Multi-link rear suspension

So, Mark and I have been going back and forth all day about rally car parts and custom parts and such. Mostly because he needs/wants some engineering and design projects that aren't some gay robot that cleans windows.

So I've been filling his head and email box with all my ideas about a multi-link setup for the rear of the Merkur that would use a custom tubular crossmember with a Toyota 8" differential and probably a Subaru upright/strut with a custom stub shaft that allowed use of the Merkur or Cosworth halfshafts when used in conjunction with the JVAB Supra diff adapter piece.

Reasons:
Correct geometry in rear by adding adjustability and removing the changing camber that comes with a semi-trailing arm rear setup.
Add reliability by building with stronger components than the cow yoke Merkur rear beam.
Better differential with large choice of final drives and available LSD options
Longer lasting and stronger bearings possibly
More availability of some of the spares
Reduced unsprung weight and weight as a whole.
Off the shelf disc brake options

Anyhow, just thought I'd post a few pics up here for comments and see if anyone had any recommendations, specifically for the upright to use.

Picture One is similar to what a stock Merkur rear setup looks like.
Picture Two is a WRC rear multilink setup from an Escort
Picture Three is another of the same
And Picture 4 is here and is Lurch's Mazda 3 rear and my original motivation.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/sirlurch/Mazda3071.jpg?t=1198878378

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Grant Hughes

NoCoast Wrote:

> Anyhow, just thought I'd post a few pics up here
> for comments and see if anyone had any
> recommendations, specifically for the upright to
> use.

Go big...

http://www.quaife.co.uk/QUAIFE-universal-hub-and-upright-assembly


Okay, it's a little pricey with the current exchange rate. How about a rear upright off an is300. Very similar trailing arm suspension design so the mounting lugs are all pointed in the proper direction and you get Toyota build quality. Not absurdly priced:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LEXUS-IS300-REAR-LEFT-COMPLETE-KNUCKLE-01-02-03-04-05_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ42605QQihZ019QQitemZ290177467967QQtcZphoto







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2007 06:41PM by Tim Taylor.

Seems Ford, with decent drivers anyway were able to do some pretty good WRC results between 87 and 90 whatever with the tailing arm based suff, and I somehow sorta doubt there much need for the hairsplittingness of the WRC 97 set up, much less justification of what would have to be several thousand dollars by time you're done.

BTW the production jigs are done for the square beam thing and material delivered for the first 3

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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.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD

although I was thinking of struts rather than multi-link.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

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