JMortensen Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 Yet another issue on this suspension modification. I got stuck on my front swaybar so I decided to set up the rear and start checking things out there. My car has camber plates and sectioned struts and stock control arms. If yours does too, you might want to pay attention. Lots of interference back there... First thing I noticed was that my stitch welded control arm hit the front diff crossmember. The issue here was about 1" from full DROOP. That's weird because a stock Z should have a lot more droop than mine. Don't know if this is an effect of the poly control arm bushings or what, but it surprised me, because the stitch welding didn't add but maybe 1/8" to the control arm where it is hitting. This was fairly easily fixed with a cutoff wheel. I just clearanced the crossmember about 3/16" and that was enough to allow full movement. Next problem isn't so easily fixed. The driver's side control arm hits the floor big time, about 1.5" before full bump. It hits right on the flange for the frame rail that I've already stitch welded (DOH!) and also just on the floor. It looks like if I make room there it will hit on the frame rail on the side too, because as it is now it only has 1/8" or so clearance there. I'm thinking sledge hammer would be a good tool to use in this case on the floor and the frame front frame rail, then maybe section the side frame rail. I don't know. I gave the pics a green highlight where the contact is occuring. One other retarded thing I did was to cut down my bumpstops. Well, turns out that the strut bottoms about an inch before the gland nut hits the bumpstop. Another option to "fix" this problem would be to put a bigger bumpstop in. I know I ran these things pretty much bottomed out before with a full length strut and the camber plate up top so I think I really needed to section the strut. The question is now what? Limit the travel with a bigger bumpstop or beat the crap out of the floor to allow more travel. I'm kinda wondering if my next problem is going to be that the subframe connectors hit the ground before the strut bottoms... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 as far as the diff member iterference... you turned it around backwards... so you have to cut away that side just like the other side... your control arm wont hit the frame under most circumstances... I dont think you will have a problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 28, 2006 Author Share Posted April 28, 2006 as far as the diff member iterference... you turned it around backwards... so you have to cut away that side just like the other side... I guess I was focused on other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 What kind of ride height are you planning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 29, 2006 Author Share Posted April 29, 2006 I was planning on the same ride height I had before, but with more travel. I can't tell you exactly what that was because I always measured on the coilovers themselves. I ran them all the way down in front, and 1 inch from all the way down in back. It was pretty damn low. I used to run it at that height and it had a lot of nose dive and a lot of body roll, which is why I got a little obsessed with raising the TC pivot. I am hoping that I can run the same height, but by moving the pivot points I'll get rid of some of that squishyness. I think I still might have to up the spring rates a bit too. Here's a pic: I was thinking about the frame rail and I think I can notch it and put a piece of angle iron in there and then build up the sides to strengthen it. The floor I think is just going to get a serious beat down. If nothing else I can vent some frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 If you relocate the pivots and raise it up a bit you might find out how how nice they really are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 If I lower it and raise the LCA and TC pivots accordingly I might find how nice a lower cg is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 Got it fixed. Had to notch the frame rail, and I did end up just beating the floor a bit for clearance. I was able to get my cut down bumpstop to just barely touch. Going to have to get 2 full length bumpstops somewhere. Also figured out that on the pass side the CV adapter flange was hitting the body, and that side wasn't bottoming either. It felt like it was bottoming and it made a nice solid metallic clunk when it hit, but it was the adapter hitting, not the strut bottoming. Did a little grindy grindy on the body and took care of that one. I took a pic of the floor but I don't think you can really see how much it was dented in to make clearance. I didn't have to beat it in as much as I thought I might have to. I really think that for autox lower is better especially when the roll center, dive, and bumpsteer issues can be dealt with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I was able to get my cut down bumpstop to just barely touch. Going to have to get 2 full length bumpstops somewhere. What about using packers? Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 2, 2006 Author Share Posted May 2, 2006 I never was a Green Bay fan. No, really. What the hell is a packer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I never was a Green Bay fan. No, really. What the hell is a packer? A packer is usually a small plastic bit you put around the shock shaft to change the spacing to the bumpstop. It looks like a C. The idea being if you couldn't find longer bumpstops you could use these as spacers. You can insert them through the springs with needle nose pliers to adjust when you hit the bumpstops. And speaking of bumpstops are you using something like the VW soft foam versions? Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 2, 2006 Author Share Posted May 2, 2006 No, I'm using cut down Energy Suspension bumpstops. Where does one procure packers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Most of the race shops sell them. They aren't that hard to make if you have access to thin plastic sheeting. Truchoice has them in their catalog but they are very proud of them. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 2, 2006 Author Share Posted May 2, 2006 OK. I checked into it and the poly bumpstops are cheap, so if I can't get someone to swap me some new ones for some cut down ones, then I'll just buy some more. I felt like you were going to say something about the soft ones, good or bad. I would assume that softer would be less jarring and therefore better, although I don't think I'm going to be using them very often in the new configuration... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 I felt like you were going to say something about the soft ones, good or bad. I would assume that softer would be less jarring and therefore better, although I don't think I'm going to be using them very often in the new configuration... If you were to run the car in a way that you actually used the bumpstops as a tuning tool then I'd look into the late model VW stuff, which is pretty trick. It sounds like you'll only use them to keep the insert from self destructing and poly should be fine. When I went a lot stiffer with springs I quit touching the bumpstops and now I only have them in place to save the inserts. I shortenned mine up a bunch and if I were to hit them it would probably feel like they were solid steel. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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