Thanks George,
Koni's here will set me back 3k I expect which is a lot for a car that I haven't even driven yet so I don't know if it's a good example or a bad example. I wouldn't mind getting it going, on the road in a reasonable trim and setup level, then if I find that I really enjoy the car, then I'm likely to spend a few bucks on improvements.
Otherwise I'm likely to get it all sorted, find I don't enjoy it as much as other cars that I own and I'll have spent a zillion dollars for someone else and won't get the return for it.
Cars.............always a quandry.
Anyone have a current email address for the guys at Alden?
Always a bit of a giveaway in this age of cheap domain names when a business is still using an email address from the internet provider. I had a feeling it might bounce back.
Always a bit of a giveaway in this age of cheap domain names when a business is still using an email address from the internet provider. I had a feeling it might bounce back.
quote:I'm likely to get it all sorted, find I don't enjoy it as much as other cars that I own
Once you get it and drive it, you will find how totally silly THAT statement was.
Larry
Fair enough Larry.
It has some nice stablemates to get along with though.
It has some nice stablemates to get along with though.
Alden swapped my rear springs out about a year and a half ago at no charge. The previous owner of my car put 450/650 combo spring rates on my car and after talking to Dennis Quella, who suggested I go with a lighter rear spring, I called Alden and they were great and swapped the 650's out for 550's. I spoke to the owner who was great.
When I talked to Dennis Quella and Steve Wilkinson they're shock prices were very reasonable and no where near the $$$ you've mentioned. I kept my notes and Quella quoted me $1,150 for steel and $1,550 for Aluminum (a year or two ago). I personally didn't think that steel vs aluminum was worth the price difference at least for me. Now those prices were for a narrow body car so with the wider tires and wheels they may be selling you a larger shock body to control the larger mass. Also they may have been a shock with fewer adjustment positions? Maybe the prices you are talking about include some sort of import tax to get them into Australia?
Also I would definitely recommend (as others have) doing the modification for increasing the front end caster...you will think you are driving a different car.
When I talked to Dennis Quella and Steve Wilkinson they're shock prices were very reasonable and no where near the $$$ you've mentioned. I kept my notes and Quella quoted me $1,150 for steel and $1,550 for Aluminum (a year or two ago). I personally didn't think that steel vs aluminum was worth the price difference at least for me. Now those prices were for a narrow body car so with the wider tires and wheels they may be selling you a larger shock body to control the larger mass. Also they may have been a shock with fewer adjustment positions? Maybe the prices you are talking about include some sort of import tax to get them into Australia?
Also I would definitely recommend (as others have) doing the modification for increasing the front end caster...you will think you are driving a different car.
Bilsteins will be $2300 and Koni's just over $3k. Yep, we get ripped on import duties down here.
I just spoke with Alden and they are more than happy to sort me out. They also agree that the rear shocks sound like they are doing nothing.
Looks like I'll have to rip them off and send them over. They quote a 3 day turnaround so shouldn't be too bad.
Yes, the mods to the front upper arms look very interesting. Seems there are two ways to go about it. Either a modified upper arm with an alloy block to alter the king pin inclination or an offset bush. I don't understand the bush situation though as this would affect camber and from my understanding we need to promote more castor to effectively lengthen the wheelbase slightly so the car tracks better in a straight line at high speeds.
I just spoke with Alden and they are more than happy to sort me out. They also agree that the rear shocks sound like they are doing nothing.
Looks like I'll have to rip them off and send them over. They quote a 3 day turnaround so shouldn't be too bad.
Yes, the mods to the front upper arms look very interesting. Seems there are two ways to go about it. Either a modified upper arm with an alloy block to alter the king pin inclination or an offset bush. I don't understand the bush situation though as this would affect camber and from my understanding we need to promote more castor to effectively lengthen the wheelbase slightly so the car tracks better in a straight line at high speeds.
Changing the caster forces the steering to stay on center...its almost like spring loading the steering so that even if you have your hands off the steering wheel it automatically centers the steering(my crude explanation). I'm sure the engineers on the list have a much better explanation. The nice part is as you rotate the steering wheel off center, it becomes progressively harder and that input helps you steer the car and gives you feedback.
Yeah, I'm cool with that Tom. I dialled 7degrees into one of my Lexus Coupes this week and the difference was amazing.
Johnny Woods does the A-arm mod at a fraction of the price that Pat Mical is charging.
I plan on sending mine to him as soon as my car returns from paint.
Will
I plan on sending mine to him as soon as my car returns from paint.
Will
Do you have a contact for him Will?
Maybe I send the amrs to him whilst the shockers are in Carson CA.
I rang Alden this morning and they were exceptionally helpful. Just up to me to get the struts to them now and they will refurbish them.
Maybe I send the amrs to him whilst the shockers are in Carson CA.
I rang Alden this morning and they were exceptionally helpful. Just up to me to get the struts to them now and they will refurbish them.
Rob,
Johnny did my A arms as per the pic posted.
He regularly participates in this forum. You can send a post to him by going to the forum heading select GO them MEMBERS. Find Johnny on page 10 +/-.
He also does the rear A arms. I haven't gotten there yet.
If you know someone going to the UK for a week, have them carry the A arms and them post them to Johnny from the airport post office.
Mark
Johnny did my A arms as per the pic posted.
He regularly participates in this forum. You can send a post to him by going to the forum heading select GO them MEMBERS. Find Johnny on page 10 +/-.
He also does the rear A arms. I haven't gotten there yet.
If you know someone going to the UK for a week, have them carry the A arms and them post them to Johnny from the airport post office.
Mark
Johnny's website. www.woodsautomotive.co.uk
Johny Woods posted an album previously on doing the a-arm modification (link below). Not to takle anything away from Johnny as he is a true perfectionist but if you have some basic welding skills and access to a 20 ton press it is actualy pretty easy.... I did mine myself.
Failing that I'm pretty sure a local machine shop could do it for you for probably the cost of shipping the a-arms from Aus to the UK.
http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/...deshow&x_startwith=1
Julian
Failing that I'm pretty sure a local machine shop could do it for you for probably the cost of shipping the a-arms from Aus to the UK.
http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/...deshow&x_startwith=1
Julian
Rob, what does Johnny Woods do to the rear A-arms?
Not sure, Mark seems to be in the know.
He does the same mod as Pat Mical. I have not seen it so I can't comment. I am very happy with the front being done.
Mark
Mark
This is Pat Mical's rear, which personally I think looks a bit of a high school shop job.
IMO it is much better just to get a set of the later GT5 style rear a-arms which replace the ball joint with a heim for camber adjustment. You really don't need the caster adjustment on the rear and if you did you can gain a degree or so with offset bushings.
Julian
IMO it is much better just to get a set of the later GT5 style rear a-arms which replace the ball joint with a heim for camber adjustment. You really don't need the caster adjustment on the rear and if you did you can gain a degree or so with offset bushings.
Julian
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quote:Originally posted by OzGT5:
It has some nice stablemates to get along with though.
Okay you sucked me in at least.......don't just leave it hanging there. What stablemates?
Julian
Rob, you say you dialed in 7 degrees caster on your Lexus...that's a lot. I assume that you have power steering? My Mclaren ran 4.5 to 5 degrees and I thought that was a lot...but then again there was 11"+ of contact patch on the ground and the tires were gumballs...when they got hot it took a fair amount of strength to muscle the wheel.
Julian how much caster does your race car run?
Julian how much caster does your race car run?
Julian, it's actually a Toyota Soarer UZZ32, which is the full hydraulic suspension version of the USA Spec Lexus SC400.
No springs, shockers or sway bars, just a hydraulic ram with nitrogen accumulator at each corner, a series of G sensors and an electronic valve body to push the fluid around.
Impossible to body roll, cannot dive under brakes and cannot sqat under drive loads. Also 4 wheel steer, and naturally, power assistance.
220 000 Soarer / Lexus SC series coupes made for the World market, and only 873 of them are UZZ32 hydraulic cars. Very rare.
I have 6 of them, two with supercharged engines.
Stock is +3 caster but we push it up for track use. Car runs 285's up front and 315's on the rear, so it's pretty well shod.
No springs, shockers or sway bars, just a hydraulic ram with nitrogen accumulator at each corner, a series of G sensors and an electronic valve body to push the fluid around.
Impossible to body roll, cannot dive under brakes and cannot sqat under drive loads. Also 4 wheel steer, and naturally, power assistance.
220 000 Soarer / Lexus SC series coupes made for the World market, and only 873 of them are UZZ32 hydraulic cars. Very rare.
I have 6 of them, two with supercharged engines.
Stock is +3 caster but we push it up for track use. Car runs 285's up front and 315's on the rear, so it's pretty well shod.