1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Rear Suspension Link Idea

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Old 06-28-05, 11:53 PM
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Originally Posted by peejay
$16 each for 27,000lb yield strength rod ends, times 2: $32
$1 each for jamnuts, times 4: $4
3/16" flat stock for bracketry: $6-8ish
(will also use some 1/8" that happens to be lying around)
1" square tube stock: $7ish

Still under $50... will also need some grade 8 5/8" bolts (have plenty on hand...) and some angle iron for the corners of the new floorpan / crossmember brace dealy (have plenty on hand...) and some sheet stock for the rest of the floorpan rebuild (plenty on hand: computer cases and old microwaves).

I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.

Besides. It's just a hole in the floor, some bracketry welded to a couple crossmembers and the rearend, and a linkage rod. Piddly crap... much easier than fixing the bin rust.

Peejay, I hope that you will document your experience with this for the rest of us... Good luck man!
Old 06-29-05, 12:10 AM
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If I have time... It's like this engine thing. I take pics when I happen to have a camera on-hand, but I cannot allow it to impede my progress.
Old 06-29-05, 11:59 AM
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Yea I don't have the welding skills now, but I'm interested to see the details so maybe I can make one down the line.
Old 06-29-05, 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by peejay


I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.

.

Well it had to be that way for the rules. Mazdatrix years ago had a straight one like you want to build. I guess they didnt sell many. The tube is pretty short and beefy so I doubt theres much deflection under load. I havent had any issues with his trilink.
Old 06-30-05, 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by peejay
I'd rather fab my own, since the G-Force unit, besides being prohibitively expensive, has a big ol' bend in the middle. Seems like a Bad Idea when it comes to encountering wheelhop (under accleration *and* braking) on rouch surfaces.
Mr. Susko's is designed to fit the rules of SP solo and IT road racing classes. It does, yours won't. If you don't plan on racing in those classes then build away. If you do plan to autocross you will have move to a higher class than the traditional 1st gen CSP.

This is just reference for those reading that may be considering doing this for autocrossing or road racing that may not know how the rules fit into this picture.
Old 06-30-05, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by RotaryAXer
Mr. Susko's is designed to fit the rules of SP solo and IT road racing classes. It does, yours won't. If you don't plan on racing in those classes then build away. If you do plan to autocross you will have move to a higher class than the traditional 1st gen CSP.
All true. I don't autocross or road race, so these rules do not apply to me. (Under those rules, the third link is a "traction bar" - you still keep the upper links but you replace the bushings with foam so they essentially do nothing)

If I were to autocross, my car is already CSP-illegal, what's one more thing?

Hell I'd probably get kicked out of Prep or even Mod...
Old 06-30-05, 05:12 PM
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If I remember correctly the bend is in there to clear the tunnel while still getting the best geometry. I'm pretty sure there is more anti-squat built in with the tri-link, less axle rotation with up and down movement too. I'm sure Jim figured out how strong the arm needed to be with NASTRAN so flex wouldn't be an issue.
Old 07-01-05, 11:20 AM
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Yes, it has to clear the tunnel because the rules don't allow floor hackery.

I've heard too many times of the link breaking under hard braking if the rear wheels are off the ground... no thanks.
Old 07-01-05, 11:30 AM
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trilink thru floor would bump you into FP with the bridgeport 12a's and GT3 road race equivalent cars. Trilinks with bend have broken, at the bend, already. Gusseting each side of the bend would help but a straight link is best overall.
Old 07-01-05, 12:15 PM
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Do you remove the rear bar on an autocross car (cs/p) with this set-up? Thanks, DICK.



Originally Posted by jgrewe
Yea, just put a sway bar as big around as your arm(racing beat) on the front so it breaks loose the same as the rear. Not a very elegant solution but it has worked for years on some pretty fast cars. You will also get a more fun 'feel' out of the car because it will be more responsive to turn inputs. You won't reach the limits that you can with the Gforce set-up but it will be suprisingly balanced. And I'll second Boswoj's "keep it off the street" statements. These are very fun cars to drive fast, just do it where the only person at risk is you.
Old 07-01-05, 03:32 PM
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Yep, most of the time especially if you have lowered it or put some stiffer springs in back, unless you like a really loose car.
Old 07-01-05, 10:54 PM
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The suspension pick-up points in the front have been relocated (CSP illegal), my strut tower brace triangulates to the firewall (CSP illegal), I'm running 200lb-in springs front and rear, no sway bars (I think this is CSP-illegal as well)... oh and then there's the homebuilt peripheral port engine going in as soon as the rear suspension is de-upgrfarked. I may also be relocating the rear shocks and adding front shocks (the struts would merely locate the suspension and do no useful damping), also wuite CSP unfriendly.

AFAIK, SCCA will not allow any non-MFR peripheral port housings, in *any* class.

Psheh. Cone-squishing on *pavement*. How dull.
Old 07-02-05, 09:12 AM
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I hadn't heard about the tri-links breaking at the bend. (been away from this stuff for 8 yrs) I thought it would have been where people had mounted them. The first ones we made were straight. I saw his ad stating "beefier" parts. I havn't seen the latest pieces, I've moved on to building an FC.
Old 07-04-05, 11:51 AM
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Yeah, but the parts are still for doing road racing and other weenie poofter things, nowhere near as hard on the suspension/drvetrain as off-road or drag racing.

BTW - I'm cheaping out. No rod-ends, too expensive even at $15 apiece + frequent replacement. New plan is just fabricating the new upper link around the ends of a standard lower link and a hunk of 1x.062 square tubing. And some bits of 1/8" thick stock to attach it... Ford was using 16-gauge sheetmetal and inner TCA bushes (oh god he's speaking in Britlish again) for their 70's Escort rallty efforts, this should be sufficient overkill!
Old 07-04-05, 01:15 PM
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NO POOFTERS!!!! peejay, rally car? new military assault vehicle? I like the DOM tubing route for suspension links but square stuff is cheap and sturdy. You build like me, I cut up stock pulleys and weld them back together to make under drive stuff. It just takes a couple thousand dollar lathe to save $100!
Old 07-04-05, 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by jgrewe
NO POOFTERS!!!! peejay, rally car? new military assault vehicle?
More of a rally car slash urban assault vehicle.

Bumps? Potholes the size of Buicks? Snow? I slow down for NOTHING when I'm driving...

I like the DOM tubing route for suspension links but square stuff is cheap and sturdy. You build like me,
Cheap and sturdy... it's not just for suspensions! (leery grin)

I cut up stock pulleys and weld them back together to make under drive stuff. It just takes a couple thousand dollar lathe to save $100!
Yeah, but think of how many times you *use* that lathe! It all amortizes out in the end. And you know the rule "when all you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like nails"? Now imagine if'n you had a hammer, a die grinder, a drill press, an angle grinder, a lathe, a vertical mill, a 4-axis CNC... everything becomes a case of "why should I buy a kit when I can make something that fits my needs to a T instead of one-size-fits-all, and I spend less money to do it?"
Old 07-04-05, 01:50 PM
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Same here(have the tools on your list, access to a mill, and you forgot a tube bender). I mostly look a catalogs to get ideas, rarely buy from them. That way I can spend lots of money on stuff I can't make (if I find something I can't make!)
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