Pinion Angle 1

[MarkZE]

What is the significance of the pinion angle in a four link live axle setup?

I understand that floor clearances may be an issue in some road cars but I suspect there is a direct effect on the vehicles handling.

The particular example I am working on which has bought this question to my attention is a Westfield style Clubman being built by a freind for a street car. It is four link and uses a panhard bar. I don't know if is is equal or unequal length arms but they are all parallel when the car is viewed in plan.

He hasn't decided on anti squat / anti dive yet either but he is working with a horizontal lower arm at ride height.

I have had experience with one drag car guy who tells me 4° nose down is the go and another person who does street cars stuff who says 1° nose is all you need but neither can back up their claims with any reasoning. They jsut know this!

 

[PTwizz]

(Mainly for comedy value)
The method Greg suggests becomes more accurate as the car is lifted higher at one end. The method used among some of us LandRover enthusiasts is to lift one side of the vehicle, having placed some hay bales at the other side. The jack is raised until the vehicle reaches its balance point, when a plumbline gives an accurate indication of the CofG.
Don't try this at home, kids!

 

[EricFahlgren]

Get one of these and you don't need any hay bales. I've always wanted one to do exhaust systems...

http://www.accessiblesystems.com/60Degrees.htm

 

[tommog]

As ususal very interesting, but how to set up 4link, panhard and live axle for a car which actually needs to go around corners and needs maximum grip accelerating (still a Morgan but goes like a Porsch GT3 on straights and needs to learn the corners)?

I need to fix now some angles of the suspension, whereby the only fix point is the front fixation of the lower trailing arm which is about 46cm, the upper one will be about 40cm and sit further back (like Steeda's link for the Ford Mustang). Hence the a line through the front pick up points of the trailing arms leans massively backwards. The distance from the middle of the back axle would at max 7cm. What are the ideal angles for the lower and upper trailing arms, when the suspension moves 4.5 cm upwards and 2.5 cm downwards from rest?

cheers

Tommog