Suspension Mods. Update; Engine et al

junglejustice · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 12:41 PM

Hi All,

So, I figured that a quick update would be in order;

I went with the red springs from IAP for the rear (for lack of a better answer, I figured I'd try 'em...) No spacers yet...

I know that many of you guys like the Shankle springs and some here opted for the Bennica setups, but I wanted to try these from IAP. I haven't been able to get a straight answer from them though on who's springs they are and/or if they are simply "lowering" or if they are in fact "performance" springs...? We'll see...

Any way, I went Poly as far as we could go - but we were not able to find poly replacements for some spots such as the sway bar center bushings and etc, etc... The main upper and lower arms upfront are done

We went with Yellow Konis

27+ MM front torsion bars

I am on stock Verde front-and-rear sway-bars for now... (I heard not-so-good things about stiffer bars as well as the in-ability to keep the brackets in place with stiffer bars...)

We're doing stainless braided brake-lines, rear-engine mount, rear cross-mount (rusted…?), brake pads and a few other "while we're down here”-type things.... so I'll send an update as soon as I can drive the car, but I am VERY excited (to say the least...)

We moved the seat rails to fit my 6’-4” legs between 1st and the Momo steering wheel – nice change…

Still to come are drilled and slotted rotors, new wheels and tires and I’ll have to think about those sway-bars… And then… AND THEN… 24 VALVES BABE!!!! (Replacement engine being ready'ed to ship for mods...)

BigSwede · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 01:19 PM

For some sway-bar bushings, check out www.superflex.co.uk
No idea about the springs but when people ask me about shocks for the 75 I always say, go for Bilstein. Tried them both and the Konis aren't worth **** compared to Bilstein IMHO.

yikes · #3 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 04:04 PM

Hi everyone,
Newbie on this board.
Junglejustice i gather you are planing a 24 valve engine change?
I am in the middle of doing this my self what are you planing on doing about fitting a brake booster?
I need some suggestions with the twin cam heads there is very little room to fit one.
Sorry not really suspension related.
Great group i have enjoyed reading the posts.

AlfaRacer75 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yikes
Hi everyone,
Newbie on this board.
Junglejustice i gather you are planing a 24 valve engine change?
I am in the middle of doing this my self what are you planing on doing about fitting a brake booster?
I need some suggestions with the twin cam heads there is very little room to fit one.
Sorry not really suspension related.
Great group i have enjoyed reading the posts.

75evo · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2003, 10:35 PM

I had bilsteins (the inverted ones). They were really stiff!!! Teeth knocking stiff man. I hated them. I will have koni yellows and 27mm torsion bars and stock 3.0 front swaybar.

nizam · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2003, 11:40 AM

Heh - here's my vote for Beninca's complete suspension setup. No guesswork, no trial and error.

Kit includes four Koni yellows, specially tuned by Koni to Beninca's specs, to match the 28.7mm torsion bars and stiffer rear springs.

You will be pleasantly surprised by the ride. With the shocks on full soft, it is firm but by no means jarring. On the track, the car is transformed to be super predictable and forgiving. There is still some mild understeer at lower speeds but is totally neutral at high speeds.

Turn 2 and turn 8 at Willow Springs big track can be taken at FULL THROTTLE (which you should anyway) with little worry. That swaying you experience with less-than-optimal setups doesn't exist with the Beninca setup. The transition from turn 8 to turn 9 (about 100 yards of braking) is also simplified as the car dives less.

To each his/her own, but I got tired of screwing around with (mis)matching suspension components so I went out and spent the money and imported a set. I couldn't be happier.

junglejustice · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 07:26 PM

Did anybody else have a ***** of a time getting these suckers out? The guys doing it damn near had to cut into the wheel-well uurgghhh.....

AlfaRacer75 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 09:45 PM

You mean it was hard to get the upper arms out of the car?

When I took mine out recently, one side the bolt was rusted inside the arm and was a real pain in the @$$ to remove. After soaking with WD40 for a couple hours it was more cooperative. A couple years ago I tried to remove one on a different car and somehow the upper A-arm bolt had been bent and could not be removed (obviously!), so I had to use a SawzAll with a long blade to cut the bolt from inside the wheel well. That wasn't fun!

nizam · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 11:02 PM

By the way, if you haven't taken the bolt out of the car ... DON'T!!!

Threading that sunova beeaatch back in is worse than taking the arm out!!!

Nizam

AlfaRacer75 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 11:47 PM

It was easy... stick the head of the bolt in a deep socket with a short extension attached and it goes right back in...

nizam · #11 (**permalink**) 10-10-2003, 11:55 PM