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Seems like the high offset of the rear could be solved by putting a note on the installation instructions to place bolt with treads towards the rear. Maybe there is an access issue when installed, but it seems like you could pre-assemble the adapter to the shock and then raise the control arm to meet it. But I'm not an engineer or anything.
Today, EO2K learned why spring compressors are a thing which exists.
Glad you weren't seriously injured. In all seriousness, pretty much all OEM struts / coilovers are assembled in compression. And there's some pent-up mechanical anger in that spring.
Haha! Thanks Joe I actually know about spring compressors, I used to have a set of Harbor Freight "suicide sticks" from playing with Mustangs back in the day, but I threw them in the trash when I stopped playing with domestics.
This incident was 100% the result of alcohol, exhaustion, complacency and being in a rush. In fact, that's the same list of reasons that caused me to put the grinder away and thus didn't start with the front end clearance cuts. I've taken the suspension on and off this car and disassembled and reassembled the Bilstein coilovers (and my Xidas) so many times that I just kinda stopped thinking about it. Brain went into auto pilot and IMPACT GO BURRRRR! I could have easily kept my mouth shut but chose to share my failure just to remind people that yes, this is a thing and yes, these things can hurt. I came out relatively unscathed but if this helps remind even one person then my minor embarrassment is totally worth it. I suspect if I'd been using a wrench to run that nut off I'd have probably noticed my impending doom, but lol alcohol and, well, IMPACT GO BURRRRR!
I was rewarded for my mistake with a substantial bruise directly below my beltline in the uncanny shape of the back of my M18 impact gun. Before you perverts ask, no, I won't be sharing a picture. I suspect the muscles below the skin may also be bruised as well. All in all I got off easy, it absolutely could have been worse.
Heh. Yeaaaaaaah. I do think a couple of my clearance problems this time were due to nb rollerskate under na, but I know for sure there were problems last time. Not to mention the droop problems lol. I'm loving your write up. Keep it coming
You keep helping me and I'll keep going
Seriously you guys, I've had a chat going with Scaxx for months now where we just **** Miata problems on each other, its pretty great. It helps to have someone to share the insanity with in real-time.
Originally Posted by boileralum
Obviously you need shocks with spherical bushings to compensate for, well, a lot of things I guess. The offset on those doesn't make a whole lot of sense, at all. Hopefully Mark (Paco) will have some insight.
HAHAHA! I sent those pics to a couple people and my immediate train of thought can be expressed in this handy meme:
I'll email the Paco folks eventually, though I think I already know the answer.
Originally Posted by andym
I love the content and pictures this thread provides.
Thank you, I'm glad to entertain and educate! Learn from my mistakes, kiddos!
Originally Posted by msmola2002
I saw the pics and just assumed it was because the car is as crooked as a politician. I was surprised that was not the case.
As was I! I was actually convinced I did something wrong, which is why I took the car apart yet again to try to figure it out
The only way this could really be fucked is if, somehow, the mount points for the arms in the subframe were bent, or if the fastener holes in the subframe were somehow slotted. But that's equally insane as it would throw off the diff and the PPF... then again this car is essentially Frankenstein's Monster so god only knows what tolerance stacking I'm fighting here.
Originally Posted by sonofthehill
Ouch, yes spring compressor. The only other option is to have the weight of the car still on the strut.
Glad you are ok.
Thanks man! I'm glad too, that **** made me spill my beer!
Originally Posted by dleavitt
I put the assembly on the floor, put my foot on the spring, zip the top nut off with an impact, and giggle as the shock shoots across the garage.
That's exactly what I did with the second one, after I caught my breath from almost puking in the trash can
Originally Posted by Brap-Brap
Man I don't check up on this thread for one day and it all takes a left turn while i'm gone.
Glad i'm not the only one frustrated with FMs instructions.
This is the way, preferably with a stack of cardboard boxes in the firing line to jump and tumble around for my entertainment when they get hit.
When doing this in the past we'd always stand on one end, and fire the loose end into a steel trash can. Made for one hell of a racket
I feel like maybe FM needs a technical writer? The instructions clearly work, but they don't work for me.
Originally Posted by Midtenn
Seems like the high offset of the rear could be solved by putting a note on the installation instructions to place bolt with treads towards the rear. Maybe there is an access issue when installed, but it seems like you could pre-assemble the adapter to the shock and then raise the control arm to meet it. But I'm not an engineer or anything.
Yeah, I think there could be some "tuning" done on that particular fastener interface to minimize that offset, but the more offset you have the "safer" it is for the customer. I'm sure they are trying to clear the CV boot, and the last thing they want is a bunch of customers getting on social media saying "OMG PACO DESTROYED MY AXLES REEEEEEEE!!!!" Beating up the top mount and shock eye bushings to compensate is the "easy button" here. Not that I agree with it, but that's my theory as to why. But don't listen to me, I'm just some ******* on the internet playing fake suspension engineer
You guys are awesome, I appreciate the comments! Apologies if I've missed any
I'm sure they are trying to clear the CV boot, and the last thing they want is a bunch of customers getting on social media saying "OMG PACO DESTROYED MY AXLES REEEEEEEE!!!!"
Could be car-to-car differences. Axles get replaced a lot, aftermarket replacements might require more clearance than OEM? Maybe the car that paco prototyped this on had fat boots?
What kind of baby lathe do you have, and would you recommend?
Mine was purchased used, and it is sold by LittleMachineShop.com Its a Model 5200 7x16 HiTorque Mini Lathe, which is discontinued. The 5200 is essentially a Model 5100 with a bunch of upgrades like DROs on the compound rest and cross slide, and I think this one also has the extended cross slide option. The LMS Model 7350 is probably the current analog in their inventory.
To be frank, these China mini lathes are a commodity. Little Machine Shop, Siig, Central Machinery (Harbor Freight), Grizzly and Northern Tool all sell the same basic castings with different accessories and colors of paint. You can deep dive into this by looking at the castings. The big difference is support and quality of finish. The LMS might be the same basic lathe as the Central Machinery model, but the LMS is going to have better bearings, smoother ways and less backlash in the axes. These 7x16 mini lathes are ok, as long as you understand the limitations of such a small machine. I mostly work in aluminum, plastic, brass, and almost never steel so its lack of rigidity isn't usually a problem, but if you are doing something that requires some actual precision, you'll end up locking the slides (or cranking down the gibs as there are no slide locks on a couple of the axes) to get enough rigidity out of it. Once you understand the quirks and limitations and how to work around them, they aren't so bad. A perfect example here is me bailing on trying to part off those steel crush sleeves and instead used the saw. I just didn't have the tooling, frame rigidity or power to get that done, so I found an alternative method. That's one of the fun things about machine tools, figuring out how to solve the problem with the tools you've got.
I 'learned" machine work almost 2 decades ago on an ancient 2 axis CNC that had 14" of chuck capacity and would spin to something insane like 12,000 RPMs, and I've done very little machine work since then. I was the guy in the shop who did the stuff that had 0.0001" tolerances because I had the machine that was rigid enough to do it. This little china lathe is a far cry from what I know, but I'm learning as I go. I picked this one up second hand so I took what I could get, but if I was going out to buy one today, I wouldn't buy a 7x16.
What I would buy, if I had to buy new with my own money, would be some type of lathe from Precision Matthews with a minimum of 12" of throw. I'll admit its a price vs performance choice. Of course, if not new then I'd be browsing Craigslist and picking up whatever fit in the physical space I had available (which is none, lol) and I price point that wouldn't make me puke. I suffer from terrible buyers remorse on almost everything. Lots and lots of killer deals for not new machine tools out there, and quite frankly, there's a lot of old guys dying off who have been hoarding these things for years and their families just want them gone. I've seen some amazing deals on clapped out old Bridgeport mills with tooling come up recently, but I'm not in a position to buy a full size mill. Maybe someday when I get out of this damn rental.
Anyway, hopefully that answers some of those questions. I'm far from an expert but happy to offer opinions if there is anything specific.
Owning a Sieg minilathe (mine is branded a Homier "speedway") for many years now, I will second all you have said about them. As to parting, look up "upside down parting tool"; it is amazing the difference it makes.
I feel like maybe FM needs a technical writer? The instructions clearly work, but they don't work for me.
I've taken 2 Technical writing courses in college which means I'm basically an expert now. I'll gladly go to FM if it means unrestricted access to their Markforged 3D printers and boosty bits
We should have a lifted miata, nitrous vs supercharger race. It'll be like the island of misfit power adders competition.
BRING IT! We'll have to do that in the dirt somewhere in Oregon in 2021
Originally Posted by rleete
Owning a Sieg minilathe (mine is branded a Homier "speedway") for many years now, I will second all you have said about them. As to parting, look up "upside down parting tool"; it is amazing the difference it makes.
Yep yep! Also, did a brief look at upside down parting things, seems interesting! I'll have to dig into it a bit deeper, thanks for the recommendation!
This little lathe needs a couple of modifications, like an easier way to change the angle on the compound and easier locks on a couple of the ways, but thanks to the power of the internet, I'm sure someone has already figured this out and posted a youtube video tutorial for me
Originally Posted by Brap-Brap
I've taken 2 Technical writing courses in college which means I'm basically an expert now. I'll gladly go to FM if it means unrestricted access to their Markforged 3D printers and boosty bits
Haha! It would be interesting to have someone on the inside, that's for sure. I do wonder how much things will change now that they've migrated their ownership? I talk a lot of **** but I truly wish them nothing but the best.
Thanks to @gesso 's Mail Order Welding Service, LLC, I haz toob! Big heaps many thanks to him once again for helping me out, I literally cannot thank him enough for his help I'll probably squirt some satin black paint on it and call it good2go, and then I can start re-assembling things.
Made contact with Energy Suspension on Monday, they offered to send me the bushing if I sent them "pics of the kit I received" which of course will be complicated with everything now installed. I sent them the pic of the 4 bushings I posted previously in the thread, and some other stuff. Hopefully that's enough to get them rolling.
If not...
I can order the bushing, but that 5-8 week lead time is going to suck. I can get in to a lot of trouble in 5-8 weeks...
Thanks to @gesso 's Mail Order Welding Service, LLC, I haz toob! Big heaps many thanks to him once again for helping me out, I literally cannot thank him enough for his help I'll probably squirt some satin black paint on it and call it good2go, and then I can start re-assembling things.
Made contact with Energy Suspension on Monday, they offered to send me the bushing if I sent them "pics of the kit I received" which of course will be complicated with everything now installed. I sent them the pic of the 4 bushings I posted previously in the thread, and some other stuff. Hopefully that's enough to get them rolling.
If not...
I can order the bushing, but that 5-8 week lead time is going to suck. I can get in to a lot of trouble in 5-8 weeks...
FWIW, I ordered some single bushings from them this fall on 9/16 and received on 11/4.
01-05-2021, 10:20 AM
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I actually know about spring compressors, I used to have a set of Harbor Freight "suicide sticks" from playing with Mustangs back in the day, but I threw them in the trash when I stopped playing with domestics.
I suspect the muscles below the skin may also be bruised as well. All in all I got off easy, it absolutely could have been worse.
