Gentlemen (and Carguy) -
Thank you all for the input!
Midget mud wrestling? Reallllly??? Wow, y'all shore is fancy there in Tejas...
TRX, yes, I've read a good bit about Sir Arthur's "Trailing Arm Magic" and Woblink system. They had 4-link down to an art form. Our own Cheapracer did some tests and video'd them using a 4-link system that is also quite interesting and informative. I'm not familiar with Shope's work, so I'll be reading up on that.
I also might check out Mongo the Magnificent while I'm at it. I read a bunch of detective novels back a few years ago. Liked them, even the formulaic ones like "Spenser" and "Elvis Cole." My favorite was the Matt Scudder series. Scudder was an alcoholic ex-cop. He struggled with blackouts, couldn't always remember what he had just learned, was his own worst enemy but managed to solve the crime.
MV8- Wow, you put a lot of effort into this. Thank you!!!
Those pictures are the last iteration of the control arms, upper and lower. The more recent work on them was about modifying/improving the ends where they attach to the bushings on the uprights and some gentle re-shaping of the uprights to get rid of a tendency to bind I had noticed. The pics were taken on the not-level and slightly bumpy driveway at my old house, too. The perspective is suspect at best.
Arm lengths are 9 inch upper and 11 inch lower, from memory. Seems like the instant centers I figured out were longer than in your drawing. I'll do some measuring this afternoon, when I get out there playing in the garage (as TWWTFM refers to it...)
Ditching the IRS has come up before, usually with profanity involved. When I calm down, I feel like I've got too much time/effort invested in it to give up now. IRS was one of the "design goals" AKA the "stuff I want" list when I started this day-dream. It seemed -and still seems- like the way to go for bumpy surfaces like hill climbs or the parking lots where we autocross. Ask me again if I have to re-do the control arms another time. That Ranger 8.8 with trick axles might sound like a good idea then...
John! Good to hear from ya! Yes, I've been fettling the rear suspension some more. Those long trailing arms you see on old Lotus F1 cars are the kind of thing I've been thinking about. I can't say for sure that the wheels are "walking" under acceleration, but it seems like I'm getting a loss of traction on corner exit these days, when I start to apply power, so maybe that's the diagnosis. James' take on it was worded differently (He's from Georgia...) but the same concept.
Horizenjob's Car9 design uses a single attachment point inboard on the LCAs and a long trailing arm forward, like you mention. Take a look, it's a neat design.
All-
Again, thanks for the input and the thoughts. I appreciate ya!
So far, I'm thinking of a single, long trailing arm from each lower control arm that goes forward to the front roll hoop. Took some measurements the other day and it comes out to almost 3 feet! I'm still in the "thinking about it" stage, so that may change. It may morph into a 4-link. It may morph into a sausage link and I'll not have to do any welding! Stay tuned...
Peace, Love and Trailing Arms-
JDK
_________________
JD, father of
Quinn, Son of a...
Build LogQuinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special "Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom