$1000 quick release hinging > aero-catches

[Alex]

Atleast at that price it better be! I'd hate to see the cost if I didn't have a master machinist friend :lipsrsealed:

I designed everything (except the quick release pin obviously, heh) and he cnc'd it.

I think the primary advantage a setup like this has over the aero-catches is that you can remove/replace the front and rear clips however you like - at an angle, up and down, whatever, because there's no hammer-stud ramming down.

Pin goes through the support bracket

Through face plates (with studs machined in - note - don't bother trying to countersink 0.06 (thinnest material you can use since you need 2 face plates to cover the holes) material for #8s ... the plates wobble around too much

Into a threaded plate

With a cnc'd spacer and jam nut

When put together, due to ride height, he's invisible unless you really crouch down, but at that point you'd see the aero-catches, so visibility (invisibility) is a draw

Alexisisisisisisis, re-inventing the wheel just because :stunned:

 

[Randy V]

So how about crouching down and snapping a pic?

Of course one or two pics with the clip in the UP position might be nice as well..

I'm working on a Quick Release pin solution to my rear clip and hood as well..

 

[Alex]

So how about crouching down and snapping a pic?

Of course one or two pics with the clip in the UP position might be nice as well..

I'm working on a Quick Release pin solution to my rear clip and hood as well..

I did - the last pic - see, it's so stealthy you never even notice it

Here are some close-ups

Note that the face-plate brackets that sandwhich between clips are my old design (0.06 aluminum with #8 countersunk screws). That idea works, but it takes hours to align it properly - the material is so thin that the countersunk screws cause the bracket to wiggle around. And because the threaded plate is secured to it, it also wiggles around, which then makes it very hard to align the holes. You need to machien studs into the plate to make it easier

The threaded spacer is necessary because when the pin comes up you need to lock it down at the right height. So the threads allow you to move the spacer up/down to reach the right height. Then jam nut secures it from moving.

 

[Dave]

Good work Alex, but I'll stick with the Aerolatches, they are already paid for.
Besides the angle issue you mentioned, did you just not like the look of them or what?
Also, Why in the world did that cost $1000???

Next time send your plans to me and maybe I'll machine them for only 90% of what your friend charges

 

[Alex]

Good work Alex, but I'll stick with the Aerolatches, they are already paid for.
Besides the angle issue you mentioned, did you just not like the look of them or what?
Also, Why in the world did that cost $1000???

Next time send your plans to me and maybe I'll machine them for only 90% of what your friend charges

Same way I ended up with a $1000 e-brake in my cobra (swaglok manual ball valve)

Many many many many mannnnnnnnnnnnnny prototypes = $$$$ .... to punch it out now would be much cheaper, but we had to get to this point first, heh.

Everytime I thought I had it we ran into another problem and another re-design. You don't want to see the shelf of prototypes I have sitting next to me, haha :/

Here's prototype #9 - don't ask what I was thinking on this one, heh

I did it for 2 minor reasons

- i had trouble rationalizing how it would work in the front - since i'm not hinging the clip, I pop it off the guide pins and then slide the clip forward. doing this would cause the stud to get trapped - i'd imagine I'd have to lift the clip up higher for the stud to come out of the spyder clip section(which would cause the clip to either wedge on the 'prongs' on the aluminum front pieces, or jam downwards into the front splitter). I'm sure it works, I just couldn't rationalize it in my head. This way you can remove the front and rear clips however you desire because with the pin gone there's nothing that can get trapped anywhere.

- several people said their latches had gotten stuck from time to time and were a pitta to free

 

[Randy V]

Thanks Alex... Good job.. I needed the closeups to see what you were really up to..