[Cautrell05]

Next up was the lower ball joint mount. Shop doesn't have a 10 degree reamer and I'm too cheap to buy one for one job so i used the lathe. Cut the 1x3 for both lowers, squared then up on the mill so that they were both identical and drilled a half inch hole where i wanted the hole. Piece of redibolt through the hole with a grommet around it centered a piece of 1 1/4" pipe which which was then tack welded on. Redibolt was removed and the pipe was then chucked in the lathe. Kept the speed low enough so the balance didn't affect it and used the compound slide set at about 4 1/2 degrees and slowly worked it in rechecking several times to verify fit.

I didn't want to just butt weld the lower mount to the back plate so i cut it so that the ear would go partially through it. Clamped the ear in the vice at a 7 degree angle and cut the top 3/8" so it was vertical. The end result was they would key in and hold together on its own. Made lining up for welding easier.