Bringing the 4lb Caged lower back from the Dead?

zredfire04

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Understand, maybe a billet splined drive with arp center bolt , reengineer the tri bar to disk to use metco lowers ???

yeah, a hub/adapter that would allow the use of quick change pulleys would be great...even better if it's set up with a spline drive. i do wonder what the consequences of a spline drive would be though since there won't be any shock absorption via bushings.
 

cj428mach

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This is probably the ultimate max effort caged lower, no bushings, uses interchangeable metco pulleys, bolts to the balancer instead of threading. The guy that makes them wants about $1500 a piece for them.

I was hoping to make something similar....just need to get together with Waffleman to make it happen.
 

zredfire04

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yeah, i saw that.

$1500 is pretty steep for 3 pieces of steel. seems there's an economy of scale going on there. could probably be done for much less in large quantity.
 

03MidnightCobra

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View attachment 97201 View attachment 97203

This is probably the ultimate max effort caged lower, no bushings, uses interchangeable metco pulleys, bolts to the balancer instead of threading. The guy that makes them wants about $1500 a piece for them.

I was hoping to make something similar....just need to get together with Waffleman to make it happen.

Was this made by the Ford Lightning guy? I thought he just did his own one-off for his Lightning and not making them for Cobras.

If for Cobra, can someone give me the maker's member's profile name?

Otherwise cj428mach, if you're serious about getting this started I'm in assuming we could get around the same price point.

Only wondering if vibration would still potentially be an issue in high HP conditions. I assume so but then again this would be a much better option than the Metco setup in my opinion. I also wonder if I could ever put a 10 rib ring on it.
 

Bdubbs

u even lift bro?
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Subbing, I'm searching for caged lower setup.
 

Bdubbs

u even lift bro?
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I hit Waffleman up again this week about this project....unfortunately he doesn't move like I do.
How reliable have these been. A guy on facebook page mentioned his needed a rebuild.
 

MalcolmV8

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How reliable have these been. A guy on facebook page mentioned his needed a rebuild.

Just FYI the guy on FB is talking about a ws6jjp lower which is a completely different design. I purchased a couple of these from Mike and ran one and saved the other. I see no need for rebuild ever (nothing more than factory) as long as you use good bushings in them.
 

cj428mach

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How reliable have these been. A guy on facebook page mentioned his needed a rebuild.

I think I'm about 4500 miles on mine at this point and the only thing I've done is replaced the bushings at about 3000 miles. My bushings were actually 90% intact but were becoming brittle. Waffleman had a similar experience, we both switched to the black 60 bushing material Rymax suggested and haven't had an issue.

In my opinion the lowers are good for 2.3 liter motors in the 700rwhp range. After that I can't say what'll happen some have had them live, others haven't. I've also found a fair amount of the issues people have had were because of incorrect assembly. Not getting the assembly tight when clocking it, trying to weld the studs in place which caused clearance issues on the pulley, not cutting the bushing material to proper length.

If theres a next generation the plan is to make the drive bolt to the balancer like a Metco instead of thread. The early lightnings actually did this and seems like a much better design and will make for easier removal.

Then it'll be a splined shaft with either no bushings or 6 to 8 bushings that hasn't been decided. Waffleman is almost an engineer (soon to graduate) and his brother is an engineer so they're supposed to figure out what we need if I can get him working on it.
 
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Bdubbs

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Just FYI the guy on FB is talking about a ws6jjp lower which is a completely different design. I purchased a couple of these from Mike and ran one and saved the other. I see no need for rebuild ever (nothing more than factory) as long as you use good bushings in them.

I think I'm about 4500 miles on mine at this point and the only thing I've done is replaced the bushings at about 3000 miles. My bushings were actually 90% intact but were becoming brittle. Waffleman had a similar experience, we both switched to the black 60 bushing material Rymax suggested and haven't had an issue.

In my opinion the lowers are good for 2.3 liter motors in the 700rwhp range. After that I can't say what'll happen some have had them live, others haven't. I've also found a fair amount of the issues people have had were because of incorrect assembly. Not getting the assembly tight when clocking it, trying to weld the studs in place which caused clearance issues on the pulley, not cutting the bushing material to proper length.

If theres a next generation the plan is to make the drive bolt to the balancer like a Metco instead of thread. The early lightnings actually did this and seems like a much better design and will make for easier removal.

Then it'll be a splined shaft with either no bushings or 6 to 8 bushings that hasn't been decided. Waffleman is almost an engineer (soon to graduate) and his brother is an engineer so they're supposed to figure out what we need if I can get him working on it.

Great information guy's! I appreciate it.
 

01yellercobra

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If there's a next generation I'll have to sell mine and pony up for the better drive system.

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SVT_Troy

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I hope you do make a new revised batch. I will get on it right away as I should have before.


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ctgreddy

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Dont mean to bring this up from the dead but it's all good info. I'm gonna be getting some of the bushing material for my stock setup. And if a better designed lower was created I'd be in for one.
 

speedoflife

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I'm about to order new bushing material. Does the consensus still seem to be that 60a will wear out relatively quickly? It seems that way from reading. There are a few people running the 80a. Any problems so far? Has anyone had to replace the 80a due to wear?
Thanks for any responses.
 

MalcolmV8

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I doubt the 80 will ever fail most people. Here's what the 60 looked like in my car after just 400 miles.

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80 would come out looking the same way it went in. No sign of failure or wear.
That's on a high CR motor turning a 2.9 Whipple at 30 PSI and been driven hard.
 

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