Power Balls

[rudey]

ordered my balls, should be here tomorrow....

[fatdaddy]

 

[pete]

hahahaha!

[rudey]

there certainly not that big!!!

[rudey]

http://shop.steerforth.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1129_1229_1246&products_id=1405

ive ordered these, will find out the cost of the mods that FD suggested and see whay happens...

Iain, can we not just weld the ram straight onto the end of these items? (just to save another process) but still get the shoulder made up???
wont work as is quite, but should be applicable

[fatdaddy]

the point of the cap is to support/locate the ball against pulling loads [that's why I decided against a pair of C washers], to do this the internal face of the cup needs to fit around the ball surface.
If you leave the "shaft" of the ball as it is the hole in the cup will be so big you may as well not bother with it AND you wont be able to repair/replace anything once the ram is welded to the ball.

You cannot underestimate the loads involed. I know you want to do it right and my best advice is either get US power balls or alter these ones to make the best of them and allow for easy repair/replacment.

[rudey]

balls have come, and they are pretty big, but unsure as too how a descent capping can be achieved with amount of movement

[fatdaddy]

I havnt seen one in the flesh. if you remove the circlip is the bit under it a split cup shaped bit ?
if it is then the new cap needs only have a shoulder that sits down onto that to replicate the circip but a lot stronger.

pic of it in bits ?

[rudey]

[rudey]

quite a small rise, so any shoulder may limit movement, the circlip hold 2x u shape collars on top of the spherical part, and there is a little bit of play in there...

[fatdaddy]

can you split it and show how the collars are shaped where they touch the ball

[rudey]

will do tomorrow or over weekend when i go into work....

[fatdaddy]

also you may want to loose some length from the ball stub to get your drop in
+
there is a brass sleeve in the cap of US rams that needs replacing now and then [the cap will be captive if you weld

[rudey]

cant take apart right now

but heres a angled shot...

[fatdaddy]

looks to me as if the split cups are shaped to fit around the ball.
so all you need is better location than the circlip can provide............ so the new cap you get turned up is tophat shaped and effectively replicates the circlip but bolts to the top of the ball housing.
cutting off the "lump" at the top of the ball will give back any movment you loose by having the cap ontop of the housing.

I still think it is worth going all the way and recessing the ball......................................