INFO: Adjustable strut rod - the holy grail |
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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Posted: 11-September-2014 at 1:48PM |
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Working on doing suspension upgrades on my 1972 Torino. I will have more on the overall later, but for now, I thought you might like to see my solution for getting rid of that big mushy ball on the end of the strut rod. Obviously it has to have enough compliance to be able adjust caster, but it allows far too many geometry changes when the car is in motion. This is a big block car with the mushy big block springs and poly urethane bushings in the top a-arms, stock rubber in the lower. In my opinion, this is the biggest single modification you can make to improve stability and crispness in handling to the front suspension. It is hard to describe the difference in fell and solidity this makes!
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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cggrob
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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Left side of car looking towards front showing front attachment point on frame Left side - side view on car.
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Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
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AWESOMENESS!!!
We have talked about this before on the site. Is that an over the counter type bracket? Looks like the ones you can buy for the Mustangs? |
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Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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We have talked about this before on the site. Is that an over the counter type bracket? Looks like the ones you can buy for the Mustangs? The bracket is custom machined. The swedge tube is 6" long form UB Machine in IN. Everything else is McMaster Carr (ie: off the shelf hardware). 3/4" except the through bolt for the rod end. Rod end is 5/8", high strength, high misalignment with a 3/4" NF thread extended long shank to match the diameter of the original strut rod. The original strut rod is cut off and retained where it bolts to the lower A-arm.
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Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
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interested in making some more of these?
Got a parts list by numbers so others could just go shopping and get all the parts? Do you have a pricing breakdown? What was the total cost on doing these? |
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Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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I've been talking to Rosehill Performance about this very thing.
OK, I'm game, what's the cost on this? What's good it this turns the lower arm more into a lat A arm. Why this excites is this will certainly improve things for steering and control. Now if we could just get roller bearing idler arms, and do something about the slop on lower/upper arm bushings. |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
Pondering: #99Problems |
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Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
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I'm with you Andy, these are WORLDS above and improvements on the sloppiness of our steering/suspension!
I'd be in for a pair too! |
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Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 948 |
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Very nice work. Thanks for all the pictures.
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-Billy Conturo
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 948 |
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Damn, I totally forgot about that part.
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-Billy Conturo
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ilyes
Senior Member Joined: 09-January-2010 Location: Philadelphia PA Status: Offline Points: 3782 |
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Looks good, I'll keep that one in mind when the time comes.
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Rockatansky
Senior Member Joined: 30-July-2010 Location: On The Road Status: Offline Points: 6072 |
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I'm in as soon as available
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72 GT Ute
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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I'm staring at a pair of strut rods as we speak.
When I spoke with Rosehill, $275 per pair with you supplying your own rods to be modified. His end piece was larger that what's pictured but I'd need to look again. If I knew dimensions I know local shops that can machine threads as well. |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
Pondering: #99Problems |
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72FordGTS
Admin Group GTS.org Admin Joined: 06-September-2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 5846 |
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These look interesting and should allow for better adjustability of the front suspension. Normally the caster is adjusted at the upper arms on our cars but an adjustable strut rod should all for additional adjustment.
My only concern is that the suspension was originally designed to let the strut rods move somewhat fore and aft. This new design will not allow for any movement fore and aft. My guess is this might add some harshness to the ride, but I am not sure if there will be any other adverse effects.
Edited by 72FordGTS - 12-September-2014 at 2:55PM |
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Vince
1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car GTS.org Admin |
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Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
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Other than the obvious SOLID mounting the other issue that need SPECIAL attention.
You DON'T want to use this as a Caster adjustment. You want the lower ball joints to be located at exactly the same point. IF the lower points are fore or aft of each other you will get a DIAMOND effect like we do with the race cars. This will cause a pull/drift, even if the caster/camber is the same. This acts just like a rear end being out of square causing a thrust angle type situation. The adjust ability will help with ensuring the locations of the lower ball joints are MATCHED. |
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Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
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cggrob
Member Joined: 28-November-2011 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 72 |
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Sorry for the long wait on my reply guys - been working my A$$ off.
First, I am a P.E. so here is the disclaimer: the information presented herein is presented for educational purposes only and the parts and modifications shown herein should never be done to a vehicle that will be operated on a public highway. Therefore, I will not be making any of these for anyone else. Please see rough machinist drawing for the "clevis" piece and washer. The most critical dimension is that the portion of the clevis which passes through the frame has to have a diameter of 1.445". the unmolested hole size at the frame mounting point on my car is 1.448", which is a 1972 built in October 1971. Do use some high strength free-machining steel if you can find it, but generally I think the whole thing is a little overdesigned and regular carbon steel (1020 or similar) would work fine. If using cold roll shafting it will be tough for a machinist to cut the deep U. I used a rod end from the McMaster Carr catalog, part # 6960T42. This is a high-misalignment 5/8" rod end with over size 3/4" long shank (2") and 3/4-16 LH (fine) thread with a 22,000# radial load. The 3/4" shank allows you to mate with the existing strut rod which is 3/4" diameter, by threading it 3/4-16 RH ( a more common die for most of us). The 5/8" rod end is less bulky than the 3/4" and allows high misalignment rod end fit in the existing space. Do use a high misalignment rod end to permit full articulation of the suspension. The bolt holding the clevis to the car is a 2 3/4" long allen head socket screw with full length thread of 2 3/4" (they are all grade 8), McMaster Carr catalog, part # 91251A047. The strut rod is joined to the rod end using a UB Machine 3/4" "trailing arm", 6" long, which comes pre-threaded 3/4"-16 RH and LH. UB Machine part # is 42-0602-A - they are about $10 a piece. You should be able to put it all together including jam nuts for about $100 if you can machine this yourself. I think the $275 mentioned for a machine shop to make this up is a very fair price. I have tested this by driving over a road filled with roots that looks like a suspension proving track, and also at highway speed. My impression is that you really do not need a bearing in the LCA. This strut rod stabilizes the front suspension so much you really have to experience it and I would do this before I considered doing that. I also believe it is good to have a little extra compliance in that location (the LCA mounting point/bushing), though this car does have poly bushings in the LCA and UCA now. You can adjust the caster using the adjustable strut rod if you wish. The ball joints are going to stay "lined up" regardless - they are 2 opposing points which always make a straight line. what you may be doing is putting some extra stress on the UCA bushings. My procedure is to align the suspension using the factory method, and then fine tune in some extra caster with the adjustable strut rod. This will put a little preload on the upper bushings and I don't believe it will result in any premature wear - but then, if you are doing this, that's not going to be a concern. I also believe this helps tighten up the suspension. If you are after "factory specs" for your alignment, you can set the caster to what I think is about 1 degree less than factory as your LCA will not be deflecting under load as it did with the rubber bushing, so the dynamic caster will be about factory spec. It does appear to me that this suspension layout benefits from increased caster, so I am going +1 degree to factory setting giving me what I think is 2 degrees increased dynamic caster.
Regular8 said this: "IF the lower points are fore or aft of each other you will get a DIAMOND effect like we do with the race cars. This will cause a pull/drift, even if the caster/camber is the same" and he is correct, so do try to take this into account. Having said that, think of the factory assembly tolerances and bushing slop in this design, and I think as long as you are pretty close you are going to be OK. I purposely did a little offset adjustment side-to-side and did not notice any difference in my test drive with street tires - YMMV. Guys I tried to answer all the questions raised but just reply if I missed something. |
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 948 |
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My setup seems to be solid as well. Had it out for 2 weeks or so now. I've run brakes to full lock and hit lots of Pittsburgh potholes at speed. My biggest worry is the factory strut rod because who knows what material that is. Makes analysis way more difficult. Also fatigue is a nasty one. The other stuff isn't to hard because any grade material can be used and calculated accordingly.
I actually think ride quality improved over the rubber bushings. Then again it's hard to tell when there's no interior and a big loud V8 roaring at 5500rpm. I'm sure "ride quality" for me is not what Ford designed originally. As far as alignments specs go. I think as long as the lower ball joint relative to the chassis on both sides is the same then it's fine. Check rear axle alignment. It's astonishing how much that is out on my car. I'd say a couple degrees at least. Probably from all the sideways action.
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-Billy Conturo
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aquartlow
Senior Member Joined: 19-December-2011 Location: Summerfield, Fl Status: Offline Points: 2271 |
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X2^^^. I also couldn't believe how far "out of square" my rear axle assembly was until I ran string lines while attempting a "shade tree" front end alignment. I then had to do both a front AND a rear alignment .
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www.supermotors.net/22468
Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires. No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t. Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone. |
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Billy C
Senior Member Joined: 10-February-2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 948 |
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Kind of off topic but how can the rear end be aligned without adjustable links? I know the factory had slightly eccentric bushing sleeves of some sort but with polyurethane bushings I don't think it's the same.
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-Billy Conturo
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aquartlow
Senior Member Joined: 19-December-2011 Location: Summerfield, Fl Status: Offline Points: 2271 |
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Billy C, I had to elongate the upper/lower control arm bolt hole brackets on the rear axle (drivers side toward the rear, passenger side toward the front), re-install the upper/lower control arms with longer grade 8 bolts through HD 1/8" thick washers on each side of the factory upper/lower control arm brackets. Once positioned "square" in the chassis(with ratchet straps) and had same offset on each side using a string line, I tacked, then welded the washers in place on the brackets after removing the arms so I didn't burn up my urethane bushings. No more "dog-legging". Using a string line on each side before "squaring", one string touched the passenger side tire but the other was off the driver's side about 1.5" or so. I apologize for being off topic and/or taking up space on this thread explaining my situation/remedy.
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www.supermotors.net/22468
Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires. No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t. Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone. |
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Regul8r
Admin Group Moderator Joined: 26-December-2007 Location: Sarasota FL Status: Offline Points: 6624 |
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brought this back up during the UCA discussions.
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Carl Corey (Moderator/Event Coordinator) Contact ANYTIME!
1976 Ford Elite "Lola Mae" 97 Suzuki Intruder 1400 US Army Retired |
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bata747-8
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Would the Sphon rear arm set have allowed you to solve this same problem without welding washers or other actions? |
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californiajohnny
Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14609 |
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for what it worth... i too saw that eccentric bushing in the factory shop manual, but when i tore my 74 apart(original rotten rubber bushings) there was no eccentric anywhere on any of the rear arms!
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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
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Big Bird
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Feb 2007 hot rod magazine 51 merc with Banjo Mathews NASCAR clip...
Strut rods with adjusting sleeves like tie rods have. |
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Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
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californiajohnny
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i like the boxed lower control arms, i thought about doing that to mine but you would have to cut out a large hole for the shock and two for the strut rod bolts- so i didn't, but this still looks tempting
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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
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lynchster
Senior Member Joined: 07-January-2006 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 2150 |
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Nice work on the strut rods. I've got to replace mine and have been considering something like this since finding replacements in better shape than mine is probably not going to happen.
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Chuck
72 Gran Torino Sport 13 Taurus SHO "Mr Pig" |
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Eliteman76
Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 5044 |
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Eccentric bushings on the rear axle lower arms from my understanding are a 72-73 thing. Not sure to be honest I've seen it on the 74-76 cars. It's detailed in the chassis book in 72 and 73.
Concerning the rods, my issue still stand of a failure of the OEM rods. I've pulled a few out and surprise! rusted bad enough they went to the scrap pile. As far as our cars go, with the new joint, in effect doesn't that turn the lower arm into effectively a large "A" arm? Bill {CDMBill} over on Bangshift runs his Mustang and a few years back had a strut rod failure from a poly bushing. Snapped the factory rod. I'm waiting to hear back from him about his setup, thinking he used a total control replacement. Edited by Eliteman76 - 19-January-2015 at 6:04PM |
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Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
Pondering: #99Problems |
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