Modify tie bars to increase castor - where?

[steg1970]

I'm looking to get my tie bars modified to increase castor. This means machining the front section to cut the shoulder back 10mm. Is there anyone on here had this done or know of a firm who will do it. It's quite awkward as the bent tie bar won't go in a lathe.

thanks

[Iain]

Are you going to run rosejointed bottom arms to allow you to move it forward without straining the bush?

I've seen threads on here before where someone has threaded it half way down the straight section to allow adjustment there.

[MARTIN KELSON]

You can the complete rose jointed bottom arms & tie bars from jonlem on here & you can then adjust everything you so wish.
nice made piece of kit too, I have a set & fit & finish is excellent. Drop him a PM

[Benn]

Sure i replied to a thread like this before, you'll need to get them in a mill, to do the job.

[mowgli]

phunkynova had some done in a workshop behind the iron curtain....

i reckon any decent engineering shop would know what to do.

[Stuart]

All the times I've seen nova castor played with it was to have a spacer fitted into the tie bar shoulder, not to remove material from it.

[Benn]

All the times I've seen nova castor played with it was to have a spacer fitted into the tie bar shoulder, not to remove material from it.

Surely that move the sturt back, where you want to pull it forward, to increase the caster. So you take metal off the end of the shoulder and thread it farther up. (shorting it pulling the sturt forward)

[Stuart]

Oh well, it never seemed to be a problem in the handling stakes.... One would imagine the level of castor adjustment that is possible with the naff nova suspension Isn't enough to make a difference either way lol

[dgbnova#1]

Y not machine the bush on the tie bar to take it forward 10 mm or if you rose joint the cross member end you need spacers on the bar anyway so can chop or make to suit I had these on my pickup and that was defiantly an option to explore

[steg1970]

Are you going to run rosejointed bottom arms to allow you to move it forward without straining the bush?

I've seen threads on here before where someone has threaded it half way down the straight section to allow adjustment there.

I was told by a gentleman of some renown on the British Rally Forum that 10-15mm will not put undue pressure on the TCA bush. It doesn't seem like much but he said it would transform the handling, especially turn in. With regard to making the tie bars adjustable by cutting them and inserting an opposing double threaded piece seems on the face of it a good idea but I would think in retrospect it would not live with forest rallying. Some one on here nearly did it them had a last minute change of heart.


Sure i replied to a thread like this before, you'll need to get them in a mill, to do the job.

Yes you did, I have tried all the local firms who are either unable or unwilling to do the work.


Y not machine the bush on the tie bar to take it forward 10 mm or if you rose joint the cross member end you need spacers on the bar anyway so can chop or make to suit I had these on my pickup and that was defiantly an option to explore

Not sure what you mean here, does fitting rose jointed front mount automatically move the tie bar forward?


One of the concerns I have is spares. The bespoke adjustable setups either from jonlem, HH or superfwd is that its too expensive for me to carry a spare set should I break one on event. With standard or slightly modified standard I can source the bits and carry out the mods on as many spare sets as I want.

To be honest I am leaning towards the SuperFWD set up as I know competitors in the BTRDA and REIS champioships use them with great success.

Thanks for the coments guys.

[dgbnova#1]

Ok a rose joint at the front tie bar so replace the stock bracket and bush with the modification one that has a rose joint fitted (hh or similar)

A stock front bush is aprox 50mm thick were the tie bar goes through.

A rose joint is at max 20mm think at the same point so there is a difference of 30 mm 15 at wheel side of tie bar and 15 at front of the bush.

So use a 5 mm spacer on the wheel side and 25mm on the front. = 10 mm caster adjustment and you can combine any change of caster with just swoping the spacers for different sizes and just run stock tie bars as ure spairs.

These sizes are just an example
Is that clear?

[Iain]

Are you sure about that dgbnova? If I was manufacturing a direct replacement tiebar bracket I would ensure it held the tiebar at exactly the same place.

My Protec ones have two custom spacers either side of the bearing, for starters.

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/757.JPG

[steg1970]

Ok a rose joint at the front tie bar so replace the stock bracket and bush with the modification one that has a rose joint fitted (hh or similar)

A stock front bush is aprox 50mm thick were the tie bar goes through.

A rose joint is at max 20mm think at the same point so there is a difference of 30 mm 15 at wheel side of tie bar and 15 at front of the bush.

So use a 5 mm spacer on the wheel side and 25mm on the front. = 10 mm caster adjustment and you can combine any change of caster with just swoping the spacers for different sizes and just run stock tie bars as ure spairs.

These sizes are just an example
Is that clear?

The thickness of the bush /rose joint is immaterial if the front face (i.e looking backwards) is in the same vertical plane/position as the original bush. I was under the impression that this is haw they are made and that fitting rose jointed fromt mounts doesn't in itself move the tie bar forward or back.

If i've completely missunderstood what you are saying i'm sorry, please dumb it down further my degree was in Electrical Engineering only!!

[steg1970]

Are you sure about that dgbnova? If I was manufacturing a direct replacement tiebar bracket I would ensure it held the tiebar at exactly the same place.

My Protec ones have two custom spacers either side of the bearing, for starters.

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/757.JPG

So looking at the picture. You say there are two custom spacers with the bracket, would you think you could adjust the reletive size of the spacer to move the tie bar back and forth , however small the movement?

[dgbnova#1]

I'm only going off the brackets I had on mine and as I detailed above it was definitely an option as I did exactly what I listed myself to correct the steering but looking at the above what's to say just drill out the wheel bush 10mm deep to take the tie bar forward and add 10mm spacer on nut side job done

That's just one setup above mine was not like that so other options are available

[dgbnova#1]

Ye that's what I said!

[dgbnova#1]

Love that kit 3 spacers to make up the 20mm drop instead of 1 20 mm block its not adjustable without a slot top to bottom lol

[Iain]

Yeah ridiculous isn't it lol Guess it allows you to file out the top hole and use one spacer if you really want to.

[dgbnova#1]

Ye I've seen some like that probably a Friday afternoon batch and run out of. 20 mm bar lol

[BRoadGhost]

I made a solution whereby you retain the lower arms (albeit with the bush replaced with a rose joint) then a bracketed sleeve goes over where the bottom ball joint lives with a block of billet in between so it all nips up solid. LH RH bar & bearings then attach to lower modified grp A brackets.

The castor is really quite good now.