SUSPENSION (Last update: 11/27/2004)

This is the first work I've done on the car with non OEM parts.

I'm replacing most (if not all) of the stock suspension with parts from Anthony Woodford Racing (AWR) in Vista, CA.

AWR Sway Bar - 19mm with adjustable end links.

Install time: Several hours at the end of the day. I was flat on my back with car on jack stands. A lift would have been nice, but the auto-hobby shop was closed and I was too eager.

Note the adjustable end links (turnbuckles) with ball joints (teflon coated) on each end. I tightened up the endlinks further after the photo was taken so that only ~1/4" of thread is showing and the sway bar ends are tucked up a little higher than shown in the picture.

These came with instructions, but they were for a different model car and some of the parts and assembly had changed (new design). I also discovered a work around that prevented me from having to unbolt the thru bolts from the rear hubs and drop the lateral links, as the instructions stated I would need to do. Nonetheless, the install was fairly intuitive and got quicker as I went.

AWR Trailing Links - Polyeurethane and Delrin bushings.

Install time: Less than 15 minutes for both. Parts came with simple and clear instructions. Piece of cake.

After yet another trip from San Diego to Yosemite (up highway 99, over the wickedly twisted Senora pass, and down 395) I had a good chance to shake out the new parts. No adjustments or re-tightening were required.

AWR Strut Kit - Nickel cadmium plated. "Street aggressive" response with 325# (front) and 425# (rear) spring rates. Adjustable ride height (coil-over design).

The picture above left is of the first version of this strut kit in gold cadmium plating and stiffer Eibach coils. I purchased mine with nickel cadmium plating and HYPERCO coils. Powder coated brackets are also available.

How did I get these? I was fortunate enough to meet the right people at the right time and have my car corner weighted at AWR (THANKS to Tony, and to Josh Brady at Precision Motorsports for getting me in the door!) so they could use the data to complete the design and build/calibrate their new custom strut package (AWR designed strut brackets, custom designed and valved Bilstein shocks, and HYPERCO coils) to match the specific weight distribution of an MX-6 LS. The prototype testing is done and they are now in production.

Driver/front and passenger/rear struts, installed.

Install time: With the gracious help of Jeff and Jeff at AWR, and the use of proper tools (air wrench), it took only about 5 hours to:
1. install all four struts
2. eat lunch
3. make some minor adjustments to the sway bar
4. remove/regrease the rear trailing link bolts
5. adjust the ride height
6. go for a test drive

There were some very minor bolt/bolt-hole misalignments between the strut brackets and the wheel hubs, but they were as easily rectified with a Dremel tool, and the installation was really fairly simple. Being adjustable, the new struts lowered my car about an inch all the way around.

And how do they handle? OH.... MY.... GOD!!!

I tested them... Jeff Stephens (who has butt-tons more auto-cross racing experience than I do) tested them... and we both came back with shit-eating grins. New wheels and tires may be on my shopping list much sooner than I had originally expected.

And OK!!! so I lied about not racing.... but the struts made me do it!... and Tony needed the feedback. Here's my car at my first SCCA SOLO II autocross, 22 Aug, 2004 in San Diego. Here are the results by class. This being my first race, I raced "novice"... so, I'm down at #5 on the novice list, but at least I beat the time of the last place guy in the non-novice Street Touring (STS) class... and my fastest time was faster than the slowest Corvette's fastest time.

All I need now is a bolt-on Ferrari to go with the struts and tires.

AWR Custom Rear Strut Tower Brace - Powder coated steel.

Note that this piece does not use the ring mounts over the top of the strut tower bolts, like you see with most front strut tower braces. It bolts on each side directly into a pair of factory supplied screw holes that are hidden behind the trunk lining and plugged with little rubber bungs. These holes are backed with 8mm diam. standard pitch nuts that are welded onto the bodywork around the rear suspension void, and not just the back side of the trunk skin itself. It's a solid mount. This design drops the brace about 4 inches down inside the trunk, making it a bit of an obsticle for any luggage, but it eliminates any sheer forces on the strut tower bolts.

Install time: About 30 minutes (not including driving time to buy the four 8mm standard pitch hex cap screws and lock washers). Before installing the brace I put the screws into the factory screw holes, reattached the trunk lining, and marked where the brace would penetrate. I used a 5/16" spade drill bit (by hand) to bore the hole in the lining and then cut a small vertical slit about 2" above and 1" below the hole to allow the ends of the brace to slip through the liner. The brace fits very tightly, so I applied a dab of grease on each end to help wiggle it into allignment with the screw holes, and finished by bolting it in place and reattaching the trunk lining.

The rear strut tower brace that AWR makes for the Ford Probe is just a wee bit too long to fit in the MX-6, so once again, Tony was generous enough to custom make this rear strut tower brace. A simple cut and weld, a black powder coating, and it was done. I believe Tony will be adding this shortened bar to his inventory as a standard product for the MX-6.

Front Strut Tower Brace

Unfortunately, with the phenolic spacers on the engine, I'll probably have to have a custom front strut bar made, or else do without. Tony??

AWR Lateral Links

The guys at AWR had planned to make lateral links, too, but I'd have to change to yet another sway bar. I'll hold off on that for now.