why do our cars have semi trailing arms? if mazda could take the time to make a multi link headlight retractor, you think they coulda put it into the suspension too. anyway, just wondering why we have the suspension we do.

 

because it was cheaper to build and works very well.

 

it also was in it's day, advanced .

 

Comparing a multi-link headlight retractor mechanism to a multi-link rear suspension system is like comparing a lawn mower engine to an F1 engine. Same basic concept; totally different level of sophistication and complexity.

 

Are you more qualified to answer this than Mazda's engineering department???


-Ted

 

Are you?

 

As said, it was the design of the time. Everyone was using it. BMW, Porsche, Datusn/Nissan, etc. Also, in my Brian Long book, it was said that trailing arm setup does allow more rear room. Just look at the back, the FC's have more cargo room than the FD with double wishbone suspension.

 

No, but at least I've read the Yamaguchi RX-7 book, which goes into detail of the design and build of the FC3S.
The K-M hub is a marvelous design and has won several automotive engineering awards for it's cutting edge design back in the day.
I bet I know more about the rear suspension than the original poster does...


-Ted

 

hey i have that book! no offense, but you dont need to state that you know more about the rear suspension than me. i mean, if you didn't then you wouldnt be answering.

 

i disagree. first of all, lawnmowers and F1 cars have sompletely different engines. lawmowers are usually two stroke or sohc motors with vertical shafts they have a single piston and are carbed. F1=efi, horizontal shaft, multi-piston etc etc. headlights and rear suspension are very similar, same basic idea. just different size and shape and one has a spring.

 

The comparison was obviously an exaggeration to make a point. They're both piston engines that burn a petrol/air mix to make power, but one is quite a bit more complicated than the other. This is also true when comparing a headlight mechanism to a suspension system.

We have suspension that was very advanced for it's time. If you think it wasn't, find us a mass-produced car that had better. They will be few and far between, and probably a lot more expensive. You're basically asking why our 80's cars don't have 90's technology in them...

 

If you do own the book, why are you asking "idiotic" questions like this?


-Ted

 

this forum is full of questions from people who kinda know the answers but ask never-the-less. that book goes into great detail for the p747, really interesting.IMO
mazda went all out in developing this car, even as far as what 'we' north americans have in the fridge, Lol. i really like the cut-away illustration on pages 22 & 23 .

i'd like to get (find) more hard back books by yamaguchi while keeping both arms and legs.

 

where can you find this book at?

 

My beef with this suspension design is that you can't independently adjust rear camber. Hell, stock you can't adjust it at all, you have to buy a thingie.

 

So how do you adjust camber on a double wishbone suspension?


-Ted

 

Yea it sucks that we have to buy either a one piece or 2 piece system to dial out neg camber.

EDIT: I remember someone here had their car really slammed and had to get all 3 pieces to dial out enough neg camber.

 

Install different A-Arms.

Or spacers.

Depending on the vehicle, some have adjustable a-arms.

 

i'm not really sure, book stores, used book stores, library. check the Automotive section under yamaguchi, jack k. i believe all gens rx7 and maybe rx8 (soon , if not already)

 

I guess spacers is the easiest way to go right?
Sorry I'm new here...........

 

Just to say that I've been working with a pair of my Physics profs on this, and have to say that the KM hub is possibly the only thing on our FCs that is more badass than our spinny engine.

The floating hub design allows for independent motion on ANY axis, allowing for a situational adaptability not found in ANY other common suspension system. (Except the Porsche design, which was so convoluted that maintenance is extremely cumbersome.)

Simplicity, Adaptability, and Affordability, in one convenient package.

Why would you want to dail out camber, I've never found a reason to adjust it?

 

Floating hub huh?

I must go and read more abou this thing of which you speak.

 

The book of which they speak earlier has the only mention of it I've ever read anywhere. I finally took to disassembling my rear end and measuring it all. (What else am I gonna do while I wait for my wiring harness to get here?) I figured out how it works and took it into my profs, and we sat down and figured out why it was all designed to work that way.

It's brilliant to say the least, and I have to give credit to those daffy japs that put it all together. BRAVO!

 

Nothing else to do while waiting on the wiring harness.....
.

.

Brilliant!

 

[hides face in shame]

I'm SUCH A GEEK!