Kirk! We're under attack!! Suspension help.

[rbgray1]

Originally Posted by RedHawk

So I took the car to the other shop today and the tech and I spent a healthy amount of time dialing in the suspension. It was clearly off, but for now we got it in fairly acceptable specs What was confirmed, however, was that the shop that did the original work did not do the necessary leg work in determining the correct parts to achieve the desired result.

One last item. If you were just starting this project, would you use the Heidts stuff again? Reason is, I called them on Friday on this narrower geometry issue and they said they talk with their engineer and call me back at 2pm. Well, never heard from them.

When I called them yesterday morning, I got the same CSR on the phone and he said "Oh, I remember you, sorry I didn't call you back on Friday but I did talk with our engineer and he doesn't know what would be causing this narrowed ball joint width".

I'm no suspension engineer, but I can tell you this. There is only ONE WAY that the lower ball joint width is narrower and that is if the control arms themselves are narrower...Period!

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by rbgray1

One last item. If you were just starting this project, would you use the Heidts stuff again? Reason is, I called them on Friday on this narrower geometry issue and they said they talk with their engineer and call me back at 2pm. Well, never heard from them.

When I called them yesterday morning, I got the same CSR on the phone and he said "Oh, I remember you, sorry I didn't call you back on Friday but I did talk with our engineer and he doesn't know what would be causing this narrowed ball joint width".

I'm no suspension engineer, but I can tell you this. There is only ONE WAY that the lower ball joint width is narrower and that is if the control arms themselves are narrower...Period!

Heidt's makes those control arms in two widths - standard and 5/8" narrower. If you got narrow ones instead of standard you'd be okay as long as the LCAs and UCAs were all narrow ones and you were okay with your wheels moving inboard 5/8" on each side.

[rbgray1]

Cycleguy,

Yes, you are correct, they make both. My problem is I ordered "std" width, confirmed this with them on the phone and again when I noticed the issue with ball joint width being 1" narrower. I even sent them a picture with a tape measure and both of my lower arms side by side. OEM vs. Heidts tubular. The tubular are 1/2 inch shorter(narrower) and they are confirmed to be the "std" heidts arm lengths.

I don't have a problem with going narrower, I will be ordering new Vintage Wheels Halibrand replicas eventually.

I just don't want to run out of tie rod threads (on the narrow side, since the inners can only be cut so much). I think this may be Redhawk's problem as well. I'm also not sure why this is the first time I've seen this on the forum as the Heidts stuff is great and has been used on CRs for years! Unless something else is driving this issue.

This would require me to source new inner tie rods and a mess that I particularly don't want to have to fix. I'm probably going to replace the 26 year old Rack and Pinion unit, will mostly look into it when I'm at SEMA this year for business.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by rbgray1

Cycleguy,

Yes, you are correct, they make both. My problem is I ordered "std" width, confirmed this with them on the phone and again when I noticed the issue with ball joint width being 1" narrower. I even sent them a picture with a tape measure and both of my lower arms side by side. OEM vs. Heidts tubular. The tubular are 1/2 inch shorter(narrower) and they are confirmed to be the "std" heidts arm lengths.

I don't have a problem with going narrower, I will be ordering new Vintage Wheels Halibrand replicas eventually.

I just don't want to run out of tie rod threads (on the narrow side, since the inners can only be cut so much). I think this may be Redhawk's problem as well. I'm also not sure why this is the first time I've seen this on the forum as the Heidts stuff is great and has been used on CRs for years! Unless something else is driving this issue.

This would require me to source new inner tie rods and a mess that I particularly don't want to have to fix. I'm probably going to replace the 26 year old Rack and Pinion unit, will mostly look into it when I'm at SEMA this year for business.

So, the "standard" width Heidt's LCAs are narrower than your LCAs - the "narrow" LCAs from Heidt's are even narrower then! Definitely something to watch out for.

My West Coast Cobra has original stamped Mustang II UCAs and LCAs and I have contemplated going to tubular arms, but I'll have to watch that very carefully if / when I pull the trigger.

[RedHawk]

Originally Posted by rbgray1

One last item. If you were just starting this project, would you use the Heidts stuff again? Reason is, I called them on Friday on this narrower geometry issue and they said they talk with their engineer and call me back at 2pm. Well, never heard from them.

When I called them yesterday morning, I got the same CSR on the phone and he said "Oh, I remember you, sorry I didn't call you back on Friday but I did talk with our engineer and he doesn't know what would be causing this narrowed ball joint width".

I'm no suspension engineer, but I can tell you this. There is only ONE WAY that the lower ball joint width is narrower and that is if the control arms themselves are narrower...Period!

Okay I have only dealt with alignment at this pint and so far so god except knowing at some point in the near future I'm going to have to determine toe issue.

For now I'm trying to sniff out overheating issue.

As for Heidts, yes I got less than stellar customer service. I do know that QA1 makes their own tubular Arms so maybe talk to them.