clubstylus

OK I had a major off in the Phoenix a month ago, hit the wall on the main streight at Sepang at 120Mph, (it was wet and on full slicks) I plan to post the vidio when my daughter finishes the editing.
Any way rear body work is damaged and all the rear suspension arms are bent, so major rebuild in progress, for next year,new bonnet being built with a front spliter, new removable rear body with deffuer being built, and we are replacng all the suspension arms.
So 2 questions,
1 can any give me the spec, (open closed length of the shocks for a Phoenix, I have arranged for new ones to be made up but need the spec and can't take them off the car at the moment as the body man need them on so he can get the ride height for the wheel clearence).
2 We are planning to rose joint the rear suspension, but I remember reading that at least one joint must be left with a compliant rubber bush, any one know why? and which joiunt is best left in rubber.
Thanks

If it's live axle then polybush the axle end of links . Quite simply the huge amount of force from the shock/spring attached at the axle end will sheer a threaded rodend. Possibly not if it was 25mm thick but those wwould ne silly heavy.

Shock open/closed lengths can't be advised because it totally depends on the individual car's setup. If you fit the original factory spec' , the car will probably be way to high for track work.

You need to set the chassis height using blocks of wood allowing for rake then measure between both top/bottom bolts . The shock then needs to allow for bump/rebound within a shock piston travel which vary according to length supplied. That's how I worked out mine --- factory settings weren't appropriate.

People may be interested in the blow quote which is the email I rec'd from JP in answer to the question as to what I could rose joint.

'It is true that the leading and trailing arms need to be rubber bushed as they act as a kind of longitudinal "watts" linkage and each side works against itself. If it was solidly mounted the axle would be trying to twist .
The panhard rod can be fitted with rod ends'.

Berw wrote:People may be interested in the blow quote which is the email I rec'd from JP in answer to the question as to what I could rose joint.

'It is true that the leading and trailing arms need to be rubber bushed as they act as a kind of longitudinal "watts" linkage and each side works against itself. If it was solidly mounted the axle would be trying to twist .
The panhard rod can be fitted with rod ends'.

Stylus's have never been rubber bushed , always polybushed . JP's point about twisting the axle can still be allowed for by rodending only the two trailing arms at the chassis end ---- rodends twist/flex exactly the same as bushes if not more . The only position not to rodend is at the axle where the weight through the shock/spring unit could sheer the threaded rodend.

Rubber bushes are also a pain to fit as you can't pull the bolts up tight to pinch the steel inner while the car's up on blocks ------ if you do then the rubber is under tension when on the ground before any suspension movement