Replicar328
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| posted on 9/9/25 at 06:06 PM |
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FWD uprights
Anyone used front wheel drive uprights for double wishbone suspension? Hoping to find uprights I can readily find at breakers.
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nick205
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| posted on 9/9/25 at 06:21 PM |
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MK Indy used Ford Sierra front uprights for it's double wish bone front suspension. The Sierra wasn't FWD, but the 4x4 ones I believe used
the same uprights.
It required an adaptor making to fit in the MacPherson hole and a Transit drag link for the top wish bone.
Other uprights may work the same way.
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jelly head
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| posted on 10/9/25 at 08:04 AM |
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Just a point for consideration.. I have seen FWD uprights being used as nick205 says with a strut adaptor, but the builders also had to include the
chopped off ends of the driveshafts in order to keep the bearings in place.
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Dingz
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 06:10 AM |
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GTM used? Mini and metro front uprights all around. As did Lotus (metro) on the Elise.
But I guess there are few metro parts around these days!
[Edited on 11/9/25 by Dingz]
Phoned the local ramblers club today, but the bloke who answered just
went on and on.
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Slimy38
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 07:20 AM |
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There's a couple of designs in the Haynes roadster book. BMW front uprights are an option with a bit of work (a dummy portion of the mcpherson
strut to make them tall enough), and there's plenty of Beemers in the scrapyards now. They're also RWD by default so less messing around
with driveshaft stubs (although that's not exactly a difficult one to resolve). I'm sure someone used a VAG option with a similar dummy
strut to make the geometry work.
I'd also look at what else is needed, so for example if you go for BMW or Audi are you limiting yourself to certain design/size wheels. Are brake
parts and ball joints still readily available. Do you have the machining capacity to make the strut extensions?
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 09:13 AM |
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~2000's honda prelude? Pretty common car, still plenty in ebay/scrappies, parts still fairly available.
[Edited on 11/9/2025 by coyoteboy]
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Replicar328
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 10:17 AM |
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Many thanks for all the suggestions. I was wondering about the classic mini front end - but rare as hen's teeth, although new parts are
available at eye watering prices. I'm hoping to find a complete assembly including drive shaft, wheel hibs, brake discs and calipers, with the
only significant task being making suitable wishbones.
The Honda Prelude sounds interesting, I'll take a closer look. I'm reluctant to settle for McPerson strut as I want to keep the front end
low as possible. I do have access to machining capacity if it's feasible to machine the strut part to (safely) accept a rose joint or similar?
Shoot me down if I'm talking rubbish, but surely McPherson strut is just double wishbone with the upper wishbone of zero length set really
high....
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anonymouse
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 08:45 PM |
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So here is a real cheat for you.
To find an upright to use to make twin wishbone front suspension:
Use the front suspension from a car with twin wishbone front suspension!
Like a Lexus (Toyota Altezza) IS200/300 (1999 - 2005) or GS300
or an IS220/250 (2006 -> Which has an alloy upright with bolt on wheel bearing. :-)
;-)
The secret genius to this choice is that with a bolt on custom steering arm you can setup any increased ratio / steering lock and Ackerman that you
choose. :-)
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
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Replicar328
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 09:20 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by anonymouse
So here is a real cheat for you.
To find an upright to use to make twin wishbone front suspension:
Use the front suspension from a car with twin wishbone front suspension!
Like a Lexus (Toyota Altezza) IS200/300 (1999 - 2005) or GS300
or an IS220/250 (2006 -> Which has an alloy upright with bolt on wheel bearing. :-)
;-)
The secret genius to this choice is that with a bolt on custom steering arm you can setup any increased ratio / steering lock and Ackerman that you
choose. :-)
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
I think those are rear wheel drive cars? I want front wheel drive, maybe it’s possible but I don’t understand how?
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anonymouse
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| posted on 11/9/25 at 09:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Replicar328
quote:
Originally posted by anonymouse
So here is a real cheat for you.
To find an upright to use to make twin wishbone front suspension:
Use the front suspension from a car with twin wishbone front suspension!
Like a Lexus (Toyota Altezza) IS200/300 (1999 - 2005) or GS300
or an IS220/250 (2006 -> Which has an alloy upright with bolt on wheel bearing. :-)
;-)
The secret genius to this choice is that with a bolt on custom steering arm you can setup any increased ratio / steering lock and Ackerman that you
choose. :-)
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
[Edited on 11/9/25 by anonymouse]
I think those are rear wheel drive cars? I want front wheel drive, maybe it’s possible but I don’t understand how?
I should have said, they have the added feature that the later cars were available as AWD so you have the option of building your special as RWD, AWD
or if you wanted, FWD only!
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Sanzomat
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| posted on 12/9/25 at 08:54 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
GTM used? Mini and metro front uprights all around. As did Lotus (metro) on the Elise.
But I guess there are few metro parts around these days!
[Edited on 11/9/25 by Dingz]
MGF/MGTF used Metro/Rover 100 uprights and production continued for quite a while after Metro was discontinued and plenty of rusty MGF's around
to donate.
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JC
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| posted on 21/9/25 at 06:50 AM |
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Dredging my brain from the past…
As I recall, the issue with most FWD hardware is that the geometry was all wrong. Even if you insert a dummy strut, it put the top ball joint in the
wrong place and the top wishbone very short.
However….
Blackjack used a Golf Mk 2 (I think) upright, where the strut bolts onto the upright, rather than being clamped in a hole.
If you want a breaker yard solution, then I’d go MX5 - there are existing designs for this already.
MGF/Rover/Mini, which are essentially all the same except for the PCD are also good choices….but matching the PCD at the rear may be an issue. If my
old build blog is still live, there’s a whole section on MGF and Metro PCDs…
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