We are making adjustable strut rods, wanted to write it up here. It's a great project I think. We were pontificating at bryant's shop about this for a while. did research and at $400 for a decent set it seemed a little out of our price range. I believe there is cheaper ones they make for mustangs but their dimension aren't quite right. daze cars is the website where we first read up on making them adjustable but we came up with our own method of doing them. they were looking really shredded in my car, I guess the rubber was installed incorrectly by the last installer: Nothing sexy about the stock ones: We installed polyurethane bushings for now while we work on the adjustable ones. It definitely makes you feel everything on the road so not really great if you have to traverse a lot of potholes. And by the way, THIS is the correct orientation of the bushings. The space with the metal shim is where the frame of the car gets sandwitched: We purchased 2 of these tabs for $5 each that we are going to use to install the heim joint to. They might need some adjusting but they are a pretty good size. We made an outline of the metal we will need to cut which is going to be at least as thick as the original metal. You can see the 90 degree angle sticking up from the end of the strut rod, we will try to use a long stud for that. It's there to stop the travel of the steering I believe. This rod is what we will use to adjust the length of the strut rod. This is a 15" here which is too long. We ordered a 13" ones instead. We have the clevis ends which I'll take pics of. We also will be using the stock washers for spacers, more on that later I hope.
OK, not to rain on your parade or anything but the strut rods are already adjustable. Just pointing that out. Don't let me stop you from making something different though.
its to eliminate the bushings wich allow deflection that can cause unpredictible handleing. oh and to have them be yellow (only on mo's)
Intresting.. can't wait to see what it looks like and how it feels. I run wide tires up front so maybe it will be beneficial..
my hands are just really big, they are pretty good size. should hold up ok for what they are going to do
these are the big boys we are going to use to make the caltraks that bryant already made for his car look at the size difference, beautiful
$$$!! I can see myself cutting the end that goes on the lower arm and drilling a hole in the tab to plug weld it to the end of the rod. Then it could bolt to the arm and still have the stop. Plate and use a tab at the crossmember. Plate and clean both sides of the round holes and it would be clean. I like your idea and am curious how it will look and function. How long do you think before we see it? So far what's the cost? Them Heims are not cheap I'm sure.
I don't think I quite understand ur method buy please explain, I'm open to suggestions. The parts are not that expensive. I think the 2 heims were under 25. The adjustment rod is 10.99. The parts should be in next week so I should have something in the next week or 2
I`m tuning in to see how these come out. I really want these http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Suspension/strut_rod_kit.htm But They are a bit pricey! I wonder if TCP realizes that the stock ones are already adjustable.
its funny that every body touts that they are adjustable when thats not the benifit. Gene, are you talking about using the stock strut rod portion that bolts to the lower controle arm and welding the adjuster sleve to it? we will have a plate that bolts to the lower controle arm in the stock location. it will have a hole in the loctaion that the stearing stop is located that we will weld section of rod into. this will work as the steering stop. while typing this it just dawned on me that we could put a tab there with a bolt that is adjustable for the steering stop location. that would allow for more or less stearing angle to be achived. this would create other problems that i really dont think are worth sorting out. ok back to the plate design. we will have a lengh of threaded rod welded to the front of the plate that the adjuster sleve will goto. the hiem joints are 5/8s. i was thinking about maybe trying to put some polyuritane bushings where the front mount will bolt through the front crossmember but that will be something that i will consider after the first set is done and on the road.
I am no engenier so I could be missing something.. The part that you drew has the two holes, that end I am thinking could be cut leaving a stub just long enough to protrude through the tab as it sits flush with the edge of the lower arm. Drill the tab to stick the stub through it and weld it up from both sides. Now that end retains the stop and can be removed. The front could be plated flush and the tab welded to the face of the added plate. Measure the lenght between the two tabs and determine the length your working with. Should be short. Added the bad drawings lol. The bottom one in the middle and the top right one would be the two ends looking down.
