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I've been thinking about the rear suspension on Project Rascal and how I can make it more 'tune-able' for ride height. I have fitted Suzuki SJ rear leaf springs which has lowered it by 2" and also some Mk2 Escort 2" lowering blocks giving a total drop of around 4". Here are a couple of shots of the current set-up: All well & good, but there is no easy way to 'tweak' the height 10mm here or 5mm there. Also there is no easy way to stiffen the set-up easily (currently fairly soft with lots of roll!) which has led me to the following idea: Keep the leaf spring/lowering blocks in place (probably using 3" blocks to take it even lower) then fitting some coilovers in place of the standard shocks. This means the axle is kept located as per normal (via the leaf springs) but the coilovers will allow me to adjust the height and also stiffen things up with some appropriate springs. Does anyone know if this is an idea that will work or am I being a complete idiot? I figured the coilovers with the leafs would act a little like a 'set' air ride 'bag' on a leaf sprung axle? Talking this idea a stage further - would it be possible to turn the leaf into a trailing arm by using the forward/front sping mount to run an arm to the axle (i.e. like using the front half of a leaf, only out of tube, not the cut leaf itself) then mounting a panhard rod (adjustable) to keep the axle in place? This would mean that the coilover would be acting 100% as a coilover now and the axle isn't fixed fore & aft. I know most Escorts end up going 4 link set-up, but I will not be running any power through this little light weight thing, so wondered if just running some trailing arms with coilovers & panhard rod would be feasible?? Any thoughts and feedback would be really appreciated. ;D
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SJ springs are super soft for off road so the coil over idea would be the quickest, cheapest and most workable for what you're proposing. You could add some extra leafs to stiffen it up or twin dampers. I can't see any reason why you couldn't convert to trailing arms and true coilovers many an SJ goes this route but it's a lot of work. You could always have a play with the shackles, I've seen a set up that uses what looks like a small sissor jack to raise and lower ride hieght.
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Thanks for that. Adding leafs is not really an option because this will raise the ride height again (Rascal has more leafs as standard hence why I swapped to SJ ones) Twin dampers might stiffen it a little, but won't give me the option of adjusting the ride height which is just as important to me. I'm glad you think the 'adding' coilovers might work....it would certainly make it the quickest & cheapest option. Maybe I should consider that route for now while I look more into the trailing arm idea. Shackles aren't any use - they are as short as they can be at the moment. The scissor types are used more to gain height & articulation over the original fixed short ones on an SJ (or other leaf sprung 4x4) when off-roading. The Rascal shackles are shorter than standard SJ ones. The most I could reduce them by is about 10mm which will only give around 5mm of drop at the axle. Shackles are something I've got a lot of experience with. I've made many variations of shackles for Delica's in the past so know all the tricks and pitfalls. Here are some 4" longer shackles I made for my Delica to give a further 2" lift: Thanks again for the input.....
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If you gonna take the weight off the leaves and onto coil overs, make sure the top mounts are strong enough, they are not designed to take the weight of the vehicle normally.
Alternatively you could just cut out that whole section of floor withe the leaf spring mounts and wheel arches on it and mount it back in 2" higher up. :S
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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If you think the forward spring mounts are up to the job of trailing arms the I'd go for that, You sound like you might have made your mind up already so it pays to have what you want rather than some half arsed "that'll do" atempt. The later carry models have trailing arms and coils but then they loose 4" of floor due to this however if you want any pics of the set up just say and i'll post some up.
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Personally I don't think, trying to make coilovers work and still using the leaf springs like some kind of trailing arm and axle location, is going to work. I know what you mean, but you'd have to mess about with it so much to get it right. It would be easier to fabricate some trailing arms and a panhard rod, this setup would work with the powaaarz the Rascal produces and would give you the adjustability you want.
Just remember to reinforce the strut mounting points and make the panhard rod adjustable otherwise as you raise or lower the van it'll push the axle out preventing the wheels from sitting in the arch right.
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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kee
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,991
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Jun 23, 2009 10:01:28 GMT
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don't think much mroe can be added to that up there really. the axle will be located well enough with a trailing arm and panhard rod, however it will need a trailing arm on both sides to prevent it from spinning. i'll explain this with piccies of fez rear suspension. it is seperate damper/spring with solid axle and trailing arms and panhard rod. under acceleration the axle will want to rotate, fiesta dampers have an arm attatched to the axle to stop it from doing this, aswell as the actual mounting.
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kee
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,991
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Jun 23, 2009 10:07:43 GMT
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Jun 23, 2009 10:10:14 GMT
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You can use trailing arms with leaf springs as well, they are called "slipper springs", rally escorts used em for years, you chop the eye off the front of the spring, flatten it a bit and add a roller set up so the front of the spring can slide in and out, that way the leaf only supports the weight of the car without doing any of the locating, but still helps with axle tramp and keeps the loads where they were designed to be, cars with coil overs on em instead needed tall turrets welded in to take the added stresses and give room for a long enough damper in an upright position so they work effectively.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Jun 23, 2009 11:49:44 GMT
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jun 24, 2009 12:17:26 GMT
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I'd go for the 2nd option. Try searching for "ladder bar rear suspension" to get some ideas.
Matt
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Jun 24, 2009 15:37:28 GMT
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Matt - I think you've just given me the answer to what I had in my mind. I didn't know the name of them, but now I do.....a ladder bar is indeed what I was picturing to replace the leafspring. RobinXR - I wasn't meaning that I'd use the leafspring as a trailing arm, more replace it but use the leaf mount locations. I got the idea from Shoguns & Pajero's that have long trailing arms, coil springs on the axle and a panhard rod. No upper arms (4 link) just the long ones from chassis to axle. On the Pajero's they have a 'pin' to locate the end of the arm to the chassis. The other end is wrapped under and fixed to the axle with a hockey-stick shaped mount. My ideas for the rear might change slightly 'for now'....I need to get it lowered pretty soon and the ladder bar idea will probably be too much to tackle (considering all the other jobs on the Rascal yet to do) if I am ever to make it roadworthy for RRG09. I have decided as a temporary measure to look at lowering it with 3" blocks (which will take it too far) then fitting some shackles with a range of adjustment holes so that I can raise & lower the car on the shackles until the ride height is spot on. I also paid a visit to a suspension specialists today who will make me some custom coliovers for a good price. These will almost certainly be finding their way onto the back axle at some point in the future (probably around the time I look into the ladder bars) 4-link is not an option due to the lack of room under the floorpan. It's pretty tight as it is and I know there is not a hope in hell of fitting a 4-link set-up Airbags would have been ideal, but I don't have the budget for them....oh well! Thanks again for all the comments and input. I'll let you know how I get on.....
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markbognor
South East
Posts: 9,970
Club RR Member Number: 56
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Jun 24, 2009 17:24:34 GMT
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Multi drilled shackles sound like a nice KISS solution to me. What about say a 5mm shim for the lowering blocks, so you have a half way spacing between the holes in the shackle. Or even a set of shims of varying thicknesses.
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