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(C) MMC |
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Most of the info here was taken from the factory service
manual or sales brochure.
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The front suspension is McPherson strut
type independent suspension that is simple in
construction and light in unsprung weight. The top
end of the strut is supported in the wheel house is an
insulator and the bottom end is supported by the lower
arm via knuckle arm and ball joint. |
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The previous owner of this car was smart enough
to start the expensive task of upgrading the suspension.
In the front there were Suspension Techniques sway bar
and lowering springs. I'm not sure of the rates of
these springs or even the drop. All I can say is
that they are low as hell. Before I even got the
car on the road I "upgraded" the original strut
cartridges to KYB GR-2 units. These were cheaper
than the Tokicos that were also available. They
are also softer which might make life on the rough roads
around here a little more bearable. I'm
contemplating trying Tokicos anyways or maybe even
mixing and matching to see what setup works best for the
way I drive. I also have a Trust strut tower brace
to help add some rigidity to the front of the chassis. |
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The rear suspension is a simply constructed McPherson
Strut type independent suspension system with light
unsprung weight. The strut assembly is mounted,
with its upper end supported by the wheel house through
the insulator and its lower end connected to the axle
housing. The lower control arms are connected to
the front support, cross member and axle housing through
bushings. A cam mechanism is provided between each
lower control arm and the cross member for toe-in
adjustment. The stabilizer bars with their front
ends bolted to the front support at two points are
connected to the respective lower control arms.
The front support holds the torque tube and the lower
control arms through upper and lower cushions and
bushings, respectively. The both ends of the front
support are bolted to the body with the mediate use of
bushings. |
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The same work as done to the front was done to
the back. Suspension Techniques lowering springs
and sway bar have been added as well as KYB struts.
Over the summer I installed polyurethane bushings I got
through a
StarQuestClub group buy. They really helped to
tie it all together. The car is much more
predictable now. Plans for handling include front
and rear camber plates to extend the life of my new
Yokohama AVS ES100 225/50VR16 tires. I also plan
on making a rear strut tower brace. |
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