Scrub

iTrader: (25)

This probally belongs in the suspension forum, but Does anyone know how much, or if you are supposed to preload the M2 trailing arms?

DaveMc

I installed mine so that these is no preload when the car is at normal static ride height.
Dave

maxcooper

I would think that you should just make them the same length as the stock ones. Center of the eye to the end of the body that snugs up against the bushing in the lower lateral arm. Changing the length will change the toe. Since the new links are offset at the front, it does change the suspension geometry a bit. I haven't studied the actual affect, but I wouldn't expect the differences to be very large.

-Max

DaveMc

Max, I think he is talking about the trailing arms, not the toe links. I didn't think the trailing arms were adjustable.
Dave

legendrx7

iTrader: (12)

they are adjustable. I was not expecting this. I adjusted them to the same length as the stock ones. Then I had the car aligned and everything lined up perfectly, without adjusting the trailing arms.

I have wondered what difference it would make with the car if they were adjusted one way or the other (longer or shorter than the stock ones). Can anyone help out with some info on this?

Scrub

iTrader: (25)

If you adjust them longer the wheels will toe in and if you adjust them shorter the wheels will toe out. Thats pretty much what it will do.

MakoDHardie

DaveMc
When you take the trailing arms off, you can move the wheel around and the effect with the other gear still linked up will be toe in/out.

Max, we tried your suggestion tonight. It was a bit awkward but I think we were limited a bit by the measuring tools we had. I got the links measured to the nearest milimeter, but I'm still not so comfortable with that just because its so easy with the M2's to turn it off your setting and tightening down the adjuster bolts can be a pain to do without turning the rod a little bit too. We got the wrong size combination wrench but we'll pick up another one tomorrow to try it, but about how accurate do we have to be to prevent any extra-stock toe level effects? This mod has tempted me to follow your suggestion (on of many great ones) to have my stock trailing arms refitted with new bushings that will provide the same effect. I'm also planning to go with a coilover setup in the next few months. I'll eventually lower the car an inch after I get bigger wheels. Will I have to make an alignment adjustment after the car is lowered, or will this be insignificant?

maxcooper

As long as they are close, they are probably close enough. A difference of a millimeter isn't going to matter that much. At worst, you might need an alignment afterward.

Changing the length does change the suspension geometry. With all those links in there, the camber and toe curves will change when you make changes to the links. I suspect you would have to make a big change for it to change anything drastically, but I am kind of curious how things will change.

Yes, your toe will be off if you change the length of the links. Toe is easy to change. But say you make the trailing links 1/2" longer and make the appropriate fix for the toe. That is what I am curious about, but I don't know the answer. The M2 trailing links themselves move the body attachment inboard a little bit, which is also a geometry change. Perhaps there are some hidden tuning secrets there. Making the links shorter will reduce the wheelbase, increase weight transfer on launch, and may also give some extra anti-squat for drag racers, for instance. That is just an idea, and the changes may not be significant or might result in a net loss if they increase drag from axle misalignment, so I am not suggesting that anyone should actually try that.

-Max

Scrub

iTrader: (25)

Thanks everyone for the responses. one last question. Do you think that I need to put any kind of grease on the trailing arms? Just to keep them sassified

MakoDHardie

I heard of getting dust boots and packing them with grease. Where would we pick a set of these up? Pep Boys?

maxcooper

Don't grease them unless you are going to cover them. Though I don't know anyone that has covered them. You can get rubber boots from http://www.bakerprecision.com/ but I don't know what size, and they are expensive. I am still not sure if I would grease them.

I have heard of people using aluminum foil to cover rod ends on suspension parts to keep them from getting dusty and wearing. You just cover them up -- don't grease them. It sounds silly, but it apparently works.

I wore out the rod ends on my toe links, and I think I might "foil" them to keep the new ones from wearing out. I used QA-1 rod ends from Jeg's. The part numbers are XML-10 and XMR-10 (left and right-hand threads).

-Max