Rear wheel placement in fender well

[rx8ss]

I have installed a set of slicks and want to know before I do more cutting and grinding. Can the rear tires be moved back in the fender well and maintain the toe alignment? This a 77 280z full suspension mods with exception of adjustable lca's

Edited April 19, 2010 by rx8ss

[cygnusx1]

There is an LCA that allows some fore and aft positioning of the rear wheel.  I can't remember who makes them.

[cygnusx1]

http://www.technotoytuning.com/productdetail.php?p=864

 

 

 

 

There.

 

 

[JMortensen]

http://www.technotoy...etail.php?p=864

Moving the wheel back is a VERY bad idea if you have poly bushings or rod end control arms, or camber plates up on top. The control arm needs to be positioned so that the strut is vertical when the top of the strut goes into the strut top or camber plate. If it is off to one side and you force it in (as would be the case if you moved the strut back), then as the suspension compresses the top of the strut will get further and further out of alignment with the control arm as the suspension compresses, giving you more and more side load on the strut, more stiction, more flex in the strut and/or the control arm, whichever is weaker.

 

I really think it is a very bad idea to move the wheel back without making sure that the suspension is still squared up with the strut top. You could do something more radical and weld an offset camber plate on up top so that everything is still squared up, but if you just buy that arm and move the wheel back it's going to be worn out struts, bushings and crappy sticky functioning of the suspension IMO.

[rx8ss]

Good info all around. I am a do it as cheap as you can kind of guy. Good catch on the srtut misalignment if you move it back. That gives me more to think about. Or I could just go to a shorter tire if I really had to. Thanks for the input.

[cygnusx1]

Good info all around. I am a do it as cheap as you can kind of guy. Good catch on the srtut misalignment if you move it back. That gives me more to think about. Or I could just go to a shorter tire if I really had to. Thanks for the input.

With those tires and the type of racing it looks like you'll be doing, the mis-alignment problem is not a deal breaker IMHO.  You aren't going for a lot of rear suspension travel I am guessing.  The stock rubber strut tops have a bit of slop in them and the rubber does give a little to angular deflection. 

 

 

 

Jon, what if you shim the factory strut insulator between the body to match the new strut angle?

Edited April 19, 2010 by cygnusx1

[JMortensen]

With those tires and the type of racing it looks like you'll be doing, the mis-alignment problem is not a deal breaker IMHO. � You aren't going for a lot of rear suspension travel I am guessing. � The stock rubber strut tops have a bit of slop in them and the rubber does give a little to angular deflection.�

 

Jon, what if you shim the factory strut insulator between the body to match the new strut angle?

You can't put the strut at an angle at the bottom. No matter where you shim the strut to, it's still perpendicular to the control arm, unless you got real creative and changed the angle of the inner mounts. The stock rubber top may have enough give in it to make this kind of thing work, but it still is not the greatest idea. I think with a camber plate it is really a lot worse since there is no give in the monoball. In that case you're relying on bushings or control arms to twist to allow the suspension to move at all. What gives first, and how is this going to affect the lifespan of all of these components, and what does it do to stiction are the three questions I'd be asking myself.

[cygnusx1]

You can't put the strut at an angle at the bottom. No matter where you shim the strut to, it's still perpendicular to the control arm, unless you got real creative and changed the angle of the inner mounts. The stock rubber top may have enough give in it to make this kind of thing work, but it still is not the greatest idea. I think with a camber plate it is really a lot worse since there is no give in the monoball. In that case you're relying on bushings or control arms to twist to allow the suspension to move at all. What gives first, and how is this going to affect the lifespan of all of these components, and what does it do to stiction are the three questions I'd be asking myself.

 

 

 

 

Ah,I see, the bind is at the bottom! Makes sense.

 

 

 

[rx8ss]

Yes, I have camber plates, the alum rear bushing, and derilyn front bushing. So the suspension very stiff and unforgiving, and clanky. With that said, time to roll fenders to keep my slicks.

[rx8ss]

Update, the rear bushing are the alum MCA/derilyn and fully adjustable. Found that these things can do toe and slight caster. And becuase of the camber plates I have a fully adjustable rear. The bushing were set for full toe in. Once adjusted for 0 toe and camber and let the caster just end up where ever. That increased my fender/tire clearance by a 1/2". So now it has plenty of room to grow. Launches on the street nice and straight and rides way better. Thanks for all the input.