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 Post subject: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:40 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Finally pulled my finger out today Sat and started to diagnose,check,analyse the front wheel alignment.
Now this is all gonna be a mega learning curve for me...so whats new? :shock:
I started on this today not only because of the mega understeer prob when racing...BUT also to make that freeloader bloke Akpullet1 to start to earn his mega $alary I cater for as my RaceCrewChiefAdvisor.
Guy's been slackin' lately more than ... :-)

Main thing I noticed when lookin' from the front,ground level,is that the RHS upper/lower ball joint threaded shafts DON'T line up?
Now remember I still have the AC550Pilot that is STD susp on the front end (yee har),so that gives me something to relate to.
The AC550Pilot steers like a car on tarmac,so trying to emulate that with comparison dimensions etc

Got the verniers out and found the gap between the LHS upper/lower ball joint cast knuckle tabs on the FL800 was about 3mm-1/8" wider? :shock:
Maybe done by me on some jumping events not sure? Or by Akpullet showin' off wheelyin'? :shock: ONLY kiddin' Mate! :-)
Anyway removed it all,in the vice and gently pressed it all back to match Std.
The way it was leaning/angling outwards,was causing Pos camber.

I need to get all this up on level stands and emulate what FastCar? Did?
I think it was he who did a thread on LT alignment? Lots of pics too.


Attachments:
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File comment: This is the RHS,see how the upper/lower joints are inline? Not so on the LHS.Forgot to take pic of LHS prior work.
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:52 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
more pics


Attachments:
File comment: AC550Pilot Std Susp,see inline?
DSC02721.JPG
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File comment: Closing the knuckle gap.
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File comment: See how the mount angles down inwards?
Gettin' there,mine was straight.

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File comment: Checking correct OEM angles to gauge from the AC550Pilot
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DSC02732.JPG
DSC02732.JPG [ 44.89 KiB | Viewed 1494 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 10:18 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
:-) :-) more pics.


Attachments:
File comment: Going to swap the inner steering rod from above to below the pivot plate to be more inline with it all.
DSC02733.JPG
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File comment: RHS lower A arm bent,again don't know if by me...or by everyone's fave Alaskan?
DSC02734.JPG
DSC02734.JPG [ 51.54 KiB | Viewed 1493 times ]
File comment: I cleaned up the knuckle to expose any markings,and found these...what do they mean? 9UIY...ET got home?


Hey where's my fave EX Aussie, Leeping Lee to answer this...any thoughts on these markings Lee?

DSC02741.JPG
DSC02741.JPG [ 53.96 KiB | Viewed 1493 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:39 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
more pics from yesterday.
The bottom balljoint is shagged,sloppy,I can see an open style ring/clip in the top joint that should release the joint with some press out?
The bottom joint retainer ring is dab welded underneath,bugger.So will need to grind off before pressout.
Anyone know these joints?


Attachments:
File comment: Anyone recognise these markings?
DSC02750.JPG
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DSC02751.JPG
DSC02751.JPG [ 43.02 KiB | Viewed 1464 times ]
DSC02755.JPG
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File comment: Cut some driver slots for holding while nutting.
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File comment: Not perfect but much better.
DSC02761.JPG
DSC02761.JPG [ 56.25 KiB | Viewed 1464 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:00 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Sun evening now Downunder,nearly 10pm...Beer O'clock!.....................Wine O'clock.......................................................Anything................................

Had a productive day,and solved some RHS A arm damage/probs this time.
Bottom A arm more bent than banana.
Lucky I asked one of my customer's for this bigarse chunk of UniBeam.
Weighs a tonne(metric of course),no wonder my back is sexually intercoursed after lifting it up onto my Nissan trayback to get it back home.
Always knew it would come in handy one day................and the next.......................and the.................
Took some pounding on the A arm resting ontop of the unibeam end,but finally got a result.
Then cut/mod the balljoint SHAFT end,refit it all,and kinda happy with the reuslt.
Again not perfect,but much better than before.
Now I have a more even playing field to finalise the settings.


Attachments:
File comment: Removed bot banana arm
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DSC02764.JPG
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File comment: When I threw this....it came back?
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DSC02767.JPG
DSC02767.JPG [ 61.51 KiB | Viewed 1454 times ]
File comment: Not done this much pounding in yonks?
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DSC02773.JPG
DSC02773.JPG [ 69.9 KiB | Viewed 1454 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:12 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
mmmore


Attachments:
File comment: Anyone recognise these joints?
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DSC02777.JPG
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File comment: Hoser these look familiar to you at all?
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File comment: See the couple of weld tabs on the ring?
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DSC02782.JPG
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:17 am 
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Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 873
If those are atvr control arms I believe they are type 2 vw ball joints. Ask PPP for sure as I know he just
Replaced some in his control arms. They are not a straight drop in as I know he had to have machine work done to them.


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:19 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
:shock:


Attachments:
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DSC02785.JPG
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File comment: Lot better.
DSC02786.JPG
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File comment: After all the poundin',no not that poundin' Nukem! My F clamp made the job of fitting up easier.Every time I use an F clamp,I think of F Troop!
DSC02787.JPG
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:28 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Thanks rppjr,hopefully Chad will chime in? :-) Thanks for your reply.


Attachments:
DSC02789.JPG
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File comment: I installed a piece of tiny alu RHS to the OEM bumper mount/holes to reference from.
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DSC02792.JPG
DSC02792.JPG [ 79.12 KiB | Viewed 1450 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:53 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Spent the weekend familiarising myself with the front suspension.
Made some adjustments,see how I go in testing.
I did'nt do this alignment procedure properly as shown for eg in afastcars thread.
I wanted to just see and feel what diffs if any by resetting camber,toe etc, just by eyeball engineering.
I'll learn by what I have done,and see diffs that each adjustment has done?
I also cut/ fitted a small piece of rubber hose joining the upper/lower ball joint threaded shafts.
This will keep them clean somewhat and protected from debris/damage so that future work SHOULD make it easier to undo the nuts?
Image
Image


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:09 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 3760
Location: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
A while back one of my customers(speedway sprintcar builder)threw away an alu Sprintcar spoiler in the dumpster!
Well I could'nt resist could I? :shock:
I plan on cutting it down to suit the FL800?......maybe?
I used to love watching Radical's Pilot racing with his speedway spoiler.
I plopped it on the FL800-uncut- just to get a looksee? :-)
Don't tell Ak! He'll cut my sphericals off! :shock:

Image
Image
Image

Image
Image
Image


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:03 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:19 pm
Posts: 2245
Location: Chandler, AZ
Baz in your last set of pictures the front end looks toed out a bunch.


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:09 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:19 pm
Posts: 2245
Location: Chandler, AZ
Going by the eyball test the camber looks close maybe a little to much negative camber "when the top of the front wheel is tipped in" but I personally would rather run a little more negative camber than zero to positive camber to help cornering.

The camber on the rear wheels look off to me like they have positive camber "tipped out at the top of the tire"


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:35 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:19 pm
Posts: 2245
Location: Chandler, AZ
If you want to eyeball the caster the best way to do it is to stand over the front tire, facing the wheel with one foot in front of the tire and the other foot behind the tire.

looking straight down at the spindle/knuckle.

draw an imaginary line straight through the upper ball joint, through the spindle/knuckle, and through the lower ball joint.

"Pretend the the hose you put on the upper and lower ball joints to protect the threads extends through the lower ball joint to the ground and through the upper balljoint towards your face".

If when you look through that line the lower ball joint is ahead "towards the front bumper" of the upper balljoint that's positive caster.

If the upper balljoint is ahead "towards the front bumper" of the lower balljoint that is negative caster.

How much in degrees you won't know with out a gauge but you can get a rough estimate and try to get both sides close to the same.


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:38 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:19 pm
Posts: 2245
Location: Chandler, AZ
The ackerman is off but every pilot is that way.


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 Post subject: Re: FL800 suspenders.
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:39 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:19 pm
Posts: 2245
Location: Chandler, AZ
Have you checked the wheelbase left side compared to the right side?


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