sc1 aero mods - Page 17 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

arcosine · 11-25-2012, 01:20 PM

I just replaced the left tie rod end and aligned it for zero toe in.

Procedure:

First you have to know the front and rear track of your car, Saturn s series is 56.8 front and 56 inches rear. So that's .4 inches difference front and rear.

Take a white piece of cardboard and in black marker draw a long rectangle that is .4 inch wide.
Put your car on a flat surface, put the steering wheel straight and roll ithe car back and forth a few times and then roll it forward and put the parking brake on. Long side vertical, place cardboard in front of the rear tire. This is a gauge.

Eyeball along the front tire edge looking at the rear tire edge and rectangle. Lining up the two edges of the front tire should point to the rear tire and be .4 inches outboard of the tire edge, using the rectangle to gauge it. You can sight the inside or outside edges of the tire, as close to the center of the wheel (axle) as you can. Check both sides, they should be the same.

Adjust the tie rods either way, tighten and check again, roll back forth and check again, check that the steering wheel is still straight.

This is assuming that all the suspension parts, ball joints, rod ends are good and not too much play and the tires are inflated.

Rear wheel toe can be set the same way.

arcosine · 11-25-2012, 06:08 PM

I made an injector kill switch today using the injector fuse and a relay.

... but when I hooked the battery back up and started the car, the Ultragauge wasn't working.

... Turned out to be the interior light fuse was loose, ultra gauge working now.

... The car wont start if the switch is off and the engine turning. Have to reset by tuning ignition off and on, so much for coasting with the engine engaged and fuel off.

arcosine · 02-14-2013, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Tony,

Thanks. Now I have a much better picture. I'd like to see you add what you wrote to me here, add it to your sc1 aero mods thread. Might be helpful to other readers.

I think that like my Civic, your Saturn is more than 48" wide in places. I saw a piece added on at the right rear corner, looked like the 48" coroplast width wasn't quite enough. But if just a couple corners needed it, that's good. I'll measure mine across the side skirts today, if up to 48" that would be nice.

Bruce

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcosine
it takes 3 4x8 pieces. First one is 4x8 from rear bumper forward. Second is 2 feet wide and 8 feet long. Third piece covers the front its about 4x4. I paint the exhaust with aluminium paint and then wrap it with foil and there is a strip of aluminium flashing between coroplast and exhaust. Coroplast is screwed into the floor and frame of the car. A frame in spots would be good as it tends to sag over the years near the exhaust and rear suspension. It does smell like melting coroplast for the first hundred miles, as it melts where it is in contact with the cat.