Front Suspension Setup

[irokin]

Need some AE86 steering arms from the power steering version.

[Super Jamie]

non power steer arms are shorter

[irokin]

http://www.arfabuck.orcon.net.nz/struts.html

 

you sure??

[demuire]

Actually Jamie, you're wrong on that one. The AE86 power steering arms are shorter - but not by much. I've got a pair in the AE35, hence the marginally quicker (and heavier) steering.

 

*edit* or steering knuckles, or whatever they're called. those things that bolt to the bottom of the strut...

Edited August 3, 2004 by demuire

[irokin]

KE20 arms are 108...and its ridiculously light. I'm thinking about maybe getting the AE86 ones (or something else) shortened to 108 or maybe shorter. I think theyve gotta go to the engineering workshop to redrill the holes anyway...

 

this is all providing my TA22 coil over inserts don't fit my KE20 struts

[demuire]

Huh? So umm... What is a coilover insert?

 

Secondly, would the AE86 steering knuckles even bolt onto KE20 struts? If not, why bother? If you're going to get it shortened anyway, why not just shorten the KE20 ones?

[Super Jamie]

he thinks he's fitting ta22 coilovers

 

i looked into this ages ago, i thought power steer arms were shorter too, but ended up finding somewhere that said manual steer arms are shorter

 

getting steering arms shortened is illegal and probably dangerous, new billet ones would be the only way to do it and get it engineered

[Felix]

if fitting ta22 springs (not totally sure what ben means), you would reduce the amount of possible camber you could get out of the front end due to the larger diameter springs. also the kingpin inclination will be more wrong with later struts, giving you more positive camber.

 

i will have a set of lowered heavier ke20/25 coils for sale soon. they were in becs '16 when we bought it. they make it sit too high as the spring platforms are a lot closer together on the ke1x cars. will be setting hers up the same as mine, with cut '20 coils and a whiteline front bar shortly.

 

wind in as much caster as possible, that will make the steering a bit heavier.

 

i would have a chat with peter, his '20 has gone through a fair bit of modification in the suspension department. he has done everything himself so he knows what bits work and what doesn't.

Edited August 4, 2004 by Felix

[demuire]

Umm, what kind of "coilovers" are we talking about here? Because technically speaking, a Macpherson strut is a "coilover" setup. Or are we talking the sort of coilover that people frequently talk about that is height adjustable and uses small diameter springs?

 

And yes, you also have to worry about what the kingpin inclination would be, but then again Ben is talking about bending that and getting it heat treated to get more neg camber, I have my concerns about this but he seems to think it will be just fine.

 

And yes, caster is a good thing. Also helps if you keep with rubber control arm bushes (like Rob) because you can wind in more caster than if you use nolethane ones (like me).

[irokin]

Height ajustable. They have ebach 300lb springs on them but I told him to take them out of the deal. Id rather get springs that are the right size for my car.

 

my other option is rt132 corona steering arms. They put the strut in a more negative camber position. But the steering arm is even longer at 140mm :P

[demuire]

They put the strut in a more negative camber position

 

I doubt the difference would be anything to really write home about. What's wrong with normal TA22 steering arms? Or are those really long as well?

 

Also, have you actually checked that the taper on your ball joint is going to match the steering arm?

[Super Jamie]

which it doesnt

[irokin]

ack...looks like another bargain scrapped :P

 

where can I get some coil over inserts from?? My springs are getting ridiculously soft so id rather replace them with ajustable coil overs rather than trying to guess the spring height i need.

 

edit: oh and approx price

[Super Jamie]

here's an idea

 

ke30 control arms in ke20. ben, you own both cars, see if this is a bolt up possibility? then you'll have control arms with 14mm balljoint, then you could use ae86 p/s arms with xt130 struts (like fook did in pinky) or even ae86 adjustables which you should be able to buy pre-made if option magazine is anything to go by

 

you could use anything with 14mm balljoint thread really, i think you can get control arms bushed so they bolt into an originally smaller bushed car (right fook?), so wrecker hunting for celica/corona/cressida/scorpion control arms would enable you to run a pretty wide range of tracks and cambers

 

you'd probably need flares front and rear (already need them rear anyway) to run anything wider than a steelie

 

basically, to put different struts in a ke20, you HAVE to go backwards with steering

[demuire]

Darn it, it's not a "coilover insert", hell I don't even know what a "coilover insert" is...

 

If you want the sleeves, you can get them from Fulcrum. Motorsport Xtreme (or is it Xtreme Motorsport?) also sell them, but I think the ones they sell are steel as opposed to the alloy ones from Fulcrum.

 

As to what other struts fit in a KE20, I have no idea.