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Thread: Want To Restore BACK to Onion Heads

  1. #1
    Building Boost Otto Man's Avatar
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    Want To Restore BACK to Onion Heads

    A few years ago I suspected my ball joints wee near the end so I did the Motion Dynamics conical bushing upgrade that enabled me to upgrade to newer A-arms while keeping my stock spindles and wheels. I also did the MM Caster Camber plates. The car sits waay too high now.
    I'd like to go back to stock but the suspension shop that did the work threw the old parts out.
    Does anyone have the onion heads and whatever else I might need?
    I still have the A-arms.

    Chris

  2. #2
    Moderator Meotchh's Avatar
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    You want to trade onions for the cc plates?
    There's nothing more to see here, now move along...

  3. #3
    Some Boost
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    I ass-u-me 79 capri onions are different?

  4. #4
    Building Boost SVO4PWR2's Avatar
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    Chris,
    I have a set.
    20.oo Plus shipping or wait till Carlisle

    -RICH-
    I'm a car junkie . . . I like junkie cars

  5. #5
    Building Boost Otto Man's Avatar
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    I'll see you in Carlisle.....
    Thanks
    Is there still source for new ball joints? I wonder if Roberto still does this?

  6. #6
    Half Boost Raven855's Avatar
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    Chris, your best option to lower the front of your car is to install a shorter spring. Keep the cc plates from MM.

  7. #7
    Some Boost svono50's Avatar
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    Otto, I agree with Raven. The CC plates have no effect on the ride height of the car, unless you have coil overs. Now if you locked down your a-arm bushings in the full droop position, rather than with full weight on them, you could easily get that 'jacked up' effect as the bushings are helping the coil springs at ride height. I am not familiar with the MD conical bushings, but if they work like the stock rubber bushings, then this is your issue. Poly bushings are free to rotate in the housing, so you can lock them down in any position and it won't effect the ride height.
    Ted
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  8. #8
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    Good morning, so I am the new owner of Otto Man's 85.5 SVO and I agree, the car sits too high. Since I am new to SVO ownership, based on the information provided by Ottto Man above, can anyone give me some thoughts on how to get the front end of the car back down? It appears the car received the Motion Dynamics conical bushing upgrade, new A-arms and MM Caster Camber plates. Does some of this need to be reversed or is it something like svono50 suggested above? If that is the case, how do I correct this? I am new to SVOs but I am hopeful that I can pick up some great knowledge on this site. All thoughts and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

  9. #9
    Red Captain MikeFleming's Avatar
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    Unless you're running coil-overs (where the weight-bearing spring is mounted on the strut body), then the mounting of the strut top plays no part in ride height. That is all managed/controlled by the spring itself and the spring mountings (rubber cup at bottom, damper/isolator at top).

    Note that with different CC plates the strut top may be mounted lower than the stock onion head mounts and when lowering the front [excessively] the strut shaft can bottom out in the strut body (which is bad). Hopefully the rubber bumper on the strut shaft prevents strut damage but the effective spring rate increases dramatically when that bumper rubber makes contact.

    The FOX struts are shorter than he SVO while the mounting angle to the spindle is off by a couple degrees, iirc. You end up with more negative camber using FOX struts while you get more downwards travel.
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  10. #10
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    Thanks for replying so quickly Mike. Chris told me that you are a great resource when it comes to these cars. I am now trying to digest everything you said. I am an old Mustang (60s) guy so most of this is foreign language to me. I have a long path in front of me!

    By the way, the stock wheels and tires are back on the car and it is definitely sitting high in the front.

  11. #11
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    I am still trying to figure all of this out and am wondering if the easiest, most cost effective approach to correcting this height problem is to simply remove the current SN-95 lower control arms and replace them with the originals that came with the car? That would leave me with the MM Caster Camber plates and the Motions Dynamics conical bushings upgrade (not even sure what that is). Is that what needs to happen or would I be going backward? Chris tells me those are the only components that were changed. Everything else is the stock SVO stuff. Thanks!

  12. #12
    Building Boost Art Vandelay's Avatar
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    I don't know if anyone is servicing the ball joints on stock control arms anymore, and I wouldn't trust a random shop to do it. I would probably avoid stock arms because the ball joints are going to wear out eventually.

    I am in the process of converting to front coilovers, and I am removing a pair of Motorsport B springs. I can't be certain on your combination of parts, but they might lower your front end about an inch. I wasn't even going to sell them because I assumed there was no market for fronts without the rears, but let me know if you're interested.

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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Art Vandelay View Post
    I don't know if anyone is servicing the ball joints on stock control arms anymore, and I wouldn't trust a random shop to do it. I would probably avoid stock arms because the ball joints are going to wear out eventually.

    I am in the process of converting to front coilovers, and I am removing a pair of Motorsport B springs. I can't be certain on your combination of parts, but they might lower your front end about an inch. I wasn't even going to sell them because I assumed there was no market for fronts without the rears, but let me know if you're interested.
    Thanks Art, I will let you know if this is the route that I choose to follow.

  14. #14
    Animated Italian Gigolo blueboss's Avatar
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    Fishbowl,
    It sounds like you're running the SN95 front control arms with the ball joint spacer from maximum motorsports. In this configuration, if the car is sitting too high in the front, then likely the stock SVO springs are still in there. I have this setup in mine with the B springs from FMS. That combination puts the front end back at "factory" ride height. The stock SVO A arms have a deeper spring pocket than the SN95 and thus, taller springs.
    "Some trannys can operate both types of gearboxes but manual gearboxes with clutch pedals are more difficult to operate with heels on."

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by blueboss View Post
    Fishbowl,
    It sounds like you're running the SN95 front control arms with the ball joint spacer from maximum motorsports. In this configuration, if the car is sitting too high in the front, then likely the stock SVO springs are still in there. I have this setup in mine with the B springs from FMS. That combination puts the front end back at "factory" ride height. The stock SVO A arms have a deeper spring pocket than the SN95 and thus, taller springs.
    I believe you are correct. Chris (former owner) tells me the only things he did to the front end was to add the MM Caster/Camber plates, SN95 lower control arms and the Motions Dynamics Conical Bushing Upgrade. I am told the conical bushing upgrade allows the original SVO spindles and such to be used. Springs and all other components are the stock SVO items.

  16. #16
    Animated Italian Gigolo blueboss's Avatar
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    Swap out those stock SVO springs with some shorter aftermarket springs and you'll be back as stock-ish ride height again.
    "Some trannys can operate both types of gearboxes but manual gearboxes with clutch pedals are more difficult to operate with heels on."

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by blueboss View Post
    Swap out those stock SVO springs with some shorter aftermarket springs and you'll be back as stock-ish ride height again.
    I believe that is what I am going to do. Thanks!

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by blueboss View Post
    Swap out those stock SVO springs with some shorter aftermarket springs and you'll be back as stock-ish ride height again.
    Getting close on making a decision on what to do but would still like to seek the advice of those much more knowledgeable than me. I have confirmed that the only things swapped out on my front suspension was the move to the SN95 LCA, Motion Dynamics Conical Bushing Upgrade and the MM Caster Camber Plates. The car still retains the original SVO springs and Konis. With that said, I am considering replacing the stock springs with the Motor Sports "B" springs. Does anyone have any thoughts on how close that may get me to the stock height and is there any downside to this move?

    Thanks again for all of the input.

  19. #19
    Animated Italian Gigolo blueboss's Avatar
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    I have those B springs on my SVO and it rides at or just below stock ride height. They're a little stiffer than the stockers IMHO but definitely nothing that's going to knock a lung loose. The only downside is the actual labor removing and installing the springs.
    "Some trannys can operate both types of gearboxes but manual gearboxes with clutch pedals are more difficult to operate with heels on."

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