Lower front wishbones

[stylussprinter]

OK , I get what you intend to do after our phone chat Matt (1/2 in inners & 5/8 outer) Once I'm done testing on Tuesday , I'll get on with making a pair when materials are in my hands . Maybe get them done by middle of April or very soon after

Might make a spare pair for myself while I'm cutting , notching and welding

Anyone wanting to do the same as Matt will need to make up or get made up , a taper to fit the Escort bottom female joint which then extends to a cylindrical length/non tapered . This will then take a 1/2 in rodend screwed into the outer wishbone. The wider front end only comes with a complete outer top rocker mod 'n , ally upright/ally Cortina hub/7in wheel x 205 tyre section set up --- just to make it clear .

[MattD]

BBJ replacement pin something like this... using suitable material, suitable surface finish & hardness treatment.
Could do something similar to use a spherical in the rocker end joint, replacing the metro part.

[stylussprinter]

That looks right but you'll need to have two spacer/washers , flat on one side and cone shaped the other side . These placed cone ends to each side of the rose joint allows misalighnment angle required for suspension travel. My uprights have this arrangement slotted/with nyloc on each end .

WHOOPS ----------- just noticed the above in your drawing

[MattD]

The top spacer is cut on the shaft, so only the bottom one is loose.
Interesting to note that only 2/3 of the Sherpa taper is used inside the escort upright, hence the big gap.

[Bikenuts]

- Its the sherpa track rod-end that I'm interested in getting rid of, plus the adjustment of course.

Matt

Matt,
Why do you want to get rid of the Sherpa joint? I can understand replacing the inner plastic bushes with SBs to allow more adjustment but not the Sherpa joint.

Another Matt

[stylussprinter]

Matt will have his own reasons but it's a doddle disconnecting a clamped rose joint rodend compared with the ugly Sherpa piece . It will also give the ability to fit ally uprights at a later date without buying another set of wishbones

[MattD]

- Its the sherpa track rod-end that I'm interested in getting rid of, plus the adjustment of course.

Matt

Matt,
Why do you want to get rid of the Sherpa joint? I can understand replacing the inner plastic bushes with SBs to allow more adjustment but not the Sherpa joint.

Another Matt

Hi Matt

Basic reason to lose the Sherpa joint is the fact that I've changed them due to split boots must be 5/6 times in 10 years. Plus I'm thinking perhaps they might not be available forever, the Sherpa being out of production for quite some time now. I believe later LDV one's are metric.

And as Rob says.. I can retrofit cast or billet uprights later with minimal effort.
Though having said that..
I saw Andy Hampshire's Striker yesterday which has Rally Design uprights & retains the Shepra BBJ.

The rod-end will give me the abilty to do half turns for finer adjustment, & the parallel pin should make splitting the BBJ a lot easier.

Overall probably just a few niggles adding up to a "lets do something else" thought whilst I'm getting new WBs made.

... the other Matt

[Bikenuts]

Fairy Snuff I didn't know about the boots splitting, I was just wary of the speed at which SBs can ware out if you’re not scrupulous about keeping them clean and the fit of the taper pin to the SB looks like a potential trouble spot.

Matt again

[MattD]

Now have this little lot to fit.
Wishbones by Rob Farley, Upright pins by Nev Powell, to my drawing.

[MattD]

A few teething troubles, mainly because there's so much adjustment, needed to learn what to do first.
Method now sorted & Driver's side fitted. Pics show it at full droop, the pin/rod-end angle improves when the tyre is on the deck.

[stylussprinter]

Matt , the thread length looks a tickle short going through the Escort lower taper ? Not quite through the nyloc or is that just the photo ??

[pigeondave]

Just out of interest, what caster are you going to run and what is the easiest way of measuring it to begin with?

Dave

[MattD]

Matt , the thread length looks a tickle short going through the Escort lower taper ? Not quite through the nyloc or is that just the photo ??

Yep, you're quite right, could have done with another 5mm on the length above the taper, its only "just" through.

[MattD]

Just out of interest, what caster are you going to run and what is the easiest way of measuring it to begin with?

Dave

Hi, Dave..... both points being the leading question !
Answer is don't know either yet. Fit it, try it, if I don't like it, change it

In practical terms its a measure of the "mm" thickness of the washers I'm using to space the wishbone in the chassis mounting, going thicker or thinner as required, until I'm happy with it. When I've got what I want I'll get Nev to machine single piece ali spacers to replace any multiple washers in use.

At the moment I've got about 2mm in the rear mount & 4mm in the front mount, looking from the front of the car.
(with the back filled up with a proper rod-end top hat & further washers to make up the 40mm total mount width)

This gives approx 45mm when viewed above between bottom rodend and the rocker pin centres.
How that equates to "degrees castor" - haven't got that far. & how it compares to my old setup- no idea !

Why do kit car owners get hung up on "he's faster than me so must find out his settings & put them on my car".
Every driver will want their "own" setup feel. So its no good me copying Rob's (although its a good start point).
Bit like Hamilton running Button's setup - one like's a flamboyant style - nailed down front/loose rear, the other likes a balanced understeering front - less tyre wear, but more steering angle required. - neither would be happy with the others car.

[stylussprinter]

Just out of interest, what caster are you going to run and what is the easiest way of measuring it to begin with?

Dave

Dave , all JP designs seem to be 3.5 degrees castor . The only reason to worry about it is if you choose to change the uprights from the original standard part.
Most discussions on various forums normally revolve around steering return but the only two things that interest me are (1) high speed stability (2) slow corner camber change on which ever wheel is apexing that corner.
So if you have no problem with high speed wandering of the front end then the castor can't be far out ----- believe me you will REALLY know about it if the castors too little
The second point regarding slow speed corners , you'll never notice unless you compete or at least track your car ----- it's a very fine point and just a nice ' tuning ' tool to have in your armour if competing.

If you want a guide without the use of equipment then look down vertically over your upright top joint ------ draw an imaginery line to the floor then the same over the bottom joint ------- the greater the distance between those two points on the floor , the greater your castor .
Imagine a gap of say 3 inches/75mm's , then as your turn your steering wheel into a very sharpe corner/apex , the camber will change from it's static 2 degrees(if that's your setting)to a great deal less , moving towards positive camber