folks w/lowered cars, please comment...

[rapieper@yahoo.com (Ron Pieper)]

OK...I'm with you on the tie-rod bit.  Another technique might be to fill the hole with weld,
anneal, and re-machine.

AFA the balljoint spacer, I can't see why it costs that much...have you got a photo I could look
at?  I may have an idea if I could see one.  Just need a few beers.

Ron

--- "Scott F. Williams" <sfwilliams@comcast.net> wrote:
> > That shouldn't be so difficult, except that you have to deal with
> > that tapered hole in the arm.
> 
> You're on the right track, Ron. The hole in the arm would be enlarged to
> accept a tapered bushing which would be pressed in from underneath.
> Essentially, the stock taper would be recreated to accept the stock
> tie-rods. The whole conversion would require removing the hub assembly,
> getting the holes machined, and having the bushings installed. You'd then
> flip the tie-rod upside down and bolt it back together. That's it. These
> bushings should be very inexpensive to make, and the arm drilling should be
> cheap as well.
> 
> What is *very* expensive is the spacer to relocate the a-arms downwards.
> Such a spacer would have to withstand some extreme stressloads. Of course, a
> failure could be catastrophic. So, the design would have to be carefully
> engineered to eliminate stress points, etc. The ideal alloy would have to be
> used and then heat treated.
> 
> The good thing is that the part is already designed and tested on several
> autox cars. The horrible thing is that the regular price is $375! DOH!!! I
> know for sure that the price will come down substantially if we make a bunch
> of them. I'm sure that it cost at least $200, though. This is a hardcore mod
> that should deliver huge benefits in handling. The spacer installation is a
> 20 minute bolt-on affair for both sides. However, the price tag is pretty
> scary. Then again... swaybars cost almost as much, so...
> --
> Scott F. Williams
> NJ Scirocco nut
> '99 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS
> Mazda 323 GTX turbo "assaulted" vehicle
> Golf GTI 16v "rollycar"
> ClubVAC: "Roads found. Drivers wanted."
> 
> 
> 
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