Here's a question for the 50 million people who know more about suspension than myself...

Would there be any problems if I move the lower rear suspension point from here...

[Edited on 8/9/06 by David Jenkins]

To here?

It's not quite as simple as it looks as the bracket would need support, but it's an idea I've been looking at.

David

[Edited on 8/9/06 by David Jenkins]

I see no problems with your choice.
Only the stress in your bracket mounting will be higher. I would make a 45 degr stiffning to make it stronger.

grtz Theo

instead of doing that, use a longer bolt in the top trailing arm mount - works for lots of people, including car manufactures.

I see some subtle paintbrush editing!


Whilst I make no claims to being an expert, I will state the obvious that it will reduce the ride height unless you can compenstate for the mount being lower (BTW this is kinda what I need to do on mine)


Secondly you need to check that the shock is not going to end up fouling on anythjing and that the top shock mount is happy with the extra angle - i.e. if it is an eyelt you're ok but if one of those bolt end type, you may need to angle the mounting plate too.

I can't see any problem David.
I guess it will change the dynamics slightly as the spring mount will be slightly further from the fulcrum and not directly over the centre of the wheels.
I would expect this to make little difference though.
As said there may be strength/fatigue issues with the mounting of the "U" bracket.

O2 - my existing shocks are too long for the current setup, so I want to make them work better.

MikeR - I had originally thought about using the top swinging arm mount, but I'd still have to make some form of outside support to avoid working in single shear.

Theo/Brian/etc - I wasn't going to just add a bracket and leave it unsupported... I have a cunning plan!

I was thinking of making a 3mm or 4mm steel plate that could bolted to the inner side of the axle swinging arm mount, using both of the swinging arm bolts. This would have a U-bracket welded to it (with appropriate bracing as support).

All pipe-dreams at the moment... I will probably end up getting shorter shocks, as originally discussed elsewhere.

David

I am going for the top bolt option though I will have to totally re-design the upper shock mounts, just after I had finished painting the chassis

I have the same problem, shocks longer than the ones used in the book. The springs are still going to need pre compression before they will connect up to the axel mount.

Caber

I used the top mounting bolt and simply made a bracket that consists of a 3mm plate with a radius to fit the axle tube and then positioned it and drilled to line up with the mounting bolt hole in the existing axle bracket.I had to use a spacing washer in between the shock and original bracket to clear the damper tube but it all lined up with the original top mounts no problem.
Paul.

quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
O2 - my existing shocks are too long for the current setup, so I want to make them work better.

MikeR - I had originally thought about using the top swinging arm mount, but I'd still have to make some form of outside support to avoid working in single shear.

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tobymack - 8/9/06 at 03:13 PM

I could be wrong (as I am 2000 miles from my westifield at the moment!) but I think the westfield live axle setup uses the top arm bolt for the shock. In single shear. I have never hear of any problems and there are plenty of abused old westifields around.........

toby

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Maradona - 8/9/06 at 05:01 PM

no problem with tah modification.

easy go ahead

cheers
Maradona

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Mark Allanson - 8/9/06 at 07:01 PM

Just a minor alteration
Rescued attachment after.JPG

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paulf - 8/9/06 at 09:17 PM

That would look neat and be strong enough but may cause problems with the panhard rod mounting on the right hand side.
Paul

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson
Just a minor alteration

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David Jenkins - 8/9/06 at 09:22 PM

quote:

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Originally posted by tobymack
I could be wrong (as I am 2000 miles from my westifield at the moment!) but I think the westfield live axle setup uses the top arm bolt for the shock. In single shear. I have never hear of any problems and there are plenty of abused old westifields around.........

toby

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You are quite correct! I have a copy of a Westfield build manual that describes a car that's uncannily similar to the Locost (ahem...). The rear shocks are indeed fitted in single shear...

Oh, what a dilemma...

David

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