simon's learning what to do with the polo thread

[sambb]

For Eddy's eccentrics, I was lucky. My frames hadn't shifted around much so the subframe holes were virgin. I was able to get under the car and do them with a hand reamer. Keep in mind that if you plan on removing the subframes its best to do it one at a time as with both out there is nothing holding the steer crossmember in and under its own weight it'll hang off the steering column and the steering rack hydraulics unless propped up.

Another thing - that would be the time to do front ARB. The FARB sits behind the uprights of the subrame and there is no other way to get it in other than dropping the subframes. The complete assembled LCA, subframe, crosmember etc can be lowered away from the chassis by removing the subframe bolts and separating the steering column, and letting it all hang on black brakets #9 in the diagram which bend down,, but it'd be easier to do it all at once.

[simon k]

Yep that's the RHS subframe. The console at the back houses the rear lower control arm (LCA) bush. Superpro make one that has an offset hole. It can be pressed in with the hole towards the top for more anti dive, the bottom for less anti dive, or the outside for extra caster. The LCA/wishbones front bush will slot into a void created by that font horizontal bolt thread on the subframe and the steer cross member. Holes A and B are the ones you ream and fit the eccentrics into. I found that the front eccentric barely added any camber, but B position definitely added caster. You still need the eccentric at A so that you can chase the one at B, otherwise they'll bind. The two vertical lower smaller holes are where bolts go up through the crossmember, through the subframe and into the steering rack. If the subframes are to be shifted with ecentrics these need to be loose or nothing will move. Even the front LCA bolt really needs to be backed out. So if you are to go even bigger bore on the subframe eccentrics, ou may need to oversize the steer rack bolt holes in either the subframe or the crossmember as they might be what limits how far the subframes an shift. I know that with Eddy's bolts and mostly just kicking out the back of the frames for more caster, it put the frames and therefore the front LCA bolt holes on such an angle that I struggled a bit to find the thread with the bolt when viewed from the front through the black steer crossmember which forms the front of the front LCA bush housing.
vw polo 9n3 front suspension exploded diagram - Bing

understood. I found the same diagram as you, then found the photo of the subframe itself... and stuck my head under the car in the carpark

For Eddy's eccentrics, I was lucky. My frames hadn't shifted around much so the subframe holes were virgin. I was able to get under the car and do them with a hand reamer. Keep in mind that if you plan on removing the subframes its best to do it one at a time as with both out there is nothing holding the steer crossmember in and under its own weight it'll hang off the steering column and the steering rack hydraulics unless propped up.

yep, good tip. There is hardly any wear on my car, so I expect they'll be pretty good. I doubt it'd ever even been over a gutter - the plastic covers underneath have no marks anywhere...

Another thing - that would be the time to do front ARB. The FARB sits behind the uprights of the subrame and there is no other way to get it in other than dropping the subframes. The complete assembled LCA, subframe, crosmember etc can be lowered away from the chassis by removing the subframe bolts and separating the steering column, and letting it all hang on black brakets #9 in the diagram which bend down,, but it'd be easier to do it all at once.

cool, that makes sense, but I don't think putting in a new FARB will happen for a while - budget constraints. I'll do the bushes, but the hardware will probably stay where as is

[simon k]

link for lemmiwinks use instructions - VWFixx Adjustable Software Tuning Guide - General Discussion Forum - Gulf Coast Euros Forums

[Sydneykid]

For adjustable strut tops have chat to Greg Nolan at Suspension Concepts www.suspensionconcepts.com.au

I don't think they are in the current range, so he may need a sample strut top to base the design on. He maybe also able to build in some additional or adjustable caster, which may avoid having to stretch the lower control arm caster bushes mounting to achieve enough caster.

I recall that KMac made them, maybe still do, but they were a bit exy as $500 or so for the pair.

http://k-mac.com/product/volkswagen-polo-10-16-front-camber-caster-adjustment-kit-141016k/

The advantage of using a camber and caster adjustable strut top is that you may be able to avoid having to stretch the lower control arm caster bushes mounting to achieve enough caster.

As you probably already know Superpro make a caster adjustable rear lower control arm bush SPF3397K, on the Golf's we used to also make adjustable crush tubes that supplemented the offset in the bush itself and also gave some adjustment so we could finely match caster, side to side.



Cheers
Gary

[Sydneykid]

I don't think putting in a new FARB will happen for a while - budget constraints.

Note how low on my suggestions list is the front swaybar, it probably should be below springs

For Sam, the red FWD car at the workshop on Saturday has a standard front swaybar, compared to the all singing, all dancing rear


Cheers
Gary

[simon k]

thanks Gary - my mechanic mate has a couple of different styles of strut top in a drawer, one pair look like those from Suspension Concepts that can move in 4 directions. There is another set that just do camber... but I still reckon I can make one...

[sambb]

For Sam, the red FWD car at the workshop on Saturday has a standard front swaybar, compared to the all singing, all dancing rear


Is that right! That rear bar arrangement got me inspired. Ive been thinking about aluminium solid bushing mine to the beam (grooved with a grease nipple), I'm doing some stronger rose jointed rear droplinks (adjustable on one side). I'll definitely be going to the hardest rear bar setting for the Faibairn Park Canberra hillclimb round in a couple of weeks now.


Cheers
Gary[/QUOTE]

[simon k]

For Sam, the red FWD car at the workshop on Saturday has a standard front swaybar, compared to the all singing, all dancing rear


Is that right! That rear bar arrangement got me inspired. Ive been thinking about aluminium solid bushing mine to the beam (grooved with a grease nipple), I'm doing some stronger rose jointed rear droplinks (adjustable on one side). I'll definitely be going to the hardest rear bar setting for the Faibairn Park Canberra hillclimb round in a couple of weeks now.


Cheers
Gary

[/QUOTE]

interesting - how can I get a picture of the rear bar setup on this car??

[Sydneykid]

for sam, the red fwd car at the workshop on saturday has a standard front swaybar, compared to the all singing, all dancing rear

is that right! That rear bar arrangement got me inspired. Ive been thinking about aluminium solid bushing mine to the beam (grooved with a grease nipple), i'm doing some stronger rose jointed rear droplinks (adjustable on one side). I'll definitely be going to the hardest rear bar setting for the faibairn park canberra hillclimb round in a couple of weeks now.

As I mentioned it's chrome molly tube, gives the rate without the weight (of a solid bar). I'm working on a design for the front swaybar, same material, mostly for the weight saving. The driver adjustment is a bonus on the front, but it is very necessary on the rear.

Being chrome molly with alloy bushes it doesn't need greasing. If you polished your spring steel swaybar, clean off the paint and give it a buff with 200 grit on the linisher, it would only need the occasional spray with RP7.

Cheers
Gary

[sambb]

ha ha That up to Gary. Its racing in IPRA this weekend so it might be classified.

[Sydneykid]

interesting - how can I get a picture of the rear bar setup on this car??

That rear swaybar set up probably cost $2.5K, with about half the cost of hardware and the other half design and engineering.

Cheers
Gary

[Sydneykid]

ha ha That up to Gary. Its racing in IPRA this weekend so it might be classified.

Like the military we have multiple levels of "classified", there's confidential (C), secret (S), top secret (TS) and sensitive compartmented information (SCI). That one is definitely SCI.



The front one, when I finish it, will be level 5, which is so secret that it doesn't even have a name.

Cheers
Gary

[simon k]

Like the military we have multiple levels of "classified", there's confidential (C), secret (S), top secret (TS) and sensitive compartmented information (SCI). That one is definitely SCI.



The front one, when I finish it, will be level 5, which is so secret that it doesn't even have a name.

Cheers
Gary

understood sir, don't even acknowledge that there is anything to ask about

[simon k]

putting this here for reference purposes... "DTMWorks rear stiffener bar for Chev. Sonic"

[simon k]

As you probably already know Superpro make a caster adjustable rear lower control arm bush SPF3397K, on the Golf's we used to also make adjustable crush tubes that supplemented the offset in the bush itself and also gave some adjustment so we could finely match caster, side to side.

Cheers
Gary

hmmm.. SPF3397K lists for Audi TT & Golf MK4 - I'm not sure of the equivalent for Polo but it ought to be SPF3273

info for my reference

old thread about bushes Replacing Dog Bone and Control Arm Bushes

dogbone - SPF2907-70K
LCA front bushes - SPF3311k
LCA rear bushes - SPF3273k
sway bar bushes - SPF2901-20K

rear beam pivot bush - SPF2481K

question for you clever fellas

there's some other little thingy that goes somewhere on the rear beam that stiffens something - from what I saw it was about the size of a 20c piece and it'd take 2 minutes to make it out of a bit of nylon, but I don't remember what it was or what it did... ring any bells?