shocking question?

Matt at Procomp has a good section on his webby about shocks, Something I never realised that no two shocks ever seem to be the same so Matt dyno's them so you get matched pairs...clever stuff

http://www.procomp.co.uk/shockdyno.html

[chriseyj]

Hi Baz r where did you get a price for the off the shelf 14" gaz coilovers? I've been looking at different suppliers.
From what people have said It sounds like the top hat was just a fix for those who had already bought 13" coilovers therefore I'd love to buy some £110 cheaper.
Whats the normal advised spring rates for a BEC for I have a zx9r engine?
Also do we need longer springs with the 14" units?

Cheers chris

[baz-r]

ok people im not a suspension expert or a shock supplyer so please please stop pm'ing me about shock supply and what spring rate is right for your car. when i have a solid quote and supplier im can let you know im not doing a group buy to find out when your car is finished the shocks are not quiet right! you can buy your own at your own risk
im just tring to find a better option that you might want to go for yourself
price was given for 4 std locost/westfield dampers and springs with a length and spring choice after speeking to the supplier it looks like the orignal pack options at £247+vat might be no good but a simular price could be available
buy picking standerd size shocks and springs .
also you can go buy them from anywhere and of almost any make not just gaz or protech (that was the real idea)
avo,spax and meny others could be used as it looks like thay all make the same sizes.

[spud69]

Hi Baz,

350lb on the front works fine with the car, pinto or whatever medium size engine, but i did find with 200lb springs on the rear it felt a bit loose. Always put 250lb on the rear now and it does feel a lot better balanced and firmer on the rear (of the car )

Andrew

A Bike engined car will be a lot lighter so each wheel will have less weight acting on it to get things spotty dog ideally you need to know the weight of the finished car....Then it comes down to weight of driver/passenger etc.
Imagine a car corner weighted as it sits then some one as big a bloke as Lesg sits in the drivers seat...said car will be all to wonky so it needs corner weighting with the big fella sat in the drivers seat to get things all tickety boo so he can wazz about safely.


I'm not saying les is huge but his arms are bigger than my legs....

[chriseyj]

Thanks for the reply, might borrow the missus bathroom scales under each wheel and see what the front weighs. Think they will tell you the roadsters BMI as well.
Didn't mean to nag earlier its just shocks seem to be a very complicated subject with many options and they're an expensive thing to buy incorrectly especially on a budget.

I suppose springs are pretty cheap though and it these we can play around with.

How does the weight of the car per wheel relate to the spring poundage?

Cheers Chris

[baz-r]

ok had a chat with supplier this morning
4x 14-9.5 gaz with 4x any rate 8 or 9" springs would be £264.08+vat and 10 p&p (i make it £326.89)
kit quoted was cheaper as springs suppied are cheaper as thay are shorter and not in the same price bracket thay would have been happy to keep the kit same price as long as the all the bits where the same price
all shocks in that size in stock and guy seemed to think spring rates would be in stock in most rates

[baz-r]

£328.29 all in to your door from rally design tried arm twisting for pack deal but no joy
spring prices step up at 8" and im thinking would be the shortest we can go
would be £37 less than extension type i was quoted

[baz-r]

Originally Posted by spud69

Had a day and a half away from the 'puter so i think its time to add my experience / thoughts.......

Springs are rated at whatever poundage / inch of travel irrespective at what state of compression they are in as long as they don't become fully compressed they will always react the same. So, 14" dampers with 9" springs will react the same as 13" dampers + 1" extension with 8" springs just with the 14" dampers you will have more travel. The length of the springs governs the ride height of the car thus screwing the ring nut up and down the damper adjusts the ride height of the car / corner weighting rather than adjusting the handling. Cheaper, 14" springs, will be fine with the correct length, 9", springs on.

From my own cars on the road the rear of the car is ideal with 14" damper + 8 /9" springs, whether 13" + 1" (8" spring) or 14" (9" spring), allowing plenty of adjustment for ride height. Car runs well on 4" front and 4 1/2" rear allowing enough clearance for most speed bumps. The front, however, with 13" + 1" with an 8" spring is at it's lowest setting for the front ride height at 4". Obviously when it comes to track time i would ideally like to lower the car as much as possible so next time i'm going for a 14" damper (for longer travel) with an 7 / 8" spring to give the lower ride height when required. The rear there is plenty of adjustment available.

Ideally, for the cost of springs, i think i'll go for a stiffer track set of springs and also the standard road going springs (350 front and 250 rear). They are easy to change and would make a big difference on the track.

Just my thoughts.....Andrew

Originally Posted by spud69

Hi Baz,

350lb on the front works fine with the car, pinto or whatever medium size engine, but i did find with 200lb springs on the rear it felt a bit loose. Always put 250lb on the rear now and it does feel a lot better balanced and firmer on the rear (of the car )

Andrew

so would you agree that 4x 14-9.5" with 8"front and 9"rear springs would be an ideal package for all round use andrew? or anyone else?
would realy like the springs set mid way for normal use idealy

[spud69]

Originally Posted by baz-r

so would you agree that 4x 14-9.5" with 8"front and 9"rear springs would be an ideal package for all round use andrew? or anyone else?
would realy like the springs set mid way for normal use idealy

Yes Baz, that's what i'll be going for on the Mx-5 car.

Andrew