Re: DeDion thoughts

[Mark Kingsbury <cubrr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi again,
	You bring up a good point that I've already thought about:

> One of the problems I have with this upgrade is that you have to
> grind alot of metal away to make the ball joint fit, which means that you
> can never (easily) go back to the original bushings.  It seems to me that
> an aluminum spacer between the ball joint and the body could be used so
> that the bushing hole doesn't need to be enlarged.  The spacer would have a
> hole the size of the "top" of the ball joint, and would be thick enough
> that it moves the ball joint rearward just enough so that it doesn't
> interfere with the original sheet metal.  You simply drill the mounting
> holes in the spacer and the body sheetmetal, and sandwich the spacer
> between the body and the ball joint.  This seems like such an obvious
> alternative to grinding the sheetmetal... is there some reason this will
> not work?

	I was thinking of another problem as well in the fact that the holes on
either side of the joint are not spaced very far away from the "top" of
the joint. So you could'nt place very large washers to help distribute
the fore/aft forces that are at work. I would hate to pull the mounting
bolts through the sheet metal during a hard stop.
	Your solution of a spacer would allow you to keep from grinding all
that metal away (as you stated) and would keep the "top" of the bushing
from interfering with placing large washers on the other side of the
mounting hole, given the proper length bolts.
	The only problem I could foresee would be if the caster arms might be
too long because with the spacer you've shorten the distance from the
threads on the caster arm and the threads on the joint, easy fix though,
cut some of the threaded section of the arm or joint. 
	What about suspension geometry? We are basically changing the pivot
point of the caster arm more towards the rear than stock (if only
slightly) and by putting in a spacer, you would be moving it even more
(if only slightly more). Do you think this will create any complications
as the suspension travels? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....
	I like your idea of a spacer and tomorrow I will take some measurement
of the diameter of the "top" of the joint and how thick the spacer will
have to be.
	Fortunatly I work for a company whose acquired a Metal Fab shop a
couple of years ago, and the pres. is my brother in-law.  We talked
shortly about a spacer today, to which he said "We can do anything, we
have a fab shop" and grinned.  He is not a "car guy" yet but I'm trying
to convert him because I have some great plans for that fab shop when I
get my Acura Integra turned into a SCCA ITA race car. :) 
	I'll let you know what I find out measurement wise and how things are
progressing. I hope to have this wrapped up by Sat. since I plan on
attending the Chattanooga SCCA Region Solo II on Sun.

Ciao

Enzo

------------------------------