Google Sketch-up / CAD of Trailblazer frame

[snowmirage]

I was doing some mental fab work on my truck today (otherwise known as day dreaming ) and what I would do if I could.

(Started thinking about a radius arm for a solid axle in the front with coil overs if your wondering)

Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to buy my own place, with a size-able garage included (thinking about trying to buy a small plot someplace building a 3-4 car garage with a sizeable apartment on top, then building the actual house to go with it years later).

Until then I guess I have plenty of time to dream and plan.

I have dabbled with a few basic CAD / 3d design programs before, and done a little bit of stuff with Google Sketch-up.

That got me thinking about trying to build our frame (and other nessicary parts, wheel wells, fenders etc, steering) in something easily accessible like Google sketch-up.

The more I thought about it the more I realized how complicated just getting that base to design something off of would be.

Anyone else ever given something like this any thought?

(end day dream sequence )

[The Roadie]

While you're dreaming, just ask for a Faro Arm. Will solve all data input problems. Then you can model the steering knuckle and get taller replacements designed.

[chevycrew]

When you are mocking up, try a 3 link and panhard. A radius arm setup is good for the street as it has a natural bind that acts as a sway bar. But, if you are going for flex, try 2 lower links, 1 upper link, and the panhard. then add a sway bar with disconnects for street use.

[Trail X]

For my rear bumper, I think we only ever mocked up the two frame tubes sticking out the back in 3D. And they were done excessively simply.

[Hatchet669]

Here these mite help. We use these photos when we create a 3d model in 3DS Max.

[Gordinho80]

Those photos helped me create the ORTB logos!

[bartonmd]

Fab work, 1-off stuff... It's MUCH quicker and simpler, and easier to REALLY look at and see if you like it, to just make it on the vehicle... I start with cardboard, a piece at a time, then slice until it's something I like. When I've got something I like in cardboard, I trace it on steel and cut it out with the plasma, then tack it on and start the next cardboard piece...

Matt's Envoy bumper, for instance, was like that, and it went from a little bit of an idea to this in like 7 hours:



Then after around 6-7 hours of work by myself (welding, grinding, blending, sanding), it looked like this:



Then after another day, it looked like this:



The bottom line is, I'd have had more time in modeling it up (front of the vehicle and all) than it took me to make it from scratch. It also would have been more expensive, because I would have had the shop punch and bend the parts, where this started as a flat sheet of 7ga...

Mike

[snowmirage]

I totally agree Mike and that's what I'd normally do.

That's pretty much how I built my little tire carrier before I ordered the parts. Figured out the dimensions of the parts online then mocked it up in cardboard to make sure the tire would clear the way I wanted it to.

In this case though this project is in all honesty probably years away.

Step 1) New car, alternative daily driver to allow me to have down time on the truck, have to get to work some how
Step 2) Get out of the Apartment and buy a house, and by house I'm thinking build a VERY large garage (3+ cars) build a decent apartment in the loaf, years later build the house to go with the garage and rent out the apartment.
Step 3) Tools
Step 4) The fun begins

So if I could manage to get the frame of the truck or such in to Google sketch-up or something I could at least start to work out the design.

When the time comes I'm sure I'll do just as you mentioned. Use cardboard to make templates to build up the various brackets etc. Watching one of the shows on Spike on the weekends gave me the idea to mock up the link arms maybe even the front drive-shaft if needed with PVC pipe until I'm sure the links are all the right length etc.

[RimoniManu]

Dont mean to hijack but hatchet do you have those drawings for the EXT? Also, Barton what did you use to bend your tubing?

[bartonmd]

Dont mean to hijack but hatchet do you have those drawings for the EXT? Also, Barton what did you use to bend your tubing?

My Pro-Tools 105HD draw bender.

Mike