Modifying Merkur rear for adjustability

The way guys I've seen in the USA and on street cars in the UK to correct camber/toe is by shimming the bearing carrier. The more proper way I've seen, only overseas, is by modifying the STA. The inner one it seems is modified to be moved up and down like is pictured. The outer mount they move forward to backward. I've not quite thought enough about it to get a good grasp on which one allows adjustment of which suspension setting. Anyhow, here's some pictures.

It'd make sense to have it be adjustable while the STA is attached to the car.

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Grant Hughes

Or, if we can figure out a sensible hub solution, something like this could be done. WRC style. The fabrication is something most race shops would be capable of. The funny thing is, here in the US, those that would consider responding would say, "Just leave the stock alone, shim the bearing carrier to get it close and call it a day." In the UK they'd say, "Don't waste your time, call Tim Finch, ATM Sport, etc and buy the real Group A rear parts." Or, "Call Zoo." But we're not in the UK and I'm not going to spend $8000 to fix rear flaws. In fact, I'll probably not spend any money fixing this issue for a while. Not until I do a few more cages and sell a few more sets of gussets anyhow.

http://www.nocoastmotorsports.net/Build/wrcend.jpg

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Grant Hughes

Something like this is the right way.
GpA rear beam ajustable rear arms AP 4pot brakes GpA hubs/flanges complete less diff and shafts £995

GpA 9" rear diff with 4.4 cwp + shafts + kevlar diff guard (rebuilt Barra motorsport )£2995

Like I said $8000 for proper rear.

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Grant Hughes

$8000 for everything or a hundred or two to work with what you have for the time being? Hmm.

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow?

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

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

Pete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $8000 for everything or a hundred or two to work
> with what you have for the time being? Hmm.
>
> A good plan today is better than a perfect plan
> tomorrow?
>
>
>
> Pete Remner
> Cleveland, Ohio
> 1985 RX-7 rallycross rustbucket/experimentation
> thingus
> 1984 RX-7 reshell
> 1978


Working with what you have is still a step ahead of my (and most honest ralliest's)driving skills and I have a nice twisting practice stage within a few miles of home. As they say "no substitute for seat time" I hope to one day to out drive most of the stock XR parts that I am still using and either a)crash the car or b)slam my helmet in disgust at the end of the stage before rebuilding the car doing it all the truely proper way. I would never run an Xr without JVAB suspension. IT ROCKS! But brakes, T5, proper lsd and gearing, seam welding, caster/camber changes that can wait until I learn to outdrive the current car.

My 0.02

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

But, what if the car is holding you back?

I can't imagine actually rallying with the stock T9 ratios and final drive. But I've driven an Open class Subaru with 4.44 and close ratio straight cut synchro gears versus an Open class Subaru with stock gearbox, 3.9 ratio and open diffs.

I take a bit of a different approach. I don't plan on any big engine mods. I'm cool with stock power. But I want sweet braking and handling. I will stick with the unadjustability of the rear for as long as I can. But I know that the desire to fix it will stay with me until I do something about it.

Got a spare set of hubs and TCA's at the junkyard today though. May see what happens when I try to make my own adjustable TCA's. I also have an idea for the control arm to give adjustability to front castor as well.

See, I have to actually make all the money for the rally car through rally car endeavours now. At least until I'm done with school and making a bigger salary. So I can't buy expensive parts, I sure as hell can't afford to do any rallies, all but the final hill climb interfere with my life schedule. So I get to be meticulous, think about things alot, and try to build solutions. Plus my roommate is in school for mech e and I keep trying to get him to build me parts as a project for school.

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Grant Hughes

nothing wrong with doing it the right way the first time. I was just offering a counterpoint to the usual strong advice of you need to fix/change all these things on the car to make it rally worthy. I have become a believe in the get out there and drive philosophy. While I have a long list of things that I know would make the car better I know that the cheapest way to improve my stage times is to improve my driving skills. I am finding a few things that are starting to hold me back. Gear ratios, proper lsd, and non-mushing bushings for consistent geometry are on my list now. Grant it sounds like you are heading done a different road to get to the same point we both want to be.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

If I could start over I'd probably go your route. But really, I kind of have. I've got a nice radiator, a cossie intercooler, and some coolers. Outside of that, the only thing I've done is welded the diff, brakes, and suspension.

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Grant Hughes

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cosworth-grp-a-square-rear-beam-with-y-brkts_W0QQitemZ270118680533QQihZ017QQcategoryZ21654QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cosworth-group-a-rally-car-909-magnesium-rear-arm_W0QQitemZ200108058026QQihZ010QQcategoryZ21654QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I wish I had the money (and shipping sources) for that beam.

Ha. Found a pic of some of the individual parts that need machined to modify the stock arms.

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Grant Hughes

Forgot to attach...

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Grant Hughes