Handling improvements
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 606
Likes: 3
From: Colstrip, MT
If you're getting excessive lateral movement in the rear, a brand new rubber bushing($10) on the upper rear control arm will solve the problem. It takes about five minutes to replace if the nut is not rusted in place.
Former ******
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,901
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Actually, one that leans more will tip over far more easily. If you have better stiffer shocks, cornering grip will improve, but you will still slip long before you would roll. If the shock tip and sway too much, then in an emergency manuever, the van will first lean away from your turn, and then as you correct, the weight will shift back around and flip it right over. You will find that most rollovers occur right as the vehicle is correcting, and as a result of its weight swinging back. A stiffer shock will go a long ways towards reduceing roll.
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 996
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I think Khanty is right on the lean cancept. besides that it scares you less. give me flat handling any time. Is it simply that the aero has very soft springs that louses up handling? I had numerous 1 ton chevy vans empty weight 4600 lbs, 8400 gvw that handled very well. they also had HUGE brakes.
Ken
Ken
Former ******
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,901
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
I think the stock springs are a little too soft, and can stand to be improved. One way to help is to use either better coil springs, or to install leaf springs instead. I'm not sure which route is cheaper, but the leaf springs seem better.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,242
Likes: 0
From: Kiev, Ukraine
Khantyranitar!
Find a way to reduce unsprung weight! Leafsprings are too heavy! The car will not be so soft, but handling will not be improoved! Coilsprings are better! This solution may improove reliability only!
The easiest way to reduce rear unsprung weight is to install dual drive shaft (i will make photos later)...
European car companies use alluminium rods with integrated ball joints, but these rods are twise more expencive and it is difficult to make it for aero individually. The other way is to use modern rear axe, from mercedes w124, but it is not cheap too and it requires many midifications of body and drivertrain...
I replaced my front springs with Mercedes W123 rear springs. The next step I bue shoks of GAZ truck and installed it. Using a thicker front stabiliser bar requires modified links.
My van is more stabil, handling is better, but it is not so comfartable and soft as before.
Find a way to reduce unsprung weight! Leafsprings are too heavy! The car will not be so soft, but handling will not be improoved! Coilsprings are better! This solution may improove reliability only!
The easiest way to reduce rear unsprung weight is to install dual drive shaft (i will make photos later)...
European car companies use alluminium rods with integrated ball joints, but these rods are twise more expencive and it is difficult to make it for aero individually. The other way is to use modern rear axe, from mercedes w124, but it is not cheap too and it requires many midifications of body and drivertrain...
I replaced my front springs with Mercedes W123 rear springs. The next step I bue shoks of GAZ truck and installed it. Using a thicker front stabiliser bar requires modified links.
My van is more stabil, handling is better, but it is not so comfartable and soft as before.
Former ******
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,901
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Well, from a cost standpoint the best thing you can do is get good gas shocks, and add and anti-sway bar, which has no penalty to the ride, but adds a lot of stability (it makes so that when the body tries to lean, that the load will be stabilized.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,242
Likes: 0
From: Kiev, Ukraine
And do not forget about reliability! Some modificatons makes you to change servise sheulder, to replace insolators, tyres, shoks, ball-joints, steering rods and u-joints more frequantly... And it is not so easy to serve non-standard car. This is another cost stamdpoint.
And lets remember that the main anty-collision system is still located in drver's brain, so our behavior must be correlated with handling of our cars and roads...
And lets remember that the main anty-collision system is still located in drver's brain, so our behavior must be correlated with handling of our cars and roads...
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