small diameter struts

[jewels]

has been a bit of talk regarding this conversion

here are some pics and info regarding what is required.

size tubes required 52mm or 2 inch

NOT 50mm!!

note the last pic is with helper springs also to prevent spring dislodging when jacking

[Dr Danger]

Nice one Jewels,

Cheers. Have to start looking very soon.

[geoff]

dear dr danger i have a sore
arm :) maybe a sore leg and
a worn joint or two . just wondering
if you could ease the pain a bit :)
mmmmm . (sorry al wrong doctor).
by the way hows your r/h ball joint
going ' i hear its getting changed out
soon :)

[Bertil]

I will do it a bit different. I will use Bilstein dampers and instead of sleving the existing strut with a threaded sleeve I will cut the strut and weld Bilsteins threaded sleeve onto the remains of the old tube. This will give the possibility to use the Bilstein damper without the housing, the sleeve is machined to be the housing for the damper. Bilstiens are used "up side down", the piston above the strut will be some 45 mm thick. I wll post some pics when I start to fiddle with this.

[geoff]

bertil is this strut conversion
for street use or track use
only :) will wait for your pics
.thanks for your imput :)

[Dr Danger]

This is one of the things Bertil that I was going to kindly ask you to post some details about. I remember us talking about various options for front struts when I was there but didn't remember the exact details... You were using Volvo bilstein inserts or something wern't you? Then skimming the layer of paint off so they can fit into the Cortina strut? What you are talking about sounds a little different to what we were discussing though by the sounds?

[zues]

http://www.cortina-mk1classifieds.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gifThis is easy to fix Geoff, the leg can be removed and an after market model fitted. As for the worn joints, we can get some titanium inserts that should do the job.http://www.cortina-mk1classifieds.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif The can custom make them to any model these days.
This of course will all be dependent on checking with the specialist in Melbourne though. http://www.cortina-mk1classifieds.com/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif Lmao
Dr. Greggy

[Dr Danger]

I think your reading into this too far Dr Greggy, all the patient wants is a little pain relief! The pain relief called for in this patient usually comes in a packet of 6 or 24 vials and can be purchased without prescription from your friendly local supermarket... :)

[geoff]

mmmmmmmm have to agree,
dont even need water to swallow
,can have more than one without
major side affects

[Bertil]

Yes drD, you are right. What I use now are yellow Koni inserts for a Volvo 240. Konis are not the best way to go for trackuse, Bilstiens are better, and more expensive ofcourse.
To be able to get a Volvo 240 Bilstein insert into a stock Cortina strut you need to skim off the paint from the insert and almost press it into the strut. The Bilsteins are slightly thicker than the others but are possible to fit.
What I speak of above is my next upgrade. I will use a Bilstein fabricated sleeve that is machined on the inside to be a sliding surface for the shockabsorber and on the outside for adjusting the rideheight. This reduces weight, builds less than sleeving the outside giving more room for the tyre and gives a better shockabsorber compared to just using Volvo inserts and weld a threaded sleeve on the outside of the strut.
The reason to getting a better damper is that it is a pure racing damper that only will fit with this mods. Without the mods to the strut only the Volvo insert that is for street and trackday use and is not adjustable will fit. There are adjustable street ones available as well, but they do not fit into the Cortina strut, they are 3-4 mm to thick. They fit into the Volvo strut, but veeeery tight.

[Dr Danger]

Ahhh, yes, I remember now. Still might be an option for a road going car if you wan't something a bit stiffer I suppose. But what about spring weights and so on? And also, can you purchase a Mk1 gas strut insert over there? We can buy new ones off the shelf here.

So what is the story with tipping the bilstein unit upside down? That will surely make the old bump dampning the rebound and the rebound the bump won't it? It will be interesting to see the process for doing this conversion.

[Dr Danger]

Thought you might agree with my painkilling methods Geoffry. I'm not a Doctor just yet, but as of this comming Saturday, I sleep with one ... :)

[jewels]

bertil

wouldnt the volvo units measure in metric sizes?

and of course cortina would be imperial...

does this cause the problem ?

[Dr Danger]

I don't remember the Cortina ones being THAT tight in the strut leg Jewels... But my memory is failing. It certainly sounds like the Volvo ones wouldn't rattle around in there anyway!

[jewels]

cortina are 2 inch OD

what are the volvo items bertil?

[geoff]

just like the old saying,
take a good book to bed
or at least someone who
has read one :)

[jewels]

huh ?
whats that got to do with struts ?

[Dr Danger]

I just figured it out Jewels. He's referring to a post above regarding sleeping with Doctors...

And I thought he was confusing struts with sluts...

That is all.

[geoff]

just because they
both go up and down
on you ,does not mean
i confuse the two :)
referring to your last post
al (starting with i just figured
it out jewels) :)

[jewels]

geoffrey,
you need to start using 'quotes' if you are referring to what has been said in an

earlier post

as its getting hard to follow your posts and what you are answering exactly...

also you need to keep on topic

this thread is about small diameter struts ...

[Bertil]

I have never meassured the Volvo inserts, but I can tell you that the "nut" that holds the insert in place in the strut have the same thread on Volvo as on the Cortina. I will fit Volvo inserts in a MkI very soon (next week I hope). I will also do something I have not done before, try the Volvo roller top mount.

I have allready done the "rear leaf spring trick". Keeping the main leaf and turning the 3 others upside down and put them on the upper side of the main leaf gives 5" lowering and a stiffer spring.

I will post some pics of all the work.



This is a quick and dirty work for a car that will be used in the frozen lakes during the winter.

[Dr Danger]

Okay kiddies, just talked to the gurus at Centerline again regarding adjustable spring platforms. Have some questions.

Did you have to slightly bore the internal diameter of the threaded collar to slip over the strut tube? He could not find an exact fit for the 2 inch or 52mm tubes so they would have to be machined slightly to slip on. Also, what I.D springs are you running? Common King spring I.D. were 60mm or 65mm so I thought that the 60mm's would be better for tyre clearence and so on...

About $300 for the sleeve, lock nuts and top hat, $200 for custom springs and he has to get back to me regarding a price for the helper springs but thought they might have been a bit expensive. So pretty reasonable so far...

[jewels]

al
our sleeves are 2 inch and no machining is necessary

as for the ID of the springs i wont really matter in regards to the tyre as they will not be anywhere near it

[Dr Danger]

Hmmm, I wonder if someone bored them out to suit before you got them? Can you remember a brand or anything? None of the companies that make them do an exact 2 inch sleeve by the sounds. Revolution race gear just said "huh, we don't stock stuff like that" and told me to ring Centerline Suspension. Go figure?

Might go 60mm I.D. then, just cause I can... My tyre currently rubs the strut (WITH 3mm spacers), so things are close. But hopefully after a bit more camber is dialed in, this won't be such an issue.

[jewels]

no al listen

they can be purchased
they are 2 inch original cortina struts not reamed not machined to take metric sleeves

those companies may not but there are some who do

cost would be around $180 ish pair for king springs

and $270 ish pair for the sleeves

[Dr Danger]

Jewels I'm listening, but who?

I've been trying for 3 days now to find out. Not even the people that deal with this stuff every day with every known brand under the sun currently know of a straight drop on sleeve in exactly 2 inch...

[jewels]

ok al
but you have never asked me LOL

getting you up to date prices etc now
i think they are 62 mm springs

[jewels]

al no worries but you have never asked me LOL




Not even the people that deal with this stuff every day with every known brand under the sun currently know of a straight drop on sleeve in exactly 2 inch...

dont worry im on the job

getting up to date prices etc now

think they are around 62mm springs

[geoff]

as you are finding out as
we did (long ago ) its not easy getting what you want when your told it does,nt exist just goes to show how much some people dont know,and if what they know is bullshit or not . :)

[Dr Danger]

Didn't want to ask Jewels as it doesn't feel right asking 'someone else' all the time. I keep saying this, but it shouldn't been this hard.

I was wondering however if the partucular manufacturer of yours have gone out of busness as I think one has recently. Unpopular lines get dropped all the time too remember... Been a while since yours were done?

Yeh, 62mm or something. Will ring him back today sometime.

[jewels]

complete kits and the spanner to adjust IN IMPERIAL ID (51mm) $280

springs to suit $150 a pair name your rate and length... (61mm)

what me to get a set of kits in for you less springs ?

[geoff]

al you can ask us
anything,you shoud
know that by now.
ps (do you think every
modified us made mustle
car,hot rod,buggy,race car,ect,ect,ect
is made in metric ) no.:)

[Dr Danger]

No Geoffry, I wouldn't think that! I might have been born with metric but I play around with lots of non-metric stuff myself. Like, oh, I dunno, Mk1 Cortina's!

It's not the actual asking that bothers me guys. I do however get a little sick of HAVING to ask all the time if you know what I mean? You have both got a few more km's on the clock than I do and are in the industry and obviously that helps a great deal but FFS, why is everything this difficult!

Jewels, I appreciate your efforts. I will call the other place today and if they can't get exactly what I want for a better price then they can go jump. I'll let you know real soon.

Unless that's a one time offer, it might be better to wait until we know what spring weights to order and get the whole lot in one go?

Cheers

[Dr Danger]

People, their the worst!

Rang him back, all of a sudden he has no troubles with the 2 inch sleeves! Grrrrr.

So anyway, I will deff go with wherever you can get them through Jewels. I don't think he wanted to play the game regarding price too much (don't think they need my custom by the looks).

Just have to get an idea of the spring weight and length and everything will be tickety boo. At this stage I may pop up mid next week...? Depending on how the job hunting is going...

[jewels]

mmm i see al
phunny bout that hey al :)

[Dr Danger]

Whole world has gone loopy. Must be Xmas time...

[jewels]

tell me about it

crazy here

[zues]

bout time you came round Al. I know it seems like its an imposition to ask G & J all the time, but sometimes its just a shit load easier!

if they didn't want to help they would have told you to F#@# off a long time ago, or just ignored your posts.

Look forward to hearing about how good the front end is in the near future.

Greggy

[Dr Danger]

Greggy Greggy Greggy! You missunderstand. There is a couple of things going on here.

Firstly; It's got nothing to do with wanting to do things the 'easy' way. When has anyone ever learnt anything doing it the 'easy' way? If I wanted 'easy' I would have just paid some sucker a metric bucketload of cash in return for a perfect car. That was never what this car was about.

Secondly; You have to understand that me being me, sometimes I LIKE and ENJOY doing things for myself and I feel I shouldn't HAVE to rely on G & J all the time... There is an element of independance missing in this particular example that at times has frustrated the hell out of me. I always factor in an amount of BS I'm prepared to accept to get a job done, but this was getting totally out of hand.

I'm not going to start commenting on that second line either because that's just silly and I don't want you feeling the rest of my untold wrath... :)

In summary: Be cool hunny bunny, be cool...

[jewels]

have some in my possession as we speak.... :)

see below

fits perfectly on the cortina strut

[Dr Danger]

Nice ones, just can't afford the bloody things right now!

[jewels]

ok they are at home here