By the way, i am aware that some of my approaches are definitely not in the Lo(w)cost spirit and that is due to my desire to make the very best, light weight, etc designs that i can to some extent. However, i have decided to also create alternate options for some of my designs. Please let me know if i can help.
If you want to try to make my style suspension i have put some notes below. However as a disclaimer, wait until mine is rolling so that i can be the guinea pig!
Carbon SuspensionAlways test! I am not sure the best way to do this but I have local place that will test them for $20. You probably can also make a fixture with a hydraulic pump and a few digi key sensors and some online designs.
Upright : There are tons of designs by guys here that are great and low cost so i am not going to go into that. However if you have access to a 3-in-1 machine mill or shop, you can make aluminum uprights fairly cheap. I have a local aluminum place that i can get a piece of 8x17x3 piece of 7075 remnant for $60. Also there are tons of light weight sheet metal designs out there too but i am sure you have seen and can get details on those.
Control arms:
You can find places with dumpsters full of carbon tubing that you can use but make sure it has the layup and tolerances that you need for strength and bonding. Call around and see if you cannot get some cheep. No Pulltrude ebay garbage! Get quality tubes with data if possible. This will be the most expensive part and rightfully so. FYI you have to drill a pressure relief hole in the tube before bonding, otherwise the pressure in the tubes will push the housings off. You can and i suggest wrapping your tube in Kevlar to aramid for added impact strength. I sheet will be fine and i will post this once is wrap mine.
Here is a cheaper spherical ball housing.
Take a standard monoball housing from online or make your own and weld some pins, tubes or dowels to it. Make sure you place a piece of brass or something in the housing so that you don’t distort it when welding. You can use rod ends (even though they might be in bending) on the alternate side but machining down a few tube ends and adhering those to the tubes. Really hope this helps.
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Lo(w)cost housing1.jpg