Suspension travel, shock towers and maths.

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Paul Buck
ok. so work has been utterly crazy... but now, with all of you fellows fine words of wisdom, i feel i have enough info and reassurance to go ahead and get this thing done. found some 5" steel tube with 3mm walls and it's $50 for 4ft. Not bad. Going to get on it this weekend while trying to go pick up a 16v motor for Roderick. I told him he'd have to fight me for it when he comes to pick it up. community!

Know any driveshaft shops that do truck stuff? Often they had stub ends for cheap...maybe not .125 but hey I got a bunch for like $5 once.

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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.

I'm with John, that's crazy expensive for what it is. Especially since iron-ore and steel prices are at an all time low. Thank you China!

I just checked a recent order I placed with Tuber Service Co on Swan Island. A 20ft stick of 4in 0.120 wall was $120.

There are 3 driveline shops near I-5/Columbia. I deal with Potter Webster, and they are a relaxed group of dudes.

Are you planning on using the tubes as they are and cutting circular holes in the floor to fit them?
Or are you going to use them as a starting point, cut them in half to make them look like a "D" from a birdseye view then possibly add to them as needed.

I ask because I used 6 inch tubes, and slammed them in as is. Installing them using the method I described in the first sentence of this post. No clearance issues however any smaller and the coilovers would be hitting the sides of the towers/tubes. Mine are stupid close in a few scenarios.

That's a good point Eric. I was told 5" was adequate and my plan was to put them in as tubes. But plans change... did you attach yours to the axle or the trailing arms? Maybe I'll source some cheaper 6" to be safe.

Axle. And even when I had stock trailing arms they were attached to the axle. I would normally think that 5 inch would do but for whatever reason my coilovers move around a bunch. That being said they are roughly 3 inches diameter which would leave less than 1.5 inches either direction for movement with a 6'' OD tube.

Paul, if you want to get all fancy we can take some measurements and then make a quick CAD model. We can then run the suspension through it's travel on the computer and look at all the clearances.
Sounds like a fun project.

Sounds like a very informative project and a potentially amazing resource for many, many people.

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Paul Buck
Sounds like a very informative project and a potentially amazing resource for many, many people.

Or at least two.

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Grant Hughes

What about driveshaft stroke?

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

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NoCoast

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Paul Buck
Sounds like a very informative project and a potentially amazing resource for many, many people.

Or at least two.

Basically.

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Robert Culbertson

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NoCoast

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Paul Buck
Sounds like a very informative project and a potentially amazing resource for many, many people.

Or at least two.

Basically.

Well one really: you.
We've already done this, Kevin Hawkinson and I.
Piccies have been posted before someplace.

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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.

Pictures are great, but actual numbers are a bit more useful at times.

Cooler heads, and laziness, prevailed. No CAD modelling for now.
Removed the springs and shocks and ran the suspension through full droop to full bump. Plenty of clearance if the stock bump stops are used. Probably should lift one wheel up and drop the other to check articulation clearance.

Figured out that the stock upper spring perch has a nice little hole in the center that can be used for locating. Paul took a drill bit and went straight up through that and it went through the trunk floor in the right spot. Makes locating the center of the tower easy. Now the search for a massive hole saw...

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Robert Culbertson
Cooler heads, and laziness, prevailed. No CAD modelling for now.
Removed the springs and shocks and ran the suspension through full droop to full bump. Plenty of clearance if the stock bump stops are used. Probably should lift one wheel up and drop the other to check articulation clearance.

Figured out that the stock upper spring perch has a nice little hole in the center that can be used for locating. Paul took a drill bit and went straight up through that and it went through the trunk floor in the right spot. Makes locating the center of the tower easy. Now the search for a massive hole saw...

Piece of wood to steady the hand for the plasma cutter might be easier...

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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.

plasma scares the peasants, they're all used to scythes...

or, we just don't have one.

i am, however, super good at burning holes in cars with a welder.