ARB goes East & South

[stylussprinter]

I had an enquiry from the Netherlands for an ARB to fit a Striker front end. Hopefully he'll be in the UK for the Stoneleigh show and collect it then ------ it's good to meet guys as opposed to simply posting them off , it helps the fitting process if they see mine and chat it over.

Having bought a huge volume of SS fasteners , ally link rods , rodends and spacers , particularly , I'm now finding it difficult to source spacers at a sensible cost plus the rodends have shot up in price since the first 100 batch . Fitting 4 rodends and 8 spacers on each kit means a damn silly price if only buying a dozen or so . The original supplier has disappeared from the email contact I had so am looking for another supplier

[norma]

Talking of ARB's, I'm thinking of dropping my front springs back down to 180lb as I'm finding the car a bit skittery on 225lb springs with the arb - its fine if i disconnect the arb.
(happy with 'wedge' and toe in etc) - what do you think Rob? Should I try some softer ones?
Also going to fit a complete set of protech shocks - the original AVO ones are now too long, the car is dropped as low as I can go and has left me with about 30mm of rear travel and 25mm at the front.
Reckon some shorter shocks will give me back some much needed travel and mean I wont need to fit bend trailing arms?????

[stylussprinter]

Talking of ARB's, I'm thinking of dropping my front springs back down to 180lb as I'm finding the car a bit skittery on 225lb springs with the arb - its fine if i disconnect the arb.
(happy with 'wedge' and toe in etc) - what do you think Rob? Should I try some softer ones?
Also going to fit a complete set of protech shocks - the original AVO ones are now too long, the car is dropped as low as I can go and has left me with about 30mm of rear travel and 25mm at the front.
Reckon some shorter shocks will give me back some much needed travel and mean I wont need to fit bend trailing arms?????

There's no way I'd run even a road only Stylus on 180lbs front springs --- if it's skitish then it has to be the set-up / piston travel or lack of / shock clicks / tyre pressures . I'm running 285lbs front and 250lbs rear and it's not skittish . What do you terrm skittish what is the car doing and in what circumstances
Are the shocks actually functioning It's difficult diagnosing at arms length , shame you're not nearer

[norma]

Yes, fair points Rob!
By skittish, I mean at 60+ on B roads it floats about a bit and needs constant correction wheras it didn't before. In fact, I set the amount of toe-in originally as just enough to dial out the 'skitting' but not lose too much turning response.
But you have possibly hit the nail on the head as my front shocks only have 20-25mm of travel and I think they're probably not the best either! Intend to replace with shorter Protech ones that allow the shocks more travel but keep the same road height.
Will try this first before even thinking about spring lb's!

(My thoughts were though, that with an arb, both springs are working together and therefore, in effect, upping the effective poundage??)

[stylussprinter]

Yes, fair points Rob!
By skittish, I mean at 60+ on B roads it floats about a bit and needs constant correction wheras it didn't before. In fact, I set the amount of toe-in originally as just enough to dial out the 'skitting' but not lose too much turning response.
But you have possibly hit the nail on the head as my front shocks only have 20-25mm of travel and I think they're probably not the best either! Intend to replace with shorter Protech ones that allow the shocks more travel but keep the same road height.
Will try this first before even thinking about spring lb's!

(My thoughts were though, that with an arb, both springs are working together and therefore, in effect, upping the effective poundage??)

YES ---- but only in transition of the diagonal weight . You mention instability at 60 mph plus ---- If you'd only given me that info alone , I'd check that the ' toe ' is definitely either straight ahead OR only just in , say 1/16 inch between the two wheels. Any toe out is not for the faint hearted unless hillclimbing specifically in the low gears . Then I'd look at how much '' trail '' (castor) you have ie. TOP outer rocker centre bolt/nut --- is rearwards from the bottom outer wishbone bolt/nut ARE they the same both sides
This can be improved by moving the bottom wishbone towards the radiator ----- cut a 1/4 inch or 1/8th inch from each front face of both inner pick-up points. You'll need to patch weld any small hole made into the tubes then cut/shave some material off the front end of the poly bush plus inner sleeve THEN pack washers behind the pick-up joint to hold the wishbone forward.

Mine's totally adjustable but I did it the above method the first time , years ago. Both the above trail and toe are very closely linked to high speed stability Alex. If you run TOYO R888's , I hope you keep them to 17psi on track and keep letting them down to 17psi before going out on a second session . They'll rise a minimum of 1.5psi and sometimes 3psi after plenty of laps.
BUT please remember to put them back when driving home , as they'll drop psi standing in the paddock chatting
When I check mine after motorsport the following day they are 12 to 15 psi

[norma]

Thanks Rob - yes I run 888's.
Never get a problem on track, its bumpy roads only.
Will re check toe - i did fit a quick rack not too long ago, (forgot about that!) so toe may need tweaking.
re castor - yeh this maybe diff on each side, my chassis suffers the same problem yours did, i.e. o/s wheel further forward than n/s - bloody crappy jigs/fabricator!!!!
I may go wdown the adjustable castor route then - my vx uses the same shim type system to move top wishbone fore/aft.

Ok so will keep spring rates, will get shorter shocks, check castor (make adjustable), and check toe.

Norma will be off the road for the foreseeable, have a massive list of jobs to do, inc those above, I have to:
fab new trailing arms
fab new fuel tank
fab new roll bar (to msa regs)
re-jig rad and get hot air out over bonnet rather than into engine bay
widen all arches
fit 4pt harnesses

and probably many more things also!

cheers
Alex

[stylussprinter]

Alex , if you do buy the PROTECHS it will save you a lot of hastle if you ask for the front pair to be set in the ''first'' range at the factory then the rears set in the ''middle'' range. Basically they are manufactured with 3 ranges with 13 clicks a range but it's a little tricky setting the ranges/I've done them for other people
I'd go for the 1.9 inch to save space and weight , especially at the rear . If you have the SSC dipped/curved rear trailing arms then you'll need 15 inch shocks and 10 inch springs at the rear , unless you lower the car a huge amount like mine(I run 14 inch shocks 8 inch springs)
You can use 11 inch shocks front with a 7 inch spring . Widening the arch (I assume you will take height out of them too ) will allow lowering to take advantage of those shock lengths REARS of 15 inch isn't possible unless you've got dipped arms

I can tell you where to set the PROTECHS front and rear clicks once you've fitted them Alex Email me if you want to know my arch cutting heights front/rear

[norma]

Thanks Rob - already running pretty low as the sump is 80mm from the ground - would love to drop some more but worried about sump clearance on the road.....don't want a sumpguard as this will negate the cooling effect of the fins on the raceline sump.
Yes will cut arches - plan was to fit shocks without springs, fit bump stops to suit and cut arches to suit them.
Useful infor re shock length - I am not running the bent arms, but need to fab new ones anyway. Have you got the spec of the bent arms? or are they still available through Tim?
If I can't get that info then will have to stick with straight arms and run shorter shocks to suit.
Nice to know you have 'been there, done that' with the shock lengths - would like to stick with your recommendations if I can get bent arms or the info to get them made at least........
thanks
Alex

[stylussprinter]

Thanks Rob - already running pretty low as the sump is 80mm from the ground - would love to drop some more but worried about sump clearance on the road.....don't want a sumpguard as this will negate the cooling effect of the fins on the raceline sump.
Yes will cut arches - plan was to fit shocks without springs, fit bump stops to suit and cut arches to suit them.
Useful infor re shock length - I am not running the bent arms, but need to fab new ones anyway. Have you got the spec of the bent arms? or are they still available through Tim? [TIM WONT MAKE NOW ]

The ' bent arms ' can be made the exact same length as your ' straights ' obviously ----- then simply make the bent area deep enough that all 3 mounting points are exactly inline ie. a line can be drawn through the centre of -- chassis , shock and axle mounting holes --- that is the only criteria ok.

If I can't get that info then will have to stick with straight arms and run shorter shocks to suit.
Nice to know you have 'been there, done that' with the shock lengths - would like to stick with your recommendations if I can get bent arms or the info to get them made at least........
thanks
Alex

Happy to chat details on email ok

[pigeondave]

If you're looking at Protechs it might be cheaper to get them from http://www.procomp.co.uk/shockdyno.html and not Protech directly. (Strange I know).

I believe that Procomp change the oil and set the internal things to work for our style of light cars.
They also have a damper dyno so its all set up correctly.

Regarding what Rob said about getting the shocks set to the first range. I spoke to Protech at Autosport and they said that it is possible to straddle the ranges. I am running with 225lbs on the front and 180lbs on the rear with the Fury. The problem is that the front shocks are set to 0 clicks in the 2nd range. I would like to go softer but i think it may be a pain to adjust them. I know how to do it, but I can see it going very wrong and losing all clicks.

Oh and if you'ree having trouble with the rad I am looking at one of these
http://www.yiparts.com/Part/en/RWEFC
bit bigger than the Polo rad and a similar size to what Crossle 9s cars use.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... ng+A+Zetec

[norma]

If you're looking at Protechs it might be cheaper to get them from http://www.procomp.co.uk/shockdyno.html and not Protech directly. (Strange I know).

Good to know - thanks.
Will contact them.
Alex

[stylussprinter]

I had an enquiry from the Netherlands for an ARB to fit a Striker front end. Hopefully he'll be in the UK for the Stoneleigh show and collect it then ------ it's good to meet guys as opposed to simply posting them off , it helps the fitting process if they see mine and chat it over.

Having bought a huge volume of SS fasteners , ally link rods , rodends and spacers , particularly , I'm now finding it difficult to source spacers at a sensible cost plus the rodends have shot up in price since the first 100 batch . Fitting 4 rodends and 8 spacers on each kit means a damn silly price if only buying a dozen or so . The original supplier has disappeared from the email contact I had so am looking for another supplier

Things are looking up supplier wise Having been quoted anything from £3-50 upwards for those tiny little top hat M8 spacers that clamp the 4 rodends (8 per kit) , I've now got close to my original cost in 2007 with a new supplier , so just up 20% , not too bad. Also found a new supply of M8 rodends at low volume and not at the stupid £9 plus vat , post etc from most places. Can't order 100 any more it's just too long to turn them around.

So my minor panic over

[stylussprinter]

I had an enquiry from the Netherlands for an ARB to fit a Striker front end. Hopefully he'll be in the UK for the Stoneleigh show and collect it then ------ it's good to meet guys as opposed to simply posting them off , it helps the fitting process if they see mine and chat it over.

Having bought a huge volume of SS fasteners , ally link rods , rodends and spacers , particularly , I'm now finding it difficult to source spacers at a sensible cost plus the rodends have shot up in price since the first 100 batch . Fitting 4 rodends and 8 spacers on each kit means a damn silly price if only buying a dozen or so . The original supplier has disappeared from the email contact I had so am looking for another supplier

He's just emailed this pic' of the Striker on track after fitting my ARB and says the front traction is transformed (he has my set-up info to suit) Just look at that Westy behind him and the roll

[hearbear]

I had an enquiry from the Netherlands for an ARB to fit a Striker front end. Hopefully he'll be in the UK for the Stoneleigh show and collect it then ------ it's good to meet guys as opposed to simply posting them off , it helps the fitting process if they see mine and chat it over.

Having bought a huge volume of SS fasteners , ally link rods , rodends and spacers , particularly , I'm now finding it difficult to source spacers at a sensible cost plus the rodends have shot up in price since the first 100 batch . Fitting 4 rodends and 8 spacers on each kit means a damn silly price if only buying a dozen or so . The original supplier has disappeared from the email contact I had so am looking for another supplier

He's just emailed this pic' of the Striker on track after fitting my ARB and says the front traction is transformed (he has my set-up info to suit) Just look at that Westy behind him and the roll

Must make you feel good when you get to see and hear that is making a difference to the handling of someone's car.

[stylussprinter]

Yes George -- it is very satisfying . Just a pity I'm not young enough to start up a proper business allied to kit and suspension set-ups etc . Nice pocket money to help keep me running mine , nothing more though. Having said that I do enjoy doing it and the feed back