1968 Isuzu Bellett 1500

[crownsixfour]

Has anyone measured the front and rear spring rates?

check out my post under tech / suspension

[JT191]

Has anyone measured the front and rear spring rates?

check out my post under tech / suspension

Thanks Crownsixfour.

Fronts are 3.0-3.4 kg-m and rears are 5.65 kg-m. 260-303 pound on the front and 490 on the rear.

Just looking at the numbers, and without actually trying it, and assuming the car is close to neutral with the original springs, it should drastically increase the understeer if you increase the front rate by 1 1/2 times and do nothing with the back.
If the spring lengths are also accurate, the heavier spring of the same length would not compress as much under the same load, and would actually raise the front ride height a little.

[dave]

My rat Bellett has a pair of rear springs in the front, doesn't understeer to any great extent and is definitely lower in the front that it was with the original springs. It's pretty taut and goes around corners faster than it really should. Having said that, the rear has a second leaf spring clamped across the back (yet to determine if it's inverted or if it's the right way up) so that could have offset the understeer. Or not.

I just know what my arse feels and it feels fine!

[crownsixfour]

yeah ive tried all three ways with the rear leaf 2 oposing leafs just lower it a bit and make it a bit more rolly inthe rear and a bit hairy at highspeed (snap lift off oversteer) and logic would suggest they would cancel each other out ? two in unison jack up the rear to much thus creating a higher centre of gravity and some positive camber wich aint that fun either ive stuck with one for now
although i wentto industrial springs on port road (adelaide) they said for $330 they would reset the leaf and add a second spring aswell apparently this was a popular mod back in the day for those who arn't from adelaide industrial springs have been around for along time and have spring specs for nearly everthing so they know there shit. they can do coils aswell for bout $180a pair
and K-mac have specs on front Anti sway bar and can make custom rear sway bars so long as you provide a template (made from mild steel tubing)
bassically i did the research on it but never spent the doe to get the bits

[dave]

Hmmmm. I might have to pay them a visit when I get the GT back from it's holiday (ie: when the shed has some concrete!)

[2ldohc]

Thanks for the info crownsixfour. After driving my sedan almost 2000km's over the last four days I REALLY need to do something about the rear suspension.

I've put rear springs in the front (white marks which I think makes them the hardest) and it handles feels good in the front (no under steer to speak of) but the rear still feels horrible. It corners better than Dave's GT (Sarah backed this ) but it still wants to fold a tire under.

I'll follow up on the info above and let everyone know how it goes.

Cheers,
Ross.

[Barney]

Spent the afternoon changing the front suspension. Used white coloured rear springs, sills sit 35mm lower and it drives really well with the stiffer springs. Would like it a bit lower but its fine for now.

Need to decide on what to do with the rear springs now!

[PR91]

as most of you know, i've played around with these things for 20 or so years now, and have tried most things in the past.
when i get back to the factory (where my cars are stored) next week, i'll take some pics under the front and rear of both my race sedan and my GT, as they are differently set up, and obviously handle differently too.
without sounding like a smart ass, the race car is the best bellett i've driven, but it's not suitable for the road at all.
the GT has the best combination of mods for the road that i've come up with in my time with them, so that'll be what most need for road use.

i think dave and 2ldohc drove it at the nats last week too, so they can tell you what it felt like as well.

give me a few days to get the pics and post them.
cheers.

[Barney]

That will be a great help

Has anyone else found the front springs to be broken when removing them? Must be a design flaw because the original springs are just too long and they bow out at a funny angle. The bottom coil and a half had broken off on both drivers and passenger side front springs! I'm amazed the rest of the spring was still seating properly. The shorter springs sit much nicer in between the wishbones

[Barney]

Failed a wof.

Improve brakes
Align R/H headlights
Exhaust leak

Pretty reasonable so im happy. Have aligned the headlights, exhaust is currently off an will be welded and back on by the weekend (was just a crack under the downpipe flange) and then might have a look at the brakes this weekend.

[Barney]

All fixed and legal again


Brett - Any luck putting together the list of suspension mods you've done to the GT?

[IZU069]

A popular suspension mod was rear springs up front - but that would lower the front by an inch or two (25-50mm).
Also twin transverse leafs back-to-back for the rear.

The understeer was really only solved by neg camber up front.

[2ldohc]

Good to hear you're back on the road Barney

[Barney]

[dave]

I only just noticed this pic.

Looks tuff!

[Barney]

Been playing around with paint, trying to dress her up a bit without spending money, I think it looks good!

[dave]

Agreed! Although you could do with some hubbies! Merry Christmas! (but I'm not sending you any)

[2ldohc]

Barney, that looks great! Bit of a cut and polish never goes astray

Merry Christmas!

Cheers,
R.

[Barney]

Well it's time to put him up for sale. I have too many cars/projects underway and am moving into a smaller house.

If any New Zealanders are interested leave a message.

[RobSA]

What happened to the purple Bell ?
Did someone buy him ?

Red wheels with hubcaps and whitewalls would have looked pretty cool.

Cheers
Rob