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Coil-Over Project

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71tr

71tr

Jedi Warrior
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So I've been working on my rear suspension and had planned to convert over to rear tube shocks with an off the shelf kit. Then I started taking a closer look at the coil-over shock conversions available from Revington and Ratco. Revington's kit is slick but expensive. Ratco is more reasonably priced but the protrusion of the shock housing beneath the trailing arm is undesireable (imo).

So I pulled my trailing arm and laid everything out on the living room floor and started thinking. After a few gyrations I took my front lower shock mounting brackets and noticed they fit nicely over the aluminum trailing arms. I eyeballed the layout and pitch of the coil spring, measured and drilled. Check out the attached photos. I still need to find some flush or low profile bolts and maybe some spacers for the underside but I'm pleased with the results. The photos show a stock front shock which is too long for this application, but I think I've sourced a couple of options that will work in the limited space. I've also got an idea on how to deal with the upper mount. Just thought I'd share the project ideas and see if anyone had any suggestions to offer.
 

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Are you concerned about strength at your trailing arm/shock attachment points? Cast aluminum might not take the abuse you will be giving it.
Look into elevator bolts if you want a flush mounting head.
Make sure to buy grade 8.
 
Yes, stress on the aluminum mounting points is of concern. I'm no engineer but it seems that stress along four points within the same plane as the coil spring should be no worse than a single stress point at the tail end of the trailing arm, the original shock mount location. I'm also considering a steel reinforcing ring to spread the load.
 
71,

I would have rings machined out of steel that would fit in the "cup" where the spring normally sits and the bottom of the trailing arm. In order to fit the profile, but bottom might have to be made out of aluminum.

Unless some sort of reinforcement is done, I would never trust it.

It's a very neat idea, it would be great to see if it would work.
 
Just some thought...

...adding the height of those bolt heads, any metal ring for re-enforcement etc... will raise the ride height of your car and could come close to not properly containing the spring, even with the shock moved to the interior of the spring.

Applaud the effort. Just think of any criticism as constructive and keep soldiering on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
All critiques and suggestions are appreciated. I've thus far envisioned this setup similar to the two kits available in the aftermarket. The shock is mounted to the lower trailing arm and to the upper spring mounting position via a busing. The shocks are not attached to the springs. Keep 'em coming.
 
148_0208_coil_4_z.jpg



How about something like this from Chevy High Performance? Remember that you are putting that shock mount in the nutcracker position, you want it stout. Would the aluminum spacers sold by TRF come in handy with a good aluminum welder? Also, remember that the bottom of the swing arm is subject to a lot of abuse from road hazards.
 
Bill,

That's exactly the style that I was talking about. A threaded shock that can be rotated until the desired ride height is achieved. I think this setup would be easier to engineer than mounting the spring and shock on the trailing arm. I've seen the Revington model.. and gosh it just looks weak.

Anyway, I'm no engineer so everything I'm saying could be total garbage.
 
Man Bill, for a moment there I thought that photo was of a super-modified trailing arm on your six. I've seen that brand setup in the summit racing catalog, very slick. A modern coil over combo setup that would fit the six would be interesting. I agree that anything protruding from the underside of the trailing arm will be subject to abuse. However, check out Ratco's setup it must hang down 3-4 inches.
 
Your idea seems a natural, the stresses at the location is a big concern. I did that on the front end to raise the front with that v8 up there.
Have you checked out the air shocks by gabriel or monroe? I used a set in the stock shock position (on the trailing arm) after building up some towers inside the wheel wells. Rides on air.

jeff
 
[ QUOTE ]
Shawn,

Most coil over setups are very adjustable.. I'm assuming that the springs would be attached to the shocks right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most yes, but none of the current kits for the TR6 are height adjustable. They are mostly shocks inside of spring set ups. As is the design that is being proposed here. They use standard spring choices that any other TR6 uses. Therefore the spring still has to set into the trailing arm where those boltheads are.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
I think Shannon was referring primarily to modern coil over kits. This design as stated is simply a shock contained within the existing coil spring and attached to the trailing arm and upper shock tower. The bolt heads in the photo will go away as this develops, elevator bolts look to do the trick. I am however exploring the use of a modern coil over kit in-lieu-of the current hybrid. These have the shock and spring combined into a single unit and some offer dial-in adjustability. Again, the key is the mounting points.
 
If you could get some sort of modern coil over unit in there, possibly even with remote resevoir if needed, then it could be really cool. It would even let you better adjust corner weighting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
71tr, Looks like a good idea that will work, but does a coil over like this really make any improvment over stock-other than saving room without the outside shock?? Also you have to find a shock that not only just fits it has to be matched to the spring/load. The Spax shock that comes optional with the rear shock conversion might work and its adjustable-------------One more thought,what about using the front shock mount that you mounted on the bottom and mount one on the top spring perch-that way a custom shock with two eye mounts could be used. Its more common to find custom and racing shocks with two eye mounts than the Triumph mounts that have the one eye mount and one stem mount.
 
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