DarkoNova
12-22-2006, 10:53 PM
Hey all. Let me start by saying that as fun as it is to go fast in a straight line, I love carving the corners, and I actually want to auto-x my car whenever it's done. It's a 69 Nova, btw. Originally I was planning on getting a Chassisworks front clip, but after reading up on this site, I found that it still has some bumpsteer problems and is only 50 pounds lighter than the stock clip (granted, 50 pounds is a good amount, but not for $6k). So I decided to just get some nice 12" disc brakes, delrin bushings for the lower control arms, Global West uppers with delrin (before reading the sticky, lol), and getting a Steeroids power rack and pinion.
The thing is, the sticky at the top has swayed me away from tubular control arms and has me interested in the AFX spindle. Now onto my questions. I've got Hotchkis 2" lowering springs and their 1 1/8" sway bar. I had a bit of an accident so I've got 14" wheels on the front right now and I have to drive through dips at angles and I have to avoid most speed bumps. None of that was a problem with the 16's, but I figure going from 14's back to 16's will add about 1" of height on the "bottom half" of the wheel/spindle, so it will raise the car 1" off the ground. The thing is, the AFX spindles lower the car 1", so the way I see it is if I get the spindles, I'll have the same problems I have now with the 16" wheels (make sense?????).
I'm already pissed that I ruined one wheel bad enough to warrant me buying a whole new one, so I'd prefer not to have to get 17's all around (plus I just got new tires at all four corners around a month and a half ago). Basically, will the 2" from the springs and the 1" from the spindles be too much? Or am I looking too far into this?
Also, I'm guessing most people here would say the rack and pinion thing isn't necessary and I should just get a power box that has the "feel" of r&p, but I'd like to get it anyway just because it's less crap to wear out and such. Will it work with the AFX spindles? I don't see a reason that it won't, but I just want to be sure.
And how much camber and caster can you run on the street? I'd like to run as much as I can so spirited driving will be fun (living up a mountain has it's benefits, heh) and of course, straightline stability. And would it be better to use the AFX spindles with tubular control arms to get the most caster possible? I know camber is what really matters, but caster is helpful too, right?
My memory is pretty much crap, so I don't know if I've asked all the questions I wanted to ask or not, but if not, I'll just ask later. That looks like it's all for now.
Thanks in advance,
Matt
The thing is, the sticky at the top has swayed me away from tubular control arms and has me interested in the AFX spindle. Now onto my questions. I've got Hotchkis 2" lowering springs and their 1 1/8" sway bar. I had a bit of an accident so I've got 14" wheels on the front right now and I have to drive through dips at angles and I have to avoid most speed bumps. None of that was a problem with the 16's, but I figure going from 14's back to 16's will add about 1" of height on the "bottom half" of the wheel/spindle, so it will raise the car 1" off the ground. The thing is, the AFX spindles lower the car 1", so the way I see it is if I get the spindles, I'll have the same problems I have now with the 16" wheels (make sense?????).
I'm already pissed that I ruined one wheel bad enough to warrant me buying a whole new one, so I'd prefer not to have to get 17's all around (plus I just got new tires at all four corners around a month and a half ago). Basically, will the 2" from the springs and the 1" from the spindles be too much? Or am I looking too far into this?
Also, I'm guessing most people here would say the rack and pinion thing isn't necessary and I should just get a power box that has the "feel" of r&p, but I'd like to get it anyway just because it's less crap to wear out and such. Will it work with the AFX spindles? I don't see a reason that it won't, but I just want to be sure.
And how much camber and caster can you run on the street? I'd like to run as much as I can so spirited driving will be fun (living up a mountain has it's benefits, heh) and of course, straightline stability. And would it be better to use the AFX spindles with tubular control arms to get the most caster possible? I know camber is what really matters, but caster is helpful too, right?
My memory is pretty much crap, so I don't know if I've asked all the questions I wanted to ask or not, but if not, I'll just ask later. That looks like it's all for now.
Thanks in advance,
Matt