Front suspension questions

dmulally Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 6 Jun 2009, 8:18 am

#716914

Hi All,

Normally I just find the answers under the search option but cant seem to find it.

I have a formula vee modified and while the rear suspension is nice and springy (too springy I think) the front suspension is very weird.

If you bounce up and down it has very little travel if any at all. If I jack it up, the suspension just stays up until I jump on the front end to lower it again. When jacking it up off the ground, the front wheels droop down very slowly rather than simply drop like a normal car.

I have put some grease in there but not sure if it did it before I did that as I havent had the car for too long. Does it prefer heavy gear oil rather than grease? I used standard grease that I have used in suspensions for years. Perhaps I used too much.

It is a kingpin front end. I am happy to take any pics of it if anyone thinks it would help.

Thanks for your time,

Damian

cb john Wolfsburg Wizard

470 posts · joined Jun 2007 · 6 Jun 2009, 10:00 am

#716934

You have to ask your questions here :
http://www.fvee.org.au/forums/forum_folder_view

dmulally Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 6 Jun 2009, 11:52 am

#716951

Sorry. I wasn't aware.

Thankyou for your time cb john.

chequer57 Seriously Crusin Dubber

125 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 7 Jun 2009, 2:25 pm

#717164

Hi Daniel,

Best I can say here is that we typically run an anti roll bar inside the beam and it has a solid spacers between beam and the trailing arms. Often there is a nut on the one or both ends to prevent floating (as the antiroll bar it's not secured in the middle) If this nut pinched up too tight you sometme get the whole lot binding on rebound.

The other thing that sometimes happens is someone goes too weird on camber shims and binds the link pins.

BTW what Vee have you got ? better not be a pre 85 car or I'll be at you to come join us in Historic Formula Vee !!!

and I would love to see a pic of what you have.

Regards,

Ian Lee
Secretary HFVAA
secretary@historicveeaustralia.com
www.historicveeaustralia.com

Formula Vee, preserving engineering museum pieces in Australia since 1964

dmulally Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Jun 2009, 11:28 am

#717320

Hi Ian,

There is a locking type nut in the centre. I tried playing with it and it did make some difference. I will try playing with it some more. Is the suspension ok to put normal suspension grade grease in there?

Here is the nut and bolt below the steering box.

The vee is modified sorry so is now a formula libre. I used to lease a Vee off Steve Wood who you might know. A sabre iirc. Loved it.

Here is a pic. Do you know what the body or chassis looks like? Id be interested to know. I have a pic of it when it was a 1200 vee in Victoria but that needs to be scanned in. I just resprayed it in yellow yesterday so it will be clean for a few weeks.

Thanks for your help.

Damian

chequer57 Seriously Crusin Dubber

125 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 8 Jun 2009, 1:49 pm

#717330

Hi Damian, that car was on ebay in Victoria a little while ago.

Anyway a bit of instructional photo below.

After dropping the shocks and confirming the front is still too stiff back off the two very large nuts off a tad on the anti roll bar.

That should make the car rebound better, if that doesn't work you are most likely either binding on the link pins or the srping pack has issues in the bottom beam (not secured or split).

The car is running Elfin 500 body work but the chassis is not Elfin from my memory of the sale on ebay, ie it's clad.

I would love to see a pic of the car as a Vee at least then I can put it to my "where are they now list" of over 500 Vees I have.

My email address is secretary@historicveeaustralia.com if you want to send the pic.

Regards.

Ian

Formula Vee, preserving engineering museum pieces in Australia since 1964

themadpostie Commited Dubber

61 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 8 Jun 2009, 3:42 pm

#717349

I'd love to see the car as it was when you bought it. Got a pic handy?

Oh and you beat me Ian.... I was going to do something very similar to your pic....

My car is one of Ian's list of 500 vees..... cept mine is know as the "from parts unknown" vee.... no idea what it is.

dmulally Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Jun 2009, 4:27 pm

#717357

That is perfect! Thanks! The car was in Vic and for sale for some time. I got it for much cheaper than advertised and quite enjoy it.

I dont even need to go to the garage to know what I have done wrong. The nuts on the end in red circle were on finger tight so out of habit I tightened them up.

Thanks so much.

If you ever want your vee painted, more than happy to do so if you supply the paint 🙂 Ill scan in the pic tomorrow for you.

Cheers

Damian

dmulally Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2008 · 8 Jun 2009, 4:52 pm

#717359

Ill send you the proper scan Ian, but here is a photo of the photo...

chequer57 Seriously Crusin Dubber

125 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 11 Jun 2009, 12:02 pm

#717928

Looking at that photo the car was already in Hill Climb/Sprint mode:

- Wide with tyres
- Standard muffler
- Wide fan housing

Still interesting the car was built in the first place I suspect that the car is a CMS with bits added on.

CMS Vees are typified by having two massive bottom rails.

This is an unmodified chassis example.

Formula Vee, preserving engineering museum pieces in Australia since 1964