Front Coil-over Conversion, Any need to re-inforce the upper mnt? Options

[db9146]

I'm looking at running coil-over suspension in the front of my -6 conversion with flares. I am going to include the standard longitudinal reinforcements and a few others here and there but my question is, when transferring the weight from the torsion bar mounting points to the top of the inner fenders, what kind of reinforcement have been performed and worked well short of a tube-frame set-up?

Thanks

[Dave_Darling]

Yes, reinforce them. I don't know exactly what has to be done, but the shock towers were not designed to take sustained loads--just loads from the shocks, which are very transitory. If you don't reinforce them, they'll be OK for a while, but they will start tearing out eventually.

--DD

[Mueller]

not too beefy to begin with up there:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-2-1120597967.jpg)

more cross sectional views

[Jeroen]

dunno... looks strong enuf to me
compare it to the rear shock mounts (which are full coilover) and it ain't too different

if you stitch-weld them (including the firewall between the front shock mounts), that should give you some extra reinforcement

or weld in a set of those boxes that smart racing sells for adj. camberplates

[john rogers]

You'll need the steel plate camber boxes since the front upper mounts are under considerably higher load than the rear mounts. This usually ties in with cutting the bulkhead in front of the fuel tank as they take considerable room towards the inside of the upper fender area. You'll also end up doing some tube installation to strengthen things up a bit also.

[Thorshammer]

Your question is a loaded one. and more information must be known to help you along.

Are you using the stock fuel tank?
Is this a street car and must have the fresh air system?

If it uses the standard fuel tank, a camber bar CAN be installed to assist in the camber gain from the upper strut towers moving around. Then about 1 inche from the outside of the inside of where the top strut tower comes through, dril 1/4 inch holes around the perifery of the strut tower mounting hole and then have someone who can weld, rosette weld the upper pressed steel piece to the lower pressed steel piece. This does make a different in stiffness for the front end. I feel this will allow you to run coil over front springs.

The real deal is to add a cross X brace from the bottom of the tower to the top of the other. Made from 1 1/2 cro moly tubing. But you won't be able to use the stock fuel tank.

Hope this helps.

Erik Madsen

[Aaron Cox]

anyone seen the coilover kits from porscheclassics (cant find webpage)

iirc they are 300 or so....

do you just remove your torsiobn bars???

[Mueller]

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Jul 29 2005, 04:23 PM)

anyone seen the coilover kits from porscheclassics (cant find webpage) iirc they are 300 or so.... do you just remove your torsiobn bars???

Jason @ Paragon sells them as well

[phantom914]

Would it be possible to have both at the same time: the torsion bars and soft coil-overs? Something like 50# springs or in that range (just guessing). That way no (or less) reinforcement would be required and you would still have the advantage of a tunable front rate.

OK I'll shut up now. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

Andrew