edc Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I would go for a hex or square bar. Easier to work with than round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Yeah was thinking that as well 👍. I’ll look again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygo Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) Try here, looks to cost about a tenner. https://www.1stchoicemetals.co.uk/ I think cutting the bar will be the hard part unless you have access to some engineering kit. Looking at the Pedro's garage video, need a slot for the bolt head and the thinner bit at each end. http://www.pedrosgarage.com/TechnoBrace.mov Edited February 7, 2021 by andygo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) I have an angle grinder, pillar drill and bench grinder so reckon I could cut away the bits I need although it’ll probably look very homemade but it will still do the job. Edited February 7, 2021 by Digidick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennym1984 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 44 minutes ago, andygo said: Try here, looks to cost about a tenner. https://www.1stchoicemetals.co.uk/ I think cutting the bar will be the hard part unless you have access to some engineering kit. Looking at the Pedro's garage video, need a slot for the bolt head and the thinner bit at each end. http://www.pedrosgarage.com/TechnoBrace.mov I have pillar drills and angle grinders but you could easily do this with a hacksaw. Aluminium is reasonable soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03slatt Posted February 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 600mm is enough, no need to cut the grooves as you can get a spanner in at the top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygo Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 The ally I linked to is quite hard I believe. I think the way to do the ends of the bar would be to do several vertical cuts and then do the horizontal slice a bit at at time to prevent the hacksaw wandering off too far. Quite fancy a go at a tenner. I'd order a length longer than I needed in case the first one went wrong I'd at least have a chance to redo after cutting the first attempt off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygo Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 1 minute ago, 03slatt said: 600mm is enough, no need to cut the grooves as you can get a spanner in at the top I think having the bolt head fit into an exact size slot would provide more positive lateral location which, after all, is the purpose of the mod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 and the bolts we need are M10’s around 50mm long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Hexagon bar here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292716334822 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygo Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 42 minutes ago, Digidick said: Hexagon bar here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292716334822 And they do machining as well, so you can get the bar made up to fit exactly, perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 6 minutes ago, andygo said: And they do machining as well, so you can get the bar made up to fit exactly, perfect. Is that not what I’m offering?🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
03slatt Posted February 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 I tried to purchase from that seller twice and each time I never received the bar, I was waiting for months, managed to get a refund each time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edc Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 10 minutes ago, bally4563 said: Is that not what I’m offering?🤔 Yes but that the problem with this mod, it's so simple to do relatively. A bit like woodworking at home. If you haven't got the saw then the timber merchant will cut for you. A bit different but I 'made' some heatproof /hot plate type mats for the kitchen. Polished on one side and brushed the other. The metal came like that from the eBay seller and they cut it to the size I wanted, burred the edges and rounded the corners. My making was all of sticking some foam pads underneath 🤣 but everybody seems to love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 22 minutes ago, 03slatt said: I tried to purchase from that seller twice and each time I never received the bar, I was waiting for months, managed to get a refund each time ahhh right 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 2 hours ago, edc said: Yes but that the problem with this mod, it's so simple to do relatively. A bit like woodworking at home. If you haven't got the saw then the timber merchant will cut for you. A bit different but I 'made' some heatproof /hot plate type mats for the kitchen. Polished on one side and brushed the other. The metal came like that from the eBay seller and they cut it to the size I wanted, burred the edges and rounded the corners. My making was all of sticking some foam pads underneath 🤣 but everybody seems to love them. It would be possible to rough out something with basic tools, however even as someone fairly handy on the tools myself, when it comes to an item like this I'd prefer to have it done on the correct machine for the job as I don't think my efforts would meet the standard I would want. So I have taken up @bally4563's offer just like others liked you hot plate mats rather than making them themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 I’m still waiting to see pictures of the creations being offered on here. It’s all right saying £50-£60 but for what? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaks Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 27 minutes ago, Digidick said: I’m still waiting to see pictures of the creations being offered on here. It’s all right saying £50-£60 but for what? i've ordered a bar from Bally. it'll be a length of material, cut to length, with some slots machined into it and some holes drilled. considering I'd make a hash of it, plus I don't really have the time or energy to get the bits and make one, £60 is just fine for me. @bally4563more than happy for you to post photos of the one you're making for me, if you wish. cheers, ian b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Yes please post a few pics 😎👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher2110 Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Pics would be good 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 35 minutes ago, Christopher2110 said: Pics would be good 😁 As given earlier in the tread, this thread: Installed a home made lower brace - 987 - www.BoXa.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Not much to see there though? How are the ends finished, that’s were all the work is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher2110 Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 13 minutes ago, ½cwt said: As given earlier in the tread, this thread: Installed a home made lower brace - 987 - www.BoXa.net Think we were after pics of one that’s been made by the guys before install. For those that want pics of it installed in think there’s better ones on Pedros garage 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digidick Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 Exactly that. if I offered a £50-£60 service and then sent you my effort you’d want ya money back 😂. It would work but it won’t be fancy pancy machined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennym1984 Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 (edited) In truth, this does not really need to be a beautifully made part. Provided that the holes are in the right place, the rest of it doesn't matter (even the recesses are not strictly necessary). From the factory there is no reinforcement here (just the alumnium plate thing). All this is doing is adding some additional bracing. A rusty piece of steel would do the job, it is simply that a piece of aluminium bar is lighter and nicer to work with. If you can drill holes accurately through a 20mm piece of aluminium, you can make one of these. If you can't, don't have the tools, or simply cannot be bothered, the £50-£60 @bally4563is charging seems entirely reasonable given that he has to buy the material, supply bolts, do the drilling/cutting (which is at least an hour per bar) and then send them out. Given the quantities involved, and assuming a modest £20 per hour labour charge (which is cheaper than most garages or machine shops), £50-60 sounds pretty fair and is probably only netting a £5 profit. I made my own as others have done but I already had the tools and the knowledge to do so. If I didn't, I would happily have paid £50-60 quid for somebody else to do it for me. Edited February 8, 2021 by Lennym1984 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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