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View Full Version : Suspension - A new approach...



Kieran
30-06-2006, 12:42 AM
Well, as some of you lot know, I've been trying for some while now to get new bushings for my suspension. They're all looking in a bit of a state, but then again so would you if you'd had to cope with a tonne and a half of estate car rolling around over nine years and 107,000 miles.

We can only get a limited amount of bushings in the UK, from Super Pro. Nothing wrong with the bushings per-se, it's just they don't do a comprehensive kit. There are kits available in the USA that will fit our cars, from companies like Energy suspension and Prothane, but getting hold of them is proving to be a nightmare. The biggest problem I've had is that half the companies want me to fax over things like passport and bank details/statements, whilst the other half simply never respond, despite my repeated efforts!:inquisiti

http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12688

Anyway. I was poking around Ariadne the other day and noticed that the nearside balljoint cover on the rear suspension control arm was looking rather perished and in danger of splitting. And that triggered a brainwave....

You see, replacing the bushes will no doubt help things, but it might not remove all the 'soggyness' in the suspension; they can't fix broken/worn balljoints. There's also the trade off that urethane mounts can be stiff and noisy.

So I went back to the drawing board and re-assessed exactly what I want my suspension setup to achieve. I realised that my driving style and the fact that trackdays will be infrequent at best means I don't really need ultra-stiff suspension. I therefore decided to bin the idea of upgraded bushings and concentrate on finding new wishbones/control arms with the bushings and balljoints already affixed.

PSB's excellent research in the member's area takes care of the front lateral and compression arm assemblies, and now I think I've got the rest sussed out. I've found a supplier that offers genuine Mitsubishi OE parts at considerably less than the Mitsu UK price, and although it's an international order, there are not the usual problems over payment and shipping. Tonight I have ordered a set of rear drop links to test my theory.

If this comes off, I'll order the next bits I need and I'll post details in the member's area of the bits that fit and where to get them from. I don't want to say too much more for now, just incase I've got it all wrong, but let's just say it looks like there's a lot more DSM genes in our cars than we perhaps realised in the past...

I shall keep you posted!:book: :book: :book:

I-S
30-06-2006, 01:47 PM
:inquisiti

Good work that man.

psbarham
30-06-2006, 05:59 PM
good work K , fingers crossed it all works out , as you can imagine with Miles on it my suspension needs a thorough sorting soon :2thumbsup

Kieran
30-06-2006, 09:22 PM
Yeah, I hope it works out too!/help

Will update in a couple of weeks - off to sunny Scotland for a fortnight tomorrow!:2thumbsup

psbarham
30-06-2006, 09:47 PM
Yeah, I hope it works out too!/help

Will update in a couple of weeks - off to sunny Scotland for a fortnight tomorrow!:2thumbsup
have a good time mate :2thumbsup

BraindG
03-07-2006, 07:45 PM
hmm, just read this Kieran, interesting, as im having some issues with suspension, and such.

Shame your away for 2 weeks.

Kieran
16-07-2006, 02:50 AM
/wall :embarasse /dunce /dunce

Riiiight. I must be going blind./help

Or Stupid....:inquisiti


Anyway - Got back off hols and the droplinks had arrived!:2thumbsup

They're the right length.:happy:

The ball joint is the same size, and the thread is also the same.:2thumbsup

However - both balljoints are facing the same way!!:oops: No good for a Legnum, as we have opposite facing links!

I don't think this route is 'dead', but this wasn't the result I was wanting!! /wall

I'll keep you guys posted with any further findings - Certainly not given this one up yet!!:happy:

Kieran
20-07-2006, 10:20 PM
Told ya this one wasn't dead....

More parts ordered. Hope they fecking fit. If they don't then I think it's time to draw a line under this avenue. But never say never, eh?:scholar:

I shall, as ever, keep you posted.

ANTHONY
20-07-2006, 10:58 PM
Told ya this one wasn't dead....

More parts ordered. Hope they fecking fit. If they don't then I think it's time to draw a line under this avenue. But never say never, eh?:scholar:

I shall, as ever, keep you posted. When you gonna drive down this avenue mate..../pan

Kieran
20-07-2006, 11:00 PM
When you gonna drive down this avenue mate..../pan

When this fecking car's fixed!! /grr Went out to poke my head undernear the rear of the car (to confirm the look of a part) and there's a puddle of fecking AYC fluid under the rear diff now!! /Hissy

ANTHONY
21-07-2006, 10:08 AM
When this fecking car's fixed!! /grr Went out to poke my head undernear the rear of the car (to confirm the look of a part) and there's a puddle of fecking AYC fluid under the rear diff now!! /Hissybad luck mate hope you get fixed soon.. would be nice to see you this year...:iloveyou:

Kieran
01-08-2006, 10:34 PM
Told ya this one wasn't dead....

More parts ordered. Hope they fecking fit. If they don't then I think it's time to draw a line under this avenue. But never say never, eh?:scholar:

I shall, as ever, keep you posted.

Ten days later and a parcel arrives at KieranCorp Towers, containing another part. And this one looks to be correct!!:2thumbsup /Poms

All that :book: :lost: :anxious: appears to be paying off!!

I will confirm at the weekend - I will remove the current part and compare. But I am feeling about 90% confident based on putting my head under the car with the new bit and offering up!

Again, I'll keep you posted, and if these parts fit, I'll lift the veil on what I've found.

And then I will be ordering some more parts to test-fit!!:2thumbsup

BraindG
01-08-2006, 10:46 PM
good news, fingers crossed K

Kieran
06-08-2006, 05:59 PM
KNICKERS.

/Hissy /wall

Kieran
06-08-2006, 06:00 PM
Bah! Sooo close.

When attachments are working, I'll show you guys just how close a match this is.... Unfortunately, not quite close enough!!/duh