Well...on its feet again.

[Bryan Boyle]

Almost a complete new front suspension…O/H'd spax with new bushings…shorter (125 lb) springs…new sway bar/shock attach bushings, new washers and nylocs, overhauled trunnions, new ball joints...painted arms, sway bar, brake back plate, overhauled calipers, new greenstuff pads, stainless pistons and new seals, new front bearings...what a $&88@;? pain torquing the suspension without a lift.

Replacing the ball joints, bushings, freshening up the trunnions, new roll bar rubbers..feels tighter than before. Of course, on the bomb-cratered streets of my town, the dampers get a workout, so next stop is the interstate to see if the tendency of the front to wander a bit has been cured on decent tarmac.  On just the short ride (I still have to install the close plate...which provides the ground route for electrical stuff in the front...right now, my blinkahs don't blink, horn doesn't horn, and probably the rad fan is out of service), the front end does feel more 'connected' than before...so, that's good, right? 

Just as a data point, and totally inaccurate...there is a little under “2 fingers” (about 1"/25 mm) clearance between top of front arch and tread level at same point which is a little less than the stroke on the spax before it hits the rubber bump stop.  Before starting this a few weeks ago...it was 3 fingers easily between top of the tire and bottom of the top wheel arch.  So, nose IS lower.  No, didn't pull out the engineer rule or laser measuring device.  Car wasn't designed to that level of accuracy, so why start as long as it's safe.  I leave that to the TV renovation guys.  Front long pins and bottom of shock torqued to 55 ft/lbs, other setting as per the manual.  Still haven't sussed out the brakes yet (they were rebled with the Gunson equipment...so have pedal...), still on the OEM...see if that works for a while...but have a .70 triumph and an F10 sitting on the shelf...so, I have brakes to get to the show...I'll worry about apres' show after.  Next step...after the show...engine and tranny OUT.

[4129R]

I add an extra thick black earth wire from the clump in the front to the L bracket at the bottom of the centre dash where it bolts to the chassis.

The idea of earthing through the closer plate is not ideal.

[Bryan Boyle]

I add an extra thick black earth wire from the clump in the front to the L bracket at the bottom of the centre dash where it bolts to the chassis.

The idea of earthing through the closer plate is not ideal.

Those 2 leads in the nose are for the horn, blinkers, and rad fan.  Thinking of splicing on a thicker (14 ga?) length of wire and going direct to the frame head.  Easy enough to pop a hole, put in a passivated/chromated threaded insert, a little penetrox on the ring and bolt, and bypassing the close plate.  I think it was a case of 'hey, this bolt is here...why not use it?".

Put in a quick jumper (since the close plate is currently drying from being blasted and bed liner coated) in so the front stuff worked...and gave it a quick 20 mile run.  Thinking when I drop the engine back in, replacing the rubber bushings in the rear track arms with poly.  Have a set from lotus-supplies, not as stiff as double rod end lower links and less 'forgiving' than the metalastic that are in there (and deteriorated from being soaked in petro juice for decades).  Ran nice.  Looked even better posing in my driveway...and...can bring her for state inspection this week so I have a fresh sticker.  Everything works...might as well while it all does...

[dakazman]

I add an extra thick black earth wire from the clump in the front to the L bracket at the bottom of the centre dash where it bolts to the chassis.

The idea of earthing through the closer plate is not ideal.

Those 2 leads in the nose are for the horn, blinkers, and rad fan.  Thinking of splicing on a thicker (14 ga?) length of wire and going direct to the frame head.  Easy enough to pop a hole, put in a passivated/chromated threaded insert, a little penetrox on the ring and bolt, and bypassing the close plate.  I think it was a case of 'hey, this bolt is here...why not use it?".

Put in a quick jumper (since the close plate is currently drying from being blasted and bed liner coated) in so the front stuff worked...and gave it a quick 20 mile run.  Thinking when I drop the engine back in, replacing the rubber bushings in the rear track arms with poly.  Have a set from lotus-supplies, not as stiff as double rod end lower links and less 'forgiving' than the metalastic that are in there (and deteriorated from being soaked in petro juice for decades).  Ran nice.  Looked even better posing in my driveway...and...can bring her for state inspection this week so I have a fresh sticker.  Everything works...might as well while it all does...

 Bryan , kudos to you for working under the dash, probably with the steering and seat in. I’m Running a ground up there also reduces the number of lead’s inside the cabin , making troubleshooting much easier. The S 1 shows 3 separate grounds up front.
I ran one and attached as shown, using it for horn, rad and , lights , window washer. I used 14 gauge.Then added a ground bus for my larger FLV fan.

[kram350kram]

Bryan, Curious with the car level what is the measurement between the ground and the bottom of the front fender lip and what size tire do you have? Also, how long are your front springs before loaded? I am figuring out ride height now so all this interests me, total shock travel and ride height especially. Thanks for any info   

[Bryan Boyle]

Bryan, Curious with the car level what is the measurement between the ground and the bottom of the front fender lip and what size tire do you have? Also, how long are your front springs before loaded? I am figuring out ride height now so all this interests me, total shock travel and ride height especially. Thanks for any info   

The spring lengths you'll have to get from Ray; I have my spax perches set at the bottom for ride comfort rather than preloading them (I'm not really going to get into corner weights and all that; it's a road car, not a competition set up for track conditions...and the shock adjustment itself is a half turn clockwise from bottom; that's what works best for me...not scientific, obviously, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Data: Tires: Michelin Defender, 175/70R-13.  Less than 500 miles on them (aprox).  Inflated to (cold, right now) 18 PSI.  To center of the hub (remove the trim cap, stick a #0 phillips head miniature screwdriver in the little hole in the grease cap, make sure perpendicular to the hub), I measure 11 inches up from the floor.  To the bottom of the flange on the wheel arch, I get 23 3/8" unladen.  I made up a witness stick so I could check both sides to the same measurements; they're almost exact on a level floor.

Measurement to the arch flange with the OEM armstrongs and springs in there (if anyone wants them, let me know!) was 24 1/4" before I started.  They were installed in 2015; so not many miles on them.  So, I lost a little over 3/4" in fender height.  OBTW: the front frame box is 6 1/8" from floor.  OK, it's high by the width of a miniature headphone plug...close enough, unladen.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  That's what counts, right?

Of course, I could have preloaded the driver side to account for my weight, but, really?  You can get crazy and split differences; if your suspension is using hard mountings and non-compliant bushings, it might make sense, but for stock, I've done it this way for a few road (not competition...) cars and never really went deeper than that.

YMMV; hope this gives you a few ideas.

[kram350kram]

Thanks for that info. Just what I was looking for. By the way, your car looks great!

[Bryan Boyle]

Thanks for that info. Just what I was looking for. By the way, your car looks great!

Thanks!  It's a 10-footer great.  Lots of compound and buffing.  Still could stand a refinish, but, patina counts for something!