As per usual, I've been pondering cheap (or not so cheap) improvements to factory parts. I came up with this idea a while back...

Converting King/link pin arms and spindle over to Heim joints.

Seems to me that an upright shaft replacing the kingpin and a few threaded inserts in the arms would make for an easy conversion. I know the joints need regular greasing, but so do the K/L pins so no great dramas there. The geometry would also remain pretty well identical and you could easily dial in a degree or two of negative camber.

Now, I know you're gonna say, "just convert to ball joint" but I don't want to for a few reasons. First up, that would mean swapping pans and my car is a great original car. Then there is the expense. However, the oval is up for a front end rebuild before too long so I'm trying to find a way to make it more adjustable as well as restoring it.

Interested to hear people's thoughts.

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=85650&page=4 

Beat me to it Craig!!!!

YIKES! and I thought I stuffed with my suspension a lot, Very cool

Macky's onto it and no slowing down for a old boy,lol....

I wonder if that setup would be legal for the road though ?

Well that's the $64k question isn't it. I'll have to have a chat to my good friend the blueslip inspector?

what is the legal aversion to rose joints?

I am working on two projects that have rose joint front suspension arms. They are twin A arm type front ends. There is no problem with the rose joints in these applications as the front suspension member itself is rubber mounted to the chassis. The engineer has stated that suspension must have an absorbing mount somewhere to the chassis. So Strut front ends have this with the bushes on the lower arms. I am not familiar with front beams, but I assume there is some absorbing mounts originally from the stub axle to the pan. Even if it is in the tube bearings.

Link-pin front ends have NO rubber [or any other form of "absorbing mount"] between the front wheels, and the chassis. Does that make them illegal?

There is the rubber between the chassis and the body.....does that count?

These are a great idea, but those joints will not last long for daily road use.
The other factor is the cost of quality rod ends, those big suckers are likely ove $100 a pop.

The factory trailing arm uses a needle bearing outboard and
a weired and shitty fiberous bush inboard(bakelite like a wireless greg?).
Pre 1960 had the shitty bushes in and out.

Even having all fibre bushes would have little "absorbing" effect......anyway the torsion bars have solid connections.

I would never consider the Rose joints for road use. Mine are there mainly to get the 4 degrees negative camber that I wanted.

wouldnt be much dif between rose joints and bushes for road use only engineers opinions! ps can get good rose joints now!

Hmm, been chatting to my blueslip man and he seems to think I'd be asked for a certificate with heims.

Does anyone know anything about offset kingpin bushes to get a deg or 2 of neg camber?

why do you need that much neg on a slow road car ?

coz I'm hoping it won't be slow forever?

Like Crag, I am wondering why you you need lots of neg. camber on a road car, slow or fast.

The reason my [track only] Beetle has 4 deg. neg., and lots of caster, and toe-out....is to get the bloody thing to 'turn in', with the locked diff, and A70 tyres. The rod-end link pins was a simple, economical way of providing camber adjustment. Just my opinion, but a road car [with good roadtyres] shouldn't need that much neg. camber, and may even become a bit ordinary [dangerous?] under brakes.

So you think neutral camber is ok? It's just that I'd like to do some khanas in the car and like you say, understeer is always an issue with turn in. A little neg camber always helps this.

Please refer to the lap times at the last Wakefield Park event. I was running 135's with a 2" narrowed beam and stock camber/toe, and Bluey out performed many modern cars with way better set ups on paper. !!!! I only ran a hand full of laps.

Another example, John Alder's F Vee is set-up using K/L specifically to rub the ball joint noses into poo.

So what you're both saying is, "you need more power".

I had a lot of fun in mine tuning up the handling before adding some power Pete

What's your current setup Daimo?

The old 'Porsche Key Ring' trick......now we know your secret, Shaun.

They work even better than the Brock 'Energy Polarizer'.

Quote:

Originally posted by HappyDaze The old 'Porsche Key Ring' trick......now we know your secret, Shaun. They work even better than the Brock 'Energy Polarizer'.