Pillow ball top mounts (front)

[Fusion]

So, finally I have time to refurb and upgrade the front suspension.
What I have or will be doing:
1) everything's coming out, new bits like various bolts, repaint
2) IE adj. front sway 25mm, ready
3) urethane CABs, ready
4) Sachs red shocks, not adjustable for now, ready
5) D2 3D pillowball top mounts (for non-coilover setup), ready
6) tie rods 2x, 4x CA ball joints, haven't bought them... Swag, Febi? Recommendations for track use?

I'll have all the old stuff out tomorrow, plan is to buy the 4+2 links, take the arms to a shop to replace them (couple bucks). Or will I be able to do that without special tools?

The thing that is mind boggling to me are the top mounts because they are way different than the OEM ones, especially their height. They are sort of like the IE camber plates. I'll post pics soon. I don't understand how the spring can sit under them since the plate botton is totally flat. I can't find any pics or instructions, not even for different cars. Seems like I'm missing something.
PO wanted them for his 5 lug setup and thus better camber (not my case).

This is my first time working on the thirty suspension, excuse my inexperience.

[Fusion]

[jlevie]

The upper strut bearing bears against the to of the upper spring plate, which in turn bears against the springs. That will be apparent when you disassemble the stuts. Pay atternton the the parts and their order.

[Fusion]

Yea, I get that, but where will the new uniball top mount sit?
In place of the OEM strut bearing/rubber top mount (therefore also on top of the upper spring plate)?

[Fusion]

Seems I'm going to have to have a custom spacer fab'd. The Vorschlag upper mounts come with a spacer thing.
If I do have it custom made, what do you guys think? Would a urethane spacer hold up between the upper spring plate and mount or would it be better to have it made out of aluminum? It would moreless replace the thick fat rubber part of the OEM mount, so I guess there isn't much movement/danger there.

[Fusion]

Sooo, I did some test fitting.

The mount can't just be placed on the upper support like the OEM mount.



So I took the pillowball bearing part off and placed the upper nut on.



I'm going to have to have a spacer made, which is represented by the screws in the next picture. The spacer will be approx 12mm thick and new longer screws should go through the top camber part (black), through the spacer, lock into the 6 points in the bearing part. This way the bearing can be tilted all the way.
Only problem is, if the whole upper mount is tilted all the way, the upper spring plate can't be rotated 360°, rather about 300 before it touches. But I don't believe it will ever be tilted like this, correct me if I'm wrong.

This is 0 camber position (strut dead center).



This is in the edge camber postion (negative or positive depending on side). This plate doesn't allow fine tuning like some, as you can see, only neg-0-pos.







Do you guys think this can work the way I plan with the spacer?
The idea is to set everything to "0", have the alignment done at a shop, drive with that and later move to negative camber, realign, drive, possibly changing caster in the future.

I also have Koni top adjustables on the way. Do they have a longer top nut thread?

[Fusion]

Another question comes to mind - should I be adjusting camber by sliding the chrome plate in the black plate (as in the second to last pic), or by sliding the black plate in the purple plate? Because they can be swapped to do that on both sides and I guess the purple plate allows smaller adjustments because the positions are closer to each other.
Ok, nevermind that question, I get it now, guess I'm tired.

[Fusion]

Thoughts? :)

[Fusion]

Done.













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Question -
there's an option to have 3mm top plate rubber spring pads.
If the original 9mm ones are replaced with the 3mm, will a drop be noticable?

[Marcos]

nice

Those are sweet spacers and seem just right. I wonder the same as you on the spring pad. I know some folks just remove them.

[Fusion]

Thanks!
I did all the 3D views myself and the guy who made the spacers is 67, he has 50 year old machines in his shop that were used to make weapons back then. It was awesome checking out all the machines in his shop, and great working with him.
Oh and they're made out of duralumin, strength + really light = ftmfw.

[sweet6e30]

nothing like the old schoolers thesedays,sad that they are slowly going the way of the buffalo!

good job.

[Fusion]

Yea, he told me he wants to retire soon and his son would get all that machinery and knowhow for free, but he's not interested in following in dad's footsteps.

[Marcos]

WoW

Yea, he told me he wants to retire soon and his son would get all that machinery and knowhow for free, but he's not interested in following in dad's footsteps.

Sounds like a little piece of history will be lost. I don't blame the kid though. You gotta follow your own path