Live Axle Coilover Suspension Conversion, question's

[EVOSTi]

mate go the coilovers i say. whether it be for better handling, wank factor or just so you can be proud to say you dunnit yourself i reckon go for it.

also, i like merc blues suggestion, i think using the stock shock mount even tho reinforced is a bit rough. and remember to reinforce where it mounts to the car, if like on a sprinter the shock just bolts through some thin metal you would want it reinforced.

[Billzilla]

Yeps as above... i forgot about the strengthening bit.



This is Bill Sherwood's setup (hope he doesnt mind the pic being used). It's fairly easy to do... just get a couple triangle pieces the right size and weld it all up. Just make sure you move the mounts in the right place 1st (if they need it) before doing it.

Eddie.

Yeah I was just going to post that.

FWIW last week I went back to regular springs in the back of the car. No real reason other than to make it more stock-looking and it also needs softer spring rates.

[EVOSTi]

can i ask what rates you were running and are running now?

[Billzilla]

can i ask what rates you were running and are running now?

Yep, the rears were 280's, now 150. The fronts are still 390's but I'm putting in the old rear 280's to soften it up for street cruising.

[EVOSTi]

bugger thats pretty firm. i was tossing up between 200/175 and 175/150 front and rear for everyday driving, but maybe ill go the first option if you think 280/150 is fine for street.

[Billzilla]

bugger thats pretty firm. i was tossing up between 200/175 and 175/150 front and rear for everyday driving, but maybe ill go the first option if you think 280/150 is fine for street.

Nah they'll be okay. No softer on the front though.
FWIW with the 390/280 combo, I could feel the car drive over paint.

[petespipes]

I think its funny how the car genres or styles or fashions ie hot rods v ricers v whatever dont integrate more.
If im looking for a way to do shit that isnt easy to come by i look everywhere including hot rod shops,drag chassis builders in fact anyone who will give me the time of day.The old saying "there is nothing new under the sun" is very true with cars.
A lot of "hands on" mods and useful stuff for us toymodders will ONLY be found amongst the hotrod fraternity so please support those old salts.for example i recently repainted my cressida and anted some stainless body moulds repaired.The ONLY place to get it done is a local hotrod shop "rocknrods"

Dont mean to hijack screamn_sleeka but check out the odd hot rod mag and also kit cars as they are hella modifiers with mega access to good quality bolt on shit.When the hotrod reference came up and noone suggested simply asking your local rodshop for the maths on such a setup i had to speak.

Many suspension setups are mainly maths in relation to gaining traction or whatever.Where the weight is,wheel sizes,wheel base and the angles of connections from diff to body etc.Its a science that the hotrodders understand [for drags at least]

[The Witzl]

I think something has been neglected that Big-T pointed out earlier...

... the coilovers pictured in the first post will NOT suit a Toyota live axle setup in the MX23 or any other live axle of the era.... because if you look closely, the top mount on the coilover is an eye hole, which is the same as the bottom mount on your stock shock. That means you would have to fabricate up some completely new top mounts for the shocks.

Not a problem on a hotrod, as they are usually a custom chassis and designed with this purpose intended.

On your MX23, you just have a hole in the floor. Very different.


By all means, talk to the hotrodders to get advice and expertise. But bear in mind they will more than likely NOT have an off the shelf coilover to suit.

[Screamn_Sleeka]

Witzl, thanks i realise that, and if i want to use the same shock position i will need a coilover like the ae86 kits, and the tower will need reinforcing.

The MX23's unlike most toyota live axled cars have there rear springs in front of the diff, NOT above the axles. So, i am now thinking about re-locating the shock (future strut) to in front of the diff, and mounting it to the body where the current spring mounts. Fabricating its "eye hole" mounts to where the top of the spring is. This area is big (8cm diameter circle) and should be strong enough as it currently suspends the car.
If you have seen a F series 1410mm diff's lower trailing arm youll know what i mean.

Petespipes, I'll definitely be checking out hot rod shops for advice and see what type they sell. just gotta find one in sydney now should be heaps though.

Thanks for the advice EVOsti, despite you ill-advised name choice (jokes), good to see someone else who thinks you should do something jsut for the sake of it

Billzilla, i take it stiff springs make a street car really uncomfortable? this is definitely a street car, can you suggest what spring rates i should get for the back and front?
The car weighs 1.2T, live axle RWD (obviously), very similar to a RA celica but more front heavy (M series engine) with double wishbone suspension.

[TurboRA28]

I find for a RA28 275lbs/in up front and 180lbs/in rear works quite well.

[EVOSTi]

ill-advised name? you mean my forum handle?

[merc-blue]

screamn sleeka,
off the shelf king springs are normaly pretty good, want harder take it to a proper suspention joint, like a koni distrobuter and get them to corner weight it they will be able to sort you yout from there, you will need shocks to match your springs (well it would be silly to do one and not the other)

[Screamn_Sleeka]

Thanks TurboRA28, gives me some relative numbers for now.

EVOSTi, ops yeah i meant forum handle, i dont know you real name, but im sure its well chosen!

Merc-blue, thanks, i didnt know anyone did that accurate testing before advising/installing suspension parts. I'll check it out. How ever its one of those things that will have to wait for rego (which isnt going to happen until i finish painting it).

[EVOSTi]

no it was very poorly chosen 10 or so years ago

if you go coilovers in the rear, the modded agx ones look pretty good, preferably go something thats locally supported and easy to get parts for.

[brett_celicacoupe]

i recall seeing the coilovers being placed where the factory coil springs are located (as per RA40/ae86/ra23 etc.

basically the spring seat was cut off the diff, and 2 eyelets were welded onto the axle tube.

im not sure what was done to the top but im sure some decent fab' work would be required there as there is a locating 'lump' .


anyone seen anything else like this? or done it?