FC Individual Camber Links - New Product Launch
 

Greetings RX7Club!

Ronin is proud to finally launch our rear camber adjustment option for the FC RX7. We're ready to take pre-orders and will start shipping links at the end of next week.

Details:

All second generation RX7 exhibit excessive negative camber when lowered. Yet any vehicle running higher spring rates needs to be lowered, whether the intent is all out performance or just dropping it low for style points. Many of us have run "adjustable" length camber links (and paid top dollar for them too) only to have them break, seize, require constant lubrication, or get loose and sloppy. Ronin is here to solve all that.

Our solution is a system of varying fixed-length camber links, built using only the finest possible materials. We offer these in three lengths in ranked order of how aggressive a camber correction is offered. (Note, we’ll report final camber numbers prior to shipping links next week!)

From most aggressive correction to least we offer:

Stage 3, the most camber correction you can physically get out of the car. Yes, these are shorter than any competitor offerings on the market. Very slight clearancing may be required as we went for literally all we could get. Pictures of install are coming.

Stage 2, ~a half degree camber increment increase from the possible.

Stage 1, ~a degree camber increase from the net possible. Stage 2 or Stage 1 are recommended for road race use where some camber is helpful.

Final CAD assembly showing all three configurations.
https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...embliesCAD.jpg


We’re using top shelf materials throughout, as usually our goal is to sell the BEST possible option at fair price points…

• The primary frames are carved from billet 6061-T6 Aluminum.
• Frames are hard anodized black and designed with an engineered press fit so they should never “wallow out”.
• We’re using high end spherical bearings (no off brand junk here) as Ronin is now an authorized distributor for Aurora Bearings.
• The spherical bearings are PTFE lined for maintenance free operation.
• The links are fully rebuildable (not that we expect you'll need to.) Assembly uses an engineered press fit for the bearings plus circ clips on both sides for ease of location.
• We’re also selling spare hardware so you can decide what combination of frames and bearings you keep on hand if you need to hot swap parts at the track.
• Our three link master set price point compares to other adjustable links on the market (but these won't break)
• If you don’t know what you want to run, you can always order the master and then sell your leftovers once you have the car dialed in.
• Designed and made in the good old USA. We support the home team yo!

All parts for the first batch are built. All frames from the first batch are due back from anodizing next Wednesday.

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...erLinksRaw.jpg


We wanted the high strength to support the clamp loads going through misalignment bushings so we choose 17-4 stainless steel for those (that isn’t cheap stuff by the way, but we don't cut corners).

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...salignment.jpg


Bearings now on hand. Getting set up with as distributor took jumping through some hoops for y’all.

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...CLBearings.jpg


Final pictures will follow when we get the frames back from anodizing.

Pricing:

$149 for any full kit ($139 introductory offer*)
$69 for any pair of bare frames (assumes you’ll swap the internals)
$69 for a set of spare bearings (four) w/ snap rings (eight)
$35 for a set of spare misalignment bushings (eight)
$259 for a master set ($249 introductory offer*). The master set includes a single full kits’ worth of hardware, and all three frame lengths.

*We know folks have been waiting for these so the introductory pricing is a small thank you from us and is good through midnight 12/24/14.

If you’re really in a hurry and want them now now now (which we’ve heard from a few folks), fire us paypal for the above amounts to roninspeedworks@gmail.com. We’ll pick up free shipping for anyone who orders before we take the final pretty pictures and get this on the Ronin website. Please add 8% tax if you're in CA.

-Joel

PS Bonus thought: anyone have suggestions for a clever name? We’re rolling around whether we call them Ronin Bones, Crazy Eights, or whether we just want to keep it simple and name ‘em Ronin FC camber links.

I get paid soon, will PM you in a few days.

LOL, Ronin Bones Swiss

Glad you like them. Hit us on email if you don't mind. It's a little easier for us to track messages that way. roninspeedworks@gmail.com

Any vague idea how much camber the stage 3 will remove from the rear end? I have about 2 degrees in the back and its a little more than I'd like for a streetcar.

very interested in buying a set, looks solid

Glad you like them. We'll be posting up quite a bit more info on fitment and recommended length selections near the end of the week.

Awesome design for manufacturing and materials selection! I'll be ordering a set once you have your test numbers. Any chance of getting a black anodized version?

Why yes, yes you can. Actually you can have any color you want (as long as it's black). :nod:

In case you missed the fine print:
• Frames are hard anodized black and designed with an engineered press fit so they should never “wallow out”.

I just picked up all the frames today so we'll be assembling and ship the first batch of orders this weekend.

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...CLAnodized.jpg

Flash blows out the black a bit but I'm still stoked on them and glad we sprung for the hard anodizing upgrade.

Reminder: the deal above offers free shipping for all pre-orders until we get these up on our website.
-Joel (for RSW)

Subscribed,
I'll probably order once you post up the info at the end of the week

Name suggestion:
RO-BO Links~! ....(Ronin Bone links.)

Will do.

Any numbers yet?

Results in:

Complete camber links.

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...Lcomplete1.jpg

Everything clears as expected on the car. Looks like my math was correct and these tested out as expected.

All numbers relative to stock camber links.

Stage 1, lessens negative camber by 0.7 deg.
Stage 2, lessens negative camber by 1.2 deg.
Stage 3, lessens negative camber by 1.7 deg.

The above data points should work from whatever starting point you happen to be working from. Case in point. My car rides fairly low slung and I was starting at -3.4 degrees with stock length links. I installed stage 3 and that puts me at a much happier -1.7 deg. Stage 3 is the shortest and clears acceptably. Full droop is the point you want to check clearance at the flanges on the trailing arm.

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...Lcomplete3.jpg

https://sites.google.com/site/frijol...Lcomplete4.jpg

One thing to mention. Brand new the bearings are a little stiff out of the box. Put them under a little compressive stress via a press fit and suddenly that becomes quiet stiff. That said, after playing with one for a few minutes they do free up a noticeably, but you may want to use a drift to align the bearings on first install.

-Joel (for RSW)

When will these be for sale?

They're for sale now. See first post for details.

Ordered my Stage 3 set today. Thanks!

WHat about the difference expected from each side. For example, on my last alignment the rears were .3 deg. difference from each other. I would love to see more options, Maybe some half sizes.(.5,1.5,2.5).

Either way, I love the stronger design and the direction you took with multiple options. The price is also fair enough that i would buy multiple sets if half sizes were available. Tempted to buy a set.

Anyone else interested in the above?

We do take requests but I'd need to know the demand was there before we'd do it. It's obviously added effort to stock and build up additional sizes plus we'd end up carrying more inventory as well. We're certainly open to mixing and matching from our existing offerings by special request. That means you'll never be more than a 0.25 deg out if something isn't perfectly straight on your car. Have you considered shimming/shaving the subframe mounts?

That said, even in a track setting I'd rather drive around a 0.3 deg camber difference than risk an event while driving on a set where failure is immanent. The arm swings in an arc so there's a bit of lateral motion as well. There are no designs with proper linear bearings so unless you're rebuilding/relubing links constantly it's only a mater of time before the "adjustable" designs seize and break. I've personally blown an AWR (Mazdatrix is the same) and MMR or the drift team that's now copying their design has the same issue.

The only other fixed length options I'm aware of are SuperNow ($$$$) and PoweredByMax who basically copied the SuperNow design. PBM do not go as short as we do, is known to run out of stock, and also use lower quality bearings/materials.

-Joel

PS Last call for pre-orders. We're planning to get this posted to the website tonight at which point the free shipping deal expires. We have shipped all sets ordered to date.

I'd be interested in a set of half lengths...

i'd be interested in a half set and maybe a stage 2. Are you recommending these to be used with a stock subframe camber bar? i forgot what's its actually called, at the moment i'm running a corksport rear camber adjuster.

I actually have the super now units in my car now(received the ronin links but have not got to install yet). They are definitely nice units that are serviceable(joint can be removed), however the two differing lengths left to right is frustrating to me. I have MRR solid subframe bushings so the camber is noticeably off from one side to the other.

Camber links are up on the website.
Brakes & Suspension

The trick of all shorter individual camber links is that we're changing the angle of the overall trailing arm. If the main bushing (the one that carries thrust as well as pivots) is too stiff, it'll fight the camber link as shortening that link twists the main bushing. I've run that way in the in the past and it's not so much that it'll really bind, but rather it creates unnecessary friction in the joint.

The stock main rear bushings are compliant enough that you won't notice it. Better yet is if you upgrade to spherical bearing there as well. AWR sells a good set. The downside to the corksport and center link adjustables is that by tipping the whole subframe you also change the pinion angle and that's not so good.

For what it's worth we're also a Prothane dealer and just added the Prothane FC "total bushing set" as well, but we did add a disclaimer in regards to the rear trailing arm main bushing and our camber links on that page.

The AWR is exactly what I have in my car and they work great.

Just wanted to say after almost a full race season on these that they are still perfect, bearings are nice and tight, no play. Its nice to not have to maintain these like my old ones, went through two other styles over the years, eventually the bushings wear out and or they break. No comparison.
Just ordered the other two sizes for different track setups to hot swap and look forward to receiving them! Thanks Ronin!

id like to come pick one of these up asap im 20 minutes away!