting ball joint angles precisely was the important part.
http://images56.fotki.com/v168/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
This is a compound tip. 4 1/2 deg down and 3 degs in. Modeling the pieces in 3D let me measure everything very accurately. A few cuts in the bandsaw and a little time on the belt sander and everything was good.
http://images108.fotki.com/v779/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
This is the piece I am locating. It bolts into the fixture which is then screwed down to my jig table.
http://images58.fotki.com/v510/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v588/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg
See next post.

This is the end product. Two lower control arms for my BadAst Project. :)
http://images53.fotki.com/v1519/phot...MVC020F-vi.jpg

http://images46.fotki.com/v319/photo...MVC021F-vi.jpg
Shock mount welded in and some paint thrown on.
http://images16.fotki.com/v363/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
Mark

Thanks astroracer! We've added your Ball Joint Fixture to our Suspension category, as well as to your builder page: astroracer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/ball-joint-fixture"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/140643/ball-joint-fixture.jpeg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/ball-joint-fixture">Ball Joint Fixture</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/astroracer_2">astroracer</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/control-arm">control arm</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/fabrication">fabrication</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/fixture">fixture</a></div> </div> </div> </div>

How did you determine the angle needed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jackman

How did you determine the angle needed?

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The angles were determined with a suspension design program. Kingpin, caster and camber were all designed into the angles and setting them up in the fixture was key. There is plenty of adjustment of course but getting the angles right the first time will make for a suspension that is easily set up and easily aligned.
Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by astroracer

The angles were determined with a suspension design program. . . .
Mark

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The name of that program would be really helpful. Nice idea for the fixture . . . thanks for sharing.

https://www.susprog.com/
Here you go. This is about the best one out there as far as I know. Check it out.
Mark

Thanks, Mark . . . very much appreciated. Sorry for my slow response. The program looks interesting and agree that is is one of the better ones. I am still checking it out but it looks like more than adequate for what I need.