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Changing narrow body struts to widebody

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 9:34 am
by JAS
Ok, so Im having a bit of trouble finding someone to send over some widebody stub axles/spindles.
(Ive got some D2s for my widey and I dont want to cut up my factory struts)

So I wondered if you could cut the shock tube on some narrow body struts and put a kink in them to give the same angle.
You would have to cut them as far down as you could and make sure they were welded very well. But I cant see a problem in doing this.

Has anyone tried?
Does anyone see a problem with doing this?

The other way would be to machine out the hole in the cast part that the tube goes through at a different angle. But I think the first option would be the best.

Any thoughts?

Any thoughts?

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:08 am
by ProZac
Might prove a problem come certification time? Getting them even might also be a little tricky.

You'd have to do the kink around 10mm above the cast hub, to keep any welding away from the cast area, then weld the shock tubes one maybe 10-15mm above that? Might limit the amount of 'lows' you can get?

Narrowbody front lower arms, and then narrowbody stuff would bolt up and give you correct alignment? But then your sweet wheels wouldn't fit as well.

Bloody useless yanks. I can't believe no one over there is able to cut some shock tubes off and send you the hubs, it's not like your wanting everything super cheap. I've found the alot of the regular guys on the starquest forum to be bloody frustrating to deal with... Soooo slow, promise one thing, then reneg on it.

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:06 pm
by redzone
Wont work, the angle difference is in the cast stub axle...

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:54 pm
by RiceThief
What about measuring the difference in the stub angles and see if there is enough adjustment in the d2 camber plates to dial out the extra negative camber you will get.

Also I am surprised that you are having so much trouble getting it, maybe I was lucky but that is where I got mine and the seller cut down the strut for me too.

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:51 pm
by JAS
RiceThief wrote:What about measuring the difference in the stub angles and see if there is enough adjustment in the d2 camber plates to dial out the extra negative camber you will get.

Also I am surprised that you are having so much trouble getting it, maybe I was lucky but that is where I got mine and the seller cut down the strut for me too.
I could do that but my rims only have 3mm clearance as it is. So on the narrow struts they will hit.. I could fit spacers but dont really want to.

I think Ive found a guy that can supply the stub axles anyway. Fingers crossed :)

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:44 am
by RiceThief
3mm clearance between the top of the strut and the rims?

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 1:56 pm
by ProZac
I think he means between the wheel/tyre and the shock tube, as flatty ones are more 'upright', they wont clear the wheels.

Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 4:33 pm
by JAS
ProZac wrote:I think he means between the wheel/tyre and the shock tube, as flatty ones are more 'upright', they wont clear the wheels.
Thats what I meant :)

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:41 am
by seb
Hi sorry to hijack the thread, im over in the uk, im struggling to get hold of any nb struts to fit my d2's to, what would be the difference if i was to fit wb struts/axles to my nb? Is it significant camber? etc can i get around it by changing to wb lower arms too? many thanks

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:56 am
by ProZac
Seb - Fitting the WB struts to a NB will give you positive camber issues, The shock tower's are the same distance apart on both a NB and WB, so yes, you could get around the camber issues introduced by also fitting the WB lower arms, but it'll increase your overall front track width, so you might encounter wheel fitment issues.

You should PM JAS, last I heard he was still looking for WB struts. If you both did the cutting, and then sent the bits to each other, you'd both win? I reckon shipping would be less than $100NZD (~60GBP?), so not a super expensive way to go?

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:09 am
by seb
Ok, yer i dont have much clearance as it is, so i do really need the nb ones, thanks for the info :) i did pm him previously, but i will pm him again to see how he's getting on, thanks

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:49 pm
by JAS
My WB stub axles turned up today sorry mate.

I could sell you the pair of narrow body ones Ive got here tho if you were interested