Fabricating Custom Suspension?

[Advancedynamix]

I made these struts a couple years ago to test different damper rates and styles. You may notice that the strut extends further down past the mounting ears than normal. This accomplished the same thing as moving the bolt holes down on the knuckle. It worked really really well.
One advantage to shortening the mount flange on the knuckle is that you can run a wider 13" wheel. I want to run 13x7.5 wheels, but they don't clear everything due to them hitting the knuckle in this area. I am using Festiva knuckles on my next street build, because I think they clear the rim better. Aspire hubs will press into Festiva knuckles, but I'll have to use a custom caliper (like Nate explained.)

[Advancedynamix]

What if the steering arm, and Caliper mount were fabbed 4130 sub assemblies that bolted to the aluminum bearing carrier/strut tube? This allows adjustability by having different brackets. Also, these sub assemblies could be replaced with Ti parts for the ultimate weight savings (until we save up enough pennies for the blow molded Ti that Ryal wants to use, or the Carbon/Kevlar units with Ti inserts.)

[FestYboy]

I would alter the design to use a sealed spherical bearing pressed into the knuckle, rather than into the control arm. This allows for lighter control arms that are easier to make and they could even be adjustable.
Also, rather than make the knuckle bolt up to a coilover shock, I'd integrate it into t he strut tube. This saves weight and actually makes the product less expensive, as the threaded strut tube could be welded into the knuckle. 2 12.5" pieces of aluminum tubing with 1 late op is cheaper than a set of MK2 coilovers, and wayyyyy lighter.

Are you referring to something like the Taurus strut mount system (to the knuckle)?

[skeeters_keeper]

I'm trying to picture the strut mount you're suggesting, it would just be a round bore deep enough to accept your threaded insert body? it makes sense, though I wouldn't trust my welding for that, but doesn't that eliminate our only point of camber adjustment in the front? Also it seems like it would increase the size of stock needed quite a bit, because you'd still need the back of your strut to be ~ the same distance as it is now, for wheel clearance.

If you went that route, would you then adjust camber with the top strut mount? That would require something custom too. Let's go down that rabbit trail for a bit. I like the Rio top hats, with a bearing and rubber mount, but would there be much benefit to being able to adjust camber at the strut mount? Could caster be adjusted there as well? I feel like my car would benefit from more caster, previously I've thought about moving the swaybar mounts forward to play with that but it will put a fair amount of stress on the inner LCA bushings.
If adjustable upper mounts would be the best way to adjust caster/camber, are there any good designs that would allow us to use a rubber mounted spherical bearing and still get a decent amount of adjustment? Could perhaps integrate a "drop" design like Charlie did on Pedro's (or was it tweak's?) tophats... but there's not a lot of room to play with in the top of the strut towers.

I like the idea of having the LCA bearing pressed into the knuckle, but as you mentioned that would require a custom LCA... adjustable LCAs could provide camber adjustment, negating the need for the adjustable tophats (if one were to do a one piece knuckle/damper receiver like you mentioned).

[william]

Are you referring to something like the Taurus strut mount system (to the knuckle)?

This Is What I Pictured As Well Just Without The Pinch bolt.

[Advancedynamix]

Are you referring to something like the Taurus strut mount system (to the knuckle)?

No, more like a Virgo, or Sagittarius.

[Advancedynamix]

I'm trying to picture the strut mount you're suggesting, it would just be a round bore deep enough to accept your threaded insert body? it makes sense, though I wouldn't trust my welding for that, but doesn't that eliminate our only point of camber adjustment in the front? Also it seems like it would increase the size of stock needed quite a bit, because you'd still need the back of your strut to be ~ the same distance as it is now, for wheel clearance.

If you went that route, would you then adjust camber with the top strut mount? That would require something custom too. Let's go down that rabbit trail for a bit. I like the Rio top hats, with a bearing and rubber mount, but would there be much benefit to being able to adjust camber at the strut mount? Could caster be adjusted there as well? I feel like my car would benefit from more caster, previously I've thought about moving the swaybar mounts forward to play with that but it will put a fair amount of stress on the inner LCA bushings.
If adjustable upper mounts would be the best way to adjust caster/camber, are there any good designs that would allow us to use a rubber mounted spherical bearing and still get a decent amount of adjustment? Could perhaps integrate a "drop" design like Charlie did on Pedro's (or was it tweak's?) tophats... but there's not a lot of room to play with in the top of the strut towers.

I like the idea of having the LCA bearing pressed into the knuckle, but as you mentioned that would require a custom LCA... adjustable LCAs could provide camber adjustment, negating the need for the adjustable tophats (if one were to do a one piece knuckle/damper receiver like you mentioned).

Like this, except the strut tube would be pressed into the knuckle, rather than clamped and would be welded in and stress relieved/heat treated after weld. Precision dimensions would then be finish machined after heat treat.
If the knuckle had bolt on steering arm and brake plate, it could be machined from a smaller piece of material. It would even be possible to use forged billets.
The ball joint mount on this knuckle is like that found on the Festiva, but I would rather have a spherical bearing pressed in on a vertical plane.
Camber would be adjustable with the control arm and upper mount. The way we adjust it on the Festiva is not the best way to get Camber, but we do it because it works. It's best to keep the strut tube and wheel as parallel as possible.
Caster could be adjustable at the top strut mount, or by using and elliptical housing on the spherical bearing/lower ball joint.

[TominMO]

No, more like a Virgo, or Sagittarius.

D'oh!

[skeeters_keeper]

Like this, except the strut tube would be pressed into the knuckle, rather than clamped and would be welded in and stress relieved/heat treated after weld. Precision dimensions would then be finish machined after heat treat.
If the knuckle had bolt on steering arm and brake plate, it could be machined from a smaller piece of material. It would even be possible to use forged billets.
The ball joint mount on this knuckle is like that found on the Festiva, but I would rather have a spherical bearing pressed in on a vertical plane.
Camber would be adjustable with the control arm and upper mount. The way we adjust it on the Festiva is not the best way to get Camber, but we do it because it works. It's best to keep the strut tube and wheel as parallel as possible.
Caster could be adjustable at the top strut mount, or by using and elliptical housing on the spherical bearing/lower ball joint.

Makes sense. Adjusting caster at the LBJ... would that work? I thought maintaining a co-planar relationship between the strut axis, LBJ, and contact patch/wheel center line was desirable.

Edit: Ok, I just took a short trip down google lane and apparently my simple picture of how caster works is a bit too simple. I think caster is just the line between the upper strut pivot and LBJ (steering axis) relative to vertical, adjustments at the LBJ would really be effecting trail? Because you're really moving the knuckle/wheel around but the steering axis would stay in the same spot. I dunno, I've never given caster a whole lot of thought.

[Sid_RallyX_82]

Holy crap. I was expecting maybe a couple people to post something about billet knuckles and I come back to Carbonfiber/Kevlar and forging. I was just looking to make something in my garage. I was considering Ti plate cuz I can TIG a little bit. I would just need to get my own welder. Soooo... Is the jig-and-tweak idea good or bad?

[Advancedynamix]

Sid,
I'm going to make fabbed plate style knuckles for my track car. It's a great way to get the design nailed down before sending off for investment cast titanium parts. Lol.
Start off with mild steel plate, if that works, move to 4130. If that works try titanium. You'll want a purge chamber for Ti.

[Sid_RallyX_82]

Ok, so use cheap materials to get the dimensions and work up to lighter/stronger materials. Cool

[Advancedynamix]

Yeah, mild steel is the cheapest and easiest to work with. 4130 can be a pain in the butt to form. Titanium is quite costly, hard to weld properly and dangerous to machine, so the cost goes up on machine work.

[Sid_RallyX_82]

What's the Go-To brake upgrade?