Creating camber- affecting other components

[luvemfast]

Hi,

I'm in the process of making some adjustable lower control arms. I thought I had all the bases covered, as I'm also making extended steering adjusters.

 

But I've realised that a wider sway bar will be needed as its connected to the LCA's. That dimension won't be known until its all installed and aligned.  :-\

I'm not reinventing the wheel here, but I'm running out of time before the nationals

 

What do people do in this scenario?

[benny]

can the sway bar be slightly bent outwards to reach? not sure is this is a good suggestion??

[luvemfast]

can the sway bar be slightly bent outwards to reach? not sure is this is a good suggestion??

I'd say no, as it will be about 20-30mm each side.

Was thinking, can I cut it and weld a collar of sorts?

[benny]

or could you just weld a tab extension onto the ends? My brother has a contact that makes custom sway bars in any configuration if you need it.

[Roberto]

There is some "give" as the end link can be moved a bit.  If you go really wide, can you drill out a new end link hole?

 

The TTT LCA's have 2 holes for this reason.

[PeterAllen]

The bar should be made of spring steel. If you weld or heat it you will alter the tempering and change the tension properties or worse, it may become brittle at the weld and break under load. Make up separate extension tabs until you know the final configuration and then have a new bar made.

[luvemfast]

The bar should be made of spring steel. If you weld or heat it you will alter the tempering and change the tension properties or worse, it may become brittle at the weld and break under load.

This was actualy my primary concern.

 

[1600dave]

Yep, swaybar and swaybar link will end up apart by the amount you add into the LCA. No amount of levering, brute force, etc will get them to join again.

 

All I did was just cut a piece of good, solid, steel bar that was of the correct size to join the two bits (sway bar and link), drilled holes in each end, attached one end of the bit of bar to the swaybar (a flywheel bolt was a nice size to do the job) and attached the other end to the swaybar link as normal.

 

Its on a 1600, but should be very similar to a ZX - been doing the job for a few years, with regular expeditions to the track.

 

I can get a pic tonight.

[Zedman240®]

I've seen some people bend the rod that holds all the small bushes to an almost "S" shape to go from the swaybar end to the arm. It may let that rod flex a tad which may make the whole setup a little softer than what it should be?

[dat2kman]

Simon, do NOT cut/weld the ARB.

Just drill into the LCA's two new holes, but box them in and insert a piece of short tube to support the box, so it doesnt collapse.

Have a look for bearing supply shops for some long thread series spherical ball ends, and long thread into LCA and ball onto ARB.

 

Or, a male/female short sperical ball, bottom bolted to a piece of L angle bolted to LCA, and top ball direct to ARB, this method gives better articulation.

 

Bear in mind before mounting anything to set up as clise as pisdible final camber AND caster settings, before assessing where ARB links are to be mounted.

[luvemfast]

I've had a look at the LCA's. Looks like it would be ok to weld a plate on top and drill a hole after your alignment is all done.

 

[nat0_240_chevZ]

or attach/weld an endling tab on the struts and go up!!!!

same as before........

much like most other cars on the road, but they tend to use 200mm or longer link rods....

just another suggestion.

or add the extra mm's outside of where the SB ling attaches to the LCA.

either way still works, or as mentioned above, just re-drill and re-inforce this point......

nat0

[bluerat]

I did what Jason suggested on my 1600 (A rose joint on both ends and angle iron bolted to the orginal hole), it has 5 1/2 degrees on it, ie 50mm added to the bottom arms and it works a treat.

 

Hodgo

 

Sorry Edit, it's an adjustable bar with verticle holes....