front end tech. advise

[Z5Roadster]

Building a special.

Using the bottom end of E34 MacPhersion Stut, with Wishbone at the Top.

Coilovers? Where to fit?

If I fit a ball joint to the top of the leg & attach it to a wish bone can I then have a coilover from wishbone back to the lower chassis?

Normally we would spring from the bottom outer to the top inner.

Don't want to use Top Rockers with inboard springs.

Any suggestions please.

[Sam_68]

If I understand you correctly, then no, you can't, because you'll be pulling the coilver open under load/bump (ie. stretching the spring instead of compressing it).

Ralph Bellamy designed a linkage for MacLaren that would overcome this, but it's difficult to describe on here and, to be blunt, if I have understood you correctly the your grasp of suspension linkages is such that you need to ask this sort of question you'd be better off steering clear of it anyway, 'cos the way it functions is complicated.

What's stopping you springing up from the lower wishbone to the upper chassis, in the normal way?

[Z5Roadster]

Hi. The E34 strut is tied at the bottom to 2 link arms going back to bushed mountings on the chassis & balljointed to the steering bracket which is bolted to the leg.

There is no bottom wishbone.

The complete strut revolves roughly say 90 degrees, I dont see how the bottom of the coilover could be anchored to the revolving leg.

[Sam_68]

Z5Roadster said:

Hi. The E34 strut is tied at the bottom to 2 link arms going back to bushed mountings on the chassis & balljointed to the steering bracket which is bolted to the leg.

You must be able to split the bottom links from the strut assembly, surely, in which case you fabricate your own bottom wishbone.

Do you have a photograph of the strut assembly?

[Z5Roadster]

Hi Sam.

Yes I could add my own wishbone to the hub, the only thing is that I am trying to retain BMW standard geometry.



This has already been done but I am not keen on the idea.



Cheers Tom

Edited by Z5Roadster on Sunday 14th February 12:18

[Sam_68]

No reason you can't retain the standard BMW geometry (whether you should is another question, but let's not worry about that...).

Just make up a jig to locate the bushes/ball joint from the original wishbone in the correct position, then fabricate your own wishbone to replace it?