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Using Widebody Struts/Coilovers on a Flatty


jonboyb
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I have a set of Art's coilovers on KYB struts fully assembled and ready to go built using widebody front housings. They also have fully adjustable camber/caster plates. I know the front spindle geometry is slightly different, but shouldn't I be able to adjust that out with the camber/caster plates (given adequate adjustment room)? I hate to hack the lower perches on my factory front struts when I have a set already built, and I have a guy begging to buy my existing struts from my flatty (they are KYB with lowering springs already).

 

I know we have guys that have run widebody struts directly on flatty's so hopefully some will chime in. Thanks.

Edited by jonboyb
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You will have no issue running struts or camber plates from a widebody. The angle differences from a flatty to widebody are coming from the spindle assembly itself. They will bolt right in and you can set them up just like a widebody. I've done it on my flatty and countless others have as well. The spindle angle difference is because of the control arm lengths but that won't effect the suspension points because the strut towers are in the same place relative to the hub assembly.
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The instances of widebody front struts on flatties I've seen also involve running the widebody control arms. This will obviously increase your front track, but will provide the original widebody front camber angle.

 

You should be able to adjust out the difference in the spindle geometry with the camber plates if you're set on using flatty control arms. I'd suspect you're going to end up at the very limit of your adjustment.

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  • 1 month later...
I would like a wider track on the front of my 83. Just did the 5 lug swap. I'm running widebody spindles with flatbody control arms. Kept the steering arms from the flatbody too. If I go to widebody control arms I probably need to swap steering arms i'm guessing. Would this also make my camber more negative?
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Yes. I suspect the steering knuckles have a different ball joint angle to account for the different angle the strut is on, and keep the balljoint in its working range.
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  • 2 months later...
the balljoint mount is removable and very different between the two along with the length of the tie rods. Strut husings/spindle are the same except I think one pair of mine was taller and the strut inserts from my flatbody struts would not fit into the widebody housings... IIRC. I'm running pretty low now with quite a bit of camber up front. Same as a widebody lowered without camber plates tho I believe.
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