Ke70 Suspension Questions - Koni Sports?

[dubly]

Hi Guys,

 

I just bought my first ke70 over the weekend. The first order of business is to sort out the suspension - my goal is low but legal for a daily driver with the odd track day or hill climb. There is no shortage of info on ae86 suspension into ke70's as the preferred option as well as info on s13 setups for the hardcore drifter - all of which seems to stem from a lack of good quality inserts for the small front strut tubes. This is where I get confused...

 

Koni Australia and Europe list part numbers for front and rear Koni Sports for a ke70. Wouldn't it be easier to buy these matched with some lowering springs for my purposes? Has anyone gone for this option? Why isn't it more popular?

 

Also, it looks like I could add negative camber to the above via longer control arms. Any suggestions as to what length/model would be best?

 

Thanks for your help!

[B.L.Z.BUB]

The shocks may be better but they will not be 'short stroke' to hold the springs captive at full extension. People upgrade the front struts as the 51mm strut tube has numerous variations on shock length and stroke to choose from. There are some vague references to short stroke shocks that may fit stock ke70 struts but I personally havent read/seen any solid proof.

 

As for LCA's get xt130, or the cheaper option is KE55.

Edited July 15, 2012 by B.L.Z.BUB

[It's_AUDM_Yo]

Another reason why people also use AE86 because their is also brake upgrades for these struts.

Whereas their is little to none for KE70 struts.

 

Other struts that fit and have 51mm diameter are XT130 Corona and RA60/65 Celica (which is what I have) and also have their respective brake upgrades. People just general chose what they can get "cheaply at the time".

 

Also I believe that Golf/Rabbit shock are a short stroke option being 45mm, How much shorter I am not aware.

As only this from a fella I knows 1200 ute which is also 45mm.

Edited July 15, 2012 by It's_AUDM_Yo

[dubly]

Thanks guys! Good food for thought. Cheers

[B.L.Z.BUB]

I put a heap of topics in one thread a while back, might be worth a browse.

 

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/57187-ke70-lowering-thread/

[dubly]

_Guys,

 

_{Thanks again for all the help! I've seen the light re AE86 (or similar) struts and brakes over the small tube, small brake KE70 stuff. I noticed BC makes a AE86 kit that includes spindles: http://justjap.com/store/product.php?productid=19825}

 

_{Here's want I think I need to make these work. Please confirm...?}

 

_front:

_{AE86 steering arms}

_RCA

_{longer LCA's}

_{plus hubs, calliers, dics, etc...}

 

_rear:

_{no idea - will the BC stuff fit?}

 

_{Thanks for your help.}

 

_Cheers

[B.L.Z.BUB]

If you put coil overs in the rear you will need to strengthen the chassis.

[dubly]

If you put coil overs in the rear you will need to strengthen the chassis.

 

Can you please clarify... the BC kit is separate springs in the rear just like factory, not a true coil over like the techno toy tuning units. Or is the strengthening required due to spring rate or something I'm missing? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks

[It's_AUDM_Yo]

In AE86 the shock and spring are a "unit" and stronger whereas in KE70s they are seperate.

 

AE86

 

KE70

 

Their are a few ways of strengthening it but they're all alot of effort. Thus why most people don't bother.

Edited July 16, 2012 by It's_AUDM_Yo

[B.L.Z.BUB]

The KE70 chassis isnt designed to take the forces from those ^ AE86 style rear coilovers. I assumed you were going down that route.

[Tomas_90]

What if you add a simple rear strut bar then? Is that enough "strenghtening" or does it just make it worse? Weld it to clamp on to a bigger area around the strut tower?

Edited July 17, 2012 by Tomas_90

[altezzaclub]

I'd expect you would need to weld a piece of sheet over the KE70 shock tower to spread the load out across the inner guard and down to the boot floor. If you look at the KE70 spring mount on the chassis it would need to be that thickness steel to take the expected loads.

 

Another little trap for people who lower their car and take out bumpstops.. you can rip the welds apaprt when you coil-bind the springs on a bump. Even set up correctly on the rally Datsun we would sometimes pop the whole rear window out upon landing over a yump, the rear of the car would flex so much & the boot sag downwards.