The Project Pad

Video 3

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ZvTIe_TUc[/youtube]

And that is roughly a four inch drop... I'll post the track bar pic when I correct it.

Ok, here was what it took to get the track bar corrected. Now the ball joint end is not in a bind at full compression which is extremely low now since I clearance the sheet metal lip where it was close to contacting the CV Shaft.

I got it back together and all is good. Waiting on new driveshaft... And then get it to alignment.

Here is what it looks like at full compression... Leaves me roughly 2" from touching the ground when squatted. Looks like it's ready to go fast just sitting still in the garage on jack stands.

Next project... Big brakes for the rear... Not sure if I'm going to stay with these 300mm or try to get around 320/330ish. It has got to be better than my tiny junk 20v rotors

Ok, so I couldn't leave it alone and I think it was worth it. I stepped it up bigger. I have found a huge upgrade to what I had. Some people were giving me crap about the high horsepower build and said I should have been equally concerned with stopping. Brakes seemed boring to me and didn't help me to go faster, so it was the last thing on my mind. After a couple hard pulls and some scary, high speed attempts to slow down, I quickly changed my view on that. I want all of the stopping power I can possibly get just short of mounting a parachute on the back and I'm not doing that... Not yet anyway Who knows... I might decide to gear up and Run in the Texas Mile event next year. I'm going to hang out with Jeff at this years Texas Mile to see if I can learn a thing or two from him before enrolling. Back to the brakes... These rotors leave just enough room for the calipers to clear the inside of the wheel and even enough room to clear my "tape-a-weights". These rotors should be able to do anything I ask of them. I went from factory single 240x10mm to 330x22mm. That should be enough to soak up up some heat and friction and change the leverage point. I already have a Tilton proportioning valve for front to rear bias so the only thing I need to do is check to make sure my factory rear proportioning valve is working as built and make sure it is adjusted on the bracket correctly since I lowered the car so much. I'm thinking now with the new suspension set up, I will see a lot less nose diving on hard braking even as heavy as the front end is. Three things should play into that. Having the car pretty close to level now, having bigger brakes on the rear to help the front, and the adjustable coilovers helping/delaying to slow the ass end from going up in the air when hard on the brakes. Who knows, I might only need my front to back Tilton proportioning valve and might not even need the height sensitive factory valve in the back. I need to make my adapter plates now to mount the calipers. I ordered new calipers and are waiting for them to come in. I stole the ones off of my 90 V8 for measurements for now. The rotors I chose wound up being $42.00 at Orielys Auto Parts.
Brake project continuation will be some nice dust shield plates that will have integrated air scoops to pull in air and force feed/cool the rotors. Later I can play with nice drilled/slotted rotors, but this was a low budget shot in the dark.

My driveshaft came in today. I recommend these guys. They sent me a UPS prepaid label and I dropped the driveshaft off on Monday, and it was sitting on my door two days later. It was only $450 which included two new CV joints/boots, new carrier bearing, new u-joint, and balancing. I don't think I could have even bought the parts for that cheap let alone mess with the labor and getting it balanced.

https://www.powertrainindustries.com/about.htm

Wholesaleimportparts

Very good info in this thread! Thanks for taking the time to document it all. I'm sure there's a lot of people (myself included) who'd be interested in the bracket you used for the rear brakes, if you ever wanna have a batch made up.

I've been considering a driveshaft rebuild myself, as my carrier bearing is toast, and I know my CVs need a regrease at a minimum. I would be concerned that the rebuilt shaft won't last though, as my experience with rebuilt CVs and rebuilt PS racks has been spotty. How is the companies reputation?

Oh, and sweet build, btw - I love it!

2.5TYPE44 wrote:My driveshaft came in today. I recommend these guys. They sent me a UPS prepaid label and I dropped the driveshaft off on Monday, and it was sitting on my door two days later. It was only $450 which included two new CV joints/boots, new carrier bearing, new u-joint, and balancing. I don't think I could have even bought the parts for that cheap let alone mess with the labor and getting it balanced.

https://www.powertrainindustries.com/about.htm

Wholesaleimportparts

How is the companies reputation?

I bought the center u-joint from Powertrain Industries a while back after Yodasfro suggested them. I liked talking to someone who actually knows his stuff rather than some drone. And I got a part that actually fit.

We know Yodasfro's opinion goes a long way in the Type44 world. Good to know.

GTJeff wrote:

How is the companies reputation?

I bought the center u-joint from Powertrain Industries a while back after Yodasfro suggested them. I liked talking to someone who actually knows his stuff rather than some drone. And I got a part that actually fit.

Started to fab up a forced air brake dust shield to go with the new big brake upgrade. I think I'm going to attach a ram air scoop on the bottom of the control arm and then attach a flexible hose up to the dust shield where I will I have a hose attachment welded on. I want to force air into the vents of the rotor. Meanwhile, patiently waiting for my other caliper to come in so I can quit "tinkering" and start driving it.

I've been working on the retrofit for the lights up front and finally got the driver's side relays in. I ran into a wiring issue before adding the relays. Since I added the French V8 fog lights, I thought I would do some professional factory wiring and use the factory V8 fog light harness located in the front bumper. Turns out the wire is very small and was burned. It set me back a couple of days of troubleshooting and rework. I wound up running my own 10 gauge wire. I relayed the lights to take the load off of the headlight switch on the column. I would much rather replace a $5 relay from the corner store as compared to a hard to find or NLA factory stalk switch. I just need to add some wire loom to clean it up.

The relays are rated for 40 amps each. They are each protected by inline fuses. The gray relays feel way more heavier and solid than the black Bosch relays.

The lefts side is done and now I have to do the left.

I hate to be a debbie downer, but I have made a light relay harness just like you have there, and the stress the spade connectors put on the relay tabs eventually breaks the solder inside the relays and your lights start to flicker. You really need to use a relay base board or base plugs as they takes any sideways stress off the tabs themselves.

Something like this
http://www.jegs.com/i/Hella/288/H849880 ... Hwodky8C9A

Maybe you will get lucky, but my daily driver had a setup like that and it would wear out lighting relays every 6 months or so.

I prebent/ preformed the wires so that they were not tugging on the tabs at an angle. Once I put the tie wraps to bring them together it started to pull at them at an angle so then I straightend them again until they were neutral. I know hot temps and stress would want to separate the solder joints internally while under a load. I did not want a relay base board to take up more room. This harness is able to swing up to core support level to maintain and tuck away under the headlight to hide. I have several Leash electronic relay boards mounted to my frame that control my dual 044 pumps and another that controls the dual fans. But in this case, I did not want them. Thanks for the advice though. If I have ever have any issues with the lights, that will be one of the first things to check.

Here is what I have for my pumps and fans...

hopefully you will be ok. Having your lights go out completely while driving down a mountain pass in the snow and winter is not good. Ask me how I know.

They can take zero stress over time.

I'm running a similar setup and I haven't had any problems for two years and counting. Plus, it helps to have 4 individual relays, so if one goes out, I've still got another plus the high beams. I think he'll be fine.

keep in mind I also do 50,000 miles a year on some of the worst roads that can be considered paved. My cars get a decade of abuse in a year. Im a good test bed. Other likely would not have issues with things that I do.

A total blackout shouldn't happen. I am supplying straight off of the alternator at the jump start stud by way of #6 fine strand to each individual inline fuse with 8 relays.

The 8 relays are for...

1. H.I.D. Headlight ballast

2. Projector hi/low shutter solenoid

3. 100 watt brights

4. 55 watt V8 fogs in the bumper

For future reference, I really like the Racetronix relays and connectors.
http://www.racetronix.biz/items.asp?Cc= ... =0&Tp=&Bc=

Ok, so after the questioning and concerns about my wiring... I started to question myself. As I started to look at the wiring, it started to look a little "busy" and "home made" and I am trying to keep things as clean as possible, So I found a waaaayyy cleaner and faster install, and actually cheaper. Win/Win/Win situation. I called up the guys at The Retrofit Source where I bought my Morimoto mini projectors, shrouds, and halos and asked about an easier install for my 200 Quattro. After about 30 seconds, they had a damn near plug and play solution. So I got there 9007/9004 plug and play harness and it's only $35.00. It plugs right into the factory headlight connector and you supply the box with 12 volts. The leads are labeled, crimped, heat shrunk and have wire loom the whole length. I wish I wouldn't have spent the money on the wire, relays, connectors, heat shrink, in line fuse holders, and wire loom.

Now I just need to get find a machine shop to make me a CV spacer to correct the steering bind issue and the lack of engaged spline. Then the shaft should be long enough that the steering rack doesn't pull it apart when you turn the wheels. There is 24mm of in/out play. This is necessary for when you turn the wheels. My opinion is that it is best to have the CV axle 1/2 way extended or in the neutral/ free-resting position with the wheels facing straight. That way you have 12mm to stretch when the wheels get turned and you need the extra length. It is also important not to be bottomed out on the inner and outer cV's while the wheel is straight because you will probably apply stress and load pushing at the transmission and flange if the CV is too long. In my case, both of my axle shafts are too short which causes them to pull apart at the clip and leave very little spline engaged to the wheel bearing to deliver torque. It also causes the steering to be put in a bind when turning until the steering rack separates the CV axle by pulling so hard that the outer clip gives way.

[youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=hCUig-Qw494[/youtube]

Are you testing this with the wheels on the ground at ride height?

I know that machine shop, I'll have them ship those out tomorrow

Yes sir. That is at ride height with wheels straight.

I can take take the spacer out of the passenger side and place it on the driver's side and then it will be long enough. Then I will just need a 20mm spacer for the passenger side.