Another unnecessary aesthetic mod

[Mountain-Metalworks]

I find myself spending more time than originally planned on little things that don't add any functional benefits, but either bugged me or I simply liked the subtle benefits. Case in point, the steel spacer sleeves used in the front and rear suspensions. Some people paint or powder coat them, others leave them uncoated. What I love about building this car is everything is new, shiny, and not rusty(compared to 50 year old Jeeps from Wisconsin). Leaving them uncoated just didn't seem right to me considering the sway bar install manual even shows the sleeves covered in rust.

I have an Eastwood powder coating gun but decided to go a different route. I had an extra foot of 6061 aluminum tube in the correct diameter and thickness, so I measured each sleeve and cut new ones. I measured and sanded each on a disk sander, then chamfered inside and outside edges to clean them up.



Next I tightened a few at a time onto a bolt and chucked it into a drill for my own "lathe". I then used 220 grit sand paper with the drill running to give them a brushed look. I chose note to coat them, we'll see if they start to oxidize over time.



Here you can see the upper sleeves for the rear.



Here are the lower sleeves for the rear. I followed the same procedure for the fronts as well.



As mentioned, completely unnecessary since there are easier ways of keeping the steel pieces from rusting. I do like the blushed look though, and and even though my car is NO where near a show quality vehicle, a little bling never hurt. Free since I had the aluminum but it's probably only $8-ish worth at a local metal supply if anyone else did something similar.

-TJ

[GoDadGo]

If it makes you happy, then the modification was necessary!

Every little attention to the details will help you create your masterpiece.

Just don't let it turn into stone soup like some of us.

[Chris @ Forma]

There is absolutely nothing crazy about what you are doing. In my shop my one of my favorite sayings is "no detail is too small." My wife and I joke that I have CDO.....it is a lot like OCD except if alphabetical order........As it should be. All of this makes my employees pretty crazy, but I've found that my CDO is contagious.

Great work...We didn't remake ours as we powder coated ours. I like your approach, though. Please keep posting.

[Mountain-Metalworks]

My wife and I joke that I have CDO.....it is a lot like OCD except if alphabetical order........As it should be.

HA! I can definitely relate to this...

[Gumball]

Lots of things like that on my car..... that's why it took a half-a-decade for me to build it.

[GoDadGo]

Lots of things like that on my car..... that's why it took a half-a-decade for me to build it.

Gee Gumball,

I thought this kind of stuff (The Stone Soup Makers) was pretty much limited to the Dark Side Chevy Guys!

Steve

[Gumball]

If you ever want to get down in the weeds on mods like this, check out the threads I've started throughout the years.... sigh, too many to recount.

[Mountain-Metalworks]

If you ever want to get down in the weeds on mods like this, check out the threads I've started throughout the years.... sigh, too many to recount.

You didn't bring your car to Jay's place for his engine start or I'm sure I would have been looking over it!

-TJ

[Gumball]

You didn't bring your car to Jay's place for his engine start or I'm sure I would have been looking over it!

-TJ

Now that the roads have been washed clean, I'll remedy that by bringing it up as soon as we get some warmer temps... always happy to give you more ideas to serve as sink-holes for your garage time!!!

[edwardb]

The untreated aluminum will turn a dull grey after awhile. Clear spray will keep it shiny with very little effort. I've found Duplicolor DE1636 Ceramic Engine Paint Clear works pretty well.

I've lost track of how many unnecessary aesthetic mods are in my builds... I know about them even if nobody else does.

[AC Bill]

Do you have faith the aluminum tubing will stand up, like the steel sleeves would? Quite a strength difference..

[Joee]

Do you have faith the aluminum tubing will stand up, like the steel sleeves would? Quite a strength difference..

I am pretty sure all of my shock spacers are aluminium.

[Mountain-Metalworks]

Do you have faith the aluminum tubing will stand up, like the steel sleeves would? Quite a strength difference..

With these particular tubes, they don't carry any actual "load", they really are just a spacer. The load is carried entirely by the bolt and the frame or a-arm brackets. The spacers just keep the shock mount centered(or offset in some cases...) the proper distances from the brackets. With the spacer on the front sway bar between the bar and the heim joint, it truly is absorbing a lot of lateral stress and was left as steel.

I am pretty sure all of my shock spacers are aluminium.

Unless you received some kind of new offering, the sleeves are steel from FFR. Touch a magnet to them, it should stick to the ferrous metal. From what I can tell, they use actual DOM tubing, not HREW or other seemed tubing.

-TJ

[AC Bill]

With these particular tubes, they don't carry any actual "load", they really are just a spacer. The load is carried entirely by the bolt and the frame or a-arm brackets. -TJ

For sure I realize they aren't under any load as such, I just wondered about the softer material being worn down or distorting over time. There would be some pressure laterally at both ends of the spacers when the suspension is working. Probably worth inspecting from time to time.