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Freak Ride IFS System |
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pit crew
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: delete Status: Offline Points: 5341 |
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73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20 |
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Ollie
AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/17/2012 Location: Brandon, MS Status: Offline Points: 2803 |
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My issue with the American is the trunions. It just limits the size tires you can use.
Yes, being able to adj the ride height is the best deal. Having AMC Fun, Ollie |
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1966 American Convertible -- "The Rambler"..SOLD
1974 Postal Jeep -- "Rapid Delivery"...SOLD 1969 Rambler 220 post car--"Road Warrior" 1989 Jeep Comanche Pioneer, 4.0L, auto, 2wd |
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Red Devil
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1743 |
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Simplest option would be to rebuild the stock arms (new bushings, ball joints, tie-rod ends if worn) and fit better shocks and stiffer springs.
The Control Freaks tubular arms are essentially fabricated stock replacements, so don't improve geometry. Coil-overs can be fit to stock arms if you want adjustability. Biggest gain is from the spring and shock combination if sticking with stock geometry parts.
Hope this helps, RD. |
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White70JavelinSST
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4866 |
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Dennis, how did you deal with the strut rods and strut rod bushings when you converted to Freak Ride control arms? Thanks |
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70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972
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THE MENACE
AMC Addicted Joined: Nov/04/2008 Location: So. California Status: Offline Points: 4438 |
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I built my own strut rods! They eliminate 100% of the twisting (bind) an OE strut rod creates. |
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Former Owner of:
The Craig Breedlove "AERO AMX" Still Owner: SS/AMX #9 replica (THE BIG MENACE) 70 AMX 416, EFI, Nash 5 speed 70 Javelin 401, 727 (Wife's car) 72 Gremlin Autocross Project. |
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Red Devil
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1743 |
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Dennis: What keeps the lower arm from twisting with that arrangement? Just the bushing at the arm pivot at the crossmember, or is the line-of-action of your strut rod coincident with the centre of rotation of the lower ball joint .. or close enough not to cause issues?
Thanks,RD P.S. The stock strut rod also works. |
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White70JavelinSST
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4866 |
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Dennis, Because the moment arm distance is shorter with the strut rod replacements you fabbed, does that fabbed strut rod pull the lower control arm backward when the suspension is at full droop? Thanks |
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70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972
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White70JavelinSST
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4866 |
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RD, I'm looking for a replacement idea that does what you described and also doesn't shorten the moment arm of the strut rod and doesn't flex the heck out of the stock strut rod or the hugely stiffer bushings that appear to be the only choice available these days, unless the super soft ones are used and they turn to crap in a short time. I've had a strut rod break from too much flex and from then on I had to make sure the front doesn't droop too far. or compress too far. I have to limit the droop when I raise the car off the ground. Currently I'm using urethane but have a couple sets of more traditional bushings but still not factory hardness. |
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70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972
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304-dude
AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082 |
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Greyhound found a couple of replacement strut rod that keeps proper distance, but made for Ford. He was to special order for AMC, yet has not posted yet. I figure after spring he will post his fitment and results.
It is a newer concept to use custom cups and poly pivots, similar to my facotry modded design strut rods. Both work similar in respects, and are in between stock with poly bushings and spherical cupped bearings. The total cost of a factory mod like mine can be about $75, and the custom newer designed rods är about $150 and should not require any aditional work to install. The nice thing about the two versions is you need not geese them and can run through mud and water without need of maintenence. My mod is the newest in concept, though I have been muddling about it far too long while figuring out how my suspension was to be finalised. |
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71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
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Red Devil
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1743 |
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Stock strut rods typically fail due to a high-load or corrosion starting a crack that eventually fatigues and fails. Unless you have particularly rough roads and excessive suspension travel, doubt the bushings themselves will cause a crack ... but stiffer ones may cause a fatigue failure much quicker. Some stock cars use strut-rod type lower arms. The arm and strut rod have spherical joints at the chassis pivots and the strut rod is fixed to the arm with a heavy clevis aligned with the arm axis so it allows easy adjustment, but doesn't add another degree of freedom (unlike Dennis' arrangement which relies on the straight bushing at the arm pivot and small strut rod offset to the ball joint for stability). If the Open Tracker Racing arrangement works, could be a good option for a stock-type strut rod ... and if you changed the arm pivot at the crossmember to a spherical joint, you would eliminate any bind if movement exceeds capacity of the rubber/urethane bushing. Open Tracker Racing strut rod spherical joint One thing that also helps with the stock arrangement is to leave the strut-rod bolts to the arm snug when adjusting and torque after final adjustment to reduce induced preload. Slot the holes in the arm if you need more adjustment than stock. Hope this helps,RD |
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