RideTech Tru Turn

[Stovebolter]

Yeah I know, it's probable been answered but I've been looking through posts for days and don't feel like I can wrap my mind around the entire thing.

My 69 Camaro should be delivered this Saturday and I would like to get started with the order process. I could just go to the many great reps here with Ridetech but I was hoping to get everyone's thoughts and impressions as well.

I'll most likely be going with True Forged 18x10s front and 18x12s rear.

#1. I like the Tru Turn system but want more than the suggested 2" drop up front. Prefer the tires tucked under the fenders and realize I may have to go with 9.5s. At the very least I'm wanting 3" of drop. Which leads me to the question. I'm centering the entire suspension around the Tru Turn as a system. I'll get the Tru Turn system (including tall spindles), muscle bar, and the Strong Arm UCAs/LCAs. Why couldn't I add the Chicane kit, or my own top hat, to allow the use of standard coil overs with spherical rod ends top and bottom. Then I could use a long coil over with the same suggested suspension travel and mount it deeper up top. I also realize the LCA may no longer be parallel with the ground (if it is at all) and would slightly alter the intended design, but with the improved design RideTech engineered into this system through the suspension travel would another inch of drop really alter it that much? I've even considered going as far as channeling the front subframe into the floor pan to give more drop. And air suspension isn't the route I want to go. These are still designed at a specific ride height.

#2. I want to go with the Kore3 14" C6 ZO6 brakes. It's my understanding that aftermarket systems designed to work on the factory GM disc brake spindle will work with the tall RideTech spindles. Do I have to get the Kore3 kit for tall GM spindles http://kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10104-03 or the short kit http://kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10103-03? Has anyone installed the Kore3 kit on the RideTech spindles? The reason I ask is I found a couple threads here and there where someone ran into issues installing aftermarket brakes on these spindles and the mounting bolts protruded beyond the spindle flat surface. The answer was to machine a nut down thinner to allow clearance to the rotor. Will I have the same issue with the Kore3 kit.....spindle surface to rotor surface clearance? If I have to go with the tall spindle which outer wheel bearing i.d.?

Many of you guys have been there and done that. Was hoping for some real world input.

I'll get a project journal started and document any improvements as I go for the next guy.

Thanks,
David

[SR71]

yep. been there, done that....got the t-shirt.


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i294/tom-hensley/2012-09-22132049_zps7a2281b0.jpg


1....I have the chicane kit on my car with the tru-turn kit, ridetech tripple adjustable shocks and spindles, and spc upper and lower arms. with the chicane top mount and the chicane lower mounts bolted AND welded to the bottom of my spc arms, my lowers are parallel to the road using a 5" stroke shock with a 12" spring.

with this set-up, my sub rides 3.25" off of the road. my front wheels are 18x9.5's with 275/30 tires. the fender comes within .5" of the top of the wheel. the speedtech tq arm is set up with the same 5" stroke shock and comes within the same .5" of the top of the rear 18x11's with 335/30's.

this set-up took some time and fab to make work with the coilovers at the reccomended spot in their stroke. but it was worth it to me.

2....any brake kit that will work with stock 1st gen spindles will work with the ridetech spindles. the guy that had the trouble on the other site was trying to bolt on a kit designed for the afx spindles which use the c5 brakes directly with no adapter brackets. all he needed was the appropriate brackets from kore3 and they would have bolted to the ridetech spindles.

also, be aware that the c6z calipers are very thick and require nearly 2" of wheel pad. most shelf wheels will not clear them without spacers.

[Stovebolter]

That's the ride height and tuck I'm looking for. Very nice car. I assume you used a 5.75 bs for the 9.5s to get the tires inside the fender better?

I may be going with Ridetechs TQ coil overs. How do you like them?

Thanks,
David

[SR71]

thanks.

my fronts are a 6" back. I didn't want fender lip rubbing problems. we also modded the top, outside of the inner fender to gain more bump clearence.

the ridetech tripples are the best money that I have spent on my car.

I would also look at a 19" rear wheel. the tire choices in wide 18's are very limited now. I would really love a nice 27" diameter tire for the rear but 26" is all that is available other than competition tires in 18's. the only reason that I'm not running 19's on the rear is because centerline doesn't make 19's.....or 20's for that matter in the champs. if they did, I would have a 19/20 combo.

[marolf101x]

"#1. I like the Tru Turn system but want more than the suggested 2" drop up front. Prefer the tires tucked under the fenders and realize I may have to go with 9.5s. At the very least I'm wanting 3" of drop. Which leads me to the question. I'm centering the entire suspension around the Tru Turn as a system. I'll get the Tru Turn system (including tall spindles), muscle bar, and the Strong Arm UCAs/LCAs."
-No problem dropping another inch so long as you understand what compromises you will make, or what other areas can be changed to make it correct.
-No matter how long your front shock is you only have 5" of overall suspension travel when set up properly (5" between bumpstops. . .you don't want the ball joint being the part that tries to stop the suspension!)
-We typically use 60% of available stroke for compression (so 3").

So if you install the kit in a "stock" vehicle, and you drop the coil overs to give you one additional inch lower, you now only have 2" of compression travel before the car bottoms out (not to mention the control arms a out of whack, but on a street car this not as bad as bottoming out).
Most people think the solution is to put a longer shock in it ("well, if Ridetech uses a 3.6" stroke shock, I'll use a 6" stroke and have that much more!") WRONG! You can have a 24" stroke shock in the front end, but you still only have 2" of travel before it bottoms out!

Your desire is to place the fenders over the wheels. . .easy enough. . .just use half height body bushings (or channel the subframe, as you mentioned.)
Half height body bushings are great (we use them in the 48 Hour car), but may not get you low enough. Channeling the subframe will get it there, however, this is no longer a "bolt-on" effort, and most won't go that far.


"Why couldn't I add the Chicane kit, or my own top hat, to allow the use of standard coil overs with spherical rod ends top and bottom. Then I could use a long coil over with the same suggested suspension travel and mount it deeper up top. I also realize the LCA may no longer be parallel with the ground (if it is at all) and would slightly alter the intended design, but with the improved design RideTech engineered into this system through the suspension travel would another inch of drop really alter it that much? I've even considered going as far as channeling the front subframe into the floor pan to give more drop. And air suspension isn't the route I want to go. These are still designed at a specific ride height."
-Please see above.
-One other thing to think about. . .the shock on the front of the vehicle must control almost 2 times the weight that the rear shocks do (front is around 2:1 motion ratio, while rear is closer to 1:1)
-So let's use an example (with very simple math). . .a car weighs 3000#, with a 50/50 split; straight axle rear, 1:1 motion ratio; double a-arm front, 2:1 motion ratio. Each corner holds up 750#, however the rear coil over is pushing directly on that weight, so it is lifting only 750#. The front coil over is in the middle of the control arm, so it is actually holding up 1500# per side.
-If you valve the shocks the same they won't be "balanced" or "matched" as they have to control such radically different weights.
-All of our shocks can be custom valved if required. If you stick with what's in the kit you don't need to pay additional for the valving. . .it's already done.

-You can use a different top mount if you'd like, but the only thing it's giving you is a bearing mount instead of a delrin stud.
If your bumpstops are in the same place (they should limit travel just before ball joint bind) it DOES NOT provide more stroke.

-Bottom line all you want can be achieved. . .you just have to make sure you know enough to accept the compromises, or be able to fix or change anything that will help achieve your goals.

[Stovebolter]

You've re-enforced my thoughts. I understand if I drop an additional inch above and beyond the 2" drop that is integrated into your spindles, I would loose 1" of compression travel. Your right. I forgot about the balljoint possibly taking the brunt of the load on extreme compression such as hitting something large in the road at speed. And the valving is understood. I could live with that extra expense though. Every time I would buy a MotoX bike first thing I would do was to send off the forks/shock for revalving to suit my driving style anyway. But I'd rather not lose any of my compression travel.

How much adjustment does your coil overs have for ride height adjustment? 1"?
I know I can tweak with different weight springs and or shorter springs with circle track adjusters but would rather not mess around with that. How much drop does the reduced height body bushings give? 3/4"?

Guess if I can't live with the amount of drop your set-up gives me, I'll channel the sub into the floor pan. But that will be last resort. I've channeled a couple of cars in the past and its not much fun and you lose that factory feel inside.

Thanks for your help.

David

[SR71]

pardon my ignorance of channeling. but, does that tuck the exhaust up inside the body as well?

[Stovebolter]

No ignorance at all. Yes the exhaust would be raised as well. I would raise the floor pans as one unit. I would be looking for a max of 2" but more likely would end up one inch. I've seen it done on a unibody before and it turned out alright. The biggest negative would be getting carpet to fit right. The car I saw done was a track only car so no big deal for him.

David