Rear suspension upgrade

[pormgb]

I'm working on a Rowan Replicars 427 Replica and I'm planning to start upgrading the rear suspension.

The car currently has a 300hp FE 352 with a T5 and Ford 8" rear end, the rear end has leaf springs. Over the holidays I plan to start upgrading the rear end to a 4 or 3 link. I have been doing lots of reading and have a good idea how to do the conversion but I'm looking for ideas from Cobra owners.

Has anyone out there converted from leaf springs or can anyone offer some best practices around 3 or 4 link conversions, I am also trying to find out if a 3 link will be sufficient.

I don't plan to race the car, it will be mostly road driven.

[strictlypersonl]

Factory Five's 3-link (plus Panhard bar) is pretty good. You might even consider keeping your leaf springs and adding an upper link, plus a Panhard or Watts link for lateral control. It depends on your chassis configuration. Many years ago, on our 100-4 Healey race car, we also were able to use lower links by letting the axle slide longitudinally on the leafs.

[saltshaker]

I have a A&C w/ triangulated 4 link and gathering parts to convert it to a 3 link. Brackets are available to relocated lower control arms and another bracket has to be welded to the top of the Diff for the third link. You will also need a panhard bar and coilover shocks
Jon

[pormgb]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

Factory Five's 3-link (plus Panhard bar) is pretty good. You might even consider keeping your leaf springs and adding an upper link, plus a Panhard or Watts link for lateral control. It depends on your chassis configuration. Many years ago, on our 100-4 Healey race car, we also were able to use lower links by letting the axle slide longitudinally on the leafs.

Awesome,

A 3 link with a Panhard bar will be pretty easy, I really want to take advantage of rear ride height adjustment so I would like to get rid of the leaf springs.

So far, the links will mount into the front leaf spring mounts, there are lots of chassis mounts points for the Panhard bar. I have all the hardware including the rear coilovers, I will go for a 3 link with Panhard Bar.

[pormgb]

Originally Posted by saltshaker

I have a A&C w/ triangulated 4 link and gathering parts to convert it to a 3 link. Brackets are available to relocated lower control arms and another bracket has to be welded to the top of the Diff for the third link. You will also need a panhard bar and coilover shocks
Jon

OK, I have all the parts; I have been collecting them over the past three months.

All my brackets except the Panghard brackets are weld on, the Panhard bracket bolts to the front of the differential case. I have a set of double adjustable coilover shocks that will be bolted to weld on adjustable brackets.

The main thing that concerns me is getting the right angle for the arms at standard ride height. If you have some ideas on how this angle is selected, please let me know