setting front a-arm angle ?

[Tspringer]

Im rebuilding the front suspension on my hotrod 911S. Going to sander 22mm front t-bars, custom valved bilstein struts with raised spindles, smart racing products front anti-roll bars, elephant mono-balls and strut brace.

Its time to install the torsion bars and set the angle for ride height on the front a-arms. What angle to set the a-arms?

The car will only weight about 2000lb. It has a mag case engine and trans, but still not exactly sure on weight distribution front to rear.

I found via the search on this site a neat calculator to determine the angle on the rear spring plate for setting the rear torsion bars, but no such luck finding a tool to determine the angle for setting the front?

Anyone have any clue what a-arm angle I should start with? I was thinking 20 degrees.... but thats just a WAG.

Thanks for the help!


Terry

[ChrisBennet]

The fronts are sooo easy to reset, just experiment. With 22mm front bars you will need to have the tire up some (not at full droop) before you put the cap on.
-Chris

[Tspringer]

I was planning to set the a-arm angle, then install the torsion bars and caps before the strut is even mounted, much less a wheel and tire?

It seems that if the correct un-weighted angle of the a-arm can be estimated this would be pretty simple. Im just hoping to avoid many hours of trial and error re-indexing of the bars when the car is back together.


Terry

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet
The fronts are sooo easy to reset, just experiment.

ditto

[ChrisBennet]

Originally posted by Tspringer
I was planning to set the a-arm angle, then install the torsion bars and caps before the strut is even mounted, much less a wheel and tire?

It seems that if the correct un-weighted angle of the a-arm can be estimated this would be pretty simple. Im just hoping to avoid many hours of trial and error re-indexing of the bars when the car is back together.


Terry

The fronts are really easy. You just pull the cap of the end. Wait until you do it you'll see. The adjuster has lots of range so you don't have the splines nearly as close to perfect as you do on the back.
-Chris

[Tspringer]

I can see your right.... Ill just wait and install the torsion bars last. Ill put the wheel/tire on, raise the a-arm with the jack and when the wheel is in the correct position ill set the bar.

Another question.....

how important is the torsion bar seal? The diagrams show a rubber seal between the torsion bar and the adjuster cap. When I took my car apart, this was not there. I also have not seen anyone that carries them. Do guys always replace these?

Terry

[CHILI]

Originally posted by Tspringer
I can see your right.... Ill just wait and install the torsion bars last. Ill put the wheel/tire on, raise the a-arm with the jack and when the wheel is in the correct position ill set the bar.

Another question.....

how important is the torsion bar seal? The diagrams show a rubber seal between the torsion bar and the adjuster cap. When I took my car apart, this was not there. I also have not seen anyone that carries them. Do guys always replace these?

Terry

That's funny! Well, maybe not. But, I put new T-bars on my car a few weeks ago and noticed the seal, too. Although it's foam, not rubber. Pelican carries them. I had to call, though. The shipping was more than the two seals.

But, I had to have them and didn't need anything else. I repeat. I didn't need anything else. Wow, I think I'm finally done!

[Fritz]

Regarding the seals...

I just went through this and based on a lot of earlier posts, I made my own.

The earlier posts referenced insulation foam and specifically foam that is "blocked" so air/moisture will not pass through. One person used wetsuit material as I recall.

I cheated and used an old mouse-pad (don't tell anyone)

[Wil Ferch]

Normal A-arm angle is about 10 degrees. With raised spindles...who knows?
--Wil Ferch