Improving downforce on a 90s ranger

[Bricoop]

ive raced there with dog legg, riverside becomes,,, ' interesting', here is a blast from the past, this is shorter layout lapp times, i gotta dig around for that layout lap times.FOUND IT!, I BELIEVE this is dog leg version, a little faster lapp times( excuse water damage from storage

That’s fun! We’re on the 3.1 mile course using the Mazda turn. Fastest lap of the race was 2:10. Here is that lap.
Dipping a wheel off costs a black flag. 3 flags is a penalty. Over 14+ hours of racing, too easy to do if we’re pushing the whole time. He thinks it’s got a 2:24 in it, which is punching way above its weight class.
We’re bringing Wilwoods, aero, and the watts to Sonoma.

 

[Bricoop]

Need some help from you guys.

Based on my research the Durango watts link is going to work best for us. I believe the bolts are a 12mm bolt. I am planning on using 1/2 Heim links. 12mm=.472” is this gap acceptable?

 

[pontoontodd]

Need some help from you guys.

Based on my research the Durango watts link is going to work best for us. I believe the bolts are a 12mm bolt. I am planning on using 1/2 Heim links. 12mm=.472” is this gap acceptable?

Using a 12mm bolt in a 1/2" heim? You could make/have made some sleeves to take up the slop. Measure the actual bolt shoulders too they might be .005 to .010" under .472".

 

[partybarge_pilot]

You know they make metric hiems right?

 

[Bricoop]

Thanks @partybarge_pilot and @pontoontodd

I just ordered the center link. I’m going to take a measurement when it gets here then figure out the best way to proceed. Just because it uses a 12mm nut doesn’t mean it is a 12mm shaft.

 

[Bricoop]

.456” studs and .654” centerhole.

What’s the max acceptable difference between shank OD and and Heim ID?

 

[partybarge_pilot]

About .010

Pics of what's going on?

 

[Bricoop]

About .010

Pics of what's going on?

Thanks for your help!

I’m making a watts link. On the photo above the studs are .456” I was hoping to use 1/2” heims all around. I’m wondering if we can use a 1/4”ID to 1/2” OD sleeve bearing and have a shop drill out the center.

Alternatively I may just send it back and fab a center link out of a couple pieces of flat steel.

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Drilling a piece of .500 tube out to .460 would be fun. A sleeve that thin will get beat up real easy.

I would go up to a 5/8" hiem if you can fit it, will make sleeveing it much easier.

 

[Bricoop]

Drilling a piece of .500 tube out to .460 would be fun. A sleeve that thin will get beat up real easy.

I would go up to a 5/8" hiem if you can fit it, will make sleeveing it much easier.

I think that’s gonna be the ticket if I don’t just fab my own. I think we’ll grab these and remove .018”

 

[Bricoop]

We flipped the leaf shock bracket so the shock sits in the front. We're makng a couple of shock towers.

For the watts, this is what I came up with. Any other suggestions for ratios are accepted. Light grey is the axle, you get the rest. Figures are shown as center of pivot stud to center of pivot stud. We're going to mount an axle truss onto the axle.

 

[Bricoop]

@partybarge_pilot @43mod @michael.gonzalez

We're planning on tacking in the watts link this weekend or next. We've decided to add an axle truss, which we'll mount the pivot to. This pushes the pivot approximately 1 foot behind the pumpkin. Do you forsee any issues with this approach? Thanks

 

[43mod]

Just a little more movement from axle wrap . 12” from centerline sounds good . A foot behind the housing is a long way back, why so far ?

 

[Bricoop]

@43mod We aren't comfortable with our ability to weld it perfectly square onto the diff cover. Looks like further than it actually is, turns out to only be 9 & 3/4" behind the axle centerline......closer to 6" behind the pumpkin.

This is the shortcut we took:

 

[partybarge_pilot]

As long as the struts bars have hiems on them it's not an issue.

 

[43mod]

Looks good .

 

[Bricoop]

If we end up running V8, do you think we'll have axle wrap issues?

 

[partybarge_pilot]

Yes, but that is pretty easy to deal with.

 

[Bricoop]

Yes, to bad your shocks are mounted in the way.

Will moving the shocks in front of the axle affect axle wrap? We are low power and lowered.

BTW The only place we noticed it at Buttonwillow was the sharp u-turn (turn 3).

I imagine once we go V8 we will need to add ladder bars?

 

[partybarge_pilot]

One of the arms with a shackle on the end of it would work well. Ladder bars would be my last choice right behind doing nothing.

Autofab style 2 link would also work well.

Edit: since you no longer have a bed in the way, kicker shocks mounted off the top of the diff also work well. They allow flex but keep the rotation damped to prevent wheel hop. way better for traction.