Adjustable top hats?

[Jebus]

Any idea on what materials these are made of, weve checked out a couple of designs but cant work out what theyre made of. Cant be aluminium cos its too soft and stainless is probaly too hard to machine to make them.

Any ideas or pics on some custom made ones? Also what kind of bearings need to be used in them?

Cheers

[wde_bdy]

A certain blown 5K Starlet owner has all the details. Although T3 ones are probably a better option especially with the way the US$ is and the amount of work involved.

Callum

[Rick]

Just to give a you an idea.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Car-parts-accessories/Performance/Suspension-braces/auction-33845166.htm

[atmosports]

Generally I make mine out of 6061/6063 aluminium it depends what grade I can get 5083 is also pretty good. IF you've got the $$$ 7075 is better again. You could use Steel but ti will rust unless you plate it etc. Stainless is way to heavy & too slow machining. If you think aluminium is too soft then just get it anodized,hard anodized or TIC/TIN coated.

As for bearings you just need to buy a suitably sized spherical bearing to fit, spend the $$ & buy the best you can buy to avoid disappointment. I would recommend any sold by the likes of Cardwells/Kendalls etc as they are designed for aerospace/motorsport use. Generally these come in Imperial sizing with metric ones harder to get in good quality & more expensive. I normally use about a 3/4" ID one & then just make up a sleeve of two to take it back to the same size as the strut/shock shaft. I put mine in the top plate/housing so they sit against a hard shoulder at the top & then hold them in with a circlip underneath & have never had one fail like this. One thing to check is you may need to buy high angularity bearings to stop them from binding up when running extreme angles, otherwise you may just need to get creative with the spacers top & bottom. As for mountings to the bodyshell, the factory amount of holes should be sweet anything between 2-6 is fine & the same goes for factory sizing. Taping the threads into the aluminium is fine so long as you remember it's aluminium & don't strip the threads out on assembly/tightening. As for fasteners I'd recommend the minimum of a grade 8 bolt, but preferably I'd run a grade 12 or higher capscrew, for nuts if it's low heat then a nyloc will work fine but high heat I'd run a metal lock nut or else being anal I'd drill it & lockwire it

Hope this helps I've made heaps fo them but these days unless you really ned to make them it's probably cheaper to buy off the shelf like racepro/tein etc.

[Jebus]

Cool, thanks heaps for your info thats wicked. I kinda need to make them, cos theyre for a KE30 using cressida struts, also kind of would like to make them up custom.

Any other info or pics would be interesting to check out too.

[Rick]

Or you could buy these and modify them to suit.

http://www.racepro.co.nz/camber.shtm

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[Mr Revhead]

look at that price

[Nuty|Mike]

look at that price

thats massive price i saw sum at repco in the bargin bin for $110 each :O wish i had the money now altho racepro is poo

[Jebus]

Yeh theyre mega dosh, I have a mate whos a fabricator so he can machine the alloy for nothing, just needa find some suitable bearings for a descent price, then the rest will cost not alot, just a bit of classy work required . Just want to gather a few different ideas and opinions before I go and make them.

[GTCRSHR]

hi sorry for taking this off topic

but what exactly do these do
and what benifits are there to using them

thanks

[spencer]

They allow you to move the postion of the top of the strut giving you adjustable camber. I bought a T3 set for NZ $260 shipped cheap and really well made check them out the starlet ones could be suitable

[Jebus]

Only thing with T3's is that im using much bigger shocks so my piston wont fit in the bearing, and because of the way they put the bearings in, the c**ts will be impossible to change. Ill work out a price on all the bits I need.

Can anyone get me reasonably priced bearings that will suit my application?

[atmosports]

Hmm Looking at there website they are just held in with an interference fit, which generally means if yu give them a cook up the outside will expand more than the bearing & the bearing drops out, kinda like some gearbox bearings. An old BBQ works a treat for doing it, the only hassle being spherical bearings are pretty standard sizing & to go to a bigger ID in the bearing usually means a bigger OD & generally a longer bearing as well.

As for the shaft not fitting without seeing the shaft it's hard to know if it could be modified to fit the T3 Plates or not. Could you not stick them in a Lathe & turn the end down a bit where they go through the plate & if neccesary rethread the ends or is this not possible???

[Jebus]

Just compared cressida and KE30 struts, and the piece of the shock that goes into the top hat is actually the same, its also the same thread on both. So the T3 ones should be fine. So a couple of questions:

1. What ones will fit a KE30, they make them for a KP61, AE86, Mongo Corolla (I think KE25?? Confirm?), 73 Celica. Which ones have the same bolt spacing on the top hat as a KE30.

2. How much roughly would postage be from america to NZ


Thanks heaps.

[spencer]

I was wondering what you were on saying cressida stuff is bigger. Most toyota rwd shocks I've played with seem to have the same diameter. my price above was including shipping, it was about $9 US email him hes a good guy to deal with. The only other thing to check is there is alot of varience in the pattern of the 3 studs that hold the top hat to the car, make sure the starly one is correct before ordering

[Jebus]

Choice I may just do that, howd you pay him? Just Credit Card? always cautious of overseas people using my credit card, and bank transfers cost $25

[wde_bdy]

Credit card is no problem overseas, just keep all related corresondence. If any issues come up such as product not arriving you can dispute the charges, if paid by bank transfer you have no real come back. T3 has a pretty good reputation and history so I wouldn't be concerned.

Callum

[RunningRich]

I run the racepro ones (didn't pay anywhere near that for them though!!) and they do the job fine. I had to get special sleeved nuts machined as my Bilsteins didn't extend through the bearing enough.

Beware that by fitting these you hard suspension will get even HARDER! With a superstrut car you loose all complaince in the suspension so you shocks work much faster. In the case of Bilsteins they work immediately, so the low speed valving may need to be reduced if you like your fillings in place.

[spencer]

Paypal is the easiest way that way your not giving individuals your credit card details

[Jebus]

Nah thats cool ill credit card it, ive been convinced on the T3 ones, im just waiting for a reply from them on which ones will fit my car.

Cheers for all the input guys.