suspension gurus.. need help here..

[Keasbey]

Has I stated before, in a few posts, I got some problems with the front suspension of the svo..

It all started when I replaced the front coil/struts and repainted the spindles/dustsheild.. The car was lowered with cutted stock springs.. and the stock struts were blown.. so I replaced them with FMS "B" springs and brand new koni red struts..


Thats when the first problem happened, the swaybar was interfering with the struts, so bought a relocation kit for the sway bar, which drops it 1 inch and move it 1 inch foward, but still, I noticed the sb link were not totaly straight and I thought I had the wrong sway bar ( it looked too "wide/large" maybe an inch each side)

I then bought a swaybar from Kendal on the board.. I looked at both swaybars and it pretty much looks the same.. but I haven't had the time to really look at it really well, since the car is in storage, and I'm not allowed to do any mecanic in there..

Furthermore, I noticed there is 1/4 or less of an inch between the wheels (not the tires) and the struts, and when tried to do a "U-turn" last summer before putting it away for the winter, the wheels were touching the struts..


I'm out of ideas of what could cause this, because I never had any problems of this kind with my previous Svo, even if I had the same setup.. the only thing I could think of, is maybe I have the wrong k-member, or I made a mistake while installing the springs/struts but I doubt.. it's a pretty straight/foward installation..


Any ideas are welcome..

ps: I took some pictures of the swaybar when it was interfering with the struts.. if it could help..

[MikeFleming]

1. You sure you have SVO struts and not normal 'stang struts? The mounting holes are farth4er in on the normal ones which would bring the wheel closer to the strut body.

2. There is a slight amount of extra room in the two strut mounting holes (so the bolts cam go in easier!) and you cna loosen those and force them to the most outer position for the spindle to gain a wee bit more clearance. Then adjust the strut top mount for the proper camber settings.

Iirc the stock suspension setup, the sway bar end is pretty close to the strut to start off with (but it's been a LONG time since I had the stock suspension on my car). You could try shortening the end link vertical spacer (might need a shorter bolt too) -that should lower the end of the bar. You want the bar to be parallel to the round when the car is sitting at normal ride height and with lowering springs, it's probably too high now.

[Keasbey]

I ordered them from koni directly, I'll take a look at the part numbers, maybe they sent the wrong one.. I did noticed the Sb wasn't parallel to the ground.. that might help to cut the spacer try another time..

I'm wondering, what would happen if a non-svo k-member would be on the svo right now with the svo a-arms?

edit: I do have the good one If I look at the receipt I have. I'll take a look at the numbers on the struts itself next time I go take a look at the car..

[MikeFleming]

I'm wondering, what would happen if a non-svo k-member would be on the svo right now with the svo a-arms? The upper part of the wheel will be closer to the strut. We used to see some SVO owners install GT struts for SCCA auto-x and we would immediately protest them (after one friendly warning). That combo makes ~2 degrees more negative camber in the front.

[Keasbey]

Mike, are you talking about the struts or the k-member?

[MikeFleming]

Struts. The "ears" that the spindle mounts inside have the bolt holes closer to the strut body on non-SVO applications.

[Keasbey]

okay guys,

I went to see the car today, and there is definitly something wrong with the car's suspension.. The struts do have the good number on them so it IS the right one for the car.. but I think the k-member have been replaced by a "normal" fox mustang k-member..


To confirm my theory.. I'd need some answers to these questions:

-Can I install 5.0l a-arms on a svo? if not, why?
-Can I install svo a-arms on a 5.0l? if not why?

Is the 5.0l/2.3 k-member wider or narrower than the svos?


I took some shots with my cellphone to show you the setup..

This is the space i have between the wheel and the struts
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/Keasbey_K/IMG-20130413-00232_zpsc011bf32.jpg

This is a view of the front wheel.. as you can see the wheel is not "straight" the lower part of the wheel is almost flush with the outer part of the fender..
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/Keasbey_K/IMG-20130413-00235_zps8b195467.jpg

and this is the "setup"
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/Keasbey_K/IMG-20130413-00238_zpsbf46b956.jpg

I don't know if there is a specific way to see if it is a svo k-member.. but tell me and I'll try to find out next time I go there..

[MikeFleming]

The a-arm mounting points on the SVO k-frame is narrower than the non-SVO k-frame to accomadate the longer a-arms. You cna easily ID a real SVO k-frame by looking for he engine shock mounts welded onto the rear. ALL SVO k-frame's have those mounts, non-SVOs don't.

The non-SVO a-arms wil not fit the SVO spindles at the lower ball joint without a tapered adapter. Non-SVO spindles will not fit the larger SVO a-arm ball jpint tpaer without extensive machining on the spindle lower tapered hole.

What is the backspacing on those wheels? iirc the backspacing on the stock SVO wheel is 5.75", and going beyond 6.0 gets very close. But I've slept since I last worked in that area so my math might be off.

You can loosen both strut-to-spindle bolts and move the spindle away form th strut body to the limits of the slop in the holes and maybe gain a bit of clearance.

What is this aluminum looking thing in the pic?
4108

On another note, I always install the anti-roll bar end link to the a-arm with the bolt coming from the top (as the factory did). That way when the nut backs off, there's not this 8" piece of steel ready to take out a nearby tire. It just stays in the anti-roll bar end and rattles.

[Keasbey]

mike, the aluminum thing in the picture is the spindle..

as for the offset, its 45mm I don't really remember what it is in inches.. but its the same as the oem svo wheels..

I'll try your advice this weekend and loose the struts to spindle bolts and see what it gives..

[MikeFleming]

So you painted the 4340 forged steel spindle in aluminum color?

[Keasbey]

in fact the color is "cast iron" from duplicolor, but with the flash of the camera... looks like aluminum..

[MikeFleming]

Ahh, one of those optical illusions.

Carry on!

[stott]

if the wheel is too close to the suspension parts, ...... just get wheel spacers

[Keasbey]

I would, but i don't know if its going to pass the safety inspection

[Keasbey]

I tried to lose the strut-to-spindle bolts without success, there is only 1/16 of play.. But from what I could see, the shock mount on the k-member are bolted and not welded.. And I also noticed that the driver strut hits the k-member upper part when I do a complete turn to the right..

I took the measurement, and there is 53'' balljoint to balljoint, ~22.5 from the left a-arm front bolt (mounting bolt) to the right one (Center to center), and a ~30 1/16 for the rear left to rear right mounting bolt. Which leads me to think that i have a pre 88 k-member.. if I look at the post in the archives of 4EP: http://vb.foureyedpride.com/archive/index.php/t-121140.html

any thoughts/ideas?

I think the only way to know is to buy a svo k-member and try to install it.. I guess

[Keasbey]

I found today that the shocks I bought from koni have the mounting holes misaligned, I took measurements of the old shocks and the new ones, and the brand new one have the upper mounting hole 1/4'' closer to the struts body than the OEM. I sent pictures and measurement to KONI America, and waiting for any news.. I'll let y'all know whats happening.

[MikeFleming]

^
Interesting! Guess they've not made any SVO struts in a while.

[Keasbey]

I Sent the struts back as asked by koni for evaluation, and they accepted a replacement under warranty... I'll get brand new shocks.. and I hope they're going to be okay this time!!

[Keasbey]

some feedback for those who followed this thread..

I received the new struts this morning, I took the measurements.. and if I compare it to the OE dampers, there is still a problem. And they are telling me the dampers have been checked by their quality managers and their engineers and are in specs.. Which I doubt highly,because both sets they sent me have different measurement...

gosh..

[Keasbey]

okay guys another good one for you all! the guy at koni asked me the part # of the shocks I have, and except the ford part#, the only other # written on the shocks is 8641x-1006 and tech at koni insure me that the part # for the svo was 8741-1006 and that the part # I gave him is no good..

from what I can see.. it is whats written on the shocks:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/Keasbey_K/konish41of1_zps34b8d621.jpg

sssoo.. whats the good part #? the 8741 or the 8641?

[MikeFleming]

The KONI guy is on drugs. Some pics:

http://mustangsvo.org/svoforums/showthread.php?694-84-konis-i-promise-last-question (http://mustangsvo.org/svoforums/showthread.php?694-84-konis-i-promise-last-question&highlight=8641-1006)

The 8641 may have been changed/superceded to 8741; he should have records of this.

[stott]

okay guys another good one for you all! the guy at koni asked me the part # of the shocks I have, and except the ford part#, the only other # written on the shocks is 8641x-1006 and tech at koni insure me that the part # for the svo was 8741-1006 and that the part # I gave him is no good..

from what I can see.. it is whats written on the shocks:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/Keasbey_K/konish41of1_zps34b8d621.jpg

sssoo.. whats the good part #? the 8741 or the 8641?

what model year is your SVO?

i've heard that the 85.5 and 86 have different strut valving, and probably a different PN

[Keasbey]

it's a 85, but there is 84 struts on it.

Anyway, i'm going to keep you updated..