Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Further Track Prep - Tweaks, Suspension, Brakes

Made a few adjustments to various rear suspension parts!

Fitted a vitesse 1600 3.89 diff, on the presumption it would have had an easier life than a Spit or GT6 diff, feels good, no tickering and whining. Car is quicker on it, rev's hard, mad round the lanes, it screams. I added poly bushes to the diff all round it. I noticed right away alot more road noise entering my backside via the chassis. Also the rear felt a touch more positive, or less sloppy, should be cause the bushes were pretty hard.

Was a bastard getting the diff back into the rear housings...I had to round the end of the long bolt for the rear mounts and smack it through with a lump hammer, cause I was buggered if I could get it the 3mm further back without resorting to plain old violence! The bushes and the pin are on the chassis with these bushes, where the stock ones have the pin protruding somewhat eachside, no doubt giving 2-3mm of lateral play as the bush flexes, the old bushes are like jelly compared...Was a big effect on my first test ride - much more positive, as the diff basically fixes all the suspension to the chassis you'd expect such a change eh?!

Not sure if all this stuff works yet as the chassis needs cambering, weighting and tracking - but no point in getting it setup without all the bits on it...I like the swing axle setup when its working well!



Lighter and easier to set the tracking, which is near impossible on the stock units....I will get it centrelined and 4 wheel tracked after the front camber is set. I had only a some crappy white paint, who cares it'll be shitted up in no time.

You can't go lower than 2 1/4" down from the stock hole with new holes as the spring will hit the hub and bearng carrier...This is a monster mod, I am not sure anyone has gone quite this mad yet, can't see it causing any issues bar the need to improvise on the brake lines, ie make some more, no room for em! Next level is Wolfitt rod-end job.

Rod - End radius arm fitted, loads of copper slip 8-) Not on the bearing though!

Maximum droop is now somewhat less than normal! I see cars about with this much arch clearance, not even jacked up!


Much more business like, either the nose needed raising (no way!) or the rear lowering! The car was too on the nose, even on the stiff springs I needed more rear negative for stability, it was yawing about too much on the brakes and downhill...

After this pic I spent two hours leveling the chassis to the perfectly flat garage floor, basically tweaking the springs on the shocks up and down, rolling the car backwards and forwarded lots to level it between adjustments...Measuring alot of points on the chassis each side with depth caliper and then making more adjustments! Not accurate but i found it worked as a starter technique before, to get you in the zone, it was a mile out after fitting the new springs at the front.

About where I wanted it, on its arse! Tyres dont foul the arches, long shafts, 185's. I prepared for this before the tub was painted.

Tomorrow evening I will remake the rear brake lines, as with the spring so low in the upright there is no room for a brake line entering the cylinder - straight! I will add 45deg banjo fittings to the cylinders, the line will go over the top of the spring and down by the shocker, all planned out, just need make the lines, bend the hardline tag round and bleed em up! Wilwood master cylinder and adjustable clevis going on too.

Near 4am, I have been working like a bitch all day since 10am and on my car this evening, I haven't even finished now I have to book collections...Its been like this for months! I am gonna get an ulcur soon!

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