4LikesReflex Suspension Dynamics (RSD) TC6 Upgrades (vertical ball studs, pistons,etc)
04-25-2011, 04:07 PM
#48
You can go about as low as the middle hole on the shock tower. We are working on some balls that will allow you to run lower, close to the lowest hole on the shock tower.
However, with all our testing, we have found that the car actually works best with about 1-2mm under the black stud on the new holes. This is the area between the middle hole and the top hole on the tower.
When deciding where to position the new hole, we also tried getting it the lowest possible without sacrificing strength. We looked at the lengths and positions of all the popular touring cars out there. You seldom see a good car, or a "fast" set-up with the camber link any lower than what can be achieved. Typically, if you want the link lower, you are just making your roll center higher, so the best thing to do is change the blocks or go to different springs. If what you are looking for is more camber gain, you can always increase your outside stud all the way up to 4mm without any trouble.
However, with all our testing, we have found that the car actually works best with about 1-2mm under the black stud on the new holes. This is the area between the middle hole and the top hole on the tower.
When deciding where to position the new hole, we also tried getting it the lowest possible without sacrificing strength. We looked at the lengths and positions of all the popular touring cars out there. You seldom see a good car, or a "fast" set-up with the camber link any lower than what can be achieved. Typically, if you want the link lower, you are just making your roll center higher, so the best thing to do is change the blocks or go to different springs. If what you are looking for is more camber gain, you can always increase your outside stud all the way up to 4mm without any trouble.
04-26-2011, 07:14 AM
#49
Looks good... just preordered pistons, spring set & vertical ball stud mount set. Can't wait to get them to try out 
04-26-2011, 07:45 PM
#50
I cant wait to test out those springs on Thursday..... racing last Thursday was SICK man i was able to get the second fastest lap of the main!!!!(cant remember the last time i did that) Thanks for all the tips CT hopefully this week ill do much better im glad to be hangin with tha big dawgs(its been a while)
04-26-2011, 08:39 PM
#51
05-12-2011, 09:56 AM
#52
Parts should be in next week if all goes well at the factory and then customs.
As for performance, I love these bulkhead caps more every week. I am now at 3mm of spacing underneath the outside hole on the front link and 1mm underneath the silver stud on the outside (about 2mm with black, but more thread in the knuckle). The inside link is actually now higher than the highest hole on the shock tower, so this position on the link was not possible before. I was looking for more initial steering and raising the inside link gave me a slightly lower roll center which did the trick.
As for springs, I have found the 13.5 rears to be my favorites on A3 roll centers. In the front, I rotate between 15.5 and 16.5 depending on tires. On Solaris Spec tires, the car does better with the 15.5's. With tires such as Sweep 36's, the 16.5's are needed to prevent the car from rolling over too much.
The shorter links I feel like call for softer springs F/R. If I was running the super long links I would probably be running 14.5 rears and 16.5 fronts with Solaris Spec tires. The Longer links are more forgiving, but the shorter ones allow the car to switch direction much quicker. This is a good thing at our track.
As for performance, I love these bulkhead caps more every week. I am now at 3mm of spacing underneath the outside hole on the front link and 1mm underneath the silver stud on the outside (about 2mm with black, but more thread in the knuckle). The inside link is actually now higher than the highest hole on the shock tower, so this position on the link was not possible before. I was looking for more initial steering and raising the inside link gave me a slightly lower roll center which did the trick.
As for springs, I have found the 13.5 rears to be my favorites on A3 roll centers. In the front, I rotate between 15.5 and 16.5 depending on tires. On Solaris Spec tires, the car does better with the 15.5's. With tires such as Sweep 36's, the 16.5's are needed to prevent the car from rolling over too much.
The shorter links I feel like call for softer springs F/R. If I was running the super long links I would probably be running 14.5 rears and 16.5 fronts with Solaris Spec tires. The Longer links are more forgiving, but the shorter ones allow the car to switch direction much quicker. This is a good thing at our track.
05-20-2011, 11:32 AM
#53
The first production of the parts arrived today. We will sort through them this weekend and prepare them for shipping early next week. The springs are still not here, but should be early next week.
We also received our prototype suspension shims today. Pictures will go up over the weekend.
We also received our prototype suspension shims today. Pictures will go up over the weekend.
05-20-2011, 12:51 PM
#55
Got you JayBee
For all state-side orders, we will ship the items that arrived today on Monday (vertical stud mounts and pistons). The springs will be shipped separately when they arrive. This will be on our dime.
For International orders, we will ship all together when the springs arrive. If you wish to ship them separately, we can too, shipping will be the customer's responsibility though (if it wasn't so expensive to ship, we would ship them all on our dime too).
For all state-side orders, we will ship the items that arrived today on Monday (vertical stud mounts and pistons). The springs will be shipped separately when they arrive. This will be on our dime.
For International orders, we will ship all together when the springs arrive. If you wish to ship them separately, we can too, shipping will be the customer's responsibility though (if it wasn't so expensive to ship, we would ship them all on our dime too).
05-23-2011, 06:53 PM
#56
TC6 Arm Mount Shims
These are our new TC6 Arm Mount Shims.
These Shims provide more stability for the TC6 A-Arm mounts, preventing them from rotating out of position which causes the dreaded A-Arm slop . They are compatible with all the TC6 Suspension Mounts in either A or B hole.
The shims are interchangeable left to right and front to back. A total of 4 shims is recommended for each car, (one on each side of the rear suspension mounts front whether in the front end or the rear end) but up to 8 can be used.
The shims are Aluminum and finished in Black Anodization, like our Vertical Stud Shock Tower Mounts. They are 1.5mm in width, which is roughly the same width as the Box Set-Up and are compatible with the stock plastic shims, or the more precise Aluminum M3 Suspension Shims.
These Shims provide more stability for the TC6 A-Arm mounts, preventing them from rotating out of position which causes the dreaded A-Arm slop . They are compatible with all the TC6 Suspension Mounts in either A or B hole.
The shims are interchangeable left to right and front to back. A total of 4 shims is recommended for each car, (one on each side of the rear suspension mounts front whether in the front end or the rear end) but up to 8 can be used.
The shims are Aluminum and finished in Black Anodization, like our Vertical Stud Shock Tower Mounts. They are 1.5mm in width, which is roughly the same width as the Box Set-Up and are compatible with the stock plastic shims, or the more precise Aluminum M3 Suspension Shims.
05-24-2011, 04:33 AM
#59
What stops the new shims from rotating along with the arm mounts?
From the pictures I'm guessing you use a grubscrew in the unused arm mount hole on the bulhead, which would engage with the spare hole on the shim? Or is there some clever bit that isn't obvious from the pictures?
From the pictures I'm guessing you use a grubscrew in the unused arm mount hole on the bulhead, which would engage with the spare hole on the shim? Or is there some clever bit that isn't obvious from the pictures?
Last edited by daleburr; 05-24-2011 at 04:43 AM.
05-24-2011, 09:51 AM
#60
Dale, what stops the shims from rotating is the increased surface area friction. Our first design used a grub screw, as we thought it would be necessary, but we found that it made the suspension mounts too rigid.
This had several different effects
-Decreased traction- The mounts just would be "too solid" is what we inferred.
-Increased damage in strong collisions: Since there was nothing to "give" either the bulkheads would get bent, the arms would break and/or the hinge pins bend. We are talking hard though, not your regular hits.
We then tested the non-grub screw model, it worked much better. Not only are they easier to use, but they provide more consistent traction. We did not have a single instance of the Shim moving or getting loose which prevented the Arms from developing the slop. It is much like the CF shaped shims some people (You?) were cutting, but with a "stop" built into the back of them. The Center hole in the shim is used at the A or B hole, which puts equal force on both ends of the shim at any position. The stop (or flange) comes out 5mm, which enables you to use more than plenty aluminum shims to space out your car/ incorporate rear toe as much as 5.5 mm at any end when you are using these shims. Another benefit of having no grub screw is that in high speed collisions there was less damage to the car.
This had several different effects
-Decreased traction- The mounts just would be "too solid" is what we inferred.
-Increased damage in strong collisions: Since there was nothing to "give" either the bulkheads would get bent, the arms would break and/or the hinge pins bend. We are talking hard though, not your regular hits.
We then tested the non-grub screw model, it worked much better. Not only are they easier to use, but they provide more consistent traction. We did not have a single instance of the Shim moving or getting loose which prevented the Arms from developing the slop. It is much like the CF shaped shims some people (You?) were cutting, but with a "stop" built into the back of them. The Center hole in the shim is used at the A or B hole, which puts equal force on both ends of the shim at any position. The stop (or flange) comes out 5mm, which enables you to use more than plenty aluminum shims to space out your car/ incorporate rear toe as much as 5.5 mm at any end when you are using these shims. Another benefit of having no grub screw is that in high speed collisions there was less damage to the car.