Springs and shocks?

Springs and shocks?

Author
Discussion

cdhoole

113 posts

149 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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I have been following this thread with interest albeit I struggle to understand everything being discussed. Can I ask how do you know the settings of your springs, which seems to be quite a few owners - do you need something to measure this? I have Nitron Dampers and Eibach springs that were fitted by the previous owner and having taken a closer look as a result of this discussion I can see that the springs look pretty small (and/or they are wound well up the shock absorber). I also note there is an adjuster at the top of the unit which I presume allows the shock absorber to be adjusted but again is this something you measure or is it just a matter of changing the setting and seeing how it works? Sorry to bring the discussion down to the basics for a moment! Thanks Chris.


TuxMan

9,010 posts

237 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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Hi Chris , the blue nod is your damp/rebound agjustment , the squashed blue springs are helper springs to stop the main springs rattling when the load is off the car . The springs should be marked with the dia and poundage .

cdhoole

113 posts

149 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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Thank you Tux - I wondered how everyone was quoting the poundage! I shall go and have a look. So some people swap the whole spring (set) for different occasions.

cdhoole

113 posts

149 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
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Just taken a look - on the fronts it has 0600.225.0500 imprinted and on the rears 0800.225.0650. So just looked on the internet and I see this means: 6" x 2.25" ID x 0500 lb/in. So I have ratings of 500 front and 650 rear. I notice that the springs on the rear are much more elongated almost stretching to the base of the shock absorber. Rather than changing springs of different poundage (If I have understood that correctly) couldn't you just adjust the lower ring to compress the springs further or vice versa to create the same effect (that is harder or softer)?

Edited by cdhoole on Sunday 18th September 17:56


Edited by cdhoole on Sunday 18th September 17:58

TuxMan

9,010 posts

237 months

Sunday 18th September 2016
quotequote all
cdhoole said:
Just taken a look - on the fronts it has 0600.225.0500 imprinted and on the rears 0800.225.0650. So just looked on the internet and I see this means: 6" x 2.25" ID x 0500 lb/in. So I have ratings of 500 front and 650 rear. I notice that the springs on the rear are much more elongated almost stretching to the base of the shock absorber. Rather than changing springs of different poundage (If I have understood that correctly) couldn't you just adjust the lower ring to compress the springs further or vice versa to create the same effect (that is harder or softer)?

Edited by cdhoole on Sunday 18th September 17:56


Edited by cdhoole on Sunday 18th September 17:58
I'm pretty sure changing the helper springs for stiffer would just lead to a higher ride height , 500 front 650 rears sounds pretty much spot on .

cdhoole

113 posts

149 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Excellent - thank you again (apologies for delayed response my internet has been down)!

Ian Perry

256 posts

155 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
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Just returned from Jetstream having had a set of Gaz springs and shocks fitted ,well happy car feels much more planted over 90mph .

Springs stiffer than standard 600 front and 700 rear but not upset the ride around town, good value too.

M.Ako

105 posts

105 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
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I have recently had some Protechs fitted with 600 and 700 springs and love the feel. A little harsh as you would expect for a bumpy back road but absolutely love it compared to the tired standard set up which it replaced. The car feels much more stable at high speed though i suspect this might also be the new rubber in the bushes helping and turns in much faster. I have no understeer in the dry to mention and no tramlining with the 600s. I'm no expert in this field BTW, but I really like the way it feels now.

Jarcy

1,559 posts

274 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
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Ian Perry said:
Just returned from Jetstream having had a set of Gaz springs and shocks fitted ,well happy car feels much more planted over 90mph .

Springs stiffer than standard 600 front and 700 rear but not upset the ride around town, good value too.
Hi Ian - it seems that your wallet has emptied in a very similar fashion to mine over the last year, except I haven't been fastidious over the cosmetic presentation in the manner with which you excel. wink
I hope you like the Gaz units, as I have. I think the key is getting the spring rates correct and not too soft. We shouldn't be frightened of feeling the potholes in the road. smile

Ian Perry

256 posts

155 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
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Jarcy said:
Hi Ian - it seems that your wallet has emptied in a very similar fashion to mine over the last year, except I haven't been fastidious over the cosmetic presentation in the manner with which you excel. wink
I hope you like the Gaz units, as I have. I think the key is getting the spring rates correct and not too soft. We shouldn't be frightened of feeling the potholes in the road. smile
Ha ha yes more expense well pleased, your earlier post persuaded me to go that way thanks .

doug_porsche

43 posts

106 months

Friday 28th October 2016
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Current setup

550 x 8 Eibach springs up front
700 x 9 Eibach springs in the rear

Protech "street" shocks set to 9 & 9 on both (Thanks Tuxman). May check with Protech to see if its possible to re-valve these shocks. With the new spring setup I would like to be closer to a "street setup" of 6 & 6 (so on that one day a year I do a track day I have more adjustabilty!)

The ride if firm, but (coming from a Lotus Elise) acceptable.

Just completed modifying the suspension (Thanks Randy) so I can get the camber to specs.
Looking forward to having the alignment / geo checked, still need to "tune" the camber settings and seeing if I improved things.

Edited by doug_porsche on Friday 28th October 02:55

TuxMan

9,010 posts

237 months

Sunday 30th October 2016
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Hi Doug , the 600 series Protechs will support up too 1000lb springs , if you wish to stiffen the damping more than std you just undo the small Allen key bolt in the nob then with a slotted screwdriver move the brass slot clockwise . If you count the clicks from fully soft to fully hard it moves the slot about 3/4 of a turn .
Be aware you must hold the nob down in place or else a spring will fire it off !!!
Importantly make sure you adjust them the same !!!!!

doug_porsche

43 posts

106 months

Sunday 30th October 2016
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Thanks Simon.

Updated today

Additional info people that have never done this before (like me)

I am going to, for the sake of this document, assume that you need to offset the adjustment by three clicks.

You will need to adjust the knob so that you can get to the hex head set screw.
note the position of the small brass slot. For this tutorial, say its points to 10:00 and 4:00
turn the adjuster knob clockwise three clicks
note the position of the small brass slot. For this tutorial, it will be approximately 1:00 and 7:00
turn the adjuster knob counter clockwise three clicks back so you can get back to the set screw.
while holding the knob firmly against the shock, keeping it stationary, loosen the hex head set screw.
with a screwdriver, turn the small brass slot to the 1:00 and 7:00 position MAKING SURE THE KNOB ITSELF DOES NOT ROTATE!!!
Tighten the hex head set screw.
repeat on the next knob.

now, go back and set the knobs to their new, correct settings (original settings -3 clicks)
In my example the original knobs were set to 9 clicks, so the new setting will be just 6 clicks.

now the best part, the test drive!


Edited by doug_porsche on Tuesday 1st November 03:26