L series seam welding

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:31 pm

Hey anyone got some decent information on this?

I'm respraying the engine bay of my RX turbo sedan so I might as well do some zapping here and there to try to stiffen things up. Anyone got some photos of the best areas to target?

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:37 pm

google rally prep

OR THIS http://www.fourstarmotorsports.com/Serv ... fault.aspx

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:51 pm

Yes I am aware of Google. Thanks.
Just after any L series specific info that some board members might have.

*edit - thanks for the edit for the extra link! cheers.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:50 pm

I think QikRX did it to his RX, (ORX18 ownes it now)

There was a doccument floating around that was the 86 Leone Australian Rally Spec Handbook. I'll have a look for it. It contained how to make clutch/brake supports to stop the firewall from flexing, and i think it had seam welding stuff in it too

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:18 pm

Yeah I remember that document, I came across it ages ago when researching L series strut braces, can't for the life of me find it now!

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:46 pm

Real rally and race shells use stitch welding but its really the welded in roll cage that stiffens things up . Its not just there to stop that tree etc climbing in with you . Often the cage "feet" are welded in to try and keep the suspension location points in the body from moving . Its pointless fitting competition grade suspension and then have the body flex all over the place .

Stewart Wilkins rallied an RX in the late 80's so if really interested you could contact him . I was out at SWR this afternoon to get an update on my EA82T build and there was a bare 1600 shell/cage being stitch welded in the wheel wells .

Cheers A .

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:16 pm

btw i came across a rear sway bar i can order in from whiteline for the rx if ya think it needs one later

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:00 pm

Found it RX Leone Mod Manual

Reading through it, i discovered that the 86 rally RX made 177HP and 215Nm of torque on only 11.5psi of boost. They raised the redline to 7500RPM and flow matched the heads/intake. There was 5 special parts, a special ECU, (ive tried ordering the part number, doesnt exist) plus e xhaust and intake mods

But back on topic, down the bottom, it shows the reinforcing plates and strut bar required to stiffen the body

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:12 pm

Is this for a road registered car?
I hate to be the one that warns not to do something, especially with all the mods I like to do, but you might like to check the legalities of seam-welding in your state before you fire up the welder.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:22 pm

Brumbyrunner, yeah thanks for raising that, I was only thinking of something minor anyway - I was just looking at the standard spot welding in the enginebay and thinking it would be good to run my mig welder all the way down as an added strengthener. Maybe I won't do it.

Suparoo thanks for finding that. Regarding those 5 special parts....My RX is going to have 1 which will bring it up to similar to those figures, EJ20turbo motor

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:29 am

AndrewT wrote:Regarding those 5 special parts....My RX is going to have 1 which will bring it up to similar to those figures, EJ20turbo motor

Thats cheating

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:29 am

Interesting find Subafury , I know the fellow who runs their hot shop and he was going to use my std rear bar as a template so they could make up a larger diameter replacement . If you have any details or a part number please let me know and I'll chase it up .

Cheers and thanks , A .

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:47 am

I have used these drawings as a guide and have installed the 10 plates between the towers and the A pillar on my Rally car, The plates are designed to stop the front of the car bending up at the firewall/chassie rail extension area and to prevent crumpling.
I also did some stitch welding (never seam weld!!) around the towers, tower tops and chassis rail extension plates, these just seemed the logical places to do.
I obviously have a roll cage fitted (as per Discopotato's comments) and will have competition suspension (40mm Rally Bilsteins)

Andrew - I can take some photos if you like?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:04 am

Thanks mate that would be great!
I may / may not be doing this as I've literally spent about 10 minutes welding things in my lift so far, just interesting to consider it while the engine bay is getting resprayed.

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:39 am

As promiced...

First the reinforcing plates

this one is at the top of the wheel arch

The plates are welded on then edges sealed with urathane to stop crap getting in then PA10 painted then undercoat/topcoat. I did not take a photo of the plate on the inside of the chassis rail, it is a very straight forward rectangle piece.

This is the stitch welding on the tower

and on the chassis rail extension area - sorry for the blury photo

Hope this helps.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:19 pm

Awesome thanks heaps for that.
If I don't go as far as the plate, at the very least I think I will do some stitch welding on the existing parts. Looks like just normal welding along the joins but just with breaks in between? I guess this is to still give it a little "give" so the welds don't just crack?

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:35 pm

Yep - you need to leave in gaps (flex) otherwise the whole thing just becomes too ridgid and cracks up, the rule of thumb I was given was 30-60% as weld depending on thickness of metal, less weld for thinner metals like skins etc.

BrennyV · Post by **BrennyV** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:38 pm

If I was you I would run those braces at the top of the wheel arches as it seems to be the 1st strengthening mod for people running ej's with the intention of some spirited driving.

Hamish71 · Post by **Hamish71** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:24 am

Suparoo wrote:Found it RX Leone Mod Manual

Reading through it, i discovered that the 86 rally RX made 177HP and 215Nm of torque on only 11.5psi of boost. They raised the redline to 7500RPM and flow matched the heads/intake. There was 5 special parts, a special ECU, (ive tried ordering the part number, doesnt exist) plus e xhaust and intake mods

But back on topic, down the bottom, it shows the reinforcing plates and strut bar required to stiffen the body

This link is not working now....anyone got another for it?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:28 am

http://www.ausubaru.com/coppermine/albu ... Manual.pdf