Hey guys! We're here today with Cliff one of our lead design engineers and we want
to look back at the development of our c1500 kit. Let's check it out!
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Hey everyone! We're here today, we're gonna look back at one of our new products we
had launched our c1500 kit. We're here with Cliff one of our lead design
engineers who worked on the project and we want to look back at the project. And
just kind of understand the development and the time that we put into it so I
guess cliff helped us understand when we first set out on this project what goals
did we have before kicking things off? Sure. So as a company we kind of have
this whole design plan for each one of our projects and each organization or
each piece of our company has a say in the design and the process that we go
through and by the time it gets down to me to where I actually get to take apart
the car scan it design prototypes produce parts a lot of the concepts
already kind of handed down and and narrowed in at that point. So I would say
I'm probably at the 30% mark in the project. That's when my my job roles
starts. So by the time we get - this is Jack Durant. Our we we've lovingly
endured endeared the name Jack Durant here for this truck here behind me. So by the time
it rolls in about 30% of the project has already been vetted you've worked with
you know defining what the customer needs are and different things of that
nature. Exactly. Exactly. Now what are the some of
the things that you learned through that process that that really helped mold and
define what we're trying to build here? Sure. A lot of the comments on previous
projects are what guide our steps moving forward.
QA1 is a company we go for drivability we want that car on the road
as much as possible and have it be able to be versatile in
drag racing in autocross in just the street cruise down
on downtown Pan O Prog. Pan O Prog, yup! Just being able to show off your car and so
all the the goals of it are are so broad. So narrowing those in and making it
versatile is is kind of number one for me. Also of all the different platforms
say for this one an extended cab short box a long box
standard cab like all the different variants of this car we have to make
this kit work for all of those. But not sacrifice any major that performance or
you know installation experience type of elements. Exactly. Exactly and that that is the
trick and finding those common areas of each vehicle frame where the gas tank
sits some of them have two gas tanks so you know all of those different
variables that go into it it's pretty challenging but but pretty fun to chase
that that project. Yeah absolutely I know something that we really focus on is the
installation experience I know that posed some significant challenges for
the engineering team this go-around. For sure. Because one of the requirements we have
with all of our truck kits is that installation especially for the rear is
done with the the cab and the bed on the chassis. And with the gas tank on
this truck being inside the frame rail center of the truck how did that present
issues for you and and what were some creative solutions to kind of overcome
that? So in the last in the c10 project and the F-100 project we were able to do
a crossmember for our torque arm that cuts frame rail to frame rail adds
a little bit of rigidity to the frame and it's just a much simpler way of
doing it. Where this the gas tank is right here right in the middle on that
side of the frame so the crossmember that we had to put in not only has to be
strong enough it has to avoid all these critical components. We have to attempt
to make room for exhaust driveshaft and then still keeping in mind those
frames that are long frames extended cab frames all those variables come into one.
So with this particular one the crossmember is at an angle ties to the
existing gas tank crossmember and we have this the special tab that goes in
so you can actually hook it in and around and bolt through some holes that
are that you know you don't have to take the bed off to do which is huge that
that alone just space in your garage storage makes the project go so much
easier not having to remove that gas tank bed
driveshaft like all those things being able to keep them in place for the
common guy in the garage. Yeah. Now I'm smirking because I'm reflecting to your
project in your garage how it has expanded blowing apart and taking up a space with
multiple vehicles. I think it's a good point though that storage to the bed is
difficult. Yes. And just taking it off and on is something that I think we found
really clever solution so hats off to you guys on that I think it's really
neat. Now we we designed the kit we go through all the validation of you know
fitment and things of that nature but now is when the vehicle hits the road.
Yep. Right and you spoke to drivability and how important that is not only
getting that stance right which is critical everybody needs that perfect
stance but how do you make it low but ride in perform really well. So what type of
testing what did we do to ensure that that performance was there? Sure
so from the engineering side we do a lot of FEA before any parts are even made we
actually run through a majority of our parts through a finite element analysis
where we put a simulated load into the part and bend it or torque it or
whatever that that part is going to be subjected to. We apply those loads and
see what happens so we have a good idea of what will happen on the road. We then
go on to a more physical test in the case of this one we tested that
crossmember to I mean I want to say somewhere in the
6000-pound range where we added a load cell a bottle Jack.
We actually did it on the 4 posts we have behind here rigged everything down
rigid put dial indicators to find out what kind of displacements we get what
kind of twists and we're seeing you know success with with our products in the
way that they match our FEA. Right. So kind of getting that warm fuzzy of we
designed it to this this is what we're actually seeing all right now let's put
it on the road. We also do a lot of data acquisition we we can put sensors on the
vehicle for the example of a torque arm we can put a load cell in the actual
torque arm and find out what kind of forces are going through the torque arm
and go from there. Right so we take it out on the road we will set up a closed
track we'll run it through its paces. Not only just on a you know getting user
impressions whether it be a series of us hopping in the truck and putting down
our feedback on the spring rate combination the valving but then also
the the trucks rigged with that acquisition again so we're able to look
at from a different angle so that's really neat. One of the things I really enjoy
just observing with the projects that we do is oftentimes there's these little
details or little elements that are worked into the project that oftentimes
don't get the spotlight because we're talking about the coil-overs we're
talking about the torque arm or these different more significant elements but
are there any elements of this project particulate you're especially proud of
or is unique that most people won't notice? So this one in particular the I
can't say quite as much on this one. The F-100 has a little Easter Egg on it which
nobody has found I have not heard a single word from anybody. Care to have
any hints on what it might be?
Where's QA1 located? In Minnesota. Yeah okay. Leave it at that.
Yep. All right. Nice little Easter egg somewhere in the F-100 project but a lot
of those design concepts even transferred over to here it's just so fun taking
some lines that maybe some people don't have. For instance a certain cutout say
of a logo and placement of it. Finding those people in our organization and
outside of our organization and those those little details that people love
and hate and designing around those those things. That's been interesting
trying to tuck to those little details in. All while keeping an engineering mind
to it keeping the parts strong as well as
aesthetic. Yeah. No I hear ya I hear ya. Now looking back the project as a whole.
You know the project's done it's out there we're getting you know raving
reviews from our fans and the people that have them on their trucks. You know
really people are just ecstatic with what we've been able to transform their
truck into. From your perspective you know someone who is so intimately
involved with the project from start to finish what are you most proud of
looking back at this one? So me as a design engineer my pride and joy is
seeing it on the road and seeing people actually using it out in the wild. I've
seen I think I've seen 3 F-100s with our kid I've seen probably 8 c10s
with our kit and along the lines with this one like I have a little bit of
love for this particular chassis just because this is the truck that I loved
growing up and being able to work on it has been a little bit of a little little
dream of mine. Yeah and those are just the trucks locally - yes exactly just a
couple car shows within 100 miles that I've been too. So it's pretty cool
to see. Yeah no that's cool. Well thanks for watching hopefully you found this
entertaining. If you have any questions on this system here on this 1500 OBS
truck. You know make sure I check that on QA1.net
or any other system that we have and any questions you might have for us make
sure to hit us up on the tech line make sure you subscribe and follow us here on
this YouTube channel and most importantly #goDRIVEit. Hashtag!
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