Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Includes shock absorbers, springs and steering linkages.

Moderators: reidy, Blacky

eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

Sorry about the rotation - it's upright on my computer..

Here are more pics.

This is with the lowered springs in - thank god my trailer wheels fit and happen to be the size I want to go to 195/65 R15 on 6 inch rims. It's 245mm from centre hub to top of guard (60mm lower than previous spring)
Kings lowered springs 245mm.JPG
Kings lowered springs 245mm.JPG (565.55 KiB) Viewed 1083 times
According to King Spring techs, standard springs will be 30 - 40mm higher, about here.
Kings standard height approx 275mm.JPG
Kings standard height approx 275mm.JPG (514.39 KiB) Viewed 1083 times
This is the level that I took the photo of the caliper at, it just hits it. The previous spring was about 25mm higher (raised King springs ??).
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

How do I fix the rotation of pics ?????
User avatar
FireKraka
Posts: 2435
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:12 am
State: WA
Location: Serpentine, WA

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by FireKraka »

Mate is caliper front or back sorry to ask as I'm sure you have already said.
Member of WA FB/EK Car Club
Frankenstein EK V6 Ute
The Reverend FB Station Wagon Project
1950's Commer Light Truck (2.5 Ton)
Blacky
Posts: 12830
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:58 am
State: WA
Location: up in the Perth hills

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by Blacky »

All your pics are showing as correct to me ???
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.


Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

Blacky wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:36 pm All your pics are showing as correct to me ???
Oh OK, that's weird then.. They are all over the shop on my posted screen... Cheers, oh AND also.. You said you previously ground some of your control arm off on a build. My only concern is creating a weak spot, do you think this is a real concern??
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

FireKraka wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:34 pm Mate is caliper front or back sorry to ask as I'm sure you have already said.
Sorry, I did mean to confirm - FRONT.... Cheers
EK283
Posts: 2412
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:51 pm
State: NSW
Location: SYDNEY NSW

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by EK283 »

Jay,

Have a look at this photo its off a HK, you can see the wishbone difference.

If you were going to grind the wishbone out I would suggest bracing it for peace of mind.
s-l1600[2].jpg
s-l1600[2].jpg (117.1 KiB) Viewed 1063 times
Regards Greg
So many cars so little time!
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

EK283 wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:36 am Jay,

Have a look at this photo its off a HK, you can see the wishbone difference.

If you were going to grind the wishbone out I would suggest bracing it for peace of mind.



Regards Greg
Cheers Greg,

I don't think grinding out part of the wishbone is an ideal solution. I think I will just return to the billet wheels and previous springs and live with it if I can't find another solution. The low profile wheels don't make it fun to drive everyday.
Attachments
resized.JPG
resized.JPG (930.2 KiB) Viewed 1059 times
User avatar
FireKraka
Posts: 2435
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:12 am
State: WA
Location: Serpentine, WA

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by FireKraka »

Hey eKay it looks cool though mate.

What are the rims and tyres you are running front and back if you don't mind telling :whistlinggg:

Regards
Neil
Member of WA FB/EK Car Club
Frankenstein EK V6 Ute
The Reverend FB Station Wagon Project
1950's Commer Light Truck (2.5 Ton)
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

FireKraka wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:11 am Hey eKay it looks cool though mate.

What are the rims and tyres you are running front and back if you don't mind telling :whistlinggg:

Regards
Neil
Rims are billet specialties: Fronts are 17 x 8 on 205/45, Rears are 18 x 8 on 235/40.

They are nice wheels, but I live well out of town and mostly do 100kph speeds on shyte roads and the ride is rough and loose stuff is destroying them, the rims dent & scratch quite easily. Clearly more for show than go. That's why I was hoping to change wheel sizes/springs etc. Annoying, coz I just got it back on the road, thought swapping springs and shocks would be a quick one day job. Only to find new problems as per this thread, wrecked a ball joint, it goes on. :ughh: I just want to drive it before i get TOO old!
User avatar
Errol62
Posts: 10338
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 2:44 pm
State: SA
Location: Adelaide

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by Errol62 »

Mate 8” rims on the front, not surprising they rub. Probably be great on the track.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by eKay »

Errol62 wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:53 pm Mate 8” rims on the front, not surprising they rub. Probably be great on the track.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry my bad, typing faster than my brain - fronts are 17 x 7, rear 18 x 8 and the fronts weren't rubbing.. That's not the issue.

I think I have solved the problem, need to wait until the new springs get here and see how they fit in and settle in relation to the angle of the control arm. Actual settled coil height on the Kings standards will be the key. I was jacking the vehicle up 30mm (as per previous photos), from centre of cross member and not considering the fact the control arms moving in relation to the caliper, so wasn't getting a correct measurement - I know what I mean, hard to explain.

Fingers crossed I am correct in my thinking. Cheers
User avatar
FireKraka
Posts: 2435
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:12 am
State: WA
Location: Serpentine, WA

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by FireKraka »

:thumbsup: let us know how you get on mate.

Neil
Member of WA FB/EK Car Club
Frankenstein EK V6 Ute
The Reverend FB Station Wagon Project
1950's Commer Light Truck (2.5 Ton)
User avatar
Errol62
Posts: 10338
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 2:44 pm
State: SA
Location: Adelaide

Re: Lowering front end, caliper now hitting top wishbone control arm

Post by Errol62 »




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
eKay
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:58 pm
State: NSW
Location: Near Canberra but born and bred WA!

Bolting on upper ball joint UNDER control arm

Post by eKay »

On HR front end. Has anyone ever heard of a trick of bolting the upper ball joints on from under the upper control arm (wishbone) instead of dropping in from the top?

Or heard of extended ball joints?

There's some very vague info around on other forums of doing this, apparently HQ race cars might have done it, but no one elaborates.

A very old thread on the Torana forum mentions it and even suggested the certifier was Ok with it, however the ówner then decided on extended ball joints with spacers and the topic drifted off. Not much info on extended ball joints and I couldn't quite picture how extended ones would work, but bolting on underneath, seems feasible.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Post Reply