Castor Bars on brumby

marshy · Post by **marshy** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:11 am

Im just about to tackle the castor bars with the l series arms.
I was going to buy some 304 threaded stainless or look at the XD falcon.
Should i go the same diameter of 17mm? Also by flaten out the treaded bar at one end with be ok?
Just hoping to see what others have done before i jump into it?
thanks Marshy

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:45 pm

I used the falcon one and cut the end just at the right angle...bolted up to the original holes.....and when you get them from the wreckers, make sure the thread is in good nick and not worn

see pic here

http://www.ausubaru.com.au/showthread.php?t=8857&page=2[/URL]

marshy · Post by **marshy** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:29 am

subybrumby wrote:I used the falcon one and cut the end just at the right angle...bolted up to the original holes.....and when you get them from the wreckers, make sure the thread is in good nick and not worn

see pic here

http://www.ausubaru.com.au/showthread.php?t=8857&page=2[/URL]

Thanks for info, surprising how far foward wheel has moved with rods.
Do you remember roughly how long they were over standard? I think ill go the ford option if no ones had trouble with them....

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:30 am

Not sure what you mean...."Long they were over standard."

There are a lot of other posts on this modification on this site and I followed them.

The L series arm is at a more forward angle than the MY and is also a bit longer. This gives you modification to the camber and castor after the work has been completed. The original radius rods haven't got a hope of reaching the new L series arms so Ford XD (XE XF) rods are sourced. The length is good but the end is different. I cut mine at a certain angle because I wanted it to look neat and tidy. These rods are high tensile and we are limited to what we can do with them without altering the longitudinal stress properties that they have.

So:

L series lower control arms
L series drive shaft
I used L series hub, brakes (Callipers) and rotor disc.
86 Toyota Camry tie rod ends...(Part Number is TE 3687R) original tie rod ends will be too short).
I stayed with brumbystrut (which was new and aftermarket anyway.)
and original hand brake cable (I had L series brakes anyway)
I have taken it for a short run and it seems fine (I am still working on other issues with the car)

Remember- Wheel will now be more forward and strut leaned backwards a bit.
Mine has front mudguard chop anyway. and !!!!

Front wheels will be sticking out a bit further...in other words your front track is now wider than the rear.

Hope this helps

Edit: I only did this modification because the vehicle had a very serious camber problem and looked goofy....like this \ /

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:26 am

By any chance did the camber go positive because the ride height was above standard ?
What happens when people raise the ride height is that the control arms sweep down in a arc about the inner ends bolt hole center . The outer ends effectively move in the lower they go (in relation to the inner bolt center) and this pulls the struts foot inwards - instant positive camber .

Your calls but I'd either have longer MY arms made or make alterations to cross members location point . If you could fab brackets and weld them (properly) to the cross member on the same centers you could fit either L or MY control arms with spacers to get the wheels where you want them in the arches .

Ways and means , cheers A .

marshy · Post by **marshy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:20 pm

[quote="subybrumby"]Not sure what you mean...."Long they were over standard."

Thanks for your advice. I was meaning the length of the standard radius compared to new XD radius rod eg 20mm longer??

Have you had a wheel alighnment since mods?

I will be running a 4 inch kit with crossbred conversion kit and liberty struts(fulcum coil over that replaced the air bags, not a true coil over but narrow to clear strut tower). I have to work out if ill fit a camber kit.

Thanks Marshy

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:51 pm

A couple of things here...

I bought the vehicle with severe camber problems to the point that the car looked silly. It looked like a VW with the engine removed. \ /. I think thats severe positive camber. The car has a 3" lift kit but it all looks like its in place ok...so I don't think that's caused it. It does have aftermarket struts on so whether there is exceptional lift in the struts, I don't know.

I went for a conversion that had been tried and tested and I am happy with the result. I have lined the wheels up myself and gone for a drive and all feels good. But its back in the shed to finish some other stuff off. I have another standard brumby that I use for work. The brumby that has the lift kit and front end mod, has power steering and an EA82turbo, so I am just tidying things up. (Weekend car)

The falcon radius rod. ...The falcon rod mounts on the falcon the other way around from the front. I got dudded from a wrecker with a pair that had the thread worn on one side. Check them before you pay for them and cut them.

You will need to cut about an inch of threaded end off otherwise it will hit the chassis on the rubber mounted end. I used my brumby rubbers and the falcon large flat washer ground down a bit.

Put the rod in a vice and cut at an angle the end of the flat end off that has the lug on it getting maximum length,. You should end up with an end like a spear head.

Drill two snug holes (you won't have a lot of room) through to match the holes on the control arm. Use the original 17 ml brumby bolts and nuts for this connection. Install and tighten up rubbers but don't pull arm out of alignment.

You will find that the stabiliser bar will not match up...either remove it or cold bend to line up. (Which I havn't done yet)

For discopotato:- I hear what you're saying...I have I would say neutral camber. maybe a little bit negative..the problem was so bad...I was hoping for more negative but I'm happy with what I've got from the mod.

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:40 am

Also someone mentioned tension rods .
These are when the radius rods are connected to the body area ahead of the control arms - they run in tension .
The ones MY/L series run are behind the control arms and known as compression rods because they run in compression .

Whatever you call these rods they complete the last leg of the triangle to locate the strut foot .

IMO this is a better system that the "A" arm in Liberty's and Impreza's because it has some scope for adjustment .

Cheers A .

marshy · Post by **marshy** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 7:03 pm

Excellent break down Subybrumby.
good luck with the sway bar , Im thinking of leaving it off, see what happens.

discopotato , The impreza/lib seems to be more strudy but i agree "scope for adjustment" in early subies.

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 7:31 pm

Thanks fellas...cheers..good luck with the mod...

dibs · Post by **dibs** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:35 pm

gdayguys
any one got pics of cuts happening or marks for cuts

dibs

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:00 am

I think Yarney has cut guards before for people, if you are meaning the guards.

dibs · Post by **dibs** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:55 pm

na m8 i ment the other parts that needed cutting. i cut n massaged the guards when i fitted the new tyers . hehe with a block buster and a lump hammer .( guna apply for a job at the back yard boys shed) i know its rough but its called the ruffy .now i want to fix the dakdak look
dibs