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-   -   My 71 Firebird - untamable (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51053)

cpd004 09-26-2015 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSSix (Post 617527)
Sorry to hear it's not going as smoothly and quickly as you'd like. Hopefully, they can get on it and have it figured out for you soon.

I hope so too. The weather will be turning soon, and I'd like to get at least that part resolved and maybe put a few miles on the car this year.

MtotheIKEo 09-26-2015 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpd004 (Post 616439)
It can...I'd guess that it would throw the rear end pinion angle off. That bracket and the control arm can move up. It still wouldn't raise the front at this point. It's definitely something to consider though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...A8E1EAAB53.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...bae4aca036.jpg

Man...I've got to stop driving this thing around in the rain!

Just a note here, changing your coiler mounts will not change your pinion angle. The second picture you posted is where the bottom link connects, that doesn't need to change. The suggestion was to move the silver coilover mount up one hole if possible. I can't tell from your picture if there is a hole available. Maybe you can flip that silver bracket upside down from where it is, that should raise the rear end up an inch or two.

cpd004 09-26-2015 10:35 AM

I did misunderstand. There are no more holes available. Before doing that, I'll wait to see what they want me to do. It's reasonably close to level (and higher) now, but the rear coils are almost completely compressed.

MtotheIKEo 09-26-2015 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpd004 (Post 617545)
I did misunderstand. There are no more holes available. Before doing that, I'll wait to see what they want me to do. It's reasonably close to level (and higher) now, but the rear coils are almost completely compressed.

Quick search found this picture of a 2nd gen Ridetech install. Looks like the coiler mount was installed higher. Should be a quick fix to get an easy inch higher if you decide to try it out.
http://www.designengineering.com/sit...hance_2707.jpg

cpd004 09-26-2015 05:19 PM

Thanks for the pic! That's actually different than how mine is. I'll see if I have a pic somewhere.

cpd004 10-01-2015 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtotheIKEo (Post 617552)
Quick search found this picture of a 2nd gen Ridetech install. Looks like the coiler mount was installed higher. Should be a quick fix to get an easy inch higher if you decide to try it out.
http://www.designengineering.com/sit...hance_2707.jpg

Mine is the same as the one pictured. After a lot of back and forth with Rodney over at Ridetech, it turns out that some of my issues are with the front shocks. For whatever reason, I have only 9 total clicks available of what should be 24 with no way to determine where the 9 are within the compression range. They need to go back to Ridetech for them to determine what happened.

On a side note, I was able to weigh the car:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...A54639960F.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...37B3E29C33.jpg

Other than moving the battery back to the trunk, I see no other weigh to bring the weight down in the front. That long nose is very heavy!

Campbellshotrods 10-01-2015 03:41 PM

Yikes! Kind of what I expected, which is why I'll be running an Anvil formula hood, and aluminum heads on the 455... but it's still a 455, and you're running an LS!!! I knew it would never be the ultimate track car though, I'll be making my 71 Camaro aim for that title since I can make that one balanced.

cpd004 10-01-2015 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Campbellshotrods (Post 617977)
Yikes! Kind of what I expected, which is why I'll be running an Anvil formula hood, and aluminum heads on the 455... but it's still a 455, and you're running an LS!!! I knew it would never be the ultimate track car though, I'll be making my 71 Camaro aim for that title since I can make that one balanced.

I forgot about Anvil. There hood and nose would surely help. Both of those at minimum would be $2000 :eek:

These numbers make me wonder how Mary Pozzi's Camaro compares and what, if anything was done to that car for balance?

chichirone 10-01-2015 06:36 PM

Here is a pic of the Ridetech 4 link on our car prior to changing to a 3 link. Same mount position as yours. The shock valving you are experiencing is a bit strange as I have had single and triple adjustable and not experienced the issue as you describe. 9 vs 24 clicks.

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/...psl62zferj.jpg

Regarding the spring rate, I run 450's in the rear on our car. Use to have 225's and the rear was way too "soft" so your 185's need changed. What are you running up front? We have 650's and up front. Our car weighed in at 3300 with driver weight included. The guys at RT will get you sorted. I have had them send me a couple different springs when we were dialing in the car so I am sure you will get great service from them and on the road soon. Check out their comparative weights on their website for spring rates as well. Ron Sutton is the man so if anything I am suggesting is counter to his recommendations, IGNORE ME COMPLETELY! HA!

DBasher 10-01-2015 07:57 PM

Are the weights taken with you in the car? And help me understand that front left weight....is there really "extras" up in the corner or is it because the suspension isn't dialed in and it's seeing a jacking effect?

Love the car, even at the height its at, it looks great.

Good luck getting it sorted.

:thumbsup:

cpd004 10-02-2015 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chichirone (Post 617992)
Here is a pic of the Ridetech 4 link on our car prior to changing to a 3 link. Same mount position as yours. The shock valving you are experiencing is a bit strange as I have had single and triple adjustable and not experienced the issue as you describe. 9 vs 24 clicks.

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/...psl62zferj.jpg

Regarding the spring rate, I run 450's in the rear on our car. Use to have 225's and the rear was way too "soft" so your 185's need changed. What are you running up front? We have 650's and up front. Our car weighed in at 3300 with driver weight included. The guys at RT will get you sorted. I have had them send me a couple different springs when we were dialing in the car so I am sure you will get great service from them and on the road soon. Check out their comparative weights on their website for spring rates as well. Ron Sutton is the man so if anything I am suggesting is counter to his recommendations, IGNORE ME COMPLETELY! HA!

My fronts are 600. I know how I want it to ride, and am thinking with the way the rates are now, it'll be too soft. They want the shocks back and did say those rates are good with the measurements I sent in.


I did talk to Ron once (what a great guy!) about the issues...he requested a bunch of info including vehicle weight before making any suggestions. It took me almost 2 months to get the car weighed, so now I have everything he has asked for. I'll forward that all to him hopefully later today.

Not sure what the shock issue is. When I first got them and put the front on, the adjustment knob was impossible to turn by hand. I emailed tech support and Britt responded saying to just go ahead and crank the hell out of them as they are very robust. A pair of pliers did the trick, but apparently there was more wrong than just them being initially stuck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBasher
Are the weights taken with you in the car? And help me understand that front left weight....is there really "extras" up in the corner or is it because the suspension isn't dialed in and it's seeing a jacking effect?

Love the car, even at the height its at, it looks great.

Good luck getting it sorted.

Thanks for the compliment!

That was without me in it. The battery is in that corner and I'm running the Corvette accessory drive with no AC yet. That put's the alternator and steering pump there as well. That, along with the gear box, makes for that being the heaviest corner by far.

The car is not sitting perfectly level, so I'm sure the numbers are off.

Campbellshotrods 10-02-2015 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpd004 (Post 617981)
I forgot about Anvil. There hood and nose would surely help. Both of those at minimum would be $2000 :eek:

Definitely not a cheap part, the single most expensive part I've bought for my car at this point. Didn't go with the nose, since I will drive the car and wanted an actual bumper. I might do a track nose later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpd004 (Post 618020)
The car is not sitting perfectly level, so I'm sure the numbers are off.

I was wondering about the LF corner myself. It does seem really skewed, but then again I've never had any cars on scales yet so I have no reference. A battery is probably 30 lbs, a/c compressor maybe 20 lbs, steering box maybe 35 lbs... so I think 85 lbs max to the LF. RF would have some a/c box weight too, but that might be balanced by the column and master cylinder on the LH side. It would be interesting to see what the scale weights are on another 2nd gen F-body.

cpd004 11-06-2015 04:46 PM

So Ridetech had me move the rear blocks up like you have pictured MtotheIKEo. Mine was like what Jay posted in his pic and that's also how the instructions show to install them. This definitely will gain move the body up by about an inch.

They have also bumped the front up to 650 lb springs. I've got a few other things going on so I won't be able to tell what kind of difference anything has made for a little while.

I also noticed a 2 of the bolts for the 4 link have loosened. The same two on each side as a matter of fact. They go through the thin sheet metal frame rail. It is not welded, but I may have to look into that if I can't figure another way to keep them tight.

cpd004 12-02-2015 06:43 AM

Despite the crappy weather....I was able to put the car back down and take a very short ride...the car is sitting much better now. The revised rate of the front springs and moving the blocks up have raised the car a bit to where I think will be good for the driving I do. I can't tell what has changed in the ride quality just yet, but will hopefully get to after getting the stance finalized and an alignment.

WSSix 12-05-2015 08:35 AM

Glad to hear the good news!


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