h rocks,

I didn't have any luck finding more info on the 1990 or similar FX-3 chassis set-ups. Now that I have a better understanding of the shock solutions and alignment guidelines, I would like to know if there are any other recommendations you have that would be beneficial to do at the same time (bigger sway bars or any mods to the rear toe location, etc.) If it has already been discussed many times, are there any other topics or titles I could try searching through on the forum? I really want to dial in the suspension first and thoroughly learn the cars handling before I worry about the L-98's power curve. I've learned a lot in short period of time from all of the help and advice - Thanks.

 

2many, I'm sorry to find that it seems that all of the '99 posts, and many of the '00 posts are GONE from the Forum archives.

If I recall correctly, your sig noted that your '90 is "soon to be modified." So I'll assume that you are not intending on running any stock classes for AX, want to be able to drive it on the street without undue tire wear and expect to have it handle well for driver's schools, or open track day events. So here are some basics to consider:

-Lower your car front and rear.

-Send shocks to Bilstein for revalving. Ask Bill for the TM FX3 valving

-Order the black box with the A 121-A PROM (I've got the step charts)

-If running 275's square, 30/24mm bars if running 315's in the rear run 30/26mm bars. Poly insulators, end links, stock replacement front lower end link bushings.

-Poly bushings most everywhere else front and rear, including and especially the large diff carrier bushings. (For the way that you will use the car, do not concern yourself with any "binding" banter related to the trailing arms.)

-Alignment: (Street/ocasional track) Front: 1 deg. neg camber, Caster 5.5 to 6 deg. pos. Toe: zero Rear: 1 deg neg camber. 1/16" toe in, per side. If running 315's in rear reduce neg camber to 3/4 deg neg. (rear only, no other changes) If you decide to skew your useage more toward track use, you may want to consider the following: Front: 1 3/4 deg neg camber same toe and caster. Rear: 1.25 neg camber. (with 315's) If running 275's square, match front camber. All else same.

You are on target with your approach to improve the handling, brakes, and driver before worrying about more power. That can all be optimized later. The biggest bang for the buck is getting the car to handle, and improving driver performance. These cars respond very well to changes, and are very easy to drive at the limit when dialed in.

Let me know if I have confused you even more! :crazy:


[Modified by h rocks, 12:00 AM 8/15/2001]

 

h rocks,

I had two last questions: (1) If I were to run heim joints for the trailing arms would it radically increase noise for street driving? It is very easy to do and stock car products or coleman will do everything for so cheap... (2) When I ordered some stuff from Doug Rippie they mentioned that there is some toe in in bump in the rear - is it worth the effort to to get zero bumpsteer in the rear? BTW, the car is already lowered and I put on 315's in the back with new wheels. I did a few longevity mods already: a Ron Davis radiator, Z pads, stainless brake lines, and put in a fan switch control, K&N, air foil and I have a hooker cat-back aerochamber set up to put in this weekend. But that is as far as I will go on the engine until I do the complete suspension and learn to drive the car well.

I really appreciate the information and guidance - thanks.

 

Sorry for the long stretch, but I've been on the road and not surfing the net.

The single-mass isn't very bad at all. If you can remember back to the M21 & M22 Muncies, it sounds about the same. Most of the growl goes away when you push in the clutch.

For a 90% street car, it is fine. I've had it in mine for almost 3 years now. I must admit, since I've installed the Corsa's, it is a lot noisier and noticeable :lol: I couldn't hear a thing over the old FlowMaster system.

 

2- -I also made up my own trailing arms from the Coleman catalog, using Aurora heims. Spent about $125 vs. $400. Had a friend of mine make me the bushings from some barstock. I couldn't detect any noise or harshness. Rear bumpsteer is an issue on all except '96. Typical GM, fixed it the last year of production. Have you done the camber rods yet? Going to heimed alum tubes made a noticeable difference in bumpsteer. (by deflection of those huge bushings on the ends.) I think that if you were to make the mods noted above with the alignment, that you would definitely transform the handling of your car. It becomes much more accurate, and predictable. I am probably going to do the rear toe kit along with modifying my rear valving again this winter. These will be incremental, subtle changes compared to where it was four years ago.


Not familiar with a Ron Davis rad. How does it differ, and what kind of change did it make to your running temperatures?

 

This is good to know. I am keeping my C4 until I can no longer drive or some idiot totals it.

 

h rocks,

I think I'll do the links and camber rods with heims and spacers too. It should really tighten things up especially with poly bushings for the rest. I'll probably wait on the rear bump steer mods. If it makes a dramatic difference when you do it please post a message.

The Ron Davis radiator combined with the fan switch and harness have helped a great deal. It's tig welded Al and has a core about 2X as thick as the stock plastic tanked POS I removed. Now with the A/C on it runs below 200 F almost all the time becuase the one fan turns on with the A/C and a previous owner installed a 180 F thermostat. I'm going to change the fans to both only run when the switch goes to 200 F - I only have to cut one wire. I used the $12.95 harness from mid america. The Ron Davis radiator didn't fit absolutely perfect, but was fairly close (you do have to trim the rubber mounts that go inside the shroud assembly. It is about the same quality as Fluidyne - excellent. You can also have Fluidyne make you a custom radiator for about the same price - I'd do that if I had to do it over again. I used Fluidyne before to make a custom radiator for my Alfa and it was a work of art and a good deal. The race shop will turn one around for you in less than two weeks once you give them all of the measurements. Let me know if you want the phone number and contact for either place. Both are much better than Be Cool...

 

how did they fix it?

Are the camber rods you can get from Mid-America or Eckler's any good?

Since I'm really "unrestricted" now ...

 

Brian, they changed the geometry on the knuckles' attachment point to the toe rods.

I liked the stuff from Exotic Muscle much better. Merle uses high quality heim joints, and is a great resource to boot. 480.967.4222.

 

anyone make a retrofit kit, or do you just have to go out and buy the whole knuckle??? :(

 

Just buy the '96 knuckles.

 

Brian,
You can also just send the knuckles to Rippie. They put them in a press and bend the attachment points to where the '96 is.

I think it was a $150 cost on that one. I did it with the rest of the suspension goodies Rippie has.