JMortensen Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Working on final assembly of my suspension and realized that I never got around to making droop limiters. I had purchased some small, lightweight cable and a couple ends, but it turned out that in order to get all the parts I would spend about $40 per corner just for the fittings. Cary suggested that I use tailgate stay cables that you find in the Help! section of the auto parts store. Then I was left looking for turnbuckles. Looking at mcmaster.com it seems about the cheapest you can find is in the $15 each range for something that would work with the relatively large cables, so I wanted to find something cheaper. Went to buy some hardware at Tacoma screw and they had some cheap 5/16" thread turnbuckles for $2 each. I figure I'll have about $15 per corner into the whole thing at this cost. Starting in the front I took a piece of angle stock and drilled it to attach to the TC rod and to the eyelet on the turnbuckle. I had to bend the angle iron so that the turnbuckle didn't interfere with the strut. I really don't like this long, heavy turnbuckle, but I'm more interested in getting the thing running, I can always redo this later. I did check for clearance with the caliper and also the wheel, and looks like it is OK. I'm a bit concerned that the turnbuckle may hit the inner fender well at full compression, I may have to pull the spring off to check that out. Anyway, looking for feedback from Cary and Dan and anyone else who has done this or has suggestions/criticisms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 Put the whole droop limiter together and found that the limiter had to bend inward to clear the inner fender well/strut area. Bent it to clear and now there is about 1/4" between the bolt and the coilover adjuster. I can flip the bolt around and get maybe 1/2", but it's still looking pretty tight. Anchored the cables at the top as far inward of the camber plate as possible, just to alleviate any issues with adjusting the plate into the cable. I'm thinking a slightly longer cable would work, there is still plenty of adjustment in the turnbuckle, so I could probably get a cable that is an inch or two longer. At this point I have to compress the suspension a bit just to fit everything together, but I don't think I'm going to be running the coilovers way up at the top of their adjustment so I don't anticipate this being a problem. Pics of the whole thing installed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 (edited) Just a thought here, and I may be way off base. I don't build race cars...yet What about using an engine sepentine belt, as a limiter, attatched to the strut body...has some benefits ....Just a thought Edited March 6, 2010 by jasper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) It would work, old Alpha Romeo's have leather straps. The nice thing about the turnbuckles is that you can adjust the length easily. Can't do that with a strap or serpentine belt as easily. Just a thought here, and I may be way off base. I don't build race cars...yet What about using an engine sepentine belt, as a limiter, attatched to the strut body...has some benefits ....Just a thought I did find a piece of 1/8" x 3" steel strap so I cut two pieces off of it about 5/8" wide and drilled holes in the ends. I'm going to use that as a spacer so I can adjust the length of the turnbuckles down. I figure I can drill an additional hole in the middle too, and I'll have two adjustment lengths and can also remove the spacer entirely if it is too long. Edited March 7, 2010 by JMortensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Did the rears today. The cables were a bit short so I made my bracket a bit longer and put a couple holes in it for adjustment. I wanted to do the cable to a bracket attaching to the ebrake cable holder bolts on the strut housing, but that looked like it was going to be really close to the CV adapters, so I did it to the spindle pin instead. All I have to say is thank you to whoever invented the step drill. Drilling a 5.8" hole in sheet metal with a standard bit or a hole saw is such a pain, and with the step drill it was so easy. Pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted March 8, 2010 Administrators Share Posted March 8, 2010 Nice Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Make sure the limiters don't interfere with the brake lines and find some way of keeping the turnbuckle from rattling around of they loosen a bit. Looks like it should work just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 Make sure the limiters don't interfere with the brake lines and find some way of keeping the turnbuckle from rattling around of they loosen a bit. Looks like it should work just fine. Not sure how I would keep them from rattling. I suppose a zip tie through the upper eyelet and around the strut maybe? I did grind the ends of the turnbuckle flat so that the jam nuts could get a better purchase. Hope that's enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 (edited) Â How about a simple length of shock cord. Â Maybe 400 pound shock cord, or just plain rope, would work. Â Easy to replace, light, and won't rattle. Â My 72 Alfa had woven straps around the rear axle to limit droop. Edited March 8, 2010 by cygnusx1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 It has to be a solid stop, bungee type stuff wouldn't work as well, might even be akin to adding rebound damping. Plus, I skipped Boy Scouts so I wouldn't be able to make quick changes if needed. There are lots of solutions that would be lighter and certainly cables or other ropey type stuff would work, but not for quick changes (for me). The cables and turnbuckles probably weigh 10-12 oz all together. The whole thing is not as heavy as it looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Not sure how I would keep them from rattling. I suppose a zip tie through the upper eyelet and around the strut maybe? I did grind the ends of the turnbuckle flat so that the jam nuts could get a better purchase. Hope that's enough. This will all be under tension so it won't rattle around. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 This will all be under tension so it won't rattle around. Cary At full bump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 At full bump? Doh -- what a dumb ass thing to say All I can say is that with how Jon has them there's not been any issues on a number of cars setup similar. Even at full bump there's not much room for these to move. We're talking 400 to 600 pound spring rates. For softer cars that could be a problem. You could always use a small tension spring to keep them pulled a certain way, which is what I did on some brake lines I worried about. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) My front suspension is droop limited using cables, but only to the point that the front springs are at their free length when the cables are taut. To make mine, I attached a 1/4" clevis yoke to the top of the strut tower inboard and forward of the upper spring seat, and connected this clevis to a sway bar end link using a 1/8" cable and thimbles. I've attached some low quality pictures that show the set-up with the car at ride height (slop in the cable). These cables are not as close as they look to the brake lines. In two years of autocrossing with these cables installed, I have seen no evidence of contact. My rear suspension is droop limited by the strut assemblies (I sectioned them a little more than I should have). I have about two inches of droop travel in the rear from nominal ride height. Edited March 10, 2010 by 74_5.0L_Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 In two years of autocrossing with these cables installed, I have seen no evidence of contact. I wouldn't be as worried about cables. The turn buckles kinda (a little bit) worried me on Jon's setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAG58 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Where did you mount the chassis mount on the droop limiters? Do they always just mount to the top of the strut tower or is there a better location to mount them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 I wouldn't be as worried about cables. The turn buckles kinda (a little bit) worried me on Jon's setup. If they're close I may just do something else entirely. I don't think I can flip the whole assembly, but I might be able to figure out my small cable with adjusters, which would be more like Dan's but with a smaller turnbuckle. I have my limiters attached to the chassis through the thicker steel at the top of the strut tower (you can see it if you look from underneath), as far from the camber plate as I could get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators SuperDan Posted March 11, 2010 Administrators Share Posted March 11, 2010 Kinda interested in this thread. Question Jon, in this picture is the suspension compressed at it's normal ride height? The reason I ask is because at full bump what prevents the turn buckle from rotating outward and contacting the tire? Or is it not going to compress enough to matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 (edited) The bracket doesn't rotate on the spindle pin.I don't know exactly what ride height will be, but I imagine it would be an inch or two lower than what's in the picture. Probably will depend mostly on the rear roll center height. Edited March 11, 2010 by JMortensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 The bracket doesn't rotate on the spindle pin.I don't know exactly what ride height will be, but I imagine it would be an inch or two lower than what's in the picture. Probably will depend mostly on the rear roll center height. Mine were flipped, turnbuckle mounted on top so it wouldn't move and the cable on the bottom. Nothing ever showed signs of touching anything rotating. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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