I think youve had a brain fart lol, it reduces AS not increases.
The attachment of any mount, especially those connecting suspension links is very important, and not just for single high point loads. The many thousand/millions of stress cycles that go through those points are what can cause crack proergation and problems begin.
having a guess at Benji's plate thickness here, but im guessing 4~6mm thick for his chassis mounts? The LR chassis is only 2.5mm thick, it is not good engineering practice to weld such different thickness components together like this. Abrupt change in stiffness causes stress risers. Also the corners of the chassis are not ideal to weld to, and not good practice to weld across the top or bottom flanges in general (I see he has his ends of plate at an angle I think, this somewhat helps.)
Again, both Gigglepin and Benji's kit LOWER the AS ;-) Lower AS lends itself to a less harsher ride and more supple suspension in general. We dont want to go so low that the rear end starts to squat under acceleration (though watch a Trophy Truck launch and see how much they squat...)
I know we think of ride quality and suppleness etc a direct result of spring rate and shock valving, but you can only tune so far, especially if the geometry is no good.
The other thing, which you havent touched on much, is the axle roll axis. You stated it of only real benefit in hardcore off roading/crawling. This is quite incorrect. Its extremely importand on road going vehicles of any kind. In fact the faster you go the more important it is. Back in the day crawlers had some pretty funky axle roll axis, but could get away with it due to the slower speeds they opperate at. Not ideal, no but not as big an issue as on road or off road at speed. In fact there are some occasions were the axle steer due to link geometry was an advantage...
All this stuff has come from road and race cars and been adapted to 4x4s. There is a lot of cross over. Sure some is different based on track racing vs crawling but for the most part 4x4s have moved closer to road/race going numbers than they started.
A frame + trailing arm may be 3 actual links, but it is a 4 link by design. If you input the numbers accurately for any 4 link the results will be accurate, whether that be a double triangulated 4 link, singe or wishbone. The wishbone simpley has the upper convergance point at the centre of the ball of the ball joint.
As far as Antisquat numbers though the calculator is based off road car, so rear wheel drive only. This is not correct for AWD on road or locked centre diff off road. BUT, it does give you a base to see changes quite clearly from.
abso-bloody-lutely!
Ill throw a little more here for consideration.
All the RRC, Disco 1 , and all coil sprung LRs use the basic radius arm front end and A frame + trailing arm rear. The only real change in that, over the years was, the widening of the radius arms and its bushes (reduced articulation, increased bush life, firmer on road) and whether the rear had a load leveler or not.
This was all origianlly designed for the 100 in wheel base RRC. Designed around its COG, its wheel base etc. Now just change ONE component and you change the geometry. Change the COG, geometry changes. Change the wheel base, geometry changes. Change the tyre height, the geometry changes and so on.
Take a stock 90, 110 and 130. Lets say the are all identical except their wheel base. The 90 will have the lowest AS and the 130 the highest.
Most defenders, especially 110's and 130's have more "spring" in the rear. whether its rate or height, and im talking stock from factory compared to a new old stock RRC. This means they have a higher axle roll axis angle (oversteer) than the RRC. it also mean higher AS again, over the RRC (plus the increase from longer wheel base..
I have owned a 81 RRC on stock springs and stock height tyres. It hands down drove better than my stock and then lifted 110!
and Rick, im very interested to hear more about your front end and sway bar set up. Do you have a memebers ride thread or any info on them
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