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Retrofit Willy Suspension - What Parts
- Thread starter u33db
- Start date
virtually all front end must go. id consider it too expensive
Quote: Originally posted by u33db on 24 February 2004
<FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6">I know this has come up in the past, but im struggling to find the definitive answer to the parts i actually need! <FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6">Anyway, to go from 1.8 16v to Williams Front track what do i need and what can i keep from my existing setup? Also, whats it likely to cost?<FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6"> <FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6">Thanks!
Subframe is almost identical, not much point in swapping that afaik - the differences arent handling related so I am told!
Not going to comment on what you will actually need though because I was apparently wrong last time.
FYI Willy shocks will cost you about £85 new for the pair, springs will be about another £160. If you can find a rear damaged or dead engined R19 you can have the rest for next to nothing.
Far as I know mate, shocks are about 60 quid for the pair and the springs are about £190.
Im in the middle of restoring my one, and I managed to pick up a decent 2nd hand set for 40 quid. So it shouldnt be too costly for ya.
edit*
Looks like Riplash got there before me
Oh and far as I know these parts can only come directly from Reanault. So if u want new ones give the Romford one a bell, and use ur discount.
Ok, ive got the following parts on the list so far (many thanks to paul mitchell for his help);
driveshafts, wishbones and shocks (all from a williams)
Should be fairly sweet and I reckon i should be able to use my lowered springs to save cash as they appear to be the same part number as for a willy (made by boge from k-tec).
As a final question, how much do you reckon williams driveshafts will be?
Damn - Itll be a bit of a pain if it does!
I think my mate had his williams down -40mm so am going to ask him to double check. It shouldnt be too bad id have thought with 185s though as there appears to be a few low willys (excuse me!) floating about?
Trying to work out who has their williams lowered on here....
Thanks though!
steering rack is different and im 90% sure also steering column is different. at least, i couldnt fit a 16v column to my williams
i think that fitting the front end of a willy and then fitting lowered springs and boge shocks is a total waste of time. just buy some blue paint and the stickers and nobody will notice the difference.
personally i wouldnt bother. probably is cheaper to sell the 16v and buy a real williams. besides, what really makes the willy different is the engine. a whole world of difference.
Quote: Originally posted by u33db on 24 February 2004
what about the steering rack? I know the williams one is different to the 16v (longer or something) so would that need done?
Erm, i emailed Paul at infincar and he says the racks are different but have the same dimensions so it should be ok to keep them - im also waiting on BB/K-tec/Hillpower to reply just to double check but im fairly sure hes right.
I dunno - I reckon for all the parts it should just cost me about 200quid or so and thatll give the wider track and better looks. Its never going to be a williams but thats not the point - the wider track, with my existing springs should make more stable and is cheaper than coilovers so should be worth it. I remember someone saying that a lowered 16v has a similar feel to a standard williams so this is kinda the next step i think without the stigma of modding a williams!
i think the willy adds 30mm or thereabouts over the valver track. Im not too keen to use spacers TBH because at the end of the day it will still handle near enough the same (albeit look better!). Theres also the reliability issue of having 15mm spacers on as im tanking it down a country road!
personally speaking, i wouldnt tamper with anything that steers my car, or stops it...
wider track means the steering track rods will need to be unwound, therefore less thread will be working. it must be verified that there is enough thread otherwise a hit could strip the thread and disconnect the rod end from the rack with unpredictable result, very likely a trip into the landscape...
Quote: Originally posted by u33db on 25 February 2004
Trackrod question? Up!
winding them out should be fine.
the ARBs are diff and use different bushes, a slip on the end and D camp type bush, as opposed to the bolt through the middle type on the valver.
And jsut using spacers would give you the track, but alter your wheel rates, scrub raius and camber change with turn etc etc...so it wont handle like a willy.
did willaims ever fit ABS?
another thing, not sure the 16 ARB will fit the willy suspension, which is wider. attachment points to the wishbones could be moved outwards
Quote: Originally posted by u33db on 26 February 2004
Thanks for that!
Just another point that has come to me - i assume ill need shafts from an ABS fitted williams seeing as my 16v has ABS (probably obvious)? I think a trip to the parts department at lunchtime could be in order now - if i can get through this damn snow!
Cheers!
Ive just been up to the dealership - willy shocks and wishbones on the way. I didnt order the driveshafts because of the ABS issue but got the parts guy to check anyway. He says that no "with/without abs" question popped up when he queried that part so they should all be the same. Still slightly unsure though - bb list driveshafts as abs or not for the valver so there must be some difference?
aside from that, the only question ive got to answer is whether my 16v anti roll bar will mate up with the willy wishbones......
Damn it!
So basically im going to need a williams ARB too? How much is that going to set me back?
Is the ARB (and the bushes??) the only other thing ill need beyond the shocks and wishbones that ive already bought and the driveshafts (which im still confused over the abs/non-abs issue as my 16v has abs)? I really need to get this sorted now as ive now go money lying out so if theres going to be anything else please, please post below!
u33db: If you can use the whole ARB from R19, then it cant set u back big time. Breakers are full of those but...ive read here that someone has already done this "conversion" for valver so they should know...
Im also really confused about all this myself too! Lets hope Jay or Ben will help us out. Cos everyone is saying that the R19 wishbones are the same so... why wouldnt the ARB bushes be the same? ARB itself can be longer,shorter or somehow different in 19 , thats for sure, but how could ARB mounting to the wishbone be different...
I was also in touch with the Powerflex about the issue, ( i thought i could use R19 16v bushes) but i got answer where they told me to measure brackets etc. and get back to them...
BenR: cheers for that! I assume i could salvage my existing ones if needed?
william: i think the wishbones are the same as a R19, or at least are the same dimensions but possibly strengthened in some way; will be able to check by matching part numbers maybe. However, as far as i can tell the bushes and ARB are defo different as no-one ive asked has used R19 ones on their conversions (but i suppose they havent said its impossible). If they can be fitted, I can only assume that the R19 ARB is stiffer/softer in some way so fitting it wouldnt give you the willy-like handling that all that development went into - therby defeating the purpose of the conversion.
Anyways, my final parts list is as follows;
Williams Wishbones,
Williams shocks,
Williams driveshafts (with that toothed ring if existing ones cant be used),
Williams ARB
Might throw in some extra niceties like new top-mounts as well so everythings 100% too. As said, ive got some stuff on order already so i think i should get it done start of next month - well excited! Its gonna be cool seeing my phase 1 alloys filling the arches and have the better handling - a report will be forthcoming!
Many thanks for everyones help BTW!
