EVO suspension install

[GVR-4]

I'm in the middle of installing my EVO MR Bilstein struts and I wanted to share how I wish I had done one thing differently. For the rears everybody has been welding the bottom mounts between the ears (fork) of the EVO struts. Before I took them to a friends to have the mounts TIG welded in place, I tried a purely mechanical method, that I wish I had stuck with. I put the mount in position in between the fork blades and used some 1g head bolts to squeeze the fork blades together. I had to notch the mount with a cylindrical shaped bit and a die grinder so the bolt would pass from one fork blade through to the other side. I used two washers from the head bolts on each end of the bolt because there is not enough thread on the bolt shaft. Two washers between the fork blade and the head of the bolt and two washers between the other fork blade and the nut. The nuts from the stock Galant strut-to-hub mounting bolts fit the head bolts perfectly. I tightened the nut until it wouldn't turn anymore due to the threads on the bolt ending. There were five points of contact; two at the top, one front, one back (as installed on the car) and one at the bottom where the notch (in the mount) and the bolt make contact. I wish I had taken photos as I'm sure this is hard to vizualize. The more I have thought about it, the more I think this method would have been sufficiently secure, moreso than welding in some ways. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20 and my mounts are now welded in place. I could have avoided heating up the strut (risking damage to it and melting the rubber in the mount) and taking the time to hack up the fork and have my buddy do the welding. Maybe someone else can avoid my mistake. I can snap some photos of some of the stuff like the bolts if it will help anyone better understand what I'm trying to say.

Maybe this could be added to the plethora of EVO suspension install threads in the How To section.

 

[spartan]

I think that I understand what you are describing and it sounds interesting. I have thought about doing something simular when I install mine. Pictures would definately be helpful though.

 

Oh pics PLEASE!! This could save me a ton of time with my Evo install.

 

[GVR-4]

I'll get some pics with detailed captions tonight, hopefully. Right now I'm taking a break and eating dinner before I install the rears. Fronts are finally in.

 

[belize1334]

I'm pretty sure I've got a picture in my head of what you're talking about. My only concern with this would be the shearing forces on the bolt during suspension rebound. The extent to which the evo bracket bends around the bottom of the 1g mount would mean EVERYTHING for this as it will determine whether it is the mounts themselves that carry the stress under rebound, or the tension on and flexion of the bolt which spans between them.

 

[GVR-4]

I understand what you're saying and how it would be a concern. From what I remember, the bracket bent around a pretty good bit. Looking at the mount from the side, I would guess the fork blades of the bracket made contact with the mount at about 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. As I said, I wish I had taken photos but the mounts are welded in place now. I will say that I used the mounts off some cheap struts I bought off eBay and the OD is smaller than 1g or Galant or KYB mounts because the outer sleeve has a thinner wall. That would have an impact on how much the bracket "forks" bent around the mounts. I think the mount was completely secure in the fork shaped bracket and I should have just left them rather than having them welded.

Just to help clarify, I snapped a few photos. Hopefully they will help with the confusion:


This is a pic of the head bolt, the four washers and the nut from the front strut mounting bolts. They're really beefy, designed for high torque.


The socket represents the mount and this is the bit I used to cut a groove in the mount (in this orientation) for the bolt to go through the EVO strut bracket.


This is how the bolt would contact the mount. The EVO strut would be on top with the bolt closing the fork shaped bracket down around the mount.


This is what I ended up with instead:

 

[gtluke]

the welded way is the correct way. your way will eventually cause problems or get you hurt. don't experiment with struts, if one fails, your suspension will collapse and likely hurt you or others.
what you have now is much better, and a bit lighter which is always a good thing on unsprung components.

 

[GVR-4]

^^ I disagree that it is dangerous or I would not have considered it or much less posted about it. Welds fail too. You haven't even seen what I am talking about. The real way to show that it is inferior would be for you to duplicate it and do some testing. I doubt you will do that. I will concede that a better way would be to use the bolts and tack weld the whole setup, but that defeats the purpose. The point is that this looks to be a perfectly safe and effective way to setup the rear EVO struts for our cars without doing any welding. Do you know what it says on the strut tube?

 

[gtluke]

well after seeing the crappy weld that held that round piece on to the stock struts, and i've never seen that break i guess either way would be okay. your way though i think could cause the bushing to walk around in there possibly.
i'd just be nervous, because if your rear strut breaks you'll end up looking like lowboy racing

 

[GVR-4]

I understand your concern, but if I had taken photos you would see that tightenting the bolt applies force on the mount which pushes it up toward the strut. And since the fork shaped bracket on the strut body is wider than the mount and acts like an umbrella, it can't walk. The biggest concern would be the bolt or nut failing.

 

its still difficult to visualize. anyone good with just a paint program to paint this picture?

 

[curtis]

I'm not seeing it. The ones I've done I take the 1st gen or vr4 bushing and place it in the strut upside down then place it in the vise and begin to squeeze the two evo tabs until they touch the bushing and begin to tighten until there super snug then get mister hammer and begin to beat the hell out of the tabs until they wrap around the bushing then weld. As I weld I stitch it and take turns going back and forth to both struts also helps to have a wet towel around the tubes at the same time. and a bucket of water handy. Burning rubber bushings stinks up the shop.

 

[GVR-4]

I'm talking about the same thing, Curtis. Except I used the bolt to bend the tabs around the bushing. Then the hammer part isn't necessary. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

so u still welded it?

 

[GVR-4]

If you're talking to me, yes. I ultimately had it welded. There's a photo above.

 

no i mean if you had the choice of doing it all over again. would it be welded at the end?

 

[GVR-4]

Yes, as it is now. But only because at the time I was doing a summer internship and one of the guys I was working with has a welder and can TIG weld and he offered. If I hadn't been in that situation, I would have bolted the sleeves in place.