I could maybe even save more money on this step and go to the salvage yard with a sawzall and myself up a 8.8 rear axle housing. Id have to do a little disassembly on the rar end peior to all the cutting but could probably buy the axle tubes and source some 8.8 4 lug shafts from ebay as some finally came available for a decent prices. What do yall think?

Last edited by True74yamaha (12/19/2022 12:58 AM)

Forgot about 4 lug solid trailer axle as an option. Anyone here gone through martin sprocket to have custom made sprockets? Or any where else out there even im up to options.

MS wrote:

Wow
I’m going to need a picture, or a hand scribbled drawing, or something…

$250 for a six cylinder axle housing??? We just sold engine, trans, rear end and all suspension parts for a 65 T code for $350. There has got to be a better rear end with all the gears, brakes, etc in a local wrecking yard out if an explorer for $150 or less.

 
I will post some drawing scribbles as requested. On the axle note. Finding a local 4 lug is hard. Ill keep my eyes open. Thats what I was thinking buying 4 lung axles and then going to the salvage yard and pulling an 8.8. 65-66  4 lug rear axle housings are harder to find. But not impossible as people still wanna convert just havent seen them lately on my local listings.

You seriously want to do this, you want to source your "pivot" parts as cheaply as possible.   

My idea was an old worn out front wheel drive wheel bearings and outer CV joint axles.  Of your favorite make.    The wheel bearing would bolt to or weld to the "engine stand" part of your rotisserie, and the CV axle would be notched and welded to your long horizontal beams that ultimately attach to to car.   You could make a  crank system and locking mechanism with an old automatic flex plate and a starter gear and a homemade hand crank.

When I started considering building a rotisserie, I knew those were the easiest and cheapest parts for me to procure.   I started sizing and pricing the rest of the steel, and came to the conclusion that it was cost effective to just buy the rotisserie from Northern Tool.  that is what I did.   Although I did modify it slightly and added the fine adjustment screws that higher end rotisseries have  using a ujoint cup, all thread, and a coupler.   Although its all rusted now from sitting outside in the weather cause I didn't paint it.   I will take a picture of that and post.

I found some pictures on the internet on showing a similar idea using similar parts for the set up. I was thinking of having the axle hub  face facing the others direction. And also be welded in place. The open end of the axle housing tube would be welded to my upright post from the rotisserie. The axle shaft would be attached to a harborfreight worm gear drive winch gear to rotate the body.  The axle hub flange would be mounted to the sliding fixture that would be able to slide up and down for when attaching it to the car or trucks frame or bumper mount holes. Look at below attached photos but rotate the axle housing end exactly opposite from how this ones mounted. I would have my base shape be mre traditional ill call it t shape. Rather then the lower boxed shape shown. Material wise up to opinions. Im not set on using 3/16" but I know if would make it easier having the square tube slide right over one another with out having to cleate a weld seam remove plug.

MS wrote:

Why does it need to be four lug?

 
Was thinking a four lug because maybe the the lug pattern width thought  it maybe would be be a good option for the when I miunt the square tubing that will adjust height wise for and then would have a coupler with horizontal arms then vertical arms that aould then attach to the frame. I was also thinking the four lug hub has less lugs to begin with so theres still alot of material left if I need to press out the lugs and re drill the hub. I would make a identical round plate that matches the hub mount surface and lug pattern and use it as a clamp for when I bolt on the Square tubing.

Something similar to these photos I copied and pasted for reference.

Last edited by True74yamaha (12/20/2022 12:49 AM)

Greg B wrote:

I went outside and took a picture for you of the fine adjustment jackscrew I added to the Larin.  This rotisserie is the kind that has the crank on the front side, btw.

Jackscrew is all thread 3/4".  Bottom cup is a ujoint cup. 




I will add if I could do this over again I would make a plate that the all thread just inserts and hooks from the top with maybe a couple of bolts on the bottom to hold it in place.  If you look and think about it, you will notice the 'tiss ain't coming back 100 percent apart unless I grind off those coupler nuts.  At the time I didn't care.  And honestly, I still don't much, cause after my car comes off it, it's the next owners problem.   Seriously, all that jackscrew does is fine adjustment for balance.  Most don't even have them.

 
Really like your idea about using a flex plate and starter gear. Thats awesome! Would you hate me if I put that great idea to use?

True74yamaha wrote:

It would make mores sense building it I think to have the jack placed similar to this. Rotisserie with hand crank.

 
What you have pictured, is the exact same as the front side of my rotisserie.  The back side is nothing more than two round tubes that will slide into each other.   I didn't show it in the picture, but I did drill a hole, added a zerk, and shot a tad bit of grease in there.   Its really good enough.  These things honestly don't need bearings.  The easy turning is all about balance.

Lastly, remember when you are looking at all these different pictures and designs,  most of this stuff was built this way based on what the designer had on hand.   Think of it as Bad Chad engineering.   If these guys had access to unlimited resources, they would most likely build it different.   The bed frame rotisserie is cheesy as hec'   please take this coming from someone who used to build many things out of bed frames, and appliance metal, and pieces of metal you used to be able to find all day along the sides of the road.  Trust me, when I say, I come from scavenger, and that metal is just not structural enough.

Thanks everyone for your great helpful responses. I will say the first rotisserie is scary looking not the best looking from engineering standpoint. 😬 mainly likes the reuse of the axle housing and ends. No bearings is mabe a good way to go. Maybe ill look for some 8 lug wheel hubs though it would be cool to use them on the ends of the rotisserie horizontal round tube. I was thinking of using a 8 lug hub or something similar like a 2 1/2" sch 40 weld on pipe flange. Thought I could use a 8 lug hub as my clocking device. Press out all the lug studs and Id use a 5/8" hitch pin or similar to go through  the hub to lock the rotisserie in place. Maybe the previous rotisseries that I used on some mustangs just werent set up the best as far as being balanced. I guy I was talking to that owns I think an auto twirler rotisserie said once its balanced on his unit hes doesnt have to worry so much about locking it in place when the cars rotated. He said it only tooks him to rotate his monte carlo and it had suspension and other parts still installed.

Tko your maybe right on the design msybe not needing to have bearings. What would be some tubing that would be suitable for this type of job? I dont really want to mess with weld seams on tubes.

True74yamaha wrote:

Tko your maybe right on the design msybe not needing to have bearings. What would be some tubing that would be suitable for this type of job? I dont really want to mess with weld seams on tubes.

We have a local steel and metal place where I would go and peruse the drop racks.  They typically sell in long lengths, but will cut stuff to length for customers for a small fee.  Sometimes this leaves a leftover or drop.  If the customer doesn't want it they keep it and sell them for almost nothing.  I think you want something reasonably big, like 3-3.5" diameter on the inside piece, so like a 3"x1/4" wall with a 3.5" OD into a 3.5"IDx1/4" wall on the outside.  Just make sure the fit is loose enough.  I would clean off any mill scale and grease them.  As for tubing, DOM is decent stuff and usually reasonable.  Its welded seam, but they Draw it Over a Mandrel to flatten the weld bead as its made.  It will be cheaper than seamless.  Plenty strong too, I know guys who've made chassis and suspension parts out of it with no issue other than weight (off road guys usually don''t care much about that though).