Mondial 8 New Custom Suspension Project

All,

Been making progress during these quarantine times....here are pics of my 1982 Mondial 8 suspension re-working. I have motor out and doing other stuff too.

I used QA1 shocks and 12" 350lb Eibach springs for the rear (planned 400 in front but have not installed yet).

The bottom of the shock installed straightforwardly. For the top part, I installed a spherical bearing at the top of the shock (provided by QA1). Then, I made a custom piece out of aluminum a piece to fasten top to car. The spherical bearing has an 1/2 inch bolt through it and also through my custom aluminum block.

Is the metal to metal contact with my custom piece (of the 1/2 inch bolt) fine? The bottom part of the shock has bushing. I also installed new suspension bushings on the A arms.

I also need to add someway to keep the spherical bearing centered in my custom block...maybe add some plastic-based side washers with a cylindrical outside face to match that of the custom block?

Thoughts? Comments?

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My home shop is not fully equipped for metal working (more for wood working). It took me lots of effort to cut out a hole using a new hole saw blade (1.75") for wood/metal. My drill press could not handle it as well as my powerful electric hand drill for which I have a portable stand to keep it perpendicular (for all other smaller diameter holes the drill press was just fine). It took about 2-3 hours of non-stop work to get the 2 inch tall by 1.75" diameter cylinder bored out. I used oil and periodically dipped the aluminum in water to cool it down and took breaks to keep the drill from overheating.

How would I do the above milling or is there a simpler way to make the hole? I do have a router and router table but not sure if that can mill aluminum. I still have to make the custom piece for the other side of the car.

I *think* the front does not require such a custom block.

 

Thanks! But that is too complicated I'd rather do in my shop....went to hardware store to see if a magic bit/saw exists but that best I found was a new high quality hole saw...guess will repeat to make the next/final piece...already have the aluminum block, etc.

 

Hmmm ....maybe that is equivalent....however a key thing is the top stock mount supports a small amount of twist. That is why I put a spherical bearing on top. I think if you strongly compress the shock it needs to undergo a few degrees of twist about the shock main bar....a spherical bearing like what I use supports such. No twist would imply the two suspension frames and the shock top support are perfectly synchronized .... Which is hard to imagine is the case....

If you simply wanted to connect the top shock connection into the stock mount you would need to extend the thread somehow or build a custom piece. Further it would make the connection vertically taller and then achieving a slight lowering might be hard.

This is according to my estimates ... It's not on the road yet....


Btw, do you have an 8 with motor in?


Comments?

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Hmmm.....you made me realize the difference of a top mount where the car weight is on the top plate vs not. The second link you set seems quite similar to mine in terms of where the weight is....

Regardless, one wheel is done and the other soon, so I guess will see eventually how it goes. I have, btw, another car with a top mount similar to what I am making (a Porsche 951) and it does just fine on track and on street, etc. So perhaps the top mount can handle it The aluminum structure I made is surely strong enough. Perhaps the weakest link is the 1/2 inch bolt thru the eyelet which is essentially is holding all the weight.... I suppose the bolt can hold it?

 

You are right. With a civil engineer friend of mine we looked it up..my 0.5 inch grade 5 steel bolt has a shear resistance of at least 11,500 lbs (grade 8 has 14,500lbs). Each wheel holds 800 lbs or so plus say a 2x factor maybe on curves? Regardless, well under 11,500 lbs. Maybe will get grade 8 bolts just for kicks...I think they are easily available at hardware stores....

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