Gauging interest: Suspension parts

[Wiisass]

I don't know what A1 will be doing. My friend, who originally designed the arms has not worked there for a couple years now. So we are using his experience and my suspension knowledge to put together the best package for the supra.

We just used the sawzall to get the rear lower control arm off. Tried heat, big hammers and such and it ended up bending the subframe mounts a little. But the subframe is coming off soon anyway for some reinforcing anyway, so it's not a big deal, more just a pain in the ass than anything.

I might actually leave the front lower on there until I pull the subframe. I don't think it would be worth it do redo the front lower arm, at least cost wise. I will be looking into new bushings for it though and possibly something for the ball joint, but remaking the whole arm would probably cost too much and then it wouldn't be worth selling. And with the adjustment we're planning on getting out of the upper, the lower won't need to be messed with as much.

Tim

 

[shaeff]

A1's stuff:

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/price/Toyota/MK3_Supra/A1/Suspension/Camber_Kits

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/price/Toyota/MK3_Supra/A1/Suspension/Traction_Arms

 

[Wiisass]

Chris, I am pretty familiar with A1's stuff. I just haven't been over there in a while, probably over a year now. I think they can still put together some of the stuff, but I don't know if they're still making any of the pieces. But either way, once I get these made, you guys won't have to go anywhere else for anything suspension related for the supra.

 

[Mr. Sinister]

once I get these made, you guys won't have to go anywhere else for anything suspension related for the supra.

Heh. I think that's what most of us want to hear.

 

[shaeff]

Heh. I think that's what most of us want to hear.

exactly what i wanted to hear. i'll put off buying things for the time being.

any idea when these will be developed/sold? i'm shooting to have the car on the road this summer. i'd love NOT to have to pull rear suspension components again.

 

[Wiisass]

Well since I messed up bushings on at least one of the arms taking them off the car. I need to have at least the prototypes done within the next month. So I will get them on the car, test them out a little, make sure that all my design assumptions were verified and then they'll be ready for sale. So I'm hoping to do a big group buy/sale for the arms around March. The endlinks have already been tested though, so I just need to find a supplier for the center section and they'll be ready.

Tim

 

[flubyux2]

i was hopin to talk to you about this stuff Tim... when i was playing musical wheels the other day, it turns out both my lower ball joints are shot in the front. so it got me thinking... how much lighter could the lower arms be if they were made from DOM Chromoly tubing.

the Uppers most definitly need to be addressed since at the very least, we could switch over to servicable units rathr than having to replace the entire piece.

i dont konw how practical it would be, but i these a few things;

a narrowed front sway bar (to clear bigger tires)
offset strut-tops to move them inboard, away from the top of the tires
or, offset strut tops for the front and pushrod coilovers for the rear... so we can tuck 12" or 13" wide wheels

note the strut tops;

 

[Wiisass]

The lower arms could be made lower and I am considering it, but they're last on the list of arms to get done. It's just more complicated and therefore more expensive and I don't know if it would be worth the time to develop for the market. But I will take a closer look at things and see if I can come up with any ideas. Also, the arms is still going to have to be pretty solid because of the bending loads it sees from the spring and shock.

The uppers will be serviceable and bearings will be easily replaceable. There will most likely be spherical bearings at all 3 points of attachment. And they will be pretty adjustable.

As for your other requests, it would be less work and make more sense to modify the fender and body of the car to fit bigger wheels than to make all these suspension changes. Not to mention it would be cheaper to do bodywork.

Sway bar packaging is hard, it could be done though, but it would most like require some custom work which I don't think people will be interested in doing. I would like to redesign the sway bars to something more modular and adjustable, but I want to wait until my sway bar testing is done before I spend too much time on that.

Those strut tops are interesting, but again, it probably wouldn't be worth it. It would also slightly change the installation ratio of the spring and damper, probably not enough to change much though. How much room would you expect to get. It looks like the upper mounting point of the shock has moved about 1", so at the point of the wheel/tire, how much room are you actually gaining. And without redoing the sway bar in the front, you're still limited by that if actually want to turn the wheel.

And pushrods, would be a lot of money. Just all the components that would be needed and the design time going into it.

But if you're really serious, I can do it, it will probably be a one-off and cost a decent bit of money. But it can be done and if you want to pay for it, I would be willing to do it.

Tim

 

[Mk3runner]

bump, hows the progress?

 

[SupraOfDoom]

Heh. I think that's what most of us want to hear.

Amen. Hopefully you'll have it all since I want to build a track car when I sell my targa car.