Enough of the code crap for now. Ultimately the intent of doing simulation and up-front, top-level engineering work is to set objectives which then feed into flexible, parametric design. The front suspension is fairly well designed to that degree - by altering bulkhead coordinates I can pretty easily change the parallelism and relative lengths of the control arms. Ultimately those two things really define your kinematic curve. The rear suspension, as I have it set up at the moment, is not as easy.
The lower points don't need to be quite as flexible. The upper pickups do, and I drew out roughly what kind of design space I have to be able to flesh out. Now don't get it twisted - I don't need to have that much
adjustment range in the car when it's built. As I iterate in the design phase though, I would like to have a relatively painless way of adjusting the mechanical end of things to meet whatever rear a-arm geometry I feel is best.
It would be nice if I could also do this in a manufacturing-friendly design to keep end cost down. One option
does exist in machining those side plates out of monolithic plate stock.
OnlineMetals offers 6061 in up to 4" thick stock, and I'm pretty sure I've seen thicker material available at places like
ALRECO (talk to Bob if he's still there). Admittedly while it would be a blast, and a challenge, to machine down stock that size to something reasonable - it's also expensive as hell.
Making simple, long mounting brackets that stand off from the base plate is another potential option I guess - but not great. When you get to something like I've illustrated... either the manufacturing becomes a bitch to keep the thing in-line with the control arms, or I'd get some really high bending moments on the thing and it would lose all rigidity.
I'll have to think this one through. Maybe a combination of monolithic block and mounts.
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