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Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2389291
10/18/17 01:16 PM
10/18/17 01:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,094
central texas
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krautrock Offline OP
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krautrock  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2003
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central texas
Back together. My alignment numbers on the pass side still seemed weak after fixing this. Dropped marks on the ground from the rear of each torsion bar socket, made a line across that. Dropped marks at the face of each LCA real close to the lower ball joint and also dropped marks from the front ball joint bolt in the spindle. Both sides were less than 1/8" difference.

Alignment numbers for DS I was able to get -.50* camber/+4* caster.
PS I was only able to get 0* camber/+1.5 caster.
Got kinda frustrated, started thinking about camber spacers and all that.

Decided to see how much my weight in the drivers seat changed stuff around. My wife plus a puppy in the car and PS came around to -.3* camber and +2.75* caster.
DS numbers changed to -.15* camber/+3.5 caster. slight adjustments to the DS and it's also at -.3* camber/+2.75* caster.

I think I'm losing a full degree of caster from the rear of the car being higher than the front so I'm happy with 2.75* caster.

Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2389693
10/19/17 03:18 AM
10/19/17 03:18 AM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline
Striving for excellence
Kern Dog  Offline
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Granite Bay CA
If my EX wife were to sit in the drivers seat of my car, I'd need a block of wood under the frame rail to limit the compression of even my 1.15 torsion bars!

Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2424273
12/27/17 04:39 AM
12/27/17 04:39 AM
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 24
Northern Colorado
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EagleDuster Offline
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Northern Colorado
Hey guys, sorry to bring back an old thread but this is the second time I've heard of the "binding due to moved pivot point" issue and it has me confused. I have a mechanical engineering background so I understand the tech-speak with suspension stuff to some extent. The thing is I installed adjustable (heim-jointed) strut rods on my '70 Duster and they made a very noticeable improvement in turn-in response and braking feel. When installing them you are supposed to assemble the LCA and strut rod to the K-member without a torsion bar and gradually adjust the strut rod shorter while simultaneously moving the LCA up and down through its full range of motion. On mine I just went till I started to feel it tightening up and barely pulling on the LCA then tightened the lock nuts. It still moved totally smooth through the full range of motion. If that was possible to achieve then where is this "binding" supposed to be happening?


Khalid
1970 Plymouth Duster, 1993 Jeep Cherokee 4x4
Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2424275
12/27/17 04:59 AM
12/27/17 04:59 AM
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WA
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pro451bee Offline
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WA
Suposedly the point of motion for the altered pivot point at the K frame for the strut rod changes the ark of the lower controll arm ball joint , and will change dynamic castor slightly more than the stock , vaque rubber biscut mounting.I feel the benifit far out weights the negative .

Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2424287
12/27/17 09:51 AM
12/27/17 09:51 AM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 25,050
Texas
GoodysGotaCuda Offline
5.7L Hemi, 6spd
GoodysGotaCuda  Offline
5.7L Hemi, 6spd

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Posts: 25,050
Texas
What is the proper "spec" for adjusting these?

Upon initial install [no t-bar], I adjusted them to where the LCA ran smoothest through it's range of motion. Now that the car has 1,500 miles or so, I am doing an alignment after things have settled and may want to revisit that.


1972 Barracuda - 5.7L Hemi, T56 Magnum 6spd - https://www.facebook.com/GoodysGotaHemi
2020 RAM 1500
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Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2424396
12/27/17 02:56 PM
12/27/17 02:56 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
Supercuda Offline
About to go away
Supercuda  Offline
About to go away

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up yours
When you use the strut rod to dial in caster you are doing it wrong. Use the UCA to relocate the UBJ. There are a number of aftermarket tubular ones that are designed to add more than the stock UCA.

When the forward pivot of your strut rod is not in line with the LCA pivot pin, you are doing it wrong. That is a design flaw, pure and simple. Easy to fix in the design stage, if you know what you are doing and not slapping some junk together to sell to the unsuspecting.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: GoodysGotaCuda] #2424557
12/27/17 07:26 PM
12/27/17 07:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,094
central texas
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krautrock Offline OP
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krautrock  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,094
central texas
Originally Posted By GoodysGotaCuda
What is the proper "spec" for adjusting these?

Upon initial install [no t-bar], I adjusted them to where the LCA ran smoothest through it's range of motion. Now that the car has 1,500 miles or so, I am doing an alignment after things have settled and may want to revisit that.


that's basically what i did. with no torsion bar in the LCA there is a slight movement in the arm front to rear, i just pushed the arm forward at approximate ride height. adjusted the strut rod to that distance and then gave it an extra turn to lengthen it just a tad.

dropped marks on the ground when it was all back together and measured to make sure everything was equal.

Re: adjustable strut rods [Re: krautrock] #2424584
12/27/17 08:08 PM
12/27/17 08:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 24
Northern Colorado
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EagleDuster Offline
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Posts: 24
Northern Colorado
Looks like I'll have to plan on doing a design study on the Mopar front lower control arm/strut rod assembly one of these days when I'm really bored, lol


Khalid
1970 Plymouth Duster, 1993 Jeep Cherokee 4x4
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