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View Full Version : Suspension Tech (RE: Bushing distortion and chassis flex)



Dr. Design
01-23-2004, 02:30 PM
Hello All,
Performance suspension tuning. It is not as easy as just installing lowering springs and a sway bar. There are a lot of variables that need to be thoroughly thought about when building your suspension.

Bushing deflection is one area that I would like to focus on. Some people overlook this because of the installation procedure. Yes, you have to press the old soft rubber bushing out and press in the new one. When you are trying to turn your passenger car into a sportier ride you have to remember how the manufacture originally designed the car. They will incorporate some performance but more focus on ride quality. A little bit of rigidity but not too much. Factory bushings are generally made of fairly soft, compliant rubber or low-durometer elastomers. These bushings are designed to absorb energy transmitted from the road in order to provide you with a more comfy, quieter ride. In the attached link you will notice a pretty cool diagram of how the MacPherson strut design acts under load and what the soft bushings allow it to do.
http://www.elephantracing.com/techtopic/suspensiondeformation.htm
So if you are serious about they way your car handles you might want to look into addressing this issue.

Chassis Flex - Vehicles that feature MacPherson strut are constructed in a unibody approach, which means that the vehicle "tub" incorporates a welded/frame body substructure. This means that the entire body substructure flexes to a degree as the vehicle rides over bumps, brakes, or is subjected to lateral loads during turns. The degree of flex will differ depending on the application, but some degree of flex will occur and is normal. So.... How do we fix this?

Strut Tower Brace - You can install a brace that attaches the left strut tower to the right strut tower (if possible attach to the firewall as well). By connecting right side to left side towers, this prevents a single tower from moving in relation to the opposing side tower. However there is now a slight problem. If the strut towers have now been connected, what has been done to keep them from moving together? Answer is NOTHING. By also attaching the strut tower brace to the firewall, this provides a center locating point, preventing unwanted tower movement on both sides.

Underbody Bracing - If the unibody design previously allowed a great deal of flex, the addition of a underbody bracing will be very noticeable in terms of stability and handling improvement. Even if the unibody originally exhibited minimal flex, the addition of underbody bracing will always improve handling since it reduces chassis flex and resulting wheel angle changes. This means that the grip of the tires can make better use of lateral energy instead of wasting it through excessive chassis flex.

Chassis components are especially useful when the car is equipped with high performance low profile tires. As tire grip increases, this places additional stress in the chassis "tub". This stress causes the unibody to flex and deflect. This flexing can lead to long-term weakening of the weld joints, and can result in a loss of handling performance, keeping, you the driver, from ever realizing the true potential of your suspension setup. Chassis bracing components are quick and easy to install. They are great addition if you are looking to increase the handling in your car.

We hope that we were able to expel a few misconceptions about some of the items that are typically overlooked when building your suspension. Please let us know if there are any questions.
Thank you,

tony speed
01-23-2004, 03:07 PM
one reason i'm waiting on the d3 civic si products which don't seem for sale yet....which will probably be my next mods after my sways and bushings...

SiRman
01-23-2004, 04:46 PM
Nice post, info everyone should consider.

Dr. Design
01-27-2004, 11:56 AM
Hello,
Actually we have a little update on our newly redesigned double XCB-C. It is available now and we are offering a special intro price for the next two weeks. If you are interested in this please email us for more information.
Thank you,



Originally posted by tony speed
one reason i'm waiting on the d3 civic si products which don't seem for sale yet....which will probably be my next mods after my sways and bushings...

fsugatorbait
01-27-2004, 12:02 PM
Whatever happened to your thread where you asked for pics of cars for an endorsement?

Dr. Design
01-30-2004, 04:20 PM
Hello,
We are still reviewing all the entries. Once we have an answer we will post the members car we have choose. Please let us know if there are any questions. Make sure you all check out the post regarding the special introductory pricing for our new Double X-Brace.
Thank you,



Originally posted by fsugatorbait
Whatever happened to your thread where you asked for pics of cars for an endorsement?

fsugatorbait
01-31-2004, 05:24 PM
Yeah, saw the reply. Not too bad of a price at $160, comparitively priced with Neuspeed. How long will the intro price last for?

SiRman
01-31-2004, 05:50 PM
So can we expect a bushing kit in the future?

Dr. Design
02-02-2004, 12:33 PM
Hello,
This intro price will last for 1 more week. Ending on Feb. 13th, 2004. Please make sure you are a part of this awesome offer. Our double x-brace is TWICE the size of the "other" bar and will out perform it hands down. Please let us know if there are any questions.

p.s. Energy suspension has completed all forms of R&D on the EP3.
Thank you,



Originally posted by fsugatorbait
Yeah, saw the reply. Not too bad of a price at $160, comparitively priced with Neuspeed. How long will the intro price last for?

tony speed
02-02-2004, 02:33 PM
how heavy is the x bar?

fsugatorbait
02-02-2004, 02:37 PM
Originally posted by tony speed
how heavy is the x bar?

felt like less than 5 lbs i believe.

Dr. Design
02-03-2004, 01:59 PM
Hello,
Our new double X-Brace is approx. 8 lbs. This is pretty light considering how large this component is. Our old XCB-C was about 2-3 lbs. but far less effective underneath the car. Please let us know if there are any questions.
Thank you,



Originally posted by tony speed
how heavy is the x bar?