RX7 shock cartrige alert

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While disasembling my front suspension to add more turn in spacers I found that my right front strut retaining nut that holds the shock in had come all the way off. I was adding more turn in spacers because the car seemed to be getting looser as the weekend went on but now I know why, I had no upstroke on my right front shock...
the nuts were installed by myself with about 25 pounds so do whats needed to see this dosnt happen to you.

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Daryl Brightwell
ITA Mazda #77
SFR, NORPAC
CSCC, SOPAC
 
we run two ita rx7's and one of them lossens the stut nut every three races or so. the other car has been fine. we check for wheel bearing play every weekend at the least and when we shake the wheel top to bottom we feel play and tighten them up again. it has just become another check list item.
 
Being that I didn't put the inserts in you know who got blamed for the loose right nut.
redface.gif


Good thing I keep my mouth shut because it comes loose on a regular basis.

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Have Fun

David Dewhurst
CenDiv Milwaukee Region Spec-7 #14
 
The top nut retaining the struts on my 2nd gen were found loose after my last event too, even with the jam nut. I guess it's safety wire time.

PaulC
 
One of the reasons your nut may be loosening is that you don't have a washer between strut cap (screw top that holds the strut in) and the rubber bump stop.
Under compression the bump stop touches the top of this nut and if you turn during that time you can loosen the nut, once it's loose vibration and contuned turning can back it off completely.
Wonder why it happens only on one side? Maybe your only making hard right or left turns on that track? (hard enough to compress the strut completely) The washer(usually hard slipery plastic) lets the parts move independently.

Koni sells them and they usually come in there kits but alot of people throw them out or don't know where they go during assembely.
 
I might be off base here, but are you all talking about the big nut that is the very highest on the strut? Mine actually tightens the strut to the top bearing of the camber plate. Has anyone used an impact driver with any success? As the strut wants to spin as this nut is tightened, the action of the impact driver might just snug it up properly.

just a thought.....

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Jake Gulick
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by lateapex911 (edited September 01, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by lateapex911 (edited September 02, 2002).]
 
I was assuming Daryl (7's) was talking about the nut that holds the cartridge in the housing. I have also had that nut come loose on both a 1st and 2nd gen.

I think Karl's post is also talking about the same nut.

The rest seem to be speaking of the nut that goes on the end of the strut rod (viewed through an open hood) not through the wheel well.

So Daryl which one are you talking about?
 
While we are on the topic....

I got punted in qualifying by a "friend" and picked a bad vibration in the car after the "incident." I figured it was probably just flat spotted tires BUT....Upon inspection, here is what we found...

The ball joint at the end toe rod was EXTREMELY loose. Keep in mind that this item is put on with a castle nut and a cotter pin. So, we tightened it and the "loosenes" was still in the (right front) wheel. SO...we pulled off the turn in spacer and inspected the Ball-joint AND...that was loose too. Same setup, by the way. The lower control arms are all pretty much brand new and were checked for tightness when installed...

SO...be sure to check your front suspension for play, not just in the bearings, but in the suspension itself...especially after being spun (or just spinning)...GRIN.



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Balz
#67 IT-7
www.balz.myip.org
"I live my life one Apex (seal) at a time"
 
kirk
on a rx7 the bottom of the strut bolts to a piece that ataches to the ball joint and the tie rod end with two bolts. the "turn in spacer" is welded to the bottom of the strut becomeing part of the strut. it raises the strut and spindle in relation to the lower control arm and can be used to changes the indexing between the strut and the piece below changing the relationship between the spindle and the tie rod end thus changing the ackerman. it is an unintended result of the free strut rule
dick
 
oh boy Dick, now you've done it... I was going to pretend I didnt hear him, wait till we get talking about our G-Force tri-link setups. and Daryl, yes I was refering to my shock/cartridge nut..
 
Did you note how much the toe had changed when you went to readjust the camber?

You probably bent something; not necessarily a strut. How about a lower arm or a mounting point?
 
TURN-IN Spacers:

Is this just a shim in the shape of the 2-hole flange? What thickness?
Are these something you make, or something you buy?

I'm having a hard time visualizing how it would affect ackerman. Bump steer maybe.

I doubt they are legal in Spec7, but it sounds interesting.
 
Yes, they do back out. And yes, I am convinced that the jounce bumper has something to do with it.

Bottom line, do a bolt and nut check after EVERY race or at east once per month on a street car. I hate havin' S*** fall off the car at 100 mph!!!

bobrx7
Novi, MI
 
*******OK>>> More while we are on the topic...

As info...we went to the nation run-offs at Mid Ohio (I was helping the 01 EP car, Jeff Dernehl, good friend and helper on the 67 Car <mine>).

It was a hoot, but that is another story...Day 2 (first dry day), we were having some REAL problems getting the car to settle down (handling). We changed spring weights, made shock adjustments, scalled the car, set ride-heights (over and over again) and could not figure out "what the heck was wrong."

Second spring change on the front of the car...I happened to compress one of the front shocks (while removing a spring) and accidently pulled up on it as I was removing the spring...to my surprise...the was "0" rebound. It was dead...you could pull it straight out as if there was no back pressure at all.

DEAD SHOCK (and it was a relatively NEW one too). Turns out, 3 weeks prior, the same side from brake rotor BROKE off and BROKE the brake caliper off of the mount....the whole wheel came off from the spindle out....the car spun..etc, etc, etc...

Well, seems this minor incident "potentially" damaged the shock...

NOW...between every race, I am adopting the "suspension "FULL" inspection" policy. Zip nuts off the top of the strut (BTW...it was really a front strut and not a shock..sorry to the purists) and physically check the compression (bump and rebound) on the fronts and rears. It is also a great time to check <inspect> the rest of the suspension and braking parts as well.

The difference in the car took us from 21st to 12th on the grid...and landed us a 3rd (podium) at our first ever National Run-off (watch it on the Speed Channel)<GRIN>.

I hope someone can learn from our issue!

Frank

(this e-mail was not reviewed for spelling or grammar mistakes) GRIN


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Balz
#67 IT-7
www.balz.myip.org
"I live my life one Apex (seal) at a time"
 
Frank, I was crew for the E Prod 07 car. To bad we didn't meet. You folks were at the wall during the race one spot down. A young felllow (neat young lad)on the 01 crew cam over a couple times with reference to the offical lap count. It appeared there was a miss understanding on his (the 01 crew) part on the lap counting. I communicated to him that the first time the cars came by the front straight flag tower that was the completition of lap 1. He was about as excited as one can get jumping up & down 2 -3 laps from the flag. He was fun to watch. Hell if I'm not mistaken we helped your car through a little situation in the carousel. That was about as big a crash fest as I have viewed at the Runoffs. Should be intresting to watch on Dec 14th. All the $hit that went on & TR was the only one to protest anyone. & he lost..... Erik & Jeff talked at impound.

One more race on Oct 12 & 13 at Blackhawk farms for myself before the snow flys.

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Have Fun

David Dewhurst
CenDiv Milwaukee Region Spec-7 #14
 
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