83 RX7 Stage Rally Car Suspension

I can weld and am confident I can build a roll cage that could save my life. I said that "I didn't know about swapping a different axle" because i didn't know where to mount the brackets for the upper arm and i didn't understand how to do it. I do understand how to build a roll cage and i now understand how to swap a axle with a 4 link that will work better.

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-Zack

Quote
zack13277
I can weld and am confident I can build a roll cage that could save my life. I said that "I didn't know about swapping a different axle" because i didn't know where to mount the brackets for the upper arm and i didn't understand how to do it. I do understand how to build a roll cage and i now understand how to swap a axle with a 4 link that will work better.

OK cause the next thing Alex is going to convince you to do is to fab and weld in some shock towers...I know cause we were just talking on his lunch break about towers..

Something like this:


Very easy to make...this lets you run long coilovers located just behind the axle..

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Ok, that looks like something I could do, what gauge metal though? When you make the coilovers for the rear can they come with top hats that would fit into the new strut towers or are they pretty much universal, where I can bolt on my own top hat. Also about how long would it take to get front and rear coilovers made.

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-Zack



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2015 03:21PM by zack13277.

There's a better design top for live axle cars that John has referred to, let's you run a nice simple NASCAR style shock with a 1/2" eye on each end. Saves money, makes things easier. I'll find a pic when I get home from work.

http://www.rallyanarchy.com/phorum/read.php?5,83276,page=5 Check this out, specifically the post from November 22nd. See how the tops are? LIS, lets an eyelet shock bolt up, no need for machined top mounts or special pins on the end of the shock or any of that crap.

Actually, not a bad thread to look at in general.

That looks like a good design, I'd just have to find shock adapters though.

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-Zack



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2015 05:29PM by zack13277.

Quote
mekilljoydammit
There's a better design top for live axle cars that John has referred to, let's you run a nice simple NASCAR style shock with a 1/2" eye on each end. Saves money, makes things easier. I'll find a pic when I get home from work.

First yeah that was a "more or less thing.. I made that for a MkI Suzuki Swift which had struts in the rear so the Suzuki got strut mounts..
A car with shocks gets plain shock ends with-------IF GUYS ARE SMART---15mm ID bearings so that instead of the horrible garbage annoying POS unless shit spacers that everybody else makes----they can buy nice stainless steel ones from me..

The POS ones are simple sawed off pices of tube..JUNK.


And daniel, slow down , follow along so you understand the why and don't think its just ---what did the noob BLOOODMISTDEMON say?--oh year "faceface vanhamsandwhich" going off...

Think not of the lower mount where you MIGHT have OK access to fuck with a bolt a gas shock and 2 spacers to drop repeatedly..
Think of the UPPER end where its way the fuck up ther and you can't reach up...and the damn bearing cocks---whaddya gonna do?

Now off road guys have some pretty things-


But they fail too..they got it half right: they poke into and stay in a larger ID bearing---and larger bearings are stronger---but that spacer will still catch and gouge and bind when shoving it up between 2 flats....

What works, and its Sooper Bitchin cause it works is these:


What's so special?
These plug into a 15mm bearing and they self align when you push them between two flats.
Just shove in and slide a bolt thru..
+-
Instead of fucking around like a fool for !!#*^$$%%+ minutes

If guys are smart---they buy the shock from me and they come with the 15mm bearings installed
And either universal Soooper bitchin Stainless spacers, or for like VW or Xratty where there is a specific length (lower on Golves is 50mm between flats) you get the correct spacers..
But always 12mm bolt.
And Correct 12mm bolt clearance, not a 12mm ID with a 12mm bolt rattling around..

So something like this when fabbing he'll be the one welding the mounts on so he can go "Universal" length (Its the gap between flats in upper mount on a Sierra/Xratty) top and bottom..
And it just so happens I supplied everybody doing axle swaps in the last 15 years in US rally with their ready to weld link tabs and shock mounts..

How convenient!

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
zack13277
That looks like a good design, I'd just have to find shock adapters though.

Nope just look above...I try and make it all as easy as possible--so I make everything needed excpt the links themselves and the rod ends..

Oh! That tower thing I used 13 gauge I think for the side part...And about .100" for the top..

For the fabbing we sheared up a rectangle, lifted a 35 foor 5 1/2" pipe with a crane and sat it on the sheetmetal, I grabbed the ends and pulled upwards and whacked it a few times and it takes a set..
Done in about 3 minutes..
The tops were a little more time to fold it over to make the final weld an overlapping flat on flat weld..Which is about the easiest weld to do right and be strong.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

John, yeah, I was going off the top of my head on some of this crap, while typing on a phone at work; I figgered I got some details only approximately right. I've made some like the middle of those for roadrace things because of the obvious reasons - fawkin' frustrating trying to get stuff all in the right place, even when you're doing it in a shop, even on the bottom. The top in the field seems like it'd be a bitch. I think I get what you're doing there as far as shape of the adapter dealies and that makes a lotta sense. Not something I've ever had to deal with in the crap I do; there's a reason I told 'im to talk to you.

Ok, John let me see if I understand you. The second picture you posted is a rear link that I could buy for use in the rear axle and it comes with all the brackets that I can weld on, on the axle and body. Then for the rear shocks if I wanted to I could use the stock set up I have now or I could make a new shock tower like the Volvo mentioned earlier and use that 15mm bearing, but would you have the bracket for the top of the shock mount too? Or I could make a strut tower like the one you posted earlier?

I'm sorry for all the questions, I haven't done any suspension modifications like this before. Hahaha

-Zack

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-Zack

Quote
zack13277
Ok, John let me see if I understand you. The second picture you posted is a rear link that I could buy for use in the rear axle and it comes with all the brackets that I can weld on, on the axle and body. Then for the rear shocks if I wanted to I could use the stock set up I have now or I could make a new shock tower like the Volvo mentioned earlier and use that 15mm bearing, but would you have the bracket for the top of the shock mount too? Or I could make a strut tower like the one you posted earlier?

I'm sorry for all the questions, I haven't done any suspension modifications like this before. Hahaha

-Zack

It's OK Zack, most haven't either...but some have as their very first foray into anything car like---aside from Cold Hair Insnake or foo foo shit like that...

I have to go carve on some struts ---Volvo 240 for Australia ---but gimme some time and between Alex and I we'll see if we can make some clearer thing...Alex like me is mostly concerned that you not get brou-ha ha-ed and get shy about cutting...and welding..

It isn't rough and the benefits in terms of FUN and performance are huge.

But more later.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Ok, thanks a lot, I really appreciate all the help.

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-Zack

This is off topic, but what is the best, easiest way to mount a 12a engine to a 2nd gen subframe?

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-Zack

well, i would go 13b since its better performing. not to mention 12a rotor housings are no longer availible from mazda so that makes it a thing.

only way to do it is build mounts of the chassis for the front brace. i though about doing this on mine to push the engine farther back so i can fit 12a radiator positions. this would mean that no engine weight is riding on the subframe itself.

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First Rally: 2010 First RallyX: 2004 (a bunch)
Driver (0), Co-Driver (7)
Organizer (3), Volunteer (3)
Cars Built (2.5), Engines Blown (2) Cages Built (0) # of rotations (3.5)
Last Updated, Apr 9, 2023

Yeah, I measured it out today I need to raise the mounts 2.375", I just have to check if it needs to go forward or backward to bolt up to transmission when I get the subframe in.

I'm going to use the 12a because I already have it apart and can always swap a 13b or other motor in down the road.

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-Zack