French Tickler Buggy

If there is any lean to it, like it’s lower in the front or back I’d say a couple holes. 3/4”-1” in the outer corners of the pan to allow stuff to come out (hopefully not any more ATF!) but would also aid when washing it after a ride. (Provided you wash your rig??(no judgement from me on that last part))
 
I can't even remember when is the last time I washed this thing.

Will drill holes in the next skid plate I build to replace this one.
 
Went riding at Stony with Jake.
We covered some ground until I broke a 300M 14 bolt shaft on Stairway to Hell.
Before anyone freaks out, they were oooooold. Like 15 or so years and were in the axle when to bought it. I guess the ol’ 5.3 gave them a good workout over the recent years.
Slapped a stocker back in and I’m good for RBD.
Also swapped the sway bar to a different setup.

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did the truss twist or "let go"? The Truss appears to be ok. The attachment seems to be the question. Some tie in to the pinion skid via a bolt on member seems like a good idea. I wanna see the weld tear out because my brain works that way.
 
The whole truss is tweaked, the welds didn't just break, the metal ripped off in parts.

That said, if I had to weld one again, I'd bevel the 3/8 plate in order to do multiple passes instead of relying on the corner joint alone.

The truss was welded by a competent guy with a good machine (IE not me and my miller spattermagic 211).

The little 3/16 "ribs" ripped right off and don't seem to have had any kind of strength.

The tubes also twisted in the housing.


Since I knew this day was coming, I have another axle I'm ready to put together. Another 14b with a full artec truss with pinion tie in and and backbone (although I'm still not sure I want to do the backbone) :

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Bebop said:
I tried to take the picture as square to the truss as I could. Both sides are tweaked similarly.
Plate is 3/8". Again, the reinforcement ribs didn’t do shit.

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This picture does the twist justice. I second the Multipass weld. The 3/16 you referring to being the truss center sheet? Looks like two layers. Call it front and rear. Spacing those as far apart as possible does help with the load that tore it off. I always thought the 3/16 filler helps more with loads from wheel to wheel in up and down forces. Either way it seems you have put plenty of runs on it. Never met but I know enough to say your rig isn't a parade piece but used as intended.

The one pictured has twice the surface area and the tie in to the pinion.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
The 3/16 you referring to being the truss center sheet? Looks like two layers. Call it front and rear. Spacing those as far apart as possible does help with the load that tore it off.
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Yes. They are pretty spaced out already on the new truss I will install (see picture).
I may pony up and build my own external plates and box the whole thing and tie everything in, including to the housing.

WARRIORWELDING said:
Either way it seems you have put plenty of runs on it. Never met but I know enough to say your rig isn't a parade piece but used as intended.
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Oh yeah, I'm not mad at all, especially considering the outcome where nothing major broke and I was able to drive it back on the trailer.
 
Bebop said:
I didn’t waste too much time since I have to ride this weekend.

This will be the last ride of this axle so I only cared about it holding one last beatdown.

Hope you’ll laugh at this beautiful disaster.

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Honestly because of the jankyriggerdness that will now outlast every other part on the rig! :laughing:
 
Bebop said:
I didn’t waste too much time since I have to ride this weekend.

This will be the last ride of this axle so I only cared about it holding one last beatdown.

Hope you’ll laugh at this beautiful disaster.

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Let me know if you want any squirt gun welding tips. 🫣

I agree with Matt. It’ll probably last forever now. 🤣.
 
Mac5005 said:
Let me know if you want any squirt gun welding tips. 🫣
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So you're saying that turning the Spattermagic 211 at full tilt, wiggling the torch left and right, going slow enough that the puddle pierces through the powdercoated 3/8 plate while getting my fingers burnt to a crisp and simultaneously crying/yelling for my mommy and telling myself not to let go of the trigger until the bead is complete because "I'm not a little bitch, we talked about this in the mirror this morning!" isn't the ideal way to get this truss to hold?

I'll be damned !
 
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