FLyinJ's NY Build Thread
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Already have a question for those of you who have recently received a car. The roll cage does not look like the ones I'm used to seeing in the other build threads - those are smoothly curved, no expansion welded ends. Wondering if this is a new thing. The one I have...is different. Also, the bend towards the bottom of both A-pillars is pretty sketch, like it got bent too far and bent back again. I was already thinking of re-doing the front hoop because this one shipped with the hoop not matching the body curve, but the warped curve makes it look like a must-do.
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The front lift kit arrived the other day, I got around to checking it out. It’s from Stanceparts, looks pretty solid. However, it’s got a big air tank that will be fun to try to hide. Anyone switched to the tankless version? Also, no ride height sensors seem to be available for the kit, so it sounds like you just ride with the cup bottomed out as your preferred front suspension height? Wouldn’t mind having all 4 corners have adjustability, but with no way to tell what height you’re running it seems to not have any practical benefit.
Scott
Lifetime Supporter
Jeff, Pnut installed a pneumatic lift system and used a tank that was much smaller than what was included in the kit. He only has pucks in the nose, so you'd likely need to double the size that he had. IMO, you only need enough capacity to do a single lift. Most available tanks will be cylindrical, but you could go with a different shape so long as you had a professional design and fabricate it. IMO lift pucks in the rear are a bit of a challenge. I can't think of anyone who had done it -- someone will likely correct me. IMO there isn't enough travel in the rear which is why many builders are running really high spring rates. Pucks will force you to shorter springs which may become coil bound.
As far as I know no one has yet implemented the ability to dynamically adjust ride (as opposed to lift the car over a bump) on a SLC. In addition to sensors (likely linear potentiometers) on each corner, you'd need an electromechanical valve at each corner driven by an intelligent controller with a PID to prevent hunting around the target height. In addition, if you don't change the wheel rate, you're going to need to run a spring rate that's high enough for the lowest height that you'll drive the car at. That's going to make the ride harsher than it needs to be at the highest height that you'd drive at.
I know that Bob who is building an electric SLC is in the process of doing exactly that using electric actuators. To accomplish this, he designed new rockers in the rear, implemented a pushrod suspension in the front, added a linear potentiometer to each corner amongst many other changes. Once done, he'll need to write code to manage it all.
I currently have Penske dampers and RamLift Pro hydraulic pucks in the nose. I'm planning on replacing the Penskes with TractTiv active dampers with engineered rubber bump stops. Both front and rear dampers will be longer than stock which provides more travel, but requires new brackets to be machined. The lift pucks in front will be replaced with a custom hydraulic solution that replaces the eyelet at the top of the shock. This ensures that the added weight is sprung and it allows me to use standard-length springs. These changes will allow lower spring rates to be used and a more comfortable ride.
I will then have an automated way to switch between street and track modes. The damper anti-roll, anti-dive and anti-squat will be set via CAN Bus. Ride height and wheel rate are more complicated. New rockers will be machined. They will contain a hydraulic ram that moves the location of the damper's eyelet from a 1.5:1 street ratio to a 1:1 track ratio (stock ratio is 2:1). Since the front isn't push rod based, the front sway bar will be preloaded with a hydraulic ram. Using this approach, the wheel rate increases when the ride height decreases which allows a lower weight spring to be used.
So, I'll have two ride heights and it's a lot of work to make it happen. Unless you're going to real-time, fully-active ride height like Bob, I don't see much utility in arbitrarily adjustable ride height.
As far as I know no one has yet implemented the ability to dynamically adjust ride (as opposed to lift the car over a bump) on a SLC. In addition to sensors (likely linear potentiometers) on each corner, you'd need an electromechanical valve at each corner driven by an intelligent controller with a PID to prevent hunting around the target height. In addition, if you don't change the wheel rate, you're going to need to run a spring rate that's high enough for the lowest height that you'll drive the car at. That's going to make the ride harsher than it needs to be at the highest height that you'd drive at.
I know that Bob who is building an electric SLC is in the process of doing exactly that using electric actuators. To accomplish this, he designed new rockers in the rear, implemented a pushrod suspension in the front, added a linear potentiometer to each corner amongst many other changes. Once done, he'll need to write code to manage it all.
I currently have Penske dampers and RamLift Pro hydraulic pucks in the nose. I'm planning on replacing the Penskes with TractTiv active dampers with engineered rubber bump stops. Both front and rear dampers will be longer than stock which provides more travel, but requires new brackets to be machined. The lift pucks in front will be replaced with a custom hydraulic solution that replaces the eyelet at the top of the shock. This ensures that the added weight is sprung and it allows me to use standard-length springs. These changes will allow lower spring rates to be used and a more comfortable ride.
I will then have an automated way to switch between street and track modes. The damper anti-roll, anti-dive and anti-squat will be set via CAN Bus. Ride height and wheel rate are more complicated. New rockers will be machined. They will contain a hydraulic ram that moves the location of the damper's eyelet from a 1.5:1 street ratio to a 1:1 track ratio (stock ratio is 2:1). Since the front isn't push rod based, the front sway bar will be preloaded with a hydraulic ram. Using this approach, the wheel rate increases when the ride height decreases which allows a lower weight spring to be used.
So, I'll have two ride heights and it's a lot of work to make it happen. Unless you're going to real-time, fully-active ride height like Bob, I don't see much utility in arbitrarily adjustable ride height.
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Joel K
Supporter
Jeff,
To Scott’s point you could get a 1/2 gallon tank and tuck that in the passenger footwell. It’s about 6”x6”x7”. Stanceparts also makes a higher capacity pump to be used w/o a tank.
If you read the Stanceparts FAQ, the system is not designed to drive while the suspension is raised. It’s mainly used to avoid scraping on speed bumps.
IMO, one of the advantages of Stanceparts over the Ramliftpro(the older RCR recommended system which I have) is that you may be able to use the stock spring since the Stanceparts cups collapse down to less than an inch. I think the Ramliftpro are about 3 inches.
To Scott’s point you could get a 1/2 gallon tank and tuck that in the passenger footwell. It’s about 6”x6”x7”. Stanceparts also makes a higher capacity pump to be used w/o a tank.
If you read the Stanceparts FAQ, the system is not designed to drive while the suspension is raised. It’s mainly used to avoid scraping on speed bumps.
IMO, one of the advantages of Stanceparts over the Ramliftpro(the older RCR recommended system which I have) is that you may be able to use the stock spring since the Stanceparts cups collapse down to less than an inch. I think the Ramliftpro are about 3 inches.
Thank you both for the insight. I knew the rear spring setup was tight, but didn’t think the addition of the cups would be that detrimental. Looks like it would be. I did a deep dive and active suspension would need more knowledge and skill to install than I’m capable of at this time. Joel, I didn’t see the FAQ, but that definitely answers the question. I’ll be looking for a smaller tank, the included one is huge for only occasional use.
If you don't use a tank, you'll have the same problem as the old Ramlift product, which is that it takes several (like 7-9) seconds to extend fully. With the Staceparts unit, and a 1-gallon tank, my SLC was able to lift up fully in about 1-2 seconds- a big improvement. The new setup also allows the standard length springs, so using 4-inch springs is no longer necessary.
You likely don't need them in the rear, as the SLC has a really good departure angle.
And, as others have pointed out, it's supposed to be used to go over speed bumps, not as a street/track height adjuster, as the alignment changes would be too extreme to drive on at speed when fully extended.
Stalled for now. Wouldn't you know it, the kid literally needs braces. And picked up a used car for our eldest who is driving now. I have too many cars, lol. Should get caught up this August and hopefully put more time and have $ for parts this September.
Been a bit, but things have been moving along at a slow pace.
Got the steering installed, that’s a minor technical feat for someone who never really understood the intricacies of vehicle steering setup. Time will tell if I got it right.
Counting the rotations lock-to-lock, centering the rack, then centering the housing on the body left to right took a lot of measuring and then re-measuring. Pretty sure I’ve got it centered within a couple millimeters, nothing the tie rods adjustments won’t fix. The angle of the tie rods to the upper and lower control arms is a whole ‘nuther issue. I mostly aligned it with the lower control arm, but slotted the mounts so I can move the rack up and down just a little when I get the suspension set up better and check what works best for bump steer.
Lol, wouldn’t you know it, I forgot to take the mount off before loosely bolting it on, so now I have to take it apart again to take the mount off off because I can’t fit a wrench behind it.
Got the steering installed, that’s a minor technical feat for someone who never really understood the intricacies of vehicle steering setup. Time will tell if I got it right.
Counting the rotations lock-to-lock, centering the rack, then centering the housing on the body left to right took a lot of measuring and then re-measuring. Pretty sure I’ve got it centered within a couple millimeters, nothing the tie rods adjustments won’t fix. The angle of the tie rods to the upper and lower control arms is a whole ‘nuther issue. I mostly aligned it with the lower control arm, but slotted the mounts so I can move the rack up and down just a little when I get the suspension set up better and check what works best for bump steer.
Lol, wouldn’t you know it, I forgot to take the mount off before loosely bolting it on, so now I have to take it apart again to take the mount off off because I can’t fit a wrench behind it.
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Bought an handy engine stand from Harbor Freight. I tend to buy used, because why not, but even used stands around here cost almost as much as new, so Harbor Freight was the best bang for the buck. The last engine I had on a stand was a Ford 302, and that bolted right up to the little extenders that come with most stands. Not gonna happen with a 6.2 LS. I had to buy an adapter plate. Always something hitting the brakes once I get on a roll. Got the plate and in the finest Chinesium way it was misaligned because they couldn’t mill upper the slots the same width as the lower slots.
Drilled it out to bolt it all the way up.
Drilled it out to bolt it all the way up.
So, in the last couple weeks the low-profile oil pan, windage tray, dip stick, O2 sensor and housing, valve covers, Improved Racing catch can, among others have shown up.
Unfortunately I got stalled by two missing windage tray nuts as the tray for the pan covers pretty much the entire length of the engine vs the original pan which was about 3/4 length. Gotta order them and then torque everything down.
Next on the list is an alternator, and I’m chatting with Vintage Air to put together the parts I need. They have some sweet new digital controls that I might try to implement.
Also, anyone got a good amp rating for an alternator? Quick back of the napkin math and I think I’ll be potentially over 100 amps at full draw (EPAS, water pump, ECU stereo amp, lights, etc.) and I’d like to max the draw at ~75% of the max alternator amperage and not have too much power-robbing rotating mass. So I figure 165-200 amp max. Any thoughts or experiences?
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