Norwood

[SSLance]

I've been told grease really isn't that necessary on sway bar bushings anyway...kind of depends on the material of the bushing I guess.

I'm more worried about the sway bar end link bending under the bind created at full droop with the short spacer in it...

I like what you are going through with the testing though, keep up the good work.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

You can always remove the zirc....


Stay away from railroad tracks....


Use 650# springs so it rides like a hay wagon....


Use a shorter shock so the shock becomes the stop (and then ruins the shock)....


Install shock bump stocks (a collar)...


Copy PK - DG - RD and leave in on the jack stands forever...

Originally Posted by Roberts68

Hey Sieg, how about relocate the zirc to be horizontal pointing forward? Weld that hole shut and drill/tap a new one.

You might have to drill a pass through in your urethane and rtv the existing passageway.

I have added zircs to non zirced bushings in a similar fashion, scoring my own passageways with a dremel etc...

Originally Posted by SSLance

I've been told grease really isn't that necessary on sway bar bushings anyway...kind of depends on the material of the bushing I guess.

I'm more worried about the sway bar end link bending under the bind created at full droop with the short spacer in it...

I like what you are going through with the testing though, keep up the good work.

The zerk will be used then replace with a cap screw. The car doesn't see a lot of miles and the urethane bushings shouldn't require frequent service.

The railroad tracks in Oregon aren't a problem.......it's the wagon tracks that'll kill you.

I believe the Hotchkis springs are 600# so it should be real plush.

The Koni's up front survived the previous setup without puking so they should survive this one.

I'll probably split the difference on the spacer and cut the Hotchkis spacers to 7/8" , the link bolt is just grade 8 $3.99 a lb. stuff at the local Wilco farm store.

[Payton King]

I think you will be suprised by the ride. Where your springs are located in relation to the LCA piviot, there is a lot of mechanical advantage being applied. You will be fine

I take offense to the jack stand comment GW. I am not using jack stands...2x3 welded directly to the frame. I like more permanent solutions for the long term.

[Roberts68]

Originally Posted by Sieg

The railroad tracks in Oregon aren't a problem.......it's the wagon tracks that'll kill you.

Your comment of the "wagon tracks" reminds me of the wheel ruts in the blacktop roads up north. Hwy 38 North of Grand Rapids MN on the way to Big Fork is a beautiful windy piece with lots of elevation change... but sees lots of heavy trucks particularly logging rigs.

In about '95 I smacked my finned cast aluminum "deep" TCI th350 pan and header collectors on the center of my lane because the wheel ruts were so deep going through a low area between two hills. It blew my vacuum modulator hose off and the thing would not shift below about 6500 rpm without it. It isn't easy to bribe a kid at a gas station to let you use a lift, but it can be done.

[Sieg]

Bar links installed w/ 7/8" spacers. LCA bump stops narrowed due to spring interference. Shocks installed. Chased camber/caster settings most of the day and finally got it in the zone. Thankfully I installed the offset UCA cross shafts because I had to flip the right side to obtain balanced settings.

Preliminary settings:
Left Cam/Cas -.6 / 5.6
Right Cam/Cas -.7 / 5.4

I plan on setting the toe at 1/16" total for a starting point.

Once it's on the ground and driven a bit so it settles in I'd like to get Cam/Cas Left -.5 / 5.0 and Right at .6 / 5.5.

My previous setup wouldn't allow caster above 4.0 without at least -1.0+ camber, so assuming my work is correct I'm somewhat satisfied...........but how it drives is the critical factor.

[SSLance]

It should be a noticeable improvement!!

Isn't it crazy how just a small shim on a control arm mount can change both the camber and caster so much? Sure makes one appreciate the $$$ hunter alignment machines that tells the operator exactly how much of a shim to put where to get to the desired setting on the first try huh?

[GregWeld]

Remember that caster is really only helping you for "straight line" driving / tracking. The factory setting on a manual steer '55 Chevy was 0 caster... in an effort to help low speed steering (that and the huge steering wheel). Once you go to power steering then the caster can start rising. I think most newer cars are running 5*

The one thing I hate the most in a car is bump steer.... When watching track videos -- I see a lot of it in a lot of cars. I fail to understand someone that would try to dial in their "track car" and yet tolerate a bunch of bump steer. Now that I've mentioned it -- watch for it when you're watching someones track video.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Remember that caster is really only helping you for "straight line" driving / tracking. The factory setting on a manual steer '55 Chevy was 0 caster... in an effort to help low speed steering (that and the huge steering wheel). Once you go to power steering then the caster can start rising. I think most newer cars are running 5*

The one thing I hate the most in a car is bump steer.... When watching track videos -- I see a lot of it in a lot of cars. I fail to understand someone that would try to dial in their "track car" and yet tolerate a bunch of bump steer. Now that I've mentioned it -- watch for it when you're watching someones track video.

Thus the extra .5* on the right to compensate for road crown.

I had the left side at 6.6* but the right wasn't coming in........once it's settled I'll get serious with the settings.

I installed +.5" tie rod ends to hopefully help with bump steer, I don't have a bump steer gauge and didn't have enough room in front of the car on the stands to do the laser plotting trick.

At ride height the steering arms 'appear' to be on a good plain.




After this mornings BBall games I'll get the toe set.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Copy PK - DG - RD and leave in on the jack stands forever...

[GregWeld]

What you'll notice the most is all the new "wubba" in the suspension -- not your settings. It will feel like a new car up front. Not like a new car - just a new car compared to the old factory crap. It's good work and will be noticeable and you'll like it.