MB S7 Suspension ?

[citiracer]

We ran our first night on the new S7 suspension with our smack car and the car was SO much easier to drive.
But we broke the RF brake line off because it got into the spring. The spring actually hit the brake line hook-up on the caliper, not the line itself.
Our post mortem shows that it is possible for this to happen. Is this a known issue? Do I need some sort of steering stop?

[mab18]

Yes you will need a steering stop.

[citiracer]

Well we feel real dumb now. After going through the car yesterday we found that we DID have a steering stop (collar on the power assist rod) but clearly it wasn't adjusted properly. Helps if you actually use what you have available I guess :p
I think we're also going to put a 45* fitting on the caliper just to keep the cable pointed away from the spring at all times.

[SLM98]

Did you change anything else on the car besides front end parts like rf spring?

[citiracer]

We ran both a 400, 425, and 450 on the RF last year depending on conditions. We started out on the 425 this weekend. The car handled really well with the 425 once we got some of the throttle push out of it. We just missed the setup in our heat race and the car was tight on throttle in the center. The track came to us and then some in the consi (we actually tightened it up some in anticipation) and it was really good through the middle and really easy to drive (until the brake issues). On a super slick track, all rear brake is a bad thing I guess :-)

[362CID]

Does the ride heights change with the S7 suspension?

[F22 RAPTOR]

What is S7? Is this the Gen X front end or something else?

[dirtlm15]

ride height on s7 is 3.5"' i have a stop on my rack and have had tire rf rub lower frame rail so i can see where youd have a brake line problem i actullay run a longer line and loop it so it has play but wire tie it to my upper seems to work for us.

[citiracer]

We have also always run a longer line (21 inches) and looped it but now with the 45* fitting on the caliper it really keeps it out of the way. That and getting the steering stop where it needs to be I think has us fixed up.
Yes the ride heights are lower on the S7 at 3.5" both sides. And yes, the S7 is just the GenX front-end and it can be installed on a Smackdown but you have to replace the left upper control arm frame support (the new one arches way in).
At first I wondered if the car was somehow going to be LOWER given the shorter ride heights but when I compared the old and new spindles, I saw what was going on. On the new spindles, the snout is way lower (closer to the lower ball joint).
All I can say is that it is like driving a totally different car. Night and day difference for the better.

[SLM98]

Wished I could get Keith and Tater to tell me this stuff all they want to do is sell me a new car

[hall99]

I have run the S7 Suspension on a smack car for 2 years and started this year with a new Gen X car. Yes the S7 suspension does drive different on the smack car but I don't think it made the car any faster, in comparing the two cars the Gen X car does everything that I wanted the smack car to do for the last several years. Keith and Tater are very confident in there new cars which they should be IMO they are a 100% improvement over the smack cars in open motor racing.

[F22 RAPTOR]

So what changes in the driving characteristics of the car when you change over to, "S7"?
Does it help sidebite any in the Smack cars?

[JAMESGANGRACING]

yesterday brad at mastersbilt told me 3 1/2 lf 3 3/8 rt front.

[citiracer]

So what changes in the driving characteristics of the car when you change over to, "S7"?
Does it help sidebite any in the Smack cars?

The difference I felt was that the car steered into the corner much more positive but without being too free. And then from the center off (and this is the best part), if I gassed up and it wasn't set just right, I could really just "drive" the car with the steering wheel coming off the corner and keep the throttle steady. With the old setup I always felt like if I didn't nail the entry and have it set just right in the middle, I had to really fight it with the throttle and/or brakes to get it turned one way or another in the center. That's just my experience after about 25 laps with it and I only have 14 races in a LM under my belt.
I'm sure others who have more experience with both can provide better feedback but I absolutely love the way it feels compared to the old setup and we really haven't changed much else as far as setup goes.

[hall99]

I agree with you Citiracer, the old standard smack stuff you have to chalk RF on entry if not the back end would seem to wash out on you.

[dirtlm15]

brads kinda right. tader said 3.5 to start then you may find yourself taking out a few rounds on rf to help car roll up. s-7 allows you to run a soft rf tie down setup. citiracer are you sure the s7 and gen x are same something tells me i think spindles are alittle different because keith had a s7 with a mastersbilt steel tag welded to it and the x car i think just had mb on it. also i think uppers are different lengths than s7 smack. x car is wider so it seems like there different can't remember since seminar.

[citiracer]

brads kinda right. tader said 3.5 to start then you may find yourself taking out a few rounds on rf to help car roll up. s-7 allows you to run a soft rf tie down setup. citiracer are you sure the s7 and gen x are same something tells me i think spindles are alittle different because keith had a s7 with a mastersbilt steel tag welded to it and the x car i think just had mb on it. also i think uppers are different lengths than s7 smack. x car is wider so it seems like there different can't remember since seminar.

I thought they were the same but I'm not 100%. Surely somebody on here knows for sure.

[SLM98]

The guys at PPM says they are different didn't say what but they are different.

[hall99]

Yes they are not the same.