Front Suspension Travel

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SpeedThrills

SpeedThrills

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I know Calvert recommends at least 5".

How is it measured?

Is it total travel, from completely collapsed to fully extended?

Or is it from ride height to fully extended?

It seems that if they mean overall travel, the effectiveness would depend on how low (or high) the torsion bars are set.

If they mean from static ride height to fully extended, I can see that.

With 1/2" longer than stock upper ball joints, and all but about 1/2" of the UCA snubber cut off, I have 3", at ride height. (Ride height to fully extended.)

Measuring total travel (fully extended), I get 4". I can get a little more, as I haven't cut the LCA snubber.

Either way, how do I get at least 5"?

Okay, size matters, and Calvert says length does too.
:lol:
 
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I believe that magic 5" number is the amount of front end travel (not shock travel) from ride height, to the point at which the tires lift off the ground. Measure it from the wheel arch on the fender at ride height, then jack the car up til the tire lifts off the ground. The difference is what you're looking at, and it sounds like Calvert recommends 5".
 
mopowers said:
I believe that magic 5" number is the amount of front end travel (not shock travel) from ride height, to the point at which the tires lift off the ground. Measure it from the wheel arch on the fender at ride height, then jack the car up til the tire lifts off the ground. The difference is what you're looking at, and it sounds like Calvert recommends 5".
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I measured at the stops. It makes sense though, as you say, to measure at the outside of the tire, at the arch.
There will be more measured travel out there. I'll do that tomorrow.
 
If you can't get 5" lower the torsion bar to get it.
Changing the ride height will require tire height clearance as well as a alignment.
 
also when you jack the tire off the ground, put a jackstand under car and loosen your shock to make sure its not trying to be your bump stop, now that you have shaved some off of it.
 
I am playing with the ride height now. It needs an alignment, I just rebuilt the front suspension.
No shocks on it right now.
I have taken the UCA snubbers off completely. I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not.
Thanks. I need all the ideas I can get.
 
Unless you have a bungee cord for a shock. I don't thing it's going to hit it that hard under launch..............a chuck hole on the freeway......yeah that might me a problem.
 
On the pass side, I have 5 5/8". Dr. side, 4 7/8". On the dr. side, the LCA, torsion bar adj. bolt and the tie rod all hit a header tube at about the same point, limting the travel compared to the pass side. I don't know what to do there.

I reinstalled the snubbers, which are only 3/8" now. They compress to 1/4" with the UCA resting on them. That affects the travel just a bit.

I don't have a shock to measure extended travel. I measure about 16 1/2". I have to see if that's longer than a stock length shock. If so, I'll have to order a shock that's longer. Compressed is about 12 3/4".
 
Anyone else want to list their travel measurements and how you went about getting them? Enquiring minds need to know...
 
I don't remember exactly but it's 6 inch and some change.
How i got it?
all but touching the lower control arm bump stop. aka lowered the front suspension a BUNCH(not a good idea for a street driven car).
tubular upper control arms, that don't us a upper bump stop.
 
I'm about 3/4 from the LCA snubber. It won't get street driven much.

I have to lower the rear now. (Too much rake for my liking.) I already have them in the upper front hole of the Reilly (RMS) relocation boxes. The rear shackles are stock. I have the S6 springs clamped. I'm going to loosen the clamps and see if I can make it settle some. It sat pretty low when it was stock. I thought I had the suspension at ride height when I clamped them. I'll find out.

I was wondering if aftermarket UCA's would help (with travel). But there not in the budget right now. Besides, I just put ball joints and bushings in them.
I've heard that they help with positive caster. I'll find out about that, too. :D
 
I realized something today while lowering the rear ride height.

The leaf springs were clamped while I was fiddling with the torsion bars yesterday. They should've been unclamped while I was doing that, so that they could move as needed.

So, I loosened the clamps, bounced the rear end, and then reset the torsion bars (the right front was low a bit).

Overall, I got the rearend about 3/4" lower.

I still have a bit of weight to add, front Corbeau seats, gas, exhaust system (as minimal as it will be), driver's weight and I'm sure some other stuff. So I'll recheck the height and align it then.
 
What kind of clamps and where are you installing them? on your rear leaf springs
 
Cudafever said:
What kind of clamps and where are you installing them? on your rear leaf springs
Click to expand...
I made them from 3/8 X 2 hot rolled steel. Bolts are grade 8, 3/8. They're on the front half, 3 on each side, each one grabbing a segment.

Spring Clamps 1.jpg


Spring Clamps 2.jpg
 
I thought they were the strap type factory, clamps.
Them will do just fine.:thumbsup:

My only suggestion is that you get rid of them nuts and install some nyloc nuts. Them leafs still need to slide a little. back and forth as the suspension goes up and down. will help on ride Quality a lot as well.

When i did mine, i snug them down just enough so that they wouldn't slide around.(The clamps)
 
I thought the whole idea of the clamps was to keep the leaves from sliding around. Keeps them stiffer.

I know they won't ride good. It'll be mostly strip, with a few local cruises.

I eventually am going with Caltracs, unless this happens to work good.
 
I'm not the authority on this.
And clamping the leaf solid my be the cat's meaw...........but i would, remove the stock spring clamps in the back for more bit then clamp the front solid.
All i can say is try it..........whats the worse that can happen? It don't work.......you tighten them up tight again......:poke::D
 
Yeah, I hear ya.
And my rear segments are unclamped. It’s gonna be a while before it’s ready for the track, but I’ll report back when I do.
 
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