S13 suspension of FB Rx7 Part 3 (front suspension)

So been a while since I started to post, so the front suspension is why you are here. I did this with the mindset that I wanted this solution to be practically bolt on. I didn't want to have to modify my car and not be able to go back.
So let's start with what we got first, I started with a set of s13 Hks coilovers that I had bought so I had front and rear.


Looking at them I couldn't use them with factory spindles without cutting up everything.

And the top hats where 3 stud not 4 stud that I needed.

Let's start with how to attach them, I used a custom machined 4 stud camber plate top hat , but this is where you could use FC camber plates that match your brand set.

Only difference is the FC style plates have a slightly larger bolt pattern you can used them by oversizing your mount holes a small bit about 1/8" in each direction.


Once we have those mounted let's move down to the spindles.


I chose s13 spindles for a reason I had them laying around and there are tons of options for upgrading the brakes.

So I cleaned the s13 spindles , machined my brake rotors and cleaned up, painted everything. Spindles just pop on with just the two bolts.



After the spindle was attached up top I had to attack the lower control arm, now I used tubular aftermarket lowercontrol arms with integrated tension rods built in.

You could probably use a stock S13 LCA but as I was unsure of the track width difference I wanted something adjustable.


I did have to machine the sides of the LCA main attachment bearing to fit the rails of the FB mounts, sorry but I didn't keep this measurement but it was maybe .20" inch if I had to guess.

I also had to up size the mounting holes in the lowersubgrame to 14mm as I felt the 10mm factory stuff was weak sauce.





The next deal is attaching the tension rod, I made a braket to mount the bearing to and machined spacers for it to bolt into the factory tension rod mounts. You could do this many different ways but here is what I did. This setup gives me wheel clearances that matches the max angle of the factory swaybar that still on the car.
I ended up machining locating washers to bolt in to the factory tension rod location. And fabbed a braket to mount the new bearing in.




Now the brakes, I found that factory s13 brake caliper share the same straight thread (m10) for the brakelines that the fb has only difference is the s13 calipers use a banjo bolt. So just put a copper washer in and crank her down. Remember to bleed the brakes! I'll post a caliper shot with the hose later on.

Let see what the parts look like on the car...







Now I adjusted my LCAS to the same length as the factory fb lcas from bearing center to ball joint center. And aglined the car.







And here are the money shots once the full suspension system is installed, i have taken it to a few drift days, and have made regular dampening and ride height adjustments. And suspension has been taking a good amount of hammering.

S13 Suspension On FB RX7 Part 2 ( Rear suspension install)

So I ended up not going with ,exactly, what I mentioned in the first post. I was able to get my hands on a set of HKS Hiper D S13 Coilovers.


They were used but I scored them for $300 , little dirty but that's not a big deal.
I set out to tackle the rear coilovers first, so I drew up some stuff and ripped out a prototype to change my tophats so I wouldn't have to mess with cutting the inner fender well.

I eventually machined some tophats from aluminum and bought some energy suspension bushings for swaybar end links as they are the same size as the coilover stud


I did score some smaller springs from a local race shop for free. Higher spring rates but it doesn't have the helper coils.




After facebook friend had sent me this shot of his setup on some nonadjustables. I think this is the route I'm ending up going.



So after mocking it up this is what I had, I decided not to go with the shorter springs I also decided that I want gunna use my tophats because I needed a stud extention and would not be able to adjust them any more as the adjustment screw was at the top. 




My Facebook friend was also kind enough to send me this pic of his car and the trimming needed.

So now I had heard that if you trim the inner fender well that full size coilovers would fit, was well as slide into the lower mounts with a tad of trimming.


After starting to mock it all up I decided it was worth trimming the inner fender.

Coilover slipped right in the top perfectly , the bottom however the bolts where much smaller than the s13 mounts , so I pressed out the factory dampener's bushings and machined them down and pressed them into the coilovers so I could reuse my factory bolts.

With that done the rear is pretty much done.

See how i did the front
S13 FB Suspension Part 3