No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster) 
Joined: 2008/10/10 22:02
From Melbourne Australia (and likely under the car)
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Definitely check for tyre rubbing. Apart from that, jack the car up and see if the springs are still captive at full suspension droop. If they can be moved about easily (which is highly likely if they are turning inside the perch/strut top when the car is on the ground.) then it's likely they aren't captive, and that is mega dangerous.
Another thing that has caught me out in the past (though it wasn't on a datto, in fact it was a double wishbone setup, not stut type) - but anyway - a particular caliper/disc upgrade for an early torana (using HQ stubs, discs ad calipers if anyone cares) all looked 'perfect' when it was off the ground with the wheels off. I turned the steerng through the full range of travel from left to right and back again. All fine. Except it wasn't.
When the car was on the ground, the suspension angles alter as the load is applied to it from the car's weight/gravity against the springs. Anyway at this 'on the road' normal suspension angles, the calipers now both hit the upper control arm, worse still - it was right near the place the main flexible brake line attaches to the caliper. Could really have killed myself or someone else if I had driven it around like that, not knowing.
And so as a result of that, anything I do to cars involving brake or suspension upgrades, I check it at all possible suspension heights. A slightly easier way to do it (than just sitting on the road or concrete) is to get a few pieces of plywood, not too thick, and square shaped around 50cm x 50cm - two sheets for each front wheel. put one piece of plywood down, now smear grease all over the top of it, and then place the second piece of plywood down on top of that. Now the 2 pieces are sandwiched together but with grease in between them. If you put one of these 'devices' under each front wheel, it'll make it a lot easier to turn he steering from one end to the other and repeat, and make the test/clearance checking all that much easier to complete.
Posted on: 2010/12/21 4:58
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