superior engineering radius arms

[callum]

not sure if these have appeared on here before, if so, i apologise.

they are for patrol, so not too land rover related, just suspension related.

any thoughts?

anyone attempted a similar home brew before and had experience?

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/...asc&start=0

[T1G UP]

So its ,basically,the same as removing a bolt from the LH radius arm when off roading?

Works and replace the bolt afterwards for good road manners.

I thought i'd thought of this one already.........

do away with the rose joints and remove the lower bolt....voila....why didn't i think of that!

[callum]

So its ,basically,the same as removing a bolt from th LH radius arm when off roading?

Works and replace the bolt afterwards for good road manners.

not really, its not like a hinged radius arm, nothing gets bolted or unbolted.

i think it was maybe you marcus, who raised the sketch with 2 rose joints on each radius arm at the axle end. this allows the movement as per standard radius arms, but the extra bush at the back of one allows a bit of movement on that axis.

that's a pretty poor explanation. better ones exist on the outerlimits thread posted above, or maybe someone else can better articulate how it works.

the intention is to retain the road handling characteristics of the radius arm, whilst reducing how much things bind on the normal bush setup. but it doesn't require bolting and unbolting like a hinged radius arm, or give any of the scary characteristics which cause problems for those running hinged radius arms.

[Top90]

I saw a hinged radius arm on a 90 a few years ago at billing.

Was on a few cars actually on one of the trade stands.

You just popped a pin back in to drive on the road.

Brilliant front travel, but scary at speed.

So this idea sounds a bit like a basic version of 3 link, where the front axle does not rotate so much?

Rich

[T1G UP]

Simple enough then,i get it now,no bolts to undo.It uses a smaller bush. A good twist on an old idea.Where my plasma

[will_warne]

I saw a hinged radius arm on a 90 a few years ago at billing.

Was on a few cars actually on one of the trade stands.

You just popped a pin back in to drive on the road.

Brilliant front travel, but scary at speed.

So this idea sounds a bit like a basic version of 3 link, where the front axle does not rotate so much?

Rich

That was probably Filthy Boy's old car. If you're thinking about hinged radius arms its worth having a word with him. Also do a forum search on here, outerlimits or pirate and it'll throw up a few thread about them pretty much all of which don't show them in a good light.

[reads90]

I saw a hinged radius arm on a 90 a few years ago at billing.

Was on a few cars actually on one of the trade stands.

You just popped a pin back in to drive on the road.

Brilliant front travel, but scary at speed.

So this idea sounds a bit like a basic version of 3 link, where the front axle does not rotate so much?

Rich

That was on the Scrap Iron stand and was tims truck

[filthy boy]

That was on the Scrap Iron stand and was tims truck

That was the version from Ferrilever. We redesigned it, remade it with improvements, re did all the front shock mounts, then gave it away!!!

Great on ramps and for posing around on axle twisters. No good driving up a really steep set of ledges.

Bring on the 4 link and coilovers

Tim

[reads90]

Great on ramps and for posing around on axle twisters. No good driving up a really steep set of ledges.

Like the rest of Scrap Iron range then

[JST]

didn't SiR run with one one bolt on a radius arm for a while?

[filthy boy]

Like the rest of Scrap Iron range then

Ran an Evolution kit, that was great, no problems.

Tim

[Adrian Turner]

didn't SiR run with one one bolt on a radius arm for a while?

I ran that around the carpark for a while boy did that axle twist run it on the road no thank's!

[will_warne]

Bring on the 4 link and coilovers

Tim

You've not finished either then? How's it going?

[filthy boy]

You've not finished either then? How's it going?

Final welding on Jan 7 and 8 then off to paint the frame.

Final assembly done by early Feb then test, test, test and SVA. Then repeat SVA (keep doing this until......)

Then off to Morocco

A little teaser

Tim

[white90]

Craftsmanship there Tim

[filthy boy]

Craftsmanship there Tim

Tony

Thanks. On these cold days any encouragement is more than welcome.

Just to add we are getting 35 degrees of steer with 37 x 12.5 Krawlers.

Tim

[will_warne]

Tim, looking very nice! I see you've stayed with a proper engine Also, still on beam axles? I like the Krawlers - I'll need a set for when I eventually finish the vehicle and do the Marocco OBC.

I know what you mean about encouragement. Today has been get up, do Christmas shopping, go to the bank to transfer money for wheels, pester tyre supplier for bead measurements so the wheel builder can have them, struggle with the Dutch / English language barrier to pay for said set of tyres, cobble together some lunch before going into the workshop for the afternoon to finish my rear x-member and freeze my ****s off. Oh, and then I've got a Shire LRC comitee meet tonight which means trecking down to Winchester. Net result - tired, broke and probably burnt but looking forward to the vehicle I'll have at the end of it.

[white90]

pics Will pics

[nicks90]

not sure if these have appeared on here before, if so, i apologise.

they are for patrol, so not too land rover related, just suspension related.

any thoughts?

anyone attempted a similar home brew before and had experience?

[pictures]

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/...asc&start=0

i really like the fact they actually give you some measurements of the extra travel you will get from the modified arms and suspension systems they do.

Why dont any of the landrover suppliers do this?

It would make buying a lift kit / suspension setup so much easier if you could compare what degree of articulation and ride height you would get compared to a standard motor. Much more transparent way of getting the right kit for your needs.

[T1G UP]

Final welding on Jan 7 and 8 then off to paint the frame.

Final assembly done by early Feb then test, test, test and SVA. Then repeat SVA (keep doing this until......)

Then off to Morocco

A little teaser

Tim

Liking this alot,will it look like a 90 when done? serious axles etc and the steering locks a dream! Keep it up fella,more pics please.

[simonr]

I did try the whole 'missing link' thing - and it did kind of work. Lots of articulation, but because of the asymetry, difficult to tell what it was going to do sometimes.

I added variable roll damping to it - which improved matters a great deal. It still rolled on corners, but slowly enough to react safely. I had totally underestimated the forces involved though. It kept bursting hydraulic seals rated at 6000psi - then finally broke one of the mountings made from 1/2" plate. I filed the whole thing in the bin after that and went back to drilled (DIY equivalent of slotted) bushes. With one plain and one drilled bush at each end, it's nearly as good and pretty symetrical. The symetry is important to make it behave the same cornering left or right.

There's a thread with photos somewhere.

Si

[will_warne]

pics Will pics

Now that would just ruin everything as it'd show I've made something

[callum]

I did try the whole 'missing link' thing - and it did kind of work. Lots of articulation, but because of the asymetry, difficult to tell what it was going to do sometimes.

I added variable roll damping to it - which improved matters a great deal. It still rolled on corners, but slowly enough to react safely. I had totally underestimated the forces involved though. It kept bursting hydraulic seals rated at 6000psi - then finally broke one of the mountings made from 1/2" plate. I filed the whole thing in the bin after that and went back to drilled (DIY equivalent of slotted) bushes. With one plain and one drilled bush at each end, it's nearly as good and pretty symetrical. The symetry is important to make it behave the same cornering left or right.

There's a thread with photos somewhere.

Si

does bush number 3 not alleviate the issue of burst seals. well in that thre are no seals and it stiffens to the limit of its travel. granted the travel is limited vs your design, but in theory using bushes there should never be any nasty surprises. also because they are all whole bushes, they should not flog out like slotted bushes.

do you reckon the lack of symmetry would still be problematic with the superior engineering design?

unfortunately i've not come across any pictures to see what each of the 3 bushes on the special arm is doing. i think, but i may be wrong, that it finds favour among the 6ish inches of lift patrol folks. not sure what it is like with more standard geometry. i also have no idea what the standard stiffness of patrol bushes is like vs oem land rover ones.

[rick]

<snip>

i also have no idea what the standard stiffness of patrol bushes is like vs oem land rover ones.

well, seeing as I have a Patrol and a Defender I can tell you that a Patrol bush is much larger in diameter, and so should allow more flex, but....a Patrol seems to have even less flex in the front end than a Landy.

Our Patrol is absolutely stock (SWMBO's vehicle) and the Landy has Haultech slotted bushes and 10" travel shocks, so not really a fair comparison. The problem with the slotted bushes is that they have a limited life. Mine are up for renewal now after about 18 months of not very hard use.

Another interesting point is that the GQ and GU Patrol front ends are virtual bolt ins to a Land Rover, although spring mounts, brake lines and Panhard mounts need modifying, the radius arms bolt right up and you end up with a much stronger CWP and a wider front track too.