Hey everyone,
I will be performing an 88' cradle swap into my 86 here in the next couple months and I was wondering if anyone is currently setup with HT Motorsports Spherical 88' Suspension links?? If so, how do you like the setup? If you are running poly links instead, how are they? Advantages or Disadvantages of Poly vs. Spherical bearings?

Thanks

Weekend bump. No one has these??

I have heim joints but haven't driven the car yet. I can tell you from side by side comparison theres no comparison. The heim joints are much stronger and seem have better adjustment. I'll try to get some pics over the few days if you want. JC

I have that setup. I think its a tight deal but ive had problems with lash play within the bearings Held uses. The Tollorances are not that good. I have had it for about 1 year and am still replacing Heims. Trying to find a better joint , otherwise its good

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Even with the lash problems you have had, would you still consider them better then poly links? Or are they not worth the extra $$?

Kind of off topic. I just put my '88 cradle into my '86 GT and noticed that the passenger side coolant tube interferes with the '88 cradle. Not by much but it does. Nobody ever mentioned that when I was researching swaping cradles. Just a heads up.

Coolant tube mentioned since 2001 here....

http://www.martinwhite.name.../88cradle/index.html

If i could do it again, buy the kit without the Heims and get some good ones. Its expensive otherwise and then to still have to buy heims, its a pain to have to change them when you think you got it done right ! I was alittle disapointed but when the heims are good, the car is unbelievable !, but noisey !

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quote Originally posted by Bozzie: If i could do it again, buy the kit without the Heims and get some good ones. Its expensive otherwise and then to still have to buy heims, its a pain to have to change them when you think you got it done right ! I was alittle disapointed but when the heims are good, the car is unbelievable !, but noisey !

Have you found a source for good heims? What size/thread are they?

Thanks

I would like to know more about this as well. I have been considering this set for my car also.
HT has a new owner and this is a full time thing for him not just part time. I have ordered some things from
him already with great service. he and I did talk and one thing he told me was that he bought a Fiero for himself
to test and improve the products as well as maybe add a few more.
I think I will call him and ask him about the links to see if he can come up with something stronger.
I will post it here after I talk to him.
D.

I just got off the phone with Erik the new owner of HT. He is working to find stronger longer lasting joints for this setup.
one thing we talked about was that the trailing arm has the most stress and he may do this one differant.
I am working with him on a new set that I will test on my car as well as his car.
D.

[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 04-21-2009).]

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: I would like to know more about this as well. I have been considering this set for my car also. HT has a new owner and this is a full time thing for him not just part time. I have ordered some things from him already with great service. he and I did talk and one thing he told me was that he bought a Fiero for himself to test and improve the products as well as maybe add a few more. I think I will call him and ask him about the links to see if he can come up with something stronger. I will post it here after I talk to him. D. I just got off the phone with Erik the new owner of HT. He is working to find stronger longer lasting joints for this setup. one thing we talked about was that the trailing arm has the most stress and he may do this one differant. I am working with him on a new set that I will test on my car as well as his car. D.

Awesome, please keep us updated as things develop

just an update for you.

Erik has contacted QA1 and found a way better Heim joint that he will now use in this set up.
also on the trailing arm I am getting a prototype finished up this week, time permiting to send to him for testing it will have a urithane bushing instead of the Heim
to make it stronger. I will be using this setup in my car. the lower arms will still have the Heim's and be adjustable but the trailing arm will have the urithane bushing and be fixed.
this should make a great setup for the car.

I will keep you posted with more later.
D.

I was told by a few sources that every attempt to make the trailing arm 'solid' resulted in suspension wear and failures. I've gone heim on the lateral links, but not that trailing link. Any suspension gurus know any reasons why not to make the trailing arm solid?

quote Originally posted by whodeanie: I would like to know more about this as well. I have been considering this set for my car also.D.

Likewise.

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"I drive modified Fieros- anything less would be uncivilized."

quote Originally posted by CTFieroGT87: I was told by a few sources that every attempt to make the trailing arm 'solid' resulted in suspension wear and failures. I've gone heim on the lateral links, but not that trailing link. Any suspension gurus know any reasons why not to make the trailing arm solid?

It will be built just like the stock setup with urithane bushings at eather end to allow for flex. if it were solid it would cause a bind under load.
once I get the prototype done to send to Erik I will post pic's of it as well.
D.

quote Originally posted by CTFieroGT87: I was told by a few sources that every attempt to make the trailing arm 'solid' resulted in suspension wear and failures. I've gone heim on the lateral links, but not that trailing link. Any suspension gurus know any reasons why not to make the trailing arm solid?

A the rear suspension is cycled from max compression to max extension the trailing link arcs outward and then back in. This arcing motion requires some amount of pivoting of the trailing link bushings side to side. Also, the trailing link is the sole locating link front to rear. It takes every shock load from pot holes, speed bumps, surface seams, any road irregularity as well as all accelleration and braking forces. The loads the lateral links see is much, much less and with minimal shock loading. When I upgraded my 88 to poly, I kept the trailing link all rubber. Someday I will probably replace the lateral links with rod ends, but will most likely keep the trailing link with rubber bushings.

At work many of our pockets (up to 68 per machine) use rod ends (and each one is subject to about 25% rotation 4 million + times a month) and we have found Aurora Rod Ends to be the best. We get about 5 to 10X the number of months before excessive wear than the cheaper versions, but they are far from cheap.

I will have an update on this set up in about 2 weeks
With pic's.
I will keep you posted.
D.

Ive had these for quite some time, no road time as of but soon enough

Matt

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By:Custom2M4
in process-12" front brakes using '88 calipers and '88 brakes in rear
'88 rear suspension, Held adjustable links solid mounted
94 3.4TDC, 60-1 BB turbo,A/W IC, Tial 38mm, QuarterMaster button flywheel/twin disk clutch, ARP hardware, fully balanced bottom end, Ported Heads

A + to Jncomutt for his swap link, and a post to keep this thread logged in my profile. Some very good info in here.

Ok, i finaly got around to geting these things done
I was trying to make them affordable for Erik at HT but with no luck so I guess I will be the only one with a set.
if anyone wants a set of just the trailing arms contact Erik at HT but they will most likely be 2x what the steel ones are.
here are the pics and the specs

they are made out of T6 alu. 1-1/8" thick hex bar and the ends are 1/4" wall
the bushings are smaller than the stock arm to reduce flex but Erik has them.

Dean





I will post more pic's of them installed on my car friday

[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 06-11-2009).]

here are the links installed on the car.

Whodeanie, I have to ask a question, but please don't take it the wrong way:

Are you sure you want to use aluminum for those links? Isn't it kind of brittle? I was under the impression that Al fatigues....

quote Originally posted by aaronkoch: Whodeanie, I have to ask a question, but please don't take it the wrong way: Are you sure you want to use aluminum for those links? Isn't it kind of brittle? I was under the impression that Al fatigues....

I will not take it the wrong way almost all new sports cars have aluminum arms these days. I am not worried about the strenght of them because I have been building things like this for several years and have never had a problem with any of them. that is why I used t6 and the bar is 1-1/8" it was a bit over kill.
D.