Do you have the shock in? That should stop it before hitting the frame rail.

Is there an engine in there?   Im thinking once it weighted down and the shock is installed the UCA should come up so it doesn't hit on the frame.

Steve69

GPatrick wrote:

Is your UCA pivot centered on that side? It is probably just side to side differences but it is possible to assemble the pivot off by a thread which moves it 1/8". The pivots can be offset intentionally on both sides for more caster but both sides need to set the same.

I did offset the pivots for more caster, as John at Opentracker advises, when I rebuilt them, but I was careful to mark them L/R so I'm pretty sure they are installed correctly.  I did have to dimple the spring towers slightly to provide enough clearance for the grease fittings though.
 

jkordzi wrote:

The car is on the ground, engine and drivetrain are in, but the shocks aren't in yet.  Also, the front sheetmetal, radiator and engine accessories, and interior aren't in, so I'm higher than final ride height.

I don't understand how the shocks are a consideration here.  On full droop, the shocks will limit suspension travel, but my issue is that the right side has less clearance between the frame and the UCA so when I jounce the suspension, the right UCA hits the frame.  I know that part of this is due to the Shelby drop, part is due to switching to taller springs, and part is due to biasing the UCAs rearward for more caster.  I also know that when the rest of the car gets assembled, the additional weight will compress the suspension more which will make this less likely to occur - but it may still occur.  So I'm wondering (1) have others seen this kind of clearance issue and do they notice a difference side-to-side, and (2) shoudl I just trim the frame rail lip a bit and call it good, or something more serious?  Thanks.

  Could you take side view pick showing the lower control arm and upper control arm along with the spindle?

 

Last edited by Steve69 (12/23/2014 11:26 AM)

Steve69 wrote:

jkordzi wrote:

The car is on the ground, engine and drivetrain are in, but the shocks aren't in yet.  Also, the front sheetmetal, radiator and engine accessories, and interior aren't in, so I'm higher than final ride height.

I don't understand how the shocks are a consideration here.  On full droop, the shocks will limit suspension travel, but my issue is that the right side has less clearance between the frame and the UCA so when I jounce the suspension, the right UCA hits the frame.  I know that part of this is due to the Shelby drop, part is due to switching to taller springs, and part is due to biasing the UCAs rearward for more caster.  I also know that when the rest of the car gets assembled, the additional weight will compress the suspension more which will make this less likely to occur - but it may still occur.  So I'm wondering (1) have others seen this kind of clearance issue and do they notice a difference side-to-side, and (2) shoudl I just trim the frame rail lip a bit and call it good, or something more serious?  Thanks.

  Could you take side view pick showing the lower control arm and upper control arm along with the spindle?

 

Sure - thanks:
 

Unless we are talking apples and oranges, at the full extension of the shock, it will not allow the upper control arm to drop that low.  I am recovering from hernia surgery yesterday so I can't get out to the garage to measure mine but if you can get someone to measure a shock at full extension from the lower surface of the upper mount to the lower connection to the roller perch you can get an idea of the lowest position of the upper control arm at the limit of travel.  If I remember from when my car was together with the Shelby drop, there was a fair amount of daylight between the bottom of the UCA and the frame when the front end was up in the air.  I'm wondering if the springs are too tall but it is hard to say until the car is a full weight.  Did you have the anti-roll bar installed when you were checking?  Sounds like you are doing the same exact mods that I have done on mine - someday I hope to actually have the car on the ground so I can see how it all works!

Install the shock.  It cannot go anywhere close to the frame rail.  Find another dragon to fight.

It can vary depending on how many shims are installed, or how many shims NEED to be installed, or even if the export brace is installed or not.  Shock towers can shift 1/2" or more at the top if a good solid export brace is not in place.  This is not a problem.  Move on to something else.