Trunnion-less Fron Suspension

[RobW]

Is it possible to replace the bottom front A-arms so that you can go to trunnionless front suspension, or is it a little more invloved ?

 

Car is an Ital-axled 1996 Crossflow engined 7

[brianmurray325hotmail.com]

http://www.canleyclassics.com/?xhtml=xhtml/product/catkit1.html&xsl=product.xsl

 

try here

[RobW]

Thanks,

 

Was looking at a car without trunnions and it lookded like it might be a straight swap . Think I'll just replace the trunnions.

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

[Crudders]

Rob,

 

On my chassis (about six years older than yours) it wasn't a straight swap. The forward end of the front wishbones originally located on studs projecting from the chassis, which needed to be cut out and replaced with threaded bushings. Your chassis may differ, I couldn't say for sure.

 

The main advantage to changing to the newer type of full double wishbone design is the provision of adjustable camber and castor - the older wishbone design doesn't have any adjustment, it is what it is (although the castor does tend to adjust itself when cornering/braking as the top link is able to move fore and aft a tad).

 

If you don't want to mess about with suspension geometry and are happy with the old bunnions, you may as well keep them. It may be a pain constantly lubricating them, but they do work.

 

My conversion was done by Arch during a rebuild but it can be done as a job in its own right.

 

HTH,

 

Cruds

[Revin Kevin]

Cruds,

You can buy all the parts, (apart from rod end which is different taper for the trunnion upright, QR1118s is required) from caterham to run the de dion upper wishbone with the trunnion upright and bottom wishbone, therefore giving more caster and the adjustable camber element.

I've got a parts list somewhere if required.

 

Cheers

Chris

 

Edited by - Revin Kevin on 11 Oct 2010 22:24:31

[Graham Perry]

I did this years ago and it was quite simple on my de-dion 1990 car as it simply bolted on. Is it only on the older (pre 1990?) cars where I believe its more complex.

 

Edited by - Graham Perry on 11 Oct 2010 21:01:12

[eric]

I have done for my 1989 Chassis, Caterham cars have a ready to fit well known kit.

 

it will renew your front suspension

[jonboylaw]

My 92 live axle car had the lower studs. I had these removed and fixing modified by arch when I had a long front put on.

 

You will need to add the forward link kit that bolts on via the ARB fitting, swap to a new ARB and mounts and cut a hole in side skin for the new top wishbone to fit in. I bought the Caterham uprights from Canley. So basically I have a de-dion front on a LA car.

 

It did not seem sense just to swap the lowers. The advantage if going the route I chose is that I can go wide track when I want to (read afford) :)

 

 

Jonathan

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My Flickr Gallery

 

92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Stealth model (Matt Black and Ali), rebuild completed.

 

[Crudders]

That's exactly what I did Jonathan, but you made a better job of explaining it

 

It seems there are various hybrid possibilities between a full DD type conversion and the original live axle setup with trunnions and single top link.

 

Cruds

[jonboylaw]

Set of wishbones and ball joints here: Linky

 

 

 

Jonathan

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My Flickr Gallery

 

92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Stealth model (Matt Black and Ali), rebuild completed.