Anybody ever changed front spindle height ?
11-07-06, 11:13 PM
#1
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Anybody ever changed front spindle height ?
Wondering if anybody out there has modified the front spindle height (up or down)? I'd love to raise my front about an inch that way. Yeah, I know... springs are easier but that messes with the ride and the geometry. Just wondering...
11-08-06, 12:10 AM
#2
not sure how you would accomplish that as spindle is all once peice, with the strut tube welded to that. Any modification probably wouldn't be strong or safe enough. That sounds like more work that it's worth.
11-08-06, 07:27 AM
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You can buy ride height adjusting plates from BlackDragon or MazdaTrix, but that will only gain you 15mm (about 0.6") max. Each is 5mm thick and you can use up to three of them. I just did this to help alleviate a tire rub after installing my new tires and wheels.
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=34-0130-1011
http://blackdragonauto.com/icatalog/rx/0063.html (item 40)
Rich
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=34-0130-1011
http://blackdragonauto.com/icatalog/rx/0063.html (item 40)
Rich
11-08-06, 08:39 AM
#6
We used to use a Bilstien strut inserts made for the Volkswagen cup. The strut insert was shorter. In order to make it work you needed to shorten the length of the strut housing by cutting a section out and re-welded the top back to the bottom section. This in return gave you close to stock travel when the car was lowered considerably.
The inserts are no longer available from bilstien but there is a Koni race insert that needs the same modification to work.
Also some guys would cut the entire strut tube from the cast knuckle and re-tube it with a larger diameter tube in order to fit other inserts they found to be readily available and shorter but they were fatter in diameter.
Long story short. You can lower the car without loosing suspension travel by shortening the strut insert. It used to be harder to find a insert that would work. In the day of the Internet it should not be hard to research and find one.
Racing Beat, as posted above, does offer the lowering kit for using stock inserts and spring to lower the car without loosing travel.
-billy
The inserts are no longer available from bilstien but there is a Koni race insert that needs the same modification to work.
Also some guys would cut the entire strut tube from the cast knuckle and re-tube it with a larger diameter tube in order to fit other inserts they found to be readily available and shorter but they were fatter in diameter.
Long story short. You can lower the car without loosing suspension travel by shortening the strut insert. It used to be harder to find a insert that would work. In the day of the Internet it should not be hard to research and find one.
Racing Beat, as posted above, does offer the lowering kit for using stock inserts and spring to lower the car without loosing travel.
-billy
11-08-06, 08:44 AM
#7
Now to post somthing relavent to you question, since I deided to fully rear your post 
Some have found aftermarket springs from Eibach or Racing beat to actually rais the car slightly. If your front springs are stock and highly aged. You may find this to be true.
We did experiment with cutting the cast knuckle from the stut tube. We would then set it up in a machine and re-bore the hole in the knuckle to accept a new strut tube. We did this to change the king pin angle from factory settings but you could use it to re-position the knuckle up or down the strut tube. Seems like a lot of work to raise a car though.
-billy
Some have found aftermarket springs from Eibach or Racing beat to actually rais the car slightly. If your front springs are stock and highly aged. You may find this to be true.
We did experiment with cutting the cast knuckle from the stut tube. We would then set it up in a machine and re-bore the hole in the knuckle to accept a new strut tube. We did this to change the king pin angle from factory settings but you could use it to re-position the knuckle up or down the strut tube. Seems like a lot of work to raise a car though.
-billy
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11-08-06, 09:27 AM
#8
Thats how it is done on Datsun 510 using 280zx struts and they are awesome. Handles nice and not so bouncy ride. And more than likely the route I will be taking if my current plans to add a knuckle spacer and shims on the FB struts/brakes in my RX-3 become sucky. We have a local that does that. So, it will be FB with longer tube to fit a RX-3 koni insert.
Originally Posted by bwaits
We used to use a Bilstien strut inserts made for the Volkswagen cup. The strut insert was shorter. In order to make it work you needed to shorten the length of the strut housing by cutting a section out and re-welded the top back to the bottom section. This in return gave you close to stock travel when the car was lowered considerably.
The inserts are no longer available from bilstien but there is a Koni race insert that needs the same modification to work.
Also some guys would cut the entire strut tube from the cast knuckle and re-tube it with a larger diameter tube in order to fit other inserts they found to be readily available and shorter but they were fatter in diameter.
Long story short. You can lower the car without loosing suspension travel by shortening the strut insert. It used to be harder to find a insert that would work. In the day of the Internet it should not be hard to research and find one.
Racing Beat, as posted above, does offer the lowering kit for using stock inserts and spring to lower the car without loosing travel.
-billy
The inserts are no longer available from bilstien but there is a Koni race insert that needs the same modification to work.
Also some guys would cut the entire strut tube from the cast knuckle and re-tube it with a larger diameter tube in order to fit other inserts they found to be readily available and shorter but they were fatter in diameter.
Long story short. You can lower the car without loosing suspension travel by shortening the strut insert. It used to be harder to find a insert that would work. In the day of the Internet it should not be hard to research and find one.
Racing Beat, as posted above, does offer the lowering kit for using stock inserts and spring to lower the car without loosing travel.
-billy
11-08-06, 12:24 PM
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Yes, I want to raise about an inch. Reason is I raised the *** 1 1/4 with tire/wheel and I can stand to get the widebody front bumper/air dam up an inch and keep my side rake about what it was. I just put the 225/60r15 on the rear (2.5 taller than the 205/50r15). They look really nice and finally fill my Mariah rear wheel up. I'm still running 205/50r15 on front.
If I were 16 again I'd just pound a few spacers into the springs til it was high enough for me LOL
If I were 16 again I'd just pound a few spacers into the springs til it was high enough for me LOL
11-08-06, 12:30 PM
#10
In that case, you could have some spacers made to go between the strut top and the chassis. Not sure how far you could go before you run out of studs on the stock strut top, maybe 1/2". If you went with camber plates you could use the spacers and get longer bolts to bolt the slider plate in place.
Another idea, maybe not the best though. Take off the front struts. Put them in a lathe and cut the weld from the lower spring seat. Slide the spring seat up 1" and re-weld it. This would raise the car and the only suspension travel you would loose would be in droop. That would only take a few hours and would not cost to much.
-billy
Another idea, maybe not the best though. Take off the front struts. Put them in a lathe and cut the weld from the lower spring seat. Slide the spring seat up 1" and re-weld it. This would raise the car and the only suspension travel you would loose would be in droop. That would only take a few hours and would not cost to much.
-billy
11-08-06, 04:33 PM
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i used a ground control coil over set up on a gsl-se... call them and inquire about this and they will send you the specs... they were extremely helpful in this project... that way you can place the height where you want it.. good luck!!
11-08-06, 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by bwaits
In that case, you could have some spacers made to go between the strut top and the chassis. Not sure how far you could go before you run out of studs on the stock strut top, maybe 1/2". If you went with camber plates you could use the spacers and get longer bolts to bolt the slider plate in place.
This is exactly what the ride height adjusters from MazdaTrix or BlackDragon will do...the max is 15mm. That's what I put on the driver's side of mine (3 @ 5mm each) and the tops of the nuts are flush with the tops of the studs.
Rich
11-08-06, 07:50 PM
#14
Originally Posted by 64mgb
Hey Billy -
This is exactly what the ride height adjusters from MazdaTrix or BlackDragon will do...the max is 15mm. That's what I put on the driver's side of mine (3 @ 5mm each) and the tops of the nuts are flush with the tops of the studs.
Rich
This is exactly what the ride height adjusters from MazdaTrix or BlackDragon will do...the max is 15mm. That's what I put on the driver's side of mine (3 @ 5mm each) and the tops of the nuts are flush with the tops of the studs.
Rich
-billy
11-08-06, 08:27 PM
#15
As an odd thought, I wonder if the RB strut lowering kit couldn't be used in reverse? More work than using spacers though.
Another option might be replacing the 4 mounting studs at the top with longer ones. I think they are pressed in or tacked in. I know I have spun a couple getting carried away with the impact. Whatever spacers you use would need to fit snugly with all of the mating parts to reduce shear on the longer studs, which should be grade 8 metric or higher.
Another option might be replacing the 4 mounting studs at the top with longer ones. I think they are pressed in or tacked in. I know I have spun a couple getting carried away with the impact. Whatever spacers you use would need to fit snugly with all of the mating parts to reduce shear on the longer studs, which should be grade 8 metric or higher.
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