DPS.01 Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 On 5/3/2023 at 7:04 PM, alchemist said: How much does the sway bar attachment point move up? Unfortunately I didn’t measure that dimension prior to installing, but an inch is likely close. Was not hard to connect the sway bar, just took some finessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 On 5/3/2023 at 8:17 PM, alchemist said: Not certain if this is of interest to all here. Has some of the major dimensions for most Monroe struts. monroe-mounting-length-specifications-english.pdf 4.13 MB · 8 downloads That's what I used as a starting point when I spoke to the Monroe rep. If you look the 1990 Regal rear strut isn't listed, but he had the information on it. He also had the strut body and shaft diameter and the internal spec information that is not shown on the chart. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 (edited) Some of you may understand this next statement. I am as happy as Steve Martin when he saw his name in the phone book in the movie 'The Jerk'. Ordered a set of 1990 Regal rear struts, Monroe-Matics as they were on closeout. Took me 15 minutes from when I opened the box until I had a bare strut, ready for dimples and painting. The right tools makes this a very easy job. Bet I could get it down to 10 minutes... Anyone want to buy a set of rear struts? I think I could do this on the side; modify, add dimples, add clamp on sway bar mounts. Sell complete. Edited May 5, 2023 by alchemist 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 39 minutes ago, alchemist said: The right tools makes this a very easy job. I feel like a fool asking this but what are "the right tools"? I'm sure it's not just a pair of vice grips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 30 minutes ago, Ronnie said: I feel like a fool asking this but what are "the right tools"? I'm sure it's not just a pair of vice grips. Used an oscilating saw with a carbide metal blade to carefully make a ~0.100" deep cut around the entire base, about 0.100" up from the weld. Used a drill press to bore a 3/4" hole through the spot welds that hold the inner mount (the piece the vice grip was holding onto) to the strut clamp. Vice and bars to peel the brackets away. Snag wheel grinder to clean up the weld on the base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 Thanks for the info on how you did it. Great work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 Those Regal struts are going to be selling like hotcakes. Maybe if there are enough of them sold that will convince them to keep making more instead of discontinuing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 The finished product looks good👍 How tightly is the bracketry squeezing the metal casing? I have been wondering about chucking the rod end in a lathe and then cut the entire base weld off. Precise control of the depth, although most of us don't have a metal lathe, or know how to operate it, but in my imaginary world. Then press the brackets off the tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 (edited) 31 minutes ago, 2seater said: The finished product looks good👍 How tightly is the bracketry squeezing the metal casing? I have been wondering about chucking the rod end in a lathe and then cut the entire base weld off. Precise control of the depth, although most of us don't have a metal lathe, or know how to operate it, but in my imaginary world. Then press the brackets off the tube. If one could cleanly machine away the weld and match the OD of the tube, it would not take much to get the brackets to slide off. If you look at where the main brackets were, you can see where the paint ran between it and the tube. Edited May 5, 2023 by alchemist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 (edited) Well, I got permission from my wife and spent some of my first communion money. Bought 5 sets of Monroe 71831's and will remove all the brackets, paint, add the pinch bolt dimple (will require a hydraulic press) and attach the sway bar adapters. Thinking $240 per pair plus shipping, will see how the first few go. Reasonable? Will post pictures when the first set is complete. PM me if interested in a set, pending prototypes. Edited May 6, 2023 by alchemist 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 30 minutes ago, alchemist said: Well, I got permission from my wife and spent some of my first communion money. Bought 5 sets of Monroe 71831's and will remove all the brackets, paint, add the pinch bolt dimple (will require a hydraulic press) and attach the sway bar adapters. Thinking $240 per pair plus shipping, will see how the first few go. Reasonable? Will post pictures when the first set is complete. PM me if interested in a set, pending prototypes. I would certainly be interested at that price if mine weren't nearly new. But who knows? All of us are just one pothole away from needing one even if they are new. I hope this works out and you continue to offer them for sale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Ronnie said: I hope this works out and you continue to offer them for sale. I have all of the tools either at home or in our maintenance shop at work. Much of my inspiration comes from the former owner of our company who has a hobby foundry in his back yard and can pour gray iron, ductile iron, steel aluminum and copper alloys (two 200# induction furnaces, an airset mixer for molds and an 80kW generator to power it all). He is an adjunct professor at University of Michigan and teaches metal casting engineering. Now that he is somewhat retired, he has found a niche in making castings for antique cars that you cannot get anymore. Cool story you can see here https://www.joyworksstudio.com/ Edited May 6, 2023 by alchemist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS.01 Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 1 hour ago, alchemist said: Thinking $240 per pair plus shipping, will see how the first few go. Reasonable? @alchemist I think that price point is spot on…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 8 minutes ago, alchemist said: I have all of the tools either at home or in our maintenance shop at work. The former owner of our company has a hobby foundry in his back yard and can pour gray iron, ductile iron, steel and copper alloys (two 200# induction furnaces, an airset mixer for molds and an 80kW generator to power it all). He is an adjunct professor at University of Michigan and teaches metal casting engineering. Now that he is somewhat retired, he has found a niche in making castings for antique cars that you cannot get anymore. He has always inspired me. https://www.joyworksstudio.com/ Very impressive. The former owner of the company is a good friend to have with all his skills. Perhaps he could cast new knuckles for a Reatta that would bolt up to a strut like the Regal without the need to modify the strut. Probably not enough demand for that to make sense. However, the thought of that makes me wonder if the Regal knuckle could be used on the rear of our Reattas. The suspension design is similar. Just a thought... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL C Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 I'm glad to see this is working out for everybody, there should still be a good supply of these struts, the Monroe & KYB's are the same dimensions & the off-brand ones are probably the same, just copies of the originals. Have to do whatever it takes to keep our cars on the road. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemist Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 22 hours ago, Ronnie said: Very impressive. The former owner of the company is a good friend to have with all his skills. Perhaps he could cast new knuckles for a Reatta that would bolt up to a strut like the Regal without the need to modify the strut. Probably not enough demand for that to make sense. However, the thought of that makes me wonder if the Regal knuckle could be used on the rear of our Reattas. The suspension design is similar. Just a thought... Interesting, did not know they were so closely related. Guessing each knuckle, machined would be about $500. As long as the 1990 Regal rear struts are available and easily modified, probably the cheaper route. I wonder why the two different knuckles in the same year. Must be something about packaging.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 15 minutes ago, alchemist said: As long as the 1990 Regal rear struts are available and easily modified, probably the cheaper route. I agree. Several good options for replacing the struts are starting to emerge from this thread. Didn't mean to muddy the water by bringing up the Regal knuckles. 19 minutes ago, alchemist said: I wonder why the two different knuckles in the same year. Must be something about packaging.... The design of the Regal rear suspension is quite a bit different from the Reatta. It could be that the rear struts used on the Regal allows the camber to be adjusted much like can be done on the front struts of our Reattas. I can see similarities in the way the both mount to the knuckle with two bolts at the top. To adjust the camber on the rear of a Reatta you have to insert a tapered shim between the knuckle and the wheel bearing hub. Just a guess... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrparty Posted May 8, 2023 Share Posted May 8, 2023 On 5/5/2023 at 5:52 PM, alchemist said: Well, I got permission from my wife and spent some of my first communion money. Bought 5 sets of Monroe 71831's and will remove all the brackets, paint, add the pinch bolt dimple (will require a hydraulic press) and attach the sway bar adapters. Thinking $240 per pair plus shipping, will see how the first few go. Reasonable? Will post pictures when the first set is complete. PM me if interested in a set, pending prototypes. That price seems more than reasonable. For someone like myself who is new to owning a Reatta and does not know much about machining or fabrication, this is extremely interesting! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Welcome to the forum mrparty! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrparty Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 12 hours ago, Ronnie said: Welcome to the forum mrparty! Thank you! New Reatta owner since December and having a great time with it! Mine is still on its original rear struts so definitely in need of a new pair! Glad I decided to join the forum here. I've been a part of a few of the Facebook groups, but this seems like the place to be for anything more technical on the Reatta. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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