your thoughts on cobalts allumium front suspension
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From: tx
your thoughts on cobalts allumium front suspension
Hey guys im buliding an ecotec powered jbody for track use. anyways i went to look at a cobalt and noticed that some of the front suspension components are allumium. For example the steering knuckles/spindle assembly looks like its allumium. I wonder if thats why the gm requires kunckles to be upgraded when doing autocross. I also noticed that the front knucles cant take to much stress as seen on several accident photos. On the older jbody the knucles and all suspension compontes were all steel/iron. what are your thoughts on this which would you say is stronger? Duscuss.
I'd say that steel is definately stronger but the unsprung weight is where the advantage is. The Cobalt should feel a bit nimbler while cornering and auto-xing...which is kind of ironic since it fails auto-xing
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I think it would depend on what kinda track use you are talking about. Straight line wouldn't make a big difference, but road courses and AutoX would bennefit from the light weight of the knuckles and control arms.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
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From: Hubert NC
Originally Posted by Cobalt_Supercharged
I think it would depend on what kinda track use you are talking about. Straight line wouldn't make a big difference, but road courses and AutoX would bennefit from the light weight of the knuckles and control arms.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
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From: tx
Originally Posted by Cobalt_Supercharged
I think it would depend on what kinda track use you are talking about. Straight line wouldn't make a big difference, but road courses and AutoX would bennefit from the light weight of the knuckles and control arms.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
AutoX is made up of hard, sharp turns which could be the cause of the problems with them.
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From: Gainesville, FL
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From: Hubert NC
Originally Posted by joeworkstoohard
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The arm strength is not a problem. these arms are plenty stront. the weakness that is felt in these cars are the control arm bushings. I am working with others to resolve the problem through after market or designing our own.
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From: AZ
Originally Posted by ssnipes
The arm strength is not a problem. these arms are plenty stront. the weakness that is felt in these cars are the control arm bushings. I am working with others to resolve the problem through after market or designing our own.
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From: Oceanside, Ca
wonder if this will help
Powell Modified Cobalt Control Arms
The Powell modified control arms reduce camber and toe change deflection under hard braking and cornering, and improve straight line cross wind stability; there is a side effect of reduction in power hop on launch. There is a small increase in ride harness, but a reduction in braking "clunk", caused as the control arm deflects and hits the cross member, when making hard stops.
Modified control arms use spherical joints and Delrin inserts. All Powell installed control arms receive a ball joint protective heat shield. Please note that the outer ball joint is not serviced separately by GM and complete control arms have to be purchased if the ball joints are no good.. Customers that send in arms for modification have to be sure that the ball joints are in good condition.
The installation is simple, the parts and work are not; complete Cobalt modified lower control arms cost $1075.00 for the pair, deduct $400.00 if you supply the control arms.
The Powell modified control arms reduce camber and toe change deflection under hard braking and cornering, and improve straight line cross wind stability; there is a side effect of reduction in power hop on launch. There is a small increase in ride harness, but a reduction in braking "clunk", caused as the control arm deflects and hits the cross member, when making hard stops.
Modified control arms use spherical joints and Delrin inserts. All Powell installed control arms receive a ball joint protective heat shield. Please note that the outer ball joint is not serviced separately by GM and complete control arms have to be purchased if the ball joints are no good.. Customers that send in arms for modification have to be sure that the ball joints are in good condition.
The installation is simple, the parts and work are not; complete Cobalt modified lower control arms cost $1075.00 for the pair, deduct $400.00 if you supply the control arms.
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Ummm ^ thats crazzy expensive for some new bushings and a heat sheald!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have the JBP bushings on my car and I love them.
I also have the Intense trans mounts and ZZP motor mount and I have almost no wheel hop on the track and none on the street at all!
i think that the front suspenson was well made and only needs a bit of tunning to get it to work perfectly for track use.
And I have seen a j-body control arm brake from traction. There stamped steel and welded. If the welds go or the steel streses to much there gone.
There the week point in the j-bodys.
The steering knuckle is the week pint on the delta cars.
All cars have a week point. There will always be a part that will fail befor another. AS soon as you fix that part then something els will brake. Thats just how it is.
Later
I have the JBP bushings on my car and I love them.
I also have the Intense trans mounts and ZZP motor mount and I have almost no wheel hop on the track and none on the street at all!
i think that the front suspenson was well made and only needs a bit of tunning to get it to work perfectly for track use.
And I have seen a j-body control arm brake from traction. There stamped steel and welded. If the welds go or the steel streses to much there gone.
There the week point in the j-bodys.
The steering knuckle is the week pint on the delta cars.
All cars have a week point. There will always be a part that will fail befor another. AS soon as you fix that part then something els will brake. Thats just how it is.
Later
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