The Project Pad

did a little finite element analysis on the rough draft of the bearing housing. This is with a snap ring groove with a minimal depth requirement. I really want to figure out how to do some durability simulation on aluminum, but there is something wrong with the strain values in my program. I'll continue to do more analysis by hand. Just wanted to show that I'm doin' it properly!

This is going to be your best friend when cutting those grooves on the lathe (unless you have a some super duper CNC that can do it another way):



As for the mounts; are you still going to radial slot the bolt holes so there is some camber adjustment?

oldsklaudidub wrote:As for the mounts; are you still going to radial slot the bolt holes so there is some camber adjustment?

Well I would HOPE so! :bump:

of course!

I have all the tooling. They will probably be turned on the lathe for the groove and such and then on the CNC for the final shape.

silly question, but its been on my mind:

Why would we ever need caster adjustment on this suspension?

there probably wont be...for the first model anyhow

loxxrider wrote:there probably wont be anyhow...for the first model anyhow

But why would we need caster? (give an example please)

Just an off topic thought Chris... Next year (if they do it) you should try and make it to battle born. I am aiming for that myself. Goin to start really pushing hard on the Audi to get it ready!

If we want caster adjustment, it would have to be a two-piece design. I think stock caster is just fine for now, but I could try and design it to be two-piece. I'll come up with a few designs possibly.

Ben, I'd love to get out that way, but that is FAR! It will cost too much to do any time soon and I'd be worried about driving the 200 quite that far!

How much further than PA?

Twice the distance lol

so figure at least $1200 in expenses and probably at least four days of driving.

I guess Texas is a huge time suck! Too lazy to google so I was just comparing driving from Denver to NV and Denver to PA and Denver to FL.

I think the mount is starting to look like along these lines (as shown in the picture), not exactly this but similar. Chris on your design the strut appears that it will be more centered and the camber adjustment will be included, which the one in my picture lacks.

Attachment ( 23736 ) : MHV8_1.jpg

Yeah, the strut will be more centered (in the stock posision) or possibly adjustable caster depending on a few things. It definitely won't be cast like that though.

loxxrider wrote:Yeah, the strut will be more centered (in the stock posision) or possibly adjustable caster depending on a few things. It definitely won't be cast like that though.

'


The pic is from a V8 DTM. They did the suspension on that car and the 200 Trans Am a bit different than you would guess. Aside from the spring being adjustable, the hub housing was adjustable on the strut tube, like the spring.

Well that explains why its cast. Thats a LOT of caster and camber as well.

loxxrider wrote:They didn't give a recommendation for the bearing ID. Its not 5/8. The OD of the smooth part of the shaft is 16.9mm.

I got the call back from Koni for the 86-2149SPT strut. The OD of the smooth part of the shaft is 16.8mm, the length of that section is 29mm. The threaded section is M14x1.5 OD and is 22.8mm long. There is about a 3mm transition section between the threaded and smooth part,

16.8mm or 16.9mm.

How fine is the tolerance on the bearing you want to use?

its not the bearing that matters, its the internal sleeve that will be made that matters

small update

got pulled over last night

the reason: I was on the way to the second local car meet of the night with some friends. One of my friends was driving his recently k04'ed MKV which made 312whp at APR. He nailed it from a stop (roll out, no launch of course) and I had a passenger who was really excited to ride in my car and see what it was like so naturally I followed suit. First gear came and went in a flash and the car was feeling pretty decent I guess. Then second gear and I was keeping up with the MKV (to my surprise). Went to shift into third (bad idea) and missed third for the second time that night and went into 5th. I decided to just coast and slow down at that point as I really don't like breaking the law that much. The bad thing is that my car can hit something like 70 at 7500 RPMs...and I bounced her off the limiter in second lol

So the guy pulled me over, I played dumb to some extent and he let me off. Told me he only pulled me over because I was last in the line of cars and that if he caught any of the other cars speeding that night that he'd take them to jail for racing. He then told me to have a good night (which I did) and I said thank you VERY MUCH.

Lucky I got a good one I s'pose.


Here's the thing...I don't think he would have even noticed that we were going at it were it not for my hideously loud open wastegate. Yes, the thing sounds nasty partly in a good way and partly in a bad way IMO but either way, its GOT TO GO! I can't afford to attract that much attention on the street. I may do a valved setup (with two valves) so I can switch it out if I need/want to. Mainly I just want to hear the sweet sounds that don't involve open wastegate and not attract as much attention. This will be #1 on my list of things to do next time the car is near a welder which will be the same time the Hank manifold goes on the car I wanted to do it in the first place, but I kinda ran out of time and materials.

This has been yet another wake up call that a track car is called for. The 90 is going to save my butt a ticket or two, I'm sure of it! Also, I really don't drive like an idiot on the street 99% of the time. My second gear gets me into trouble because I'm going highway speeds by the time its over, and thats part of the problem. There isn't a day I don't nail the car in second, but I usually try and do it where there isn't anyone else or I just blend in with the rest of the traffic and let off really early.

oh and I forgot to mention that the car is now on 17 or 17.5 psi. It feels alright in the 80 degree weather that I've had a chance to test it in. When I had it on like 13psi in 60 degree weather it was amazing how much better the car felt than in the 80's though, so I'm excited to see how it is with the current tune when it gets a little (or a lot) colder out. I think I'm underwhelmed because I have driven and ridden in cars that are so much faster and also because the boost comes on so smoothly with the Holset that you might be fooled into thinking there isn't that much power. It just comes on very smoothly and keeps getting stronger until rev limiter hits so there is never a really torquey spot. All I know is that I kept up with a 312whp gti until I had to let off. Maybe he was spinning or something. I dunno. Should be interesting to see what the car does on the dyno though when I really get a chance to dial it in! Timing can go up at least 5 degrees all over. Fuel is pretty dialed in for now though. .85 lambda under full boost and I'm happy with that.

Wow Chris, you got lucky! I love the sound of open wastegates, but I agree they do draw a lot of attention. It sounds like the car is running good! Every time you talk about it it makes me wanna get mine on SOO bad! Anyways, sounds like things are going good

hey chris-

for the past week or so I've been completely consumed thinking about wider body work on the 200. Everything from grafting V8 pieces to the 200, to cutting/pulling for that 'blister' or sport q look (very difficult with the interaction between the rear door and rear wheel well).

Just wondering if the thought had struck you at all.. would love to change my wheels to all 10.5" wide et20..

Something else to consume your mind 8)

haha yeah, I've thought about it and my thoughts have mainly involved grafting V8 rear fenders on and utilizing front v8 fenders and bumper (keep 200 hood). Haven't really thought of anything wider because of some of the issues you brought up.

However, I intend to go really wide on the 90 with some custom fenders. That kind of work is $$$$ though

Does anybod know if the Saturn Vue has metal fenders, or are they plastic like all the early saturns stuff??

ShavedQuattro wrote:Does anybod know if the Saturn Vue has metal fenders, or are they plastic like all the early saturns stuff??

Lol drove by one yesterday, saw the front fender and wondered the same

I can check one out tonight haha