When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Did you make the bracket, to attach the column to the firewall? My FC column does not look like that, since I needed to add a bracket for the firewall anyway I was going to add the bearing etc.
nice, another wide body! don't be like me and slack on your build...I think I'm at 6 years into my build right now. family and other obligations always pop up but make some time. will be continuing on mine soon enough.
Hopefully it wont take 6 years but I expect at least two, there are always too many commitments and too little time. My goal for this winter is to finish the front suspension and turn the car back into a roller so I can at least move it around
Hopefully you can get your project started again soon, good luck.
Did you make the bracket, to attach the column to the firewall? My FC column does not look like that, since I needed to add a bracket for the firewall anyway I was going to add the bearing etc.
I have only seen this end for the FC column.
The thread excerpt I have saved used the lower part of the FC column outer tube and shaft, mated to the FB uppers. He just took them both apart at the collapsable joints. The FC lower *almost* fits inside the FB upper - took a little grinding apparently. The pictures I have showed that he modified the stock FC lower mounting bracket to bolt on where the FB column did at the firewall, and used the FC seal, I think. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have saved the URL to that particular thread, but here's the text:
Steering column:
FB upper, FC lower:
S1/2:
The steering column: You will be using mostly FB parts for this, the FB steering tube/support and the upper half of the FB steering column (you just drill out the plastic shear pins and leave the lower half of the column in the stock box and toss it) You will then need the lower half of an FC steering column (again held with similar shear pins) as well as a short section of the FC's steering column tube with its carrier bearing at the bottom. The FB and FC columns are almost the same size, but not quite close enough to just slide right together (can't be too easy now can it lol) so you will need to take a bit of material off the FC's lower column so that it slides into the FB upper. I used a dull flap wheel on a angle grinder (dull so that i didn't take too much off at a time) and just slowly ground away until it was right. I decided to that there is enough collapsable stuff built into this system that I didn't need to bother making the column collapsible (if you want to, go right ahead) so I just welded the two halves together. Once the column is one piece (be sure to measure 3 or 10 times before welding lol) then you put it into the FB upper and weld the FC lower bearing and its tube to the FB part. They are the same diameter luckily so its not difficult. The only thing left at this point is making a way to hold the bottom of the column in the car. If you have an 84/85 then there is a reinforcment plate around the hole in the firewall that the colulmn goes through, it wouldn't take much to make a small brakcet off two of these studs. If you're doing this on a 83 or older (like me) then you need to get more creative. I made a bracket that goes on two of the brake booster studs, and used the bracket off the bottom of the FC column, to bolt it all together.
Finished adapting the lower 1/4 of the FC steering to the FB. Basically I cut the lower 4 inches off the FB column and welded the FC end in its place. The other thread used more of the FC outer column. I just used the bottom few inches and the tube from the FC slipped over the FB tube. So I just welded that end on, keeping the collapsible portion of the FB column intact.
I had to replace the tie rods anyway and like the idea of having some adjustment, both fine toe adjustment and bump steer adjustment, so I purchased Godspeed outer tie rods. They were advertised as needing aftermarket inner tie rod ends also. When they arrived it appears that's due to the coupler being short and this makes the tie rod shorter than stock. So I made new couplers out of some 6061 T6 aluminum hex rod.
The new wheels also arrived last week. They are ET wheels by team 3, the LT-3. I ordered 17x8 for the front and 17x9 for the rear. They are a welded 2 piece wheel and the lowest backspacing they can make is 3 inches. This should be good for the rear but might not be quite low enough for the front. So I might need a small spacer upfront, I will see when it comes time to mount them.
Unfortunately, this is all the progress I will make on the car for a while. Today the Rx7 was moved back into storage to make room in the race shop for the season. If time allows I will hopefully get a few things done this summer but we will see.
I like your solution on the steering column. Makes sense to not mess with a safety item if you don't have to, and still gets the job done. I'm already ahead, since I'm using a GSL-SE power steering column that already has a wobble joint at the firewall. I'll just need to adapt to the rack as needed if I go that direction.
Interesting that Godspeed couldn't come up with that solution on their own. An easy enough machining operation.
I like your solution on the steering column. Makes sense to not mess with a safety item if you don't have to, and still gets the job done. I'm already ahead, since I'm using a GSL-SE power steering column that already has a wobble joint at the firewall. I'll just need to adapt to the rack as needed if I go that direction.
Interesting that Godspeed couldn't come up with that solution on their own. An easy enough machining operation.
I really couldn't figure out the reasoning behind the shorter coupler either. The only thing I figure with the godspeed part is these are supposed to be for lowered cars only so maybe if the car was lowered enough the shorter coupler would be ok? Not sure if its just that or this was the coupler available so they just went with it. As you said though easy machining to make a new one.
Nice work so far. I wish I had the knowledge you and some of the other members have to tackle the suspension work...doesn’t look too hard but definitely intimidating to me. Hopefully you find time to continue working on it.
Nice work so far. I wish I had the knowledge you and some of the other members have to tackle the suspension work...doesn’t look too hard but definitely intimidating to me. Hopefully you find time to continue working on it.
Don't be intimidated, I knew nothing about the FB or FC suspension really, and I would consider myself an amateur fabricator at best (It is not anything close to my profession). I spent a lot of time here searching to come up with a game plan and the rest I am figuring out as I go. There is a treasure trove of information available on this forum, and many here to answer questions. Most of my fabrication is with simple tools, band saw, drill press, hand tools and the welder. To learn to weld I just took a class at the local community college and bought a TIG welder from a local garage going out of business. So I would say just go for it, everyone has to start somewhere.
Now that the 79 limited project is winding down it time to restart the 85 project. I had the new tires mounted to the ET wheels and the car came out of storage today.
Before mounting these I have to finish installing the FC coilovers and longer wheels studs. but i am excited to be back working on the 85.
Unfortunately, on full lock the front wheel rubbed the inner wheel well. So a attached the fenders and
the wheels were not centered. When I built the brackets to mount the FC subframe I moved it back 1 1/8" from the stock mounting point and used the stock bolt on the FB frame. When researching mounting the subframe i saw anywhere from 1 inch to 1 3/4" rearward spacing. Now that I have it mocked up I have to move it rearward another 5/8".
Now I have to turn my attention to the rear axle. The car has already been converted to the GSL-SE rear axle but I don't think that will be strong enough.
Currently I see Grannys still lists a few different options but I see stories about their ability to produce things in a timely manner. Rightbraindesigns on the forum here built an interesting four link, Strange manufacturing in somewhat close so I thought about looking into having them build an axle that will just bolt to the stock mounting points.
I would welcome any advice or further recommendations.
For the rear axle I decided to go with a toyota 8". I chose the toyota because it has a 30 spline axle shaft and replacement and upgrade parts are readily available, also because the axle housing is the right width and doesn't need to be cut down.
The biggest problem with the toyota 8" is it has a 6 lug pattern. However toyota did have a few trucks with a V6 and 4 speed and were given a 8" 30 spline axle. Because these trucks were a 5 lug normally there are some 5 lug 30 spline axle shafts out there. So I bought the axle housing and 5 lug axles.
The bearings were shot and I planned on replacing them anyway so I broke the hubs down and removed the drum backing plate.
To remove the bearing I had to make a jig to pull the axle apart.
Once pulled apart I cleaned everything and put it all back together.
For the differential itself I ordered a new one with 3.73 gears and a Detroit truetrac limited slip. The cost to buy one used ranged between $350 to $500, the truetrac is $500 and the rebuild kit is $250. So it made the most sense to just buy a freshly rebuilt one with all new components. As I wait on that to come in the next project is marking up the current axle and getting ready to build the brackets to mount the Toyota 8".
What front bumper are you going to run?
I'm installing the same kit and my '85 bumper doesn't fit as well as an SA bumper (which I don't have atm).
Honestly, I haven't gotten that far, I just mounted the front quarters for the first time ever. Once I did that I realized the front quarters are in need of a lot of work. The mounting tabs are broken, the fitment is mediocre at best and they really lack bracing. I didn't even try fitting the bumper but I have the FB bumper not the SA. Thanks for the heads up on possible fitment issues, I will add it to the list of things to tackle.
I have finished the Toyota 8" rear axle. First I marked the current axles center-line.
Making the mounts.
and mocked up on the car.
A am using T3 adjustable trailing arms so the axle can be adjusted fully, both the center line in the car and the pinion angle. I also am planning on coilovers so I did not make a spring perch. This allowed me to move the upper arm inboard so it it more parallel to the lower arm. Hopefully this will help with the binding that can happen with the stock configuration. By doing this the upper mounts can hit the upper spring perch so it will need to be modified. Since I no longer have springs this should be easy enough. I will also have to make different bump stops since they mount to the upper spring perch.
The next project is fitting the rear brakes and making a caliper mounting bracket.
01-13-19, 10:24 AM
