Sounds good!
Oh, I just realized that with the rear column support, you wouldnt need that triangular support in the front anyways. Although it could be done using the same method that the side and rear supports are attached.
But basically you use all tubing that has the same dimensions. Say, 3" square Aluminum tubing. For the angled supports, you would line them up in the same place as you would with a steel structure. Except, instead of welding them to the column and base rail, you could use something like .25" thick x 3" wide Aluminum bar, to make "straps" to pass bolts through. Each "strap" bar would be about 6-12" long, and it would be oriented parallel to the angled support, but extending down over the sides of the base rails. Then you would pass bolts through the straps, with some going through the base rails and some going through the column support. Now you have a rigid mechanical connection with no welding. Even if you used only one bolt in each end of the strap, the supports would still do their job completely adequately, as the only forces that would act on the supports from the column trying to deflect would be tensile or compressional.
Does my first pic make more sense now?  |