Front struts on the rear?

[Rusty]

Anyone run front struts on the rear of a coupe? Just thinking that it would beef up the ARB mounting points and make some components cheaper such as dampers, drop links etc. Just needs the steering arms grinding off to neaten things up.

Thoughts welcome.

[S2central.net]

There might be a radical (good or bad) difference in geometry with that setup... I've not got a memory of a BTDT on this one... You might have to get thy hands dirty to find out if it fits at all, then if there is sufficient adjustment range on the alignment to get it squared up.

Paul

[Rusty]

Suppose I'll need to compare a front and rear strut and see if they're the same shape or not.

[Rusty]

Anyone got some front and rear struts to hand to compare. Error404? Be interesting to get some measurements off them to see if this is a possibility to get correct ARB placement using the FARB.

[Acidburn]

What do you need to know, I might be going over to where all my stuff's stored to pick up my opening rear window kit so might be able to check my spare s2 set there.

[Rusty]

I want to know if the front and rear struts are the same length, hole centres for attaching to hubs, spring platform distance to mounting holes, shock insert sizes etc. Basically if I can fit a set of front struts to the rear without hilarous consequences. Also be interested if a set of S2 rear shock inserts will fit a set of CQ 50mm front struts. Of course I could just get custom drop links but that's no fun

[johne]

Bilstein inserts have different part numbers for front (625 44 0920) and rear (625 44 1270) and as best as I can recall from fitting them some years ago the front inserts were around 15mm longer than the rear ones.

[Error404]

Andy I've got a set of CQ struts knocking about

I'll try and take some measurements between them tomorrow.
If it is workeable the CQ struts would be best as they already have the 12mm bolt holes, no need to drill the hubs out.

I'm happy to donate mine to scientific research if it'll help mate

[newsh]

Shame I sold the 3 struts I had..

[newsh]

Brake fixings were different I think.

[4WheelDrifter]

The spring perches are slightly different height. ~12mm higher on the front IIRC.
I've beefed up the RARB mounting points on my rear struts, just by welding them on both sides.

[Rusty]

Yeah, welding might be an idea for now but the drop links are too long. I could shorten them down a little or get some adjustable ones but I've just fitted new ones at £50+ each! It's just that front suspension components are cheaper than the rears by quite a bit. The hub bolts are the same size on mine so not sure what difference the CQ ones are?

basically looking to get a proper 4 wheel alignment done when it's all sorted and at over £100 I'd prefer it to stay the same for a bit after that!

[Error404]

the S2 front struts are 14mm bolts the CQ fronts are 12mm. Have you got 14mm strut -> hub bolts at the rear too then?

[4WheelDrifter]

M Chassis S2s have M12 bolts front and rear, N chassis onwards have M14 AFAIK.
Andy, just weld the rear struts and shorten the drop links, save butchering a set of front struts.

[Rusty]

Although a set of H&R rears with 12mm higher purches would sort the reverse DTM look that H&R seem to have managed...

As stated earlier, welding is an easy option, always like to keep things going until they either work or fail. Look at the FARB on the rear, that took some researching even if it wasn't a new idea and I'm well chuffed with the results. This isn't as radical but I'm pretty heasdstrong so until I rule it out I'll keep thinking it's possibly a good idea Bloody Engineers...