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Steering and Suspension questions

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:10 pm
by mteck
HI ALL

So, my drift JB

When I enter corners I have mass body roll and it becomes hard to have consistent runs.

Mods so far :

Cut and shut steering knuckels
D2 coil overs
40mm bolt on spacers
Removed front sway bar

Steering lock is near max, looking to cut and lengthen the steering arm and idler arm so the travel further thus giving me more lock. I would also have to lengthen my LCA to clear the castor rod and chassis.

So, my main questions are,

1) Dose the above sound like a good idea for more steering lock, or would changing to maybe a s13 steering rack be more easy and efficient.

2) Has any one used the white line sway bars or the Mookeeh Kits? Thinking of putting the front back in and fitting a heavy rear bar.

3) Dose any one have any suggestions to help with stability,

Thanks Guys and Girls

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:16 pm
by GormzZ
I would've thought running a thicker/stiffer swaybar's would actually help you gain less bodyroll?

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:18 am
by mteck
Yeh,

Thats why I am looking at getting some,

The whole idea of not running a front sway bar is it increases over steer, so starting that slide is easy.

What is the thickness of the stock sway bars ?

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:40 am
by ProZac
Definitely put the sway bar back in the front. Start with the standard one and see how you go from there before buying a heavier duty one.

Adding a stiffer swaybar into the rear will also encourage the car to oversteer as it'll pick up the inside wheel more when entering a turn, decreasing your overall available traction.

I'd stay well away from cutting and welding on either the idler or pitman arms. The forces they're subjected to are pretty massive, and it's almost the last place you want a sudden failure.

What are you using for lock-stops currently? How close are the tie rods to going over center at full lock?

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:04 am
by niss720
Have anyone what Hugh has done with Widebody stuff, I'm sure if you talked to him he would be More than happy to help you out as he is a top bloke. Probably the easiest and safest way of going about it

http://forums.austarion.com/viewtopic.php?t=14291

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:11 am
by redzone
The springs supplied with the d2's are perfect for a street car, not so great for a track/drift car. Get stiffer ones.

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:43 pm
by mteck
Redzone: I have tried to wide up the springs a bit to try and make them a bit more stiff. It has not helped much. Do you know where I can get stiffer ones ?

Niss720: Yeh, I have seen what his done, as I am a tight ass I am just going to get get my LCA cut, boxed and extended as well shorter castor arms.

Prozac: I think the steering arm and ideler arm should hold as my steering knuckes have been cut and welded for over a year now of track work.

I am right in thinking if they are extended they will push out more and provide more lock ?

and the sway bars, I was thinking stock in the front to help with body roll and thick in the rear to help with oversteer to push the car into a drift

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:23 pm
by JA83
I would be shortening the idler and pitman seeing as you have shortened knuckles it will make the steeering quicker! Id look at taking out the steering lock stops and recessing the lca's for the tie rod ends to move into the recess..

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:18 pm
by mteck
With the spaces the tie rod ends do not touch anything and the lock stops are long gone.

The steering just seems to run out and bind up, so I am guessing the steering box is using everthing it has.

If I shorten the steering arms wont that decrease the amount of lock I get ?

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:19 pm
by JA83
I dont think.so, but it will definatley make the.steering quicker

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:46 pm
by mteck
If the arms are shorter they cant travel as far

If they are longer they will be able to travel further thus increasing the steering lock

Can someone confirm this ? before I go cutting my steering arms

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 11:56 am
by redzone
If you shorten your idler & pitman arms it could do strange things to the Ackerman angle. .

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 3:10 pm
by ProZac
Making them longer will increase the sideways travel of the drag link, and thus your available steering range. It'll also quicken up the steering, as the drag link now moves further for the same change in angle of the arms. But make sure your tie rod ends aren't going over center, as if that's the case you'll end up wearing out components really fast.

I still think cutting and welding either steering knuckles or the idler/pitman arms is a silly thing to do, but I suppose there is plenty of anecdotal evidence out there to prove me wrong. Plenty of S13's are getting around with welded knuckles.

You really need some form of mechanical lock stop. I wouldn't rely on the end of travel of the steering box, sounds like a really good way to stuff one. Same sort of logic as suspension bump-stops, they stop you bottoming out your shocks and stuffing them.

Put a nissan front end under it? Plenty of people have beaten that path clear before you.

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 5:43 pm
by mteck
Thanks, that's what I want. MORE LOCK !!!

I will mod up some lock stops as I totaly agree with you about wearing out the box.

Mitsumadness and I are the only drifters with full Mitsubishi gear and I really want to try and keep it like that as much as I can. Bringing it to the nissan boys

If I wanted a easy drift car I would get a s13 and slam a LS1 in it.

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:30 pm
by ProZac
mteck wrote:I totaly agree with you about wearing out the box.
An ever-present danger.

;-).