G-E's crazy suspension thread redux

[G-E]

just as I started getting interest and replies the site was hacked so lets discuss these things again shall we? for whatever reason the z31.com post didn't get anywhere....


part 1: lowering with equal suspension travel

for this to work requires short body struts to stick into the tubes and either custom gland nuts or spacer rings to install below the gland nuts



part 2: converting the strut tower to a coilover without welding

almost any rear coilover will have the standard ball mount at the bottom, such as the 240sx, this mod would depend on finding one that fits into the strut tube and has little gap around it, and has an adjustment thread area made from steel or steel alloy.... a threaded "cap" would have to be machined to hold the coilover in the strut tube tight, pulling against the "pin" at the bottom



part 3: converting to a partial a-arm or wishbone design

the benefits of this would be adjustability to a more extreme caster/camber range of motion, but the tension rod is still required to locate the lower control arm unless the pivot can be made rigid somehow



addendum: the pivot angle relative to the car centerline of the upper a-arm would actually be better tilting down for rim/tire clearance, but then the motion would move the top of the wheel outward as it moves up causing more positive camber, but if it were only slightly below level at ride height then it could add caster initially until the tension rod is able to start arcing forward during compression

[84z31]

interesting ideas.

i remember in the oil field we had an electic thread cutter. it was portable and could thread pipe up to 3". that would be much easier then trying to stick the strut tube in a lathe.



the front of the car seems easy for adjustable camber.

i wish someone would make an easy to install kit for the rear.

[G-E]

and industrial plumbing/sprinkler guys use the freestanding tripod threaders that can thread almost any diameter since the cutting head can float

*edit* pipe threader like this:

[Kennedy]

Like in last thread before is was gone..

My ideas:

Custom strut's:

G35 / 350Z front coilover


S14 front coilover

[FreeLanceBum]

I think kennedy's idea for the S14 front coilovers is the most feasible. I had been thinking of how to do the coilover thing without welding them on, and it was basicly the same as Kennedy's idea.
I have a spare set of complete strut tubes lying around, might try this after I get a few other projects done.

[G-E]

FreeLanceBum wrote: I think kennedy's idea for the S14 front coilovers is the most feasible. I had been thinking of how to do the coilover thing without welding them on, and it was basicly the same as Kennedy's idea.
I have a spare set of complete strut tubes lying around, might try this after I get a few other projects done.

still requires something welded... the only benefit over welding/crimping to the tube itself is this way it can be replaced

and the upper pic won't work, you'd have 2 points of flex, your hub would fall in on itself giving you like -30 degrees camber and the tire would rub

[FreeLanceBum]

still requires something welded

I was referrring to the welding of the coilover to the tube.
I'd be perfectly fine welding up the tube, and some fabrication to make it work.
I would be much happier if I could replace them without a saw, if need be.

[MrwassmanNA2T]

the top pick would work if it was in the strut tube

[G-E]

kei office s13 coils.... notice the body fully threaded and the mounting adapter can therefore be rotated right off the end.... perhaps this is exactly the way to do this coilover-into-strut...

[wilson101]

What is the ID of a turbo strut tube?I asked this here but never got the reply i took measurements of a s13 tien coilover set.
http://www.redz31.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... ight=#1356

[G-E]

unthreaded 49, if you include thread depth 51

I just happen to have some koni gland nuts kicking around

*edit* it's probably 1-15/16" ID