MacPherson Strut Issue

Edited: 7/3/2008 9:40:27 PM by artsar

Edited: 7/3/2008 9:38:02 PM by artsar

So I bagged the front of my Ion, but at full drop it sits exactly where it did with the drop springs. I obviously want to tuck tire or get real close so what could I do to drop the front more.

I was considering putting in cobalt front tower mounts (which I would need a shop to weld in), cobalts have a 3 bolt tower mount and a smaller bearing where the Ion has a single bolt tower bolt.

I could get a complete assembly and bolt those in, but since I would need to use my stock bearings it might not work.

Heres a pic of the strut, all the stuff on top of the bag is what is needed for the ion bearings... thats whats causing the height issue... any ideas of what would be the best/safest and cheapest solution?

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/3161/1003739cc7.th.jpg

if someone could fix the html code that could be great

I've built a Mcpherson strutted Saturn in the past. You're only going to get it to lay by doing one of two things. Either ditch the strut bags and go with cylinders or ditch the air all together and go with hydraulics.

I first bagged mine using air cylinders. They were junk. In less than a week 1 broke in half and the other 3 bent. This is caused by the way they sit at somewhat of an angle. Sure it laid out nicely but it only lasted a week. I sold the air and went with a 2 pump CCE setup and had zero problems out of it. IMO, juice is the only way to go on a mcpherson strutted car. As long as you have accumulators it rides great.

Originally posted by BodyDragginGMC



I've built a Mcpherson strutted Saturn in the past. You're only going to get it to lay by doing one of two things. Either ditch the strut bags and go with cylinders or ditch the air all together and go with hydraulics.

I first bagged mine using air cylinders. They were junk. In less than a week 1 broke in half and the other 3 bent. This is caused by the way they sit at somewhat of an angle. Sure it laid out nicely but it only lasted a week. I sold the air and went with a 2 pump CCE setup and had zero problems out of it. IMO, juice is the only way to go on a mcpherson strutted car. As long as you have accumulators it rides great.







I couldn't have said it better.....

I was thinking the same thing... could anyone post a link to where I could get info on either to buy or build a macpherson hydro strut... I think I'll keep the air for the season and try to get some hydro stuff for the 09 show season.

Edited: 7/4/2008 3:46:36 PM by So Tex Customz

http://www.layitlow.com/tech/suspension_strutsmake.shtml

my truck is on macstruts.
if you can, move the spindle mounts on the strut shaft higher on the strut without causing the bellow to touch the tire. luckily for my application, as long as its a smaller bag, the strut acctually sits inside the tire and not on top.

but i am also on my 2nd set of struts in 4 yrs(snapped an aim strut, and now a airlift strut), but i do put ALOT of miles on my truck. and drive on shitty canadian roads too.

if you want to keep the aire you can take the bearing and actually flip it and put the top of the strut tower in the engine compartmen that way the strut sits a little higher up ive seen i done a cuple times gets it lower but i think it looks like crap in the engine compartment

yep i say hydros as well