Question regarding suspension travel

[pilbeam_mp62]

OK , here is the potential problem:-

I have fitted the drivers side aluminium cooling pipe, and it seems very close to the lower wishbone, which is just below the pipe - clearance is only 6 or 7 mm.

Now, I am told that with the box-section strut in place, this simulates the ride-height of the finished car.....So I took off the strut and measured the amount of suspension travel that can occur before the wishbone hits the cooling pipe.

Measuring vertically at the face of the hub (I haven't got the brakes or wheels on yet) I can move it up 44mm before the wishbone gets within 1mm of the pipe.

How much suspension movement will the finished car have ?

Perhaps I have to take the pipe off and start again - but I thought I would ask the question first !

Thank you very much for any info.

Regards
Kelvin

[Stig]

Sounds like the front pipe mount needs moving up a bit.

Bear in mind that you also need to allow for the width of the silicon hose that will attach to it too (temporarily fit the hose to be sure):



As you can see here - the mount doesn't always meet the bottom of the lower chassis rail:

Edited by Stig on Friday 8th August 07:50

[pilbeam_mp62]

Thanks very much for your quick reply - it is actually the other wishbone arm where there is the clearance issue - the front one where the hose is, is fine - I did not make that clear.

I take your point about moving the whole mount up - this will mean that, in order to clear the gear-linkage in the engine bay, the angle of the pipe as it passes under the gear-linkage will have to be a lot steeper (i.e. pointing downwards)

Regards
Kelvin

[GTRMikie]

Surely the height of the cooling pipe at the front is governed by the height of the lower radiator outlet. This needs to be a straight connection. The pipe then runs parallel to the lower chassis rail, all the way to the rear (well it does on my car).

[pilbeam_mp62]

GTRMikie said:

Surely the height of the cooling pipe at the front is governed by the height of the lower radiator outlet. This needs to be a straight connection. The pipe then runs parallel to the lower chassis rail, all the way to the rear (well it does on my car).

Thanks for your reply.

I expect that all of these aluminium pipes are bent fractionally differently -and that is what we are talking here - a problem of just a few millimetres...

By coming out exactly straight from the lower rad outlet AND ensuring that the pipe clears the gear linkage at the back, the pipe was only a few mm above the wishbone...because of the way this pipe is bent, tilting it downwards to clear the gear linkage LOWERS it just where it passes over the wishbone...

I have now moved the pipe up so that it clears the wishbone by about 12-13mm AND it clears the gear linkage.....consequently, it is not coming out from the lower rad outlet exactly straight - the slicone hose is taking a bit of strain - but that's what it is designed for I guess !!

Regards