Rear Suspension Link Idea
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,359
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From: Grand Rapids Michigan
Originally Posted by peejay
$16 each for 27,000lb yield strength rod ends, times 2: $32
$1 each for jamnuts, times 4: $4
3/16" flat stock for bracketry: $6-8ish
(will also use some 1/8" that happens to be lying around)
1" square tube stock: $7ish
Still under $50... will also need some grade 8 5/8" bolts (have plenty on hand...) and some angle iron for the corners of the new floorpan / crossmember brace dealy (have plenty on hand...) and some sheet stock for the rest of the floorpan rebuild (plenty on hand: computer cases and old microwaves).
I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.
Besides. It's just a hole in the floor, some bracketry welded to a couple crossmembers and the rearend, and a linkage rod. Piddly crap... much easier than fixing the bin rust.
$1 each for jamnuts, times 4: $4
3/16" flat stock for bracketry: $6-8ish
(will also use some 1/8" that happens to be lying around)
1" square tube stock: $7ish
Still under $50... will also need some grade 8 5/8" bolts (have plenty on hand...) and some angle iron for the corners of the new floorpan / crossmember brace dealy (have plenty on hand...) and some sheet stock for the rest of the floorpan rebuild (plenty on hand: computer cases and old microwaves).
I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.
Besides. It's just a hole in the floor, some bracketry welded to a couple crossmembers and the rearend, and a linkage rod. Piddly crap... much easier than fixing the bin rust.
Peejay, I hope that you will document your experience with this for the rest of us...
Good luck man!
Airflow is my life
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,736
Likes: 2
From: Orlando, Fl
Originally Posted by peejay
I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.
.
Well it had to be that way for the rules. Mazdatrix years ago had a straight one like you want to build. I guess they didnt sell many. The tube is pretty short and beefy so I doubt theres much deflection under load. I havent had any issues with his trilink.
Originally Posted by peejay
I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.
This is just reference for those reading that may be considering doing this for autocrossing or road racing that may not know how the rules fit into this picture.
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,866
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Originally Posted by RotaryAXer
Mr. Susko's is designed to fit the rules of SP solo and IT road racing classes. It does, yours won't. If you don't plan on racing in those classes then build away. If you do plan to autocross you will have move to a higher class than the traditional 1st gen CSP.
If I were to autocross, my car is already CSP-illegal, what's one more thing?
Hell I'd probably get kicked out of Prep or even Mod...
If I remember correctly the bend is in there to clear the tunnel while still getting the best geometry. I'm pretty sure there is more anti-squat built in with the tri-link, less axle rotation with up and down movement too. I'm sure Jim figured out how strong the arm needed to be with NASTRAN so flex wouldn't be an issue.
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,866
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Yes, it has to clear the tunnel because the rules don't allow floor hackery.
I've heard too many times of the link breaking under hard braking if the rear wheels are off the ground... no thanks.
I've heard too many times of the link breaking under hard braking if the rear wheels are off the ground... no thanks.
trilink thru floor would bump you into FP with the bridgeport 12a's and GT3 road race equivalent cars. Trilinks with bend have broken, at the bend, already. Gusseting each side of the bend would help but a straight link is best overall.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 552
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From: Springdale,AR
Do you remove the rear bar on an autocross car (cs/p) with this set-up? Thanks, DICK.
Originally Posted by jgrewe
Yea, just put a sway bar as big around as your arm(racing beat) on the front so it breaks loose the same as the rear. Not a very elegant solution but it has worked for years on some pretty fast cars. You will also get a more fun 'feel' out of the car because it will be more responsive to turn inputs. You won't reach the limits that you can with the Gforce set-up but it will be suprisingly balanced. And I'll second Boswoj's "keep it off the street" statements. These are very fun cars to drive fast, just do it where the only person at risk is you.
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
The suspension pick-up points in the front have been relocated (CSP illegal), my strut tower brace triangulates to the firewall (CSP illegal), I'm running 200lb-in springs front and rear, no sway bars (I think this is CSP-illegal as well)... oh and then there's the homebuilt peripheral port engine going in as soon as the rear suspension is de-upgrfarked. I may also be relocating the rear shocks and adding front shocks (the struts would merely locate the suspension and do no useful damping), also wuite CSP unfriendly.
AFAIK, SCCA will not allow any non-MFR peripheral port housings, in *any* class.
Psheh. Cone-squishing on *pavement*. How dull.
I may also be relocating the rear shocks and adding front shocks (the struts would merely locate the suspension and do no useful damping), also wuite CSP unfriendly.AFAIK, SCCA will not allow any non-MFR peripheral port housings, in *any* class.
Psheh. Cone-squishing on *pavement*. How dull.
I hadn't heard about the tri-links breaking at the bend. (been away from this stuff for 8 yrs) I thought it would have been where people had mounted them. The first ones we made were straight. I saw his ad stating "beefier" parts. I havn't seen the latest pieces, I've moved on to building an FC.
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,866
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Yeah, but the parts are still for doing road racing and other weenie poofter things, nowhere near as hard on the suspension/drvetrain as off-road or drag racing.
BTW - I'm cheaping out. No rod-ends, too expensive even at $15 apiece + frequent replacement. New plan is just fabricating the new upper link around the ends of a standard lower link and a hunk of 1x.062 square tubing. And some bits of 1/8" thick stock to attach it... Ford was using 16-gauge sheetmetal and inner TCA bushes (oh god he's speaking in Britlish again) for their 70's Escort rallty efforts, this should be sufficient overkill!
BTW - I'm cheaping out. No rod-ends, too expensive even at $15 apiece + frequent replacement. New plan is just fabricating the new upper link around the ends of a standard lower link and a hunk of 1x.062 square tubing. And some bits of 1/8" thick stock to attach it... Ford was using 16-gauge sheetmetal and inner TCA bushes (oh god he's speaking in Britlish again) for their 70's Escort rallty efforts, this should be sufficient overkill!
NO POOFTERS!!!! peejay, rally car? new military assault vehicle? I like the DOM tubing route for suspension links but square stuff is cheap and sturdy. You build like me, I cut up stock pulleys and weld them back together to make under drive stuff. It just takes a couple thousand dollar lathe to save $100!
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,866
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From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Originally Posted by jgrewe
NO POOFTERS!!!! peejay, rally car? new military assault vehicle?
Bumps? Potholes the size of Buicks? Snow? I slow down for NOTHING when I'm driving...
I like the DOM tubing route for suspension links but square stuff is cheap and sturdy. You build like me,
I cut up stock pulleys and weld them back together to make under drive stuff. It just takes a couple thousand dollar lathe to save $100!
Same here(have the tools on your list, access to a mill, and you forgot a tube bender). I mostly look a catalogs to get ideas, rarely buy from them. That way I can spend lots of money on stuff I can't make (if I find something I can't make!)
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