front frame

[matt2223]

Hi guys can any one give me any tips on cutting the tubes for the front frame where it has to be handed. Had a go at it tonight and got very confused by it

[Talonmotorsport]

Cut them back to back and use a marker pen to tell one from the other.

[voucht]

I suppose you are talking about the bottom cut of FF2 and FF3 (the part of FF2 and FF3 that will be welded to FF1, with the two angles) To get two tubes with this bottom cut handed, you actually need to make only one cut in a steel box section tube.
First, you have to plan for the length of the tube (make the cut at least 360mm from the edge of the tube you'll cut, but I'll advise to plan for more, to be on the safe side, like 400mm is OK), and cut the tube with the 2 angles (14° vertically and 26° horizontally).
This way, one side of the cut will be the base part of FF2, and the other side of the cut will be the base part of FF3, handed.
After, cut the two pieces at the right length (359.5mm), and make the 14° top angle and the 26° V cut. These are very easy to see where and how once the bottom cut is done : by positioning these newly cut tubes on the jig (or vertically on FF1 on your table : 26° toward the outsides, 14° toward the back), you can easily see their position in space, and you can easily see where you will have cut and in which direction.
I hope it is clear enough, it is hard to explain with words only.
Good luck.

[eSteve]

matt2223,

have a look in the Book Amendments & Extra Guides section (I presume you havn't read it):

http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2430

Print off the document and take in to the workshop. It's what I did.

Following the guides, my first attempt was reasonable but not accurate enough, (I cut the vee for the bend a bit too big and after bending it ended up with too big a gap to weld), so made another. Talon's tip is sound and it's what I did.

It's tricky, take your time, think thrice, measure twice and cut once, as the saying goes.

You certainly aren't the first and definitely won't be the last to have a bit of difficulty. It's probably the trickiest bit of the chassis for those cutting their own metal.

Oh, and no matter how accurate you are, the suspension braket that fits to it will need a little packing, see: http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=6709.

Good building,