azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 This is to keep you guy's up to date with my Custom Suspension Re-designs: As I had said I was going to..............I went back to the drawing board to re-disgned my Custom TC rods to be even better than before!! I'm excited to show them to you guy's. These are now without a doubt one of the roughest, toughest, set of Race oriented TC rods available for the 510 and Z car. The Changes included a solid non-bushing mount( which you've most likely seen before... Thanks Ron T. for your part source and input!), That eliminates all play under hard turning and braking. It still gives you a full range of uninhibited suspension movement, while allow for adjustments of Caster. It bolts up directly to your stock LCA using the dogleg (* which will be eliminated soon as well!) The new end keeps the geometry between the LCA and TC pivots closer than any other heim end style mount offered!! I also changed the tube body... Its a custom round threaded DOM to accept each end! To install: requires nothing more than drilling a slightly bigger hole in your TC Mount plate to install, Otherwise its straight forward.......... It turned out very nice! I'm currently testing a set, and expect nothing less than great performance. As soon as I get it fully tested, You will see them added to my custom parts page. Next under re-design is my LCA's. They will incorporate a solid TC to LCA Mount, eliminating the Dogleg. It should be done by this week!! I'll post pictures a I get it finished. Love to hear what you think!! Brian aka: azcarbum http://www.hammondsplains.com/z/zworld/zenthusiasts/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 if you need someone to test another set for you i can send you my mailing address Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 I'll remember you said that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz 260 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 What is up with the end how dose it fit in the mount. Do you have a better view of it or one on the car. I'm about to buy adjustable LCA's and TC rods so I like to see what you are going to come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 L, Its just a solid threaded 16mm stud!! As its says... You have to drill out the hole just a hair to fit it through the oem tc mount.... Then you just tighten the nut down. The fellow who helped me design these, built a set of modified oem TC's, using this same end some years ago.. To date, they are still bullet proof!! The LCA's will be the same design as I have now, but I will incorperate a ear on the side to allow the TC to clamp to, eliminating the dogleg I was using on the TC. I should have them done by next week. I'll post pictures when finished. B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iaconsultants Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Very nice, so are you going to make more to sell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz 260 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Thanks azcarbum so when are you going to come out with them. I like your LCA's and TC rods. I'm planning on buying them from you in the next few weeks. I would like to see the new stuf too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 I do plan on making them to sell. Once they've been tested, I will be ordering the components to build them as ordered. My goal is to make "Z Car Customs" a solid name when it comes to making Smart- full function, custom S30 parts. Once I have finished the LCA redesign, I'll post pictures as well. Thanks for your feedbacks, B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Bloody 'ell Brian! Look what I've been toying with very recently: Out of interest where did you source the tie rod from? Mines from a Ford Escort (hangs head in shame), main shaft is 14mm with M14 threads, tapers to 12mm just at the ball joint end, I'm vaguely concerned about that being a bit flimsy but I got them cheap, so good enough for proof of concept. Didn't work out exactly like my 3D design, but close enough Good stuff Brian, look forward to seeing the new LCA! Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Thats a very interesting design. I'm very interested in the clevis, never seen a femal one before.. Something your buying or making? My LCA re-design will bolt up pretty much like what your showing on your diagram. Just a little different design. Sweet job..... ! B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Yup, I made the clevis up myself 'cos like yourself I couldn't find a decent female one that would do the job. I'm pretty pleased with them but I'll be remaking them as the mill head on my combo lathe/mill is shyte beyond belief and it made a mess of the slot surfaces, need to experiment with clamping the hex bar in different ways and somehow convince the mill head to stay in place! Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Those are some nice pieces!! Must be a bit of fab to make... why not use male as I?? On another note: I can't spill the beans yet.... But, I'm working on another project that will allow me to lighten up my LCA significantly!! Its a custom Idea, that to my knowledge, hasn't been tried yet:icon6: R.T. and I have been shooting ideas back and forth, and the initial pieces are being worked on as we speak!! Once I get it finished, I'll post the specifics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katman Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Why bother with the clevis at the LCA end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 The clevis at the LCA allows you to dial in a lot of caster without tweaking the stock J bar end of the TC rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Those are some nice pieces!! Must be a bit of fab to make... why not use male as I?? Yeah, they don't just drop out of the lathe in 5 minutes, the little buggers! I did all the lathe work first with that pair, then milled the slot, I'm thinking that maybe the crappy milling was a result of not being able to clamp them very solidly. I'm in the process of trying another pair starting off by milling the slot, will see how that goes. I figured I might as well try making the female end rather than use a male clevis and extension middle piece as the tie rods I've got are long so don't have much room for a middle section and I didn't want to cut them down. It also just gives me an excuse to mess on the lathe rather than get earache from the GF about the mess I make everywhere Looking forward to seeing the new lightweight LCAs, sounds mighty intriguing! Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcarbum Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 The clevis that i use is a specificly made as a Suspension clevis for perfromance applications. It should be more than sufficiant to hold what lateral forces that may be excerted by the LCA. And as R.T. had mentioned. If it is a concern, just plan on changing them out once a year. B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted September 1, 2006 Administrators Share Posted September 1, 2006 I'm thinking that maybe the crappy milling was a result of not being able to clamp them very solidly. Rob, Nice job. Regarding your slot finish... are you climb milling or conventional?... Can make a heap of difference in the finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Rob' date=' Nice job. Regarding your slot finish... are you climb milling or conventional?... Can make a heap of difference in the finish.[/quote'] Thanks Ron, I've just been going at the slot in one go with a 12mm 4 flute endmill. Probably not the best idea, my machine is probably not powerful enough or stable enough to do that. Next time around I'm planing on using a 3/8" 4 flute endmill to create the initial slot then widen that out to the full 12mm, so I'll be able to climb mill each side and hopefully get that desired finish. One of these days I'll get my head around milling again, my 3 weeks of training 16years ago means I'm a bit clueless these days Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Both of you guys have some nice looking stuff going on there. Keep us updated on how they turn out. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted September 1, 2006 Administrators Share Posted September 1, 2006 Thanks Ron, I've just been going at the slot in one go with a 12mm 4 flute endmill. Ballsy... especially on a combo machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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