Sagaris - bottoming out......

[northo]

Have just done 800 miles in under 36 hours around the north of Scotland. Driving conditions were terrible, but it has to be said that the car was great. The only problem is that the car has been bottoming out with alarming regularity. The front end only touched down a couple of times, but the back was bottoming in the most unusual places. Is this usual?

Two blokes in the car with a minimum of luggage - any suggestions or info would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Ricardo Bertone]

Seems to be a common problem - a friend with one has the same problem -maybe that's why its called Saggy Arse!

Ricardo

[bogie]

yep - on bumpy roads at high speed there is little ground clearance at the rear ...its not really a B road blaster Im afraid....I guess some adjustable suspension/stiffer springs may help...but reduce ride quality etc

[DJC]

It shouldnt bottom out at the rear all the time, it will do at speed though over a series of bumps and humps as you get into frequency oscillation. Ive made mention of the deficiency in the rear damping from the first drive of the car and I suspect I know what 1/2 the problem is, aswell as the rates not being quite sorted.

[Daftlad]

I find this quite strange. I'm not in denial, but none of mine do this.

It maybe a question of your ride height settings being wrong, alternatively, it maybe mine!

Worth having it checked?

[DJC]

Daftlad said:

I find this quite strange. I'm not in denial, but none of mine do this.

It maybe a question of your ride height settings being wrong, alternatively, it maybe mine!

Worth having it checked?

Hmm.

What must be remembered is that not all Sagaris are equal, in that they dont all have the same suspensions, dampers and springs fitted.

Y'all didnt think it was going to be that easy did you?

The '05, '55, '06 and '66 models have different settings and rates. I think the 05 and 55 cars are the same as are the 06 and 66 cars, but there are differences between the 5s and 6s. Now there *may* be different suspension settings again for the later 2006 cars with the introduction of the European model, "alleged" changes for Europe and then again possibly for the supposed '07 cars with the "updated" car.

[rpa.janwell]

Deffo ride heights, unless, as DJC refers, to oscillation, which does happen on the bumpy b-roads. Take it that is your Blue '06 car? Found it very soft compared to the '05 cars, particularly the early demo cars, DJC will support some of the reasons behind that.

First 'Gris was set very low, and I just put up with it, didn't bother me and was part of the fun of the ride. The area grounding was "sacrificial" as such - current car very occasionally grounds out.
Prior to a run at the 'ring the ride height will be adjusted down - and then back up after for everyday driving.

[northo]

rpa.janwell said:

Deffo ride heights, unless, as DJC refers, to oscillation, which does happen on the bumpy b-roads. Take it that is your Blue '06 car? Found it very soft compared to the '05 cars, particularly the early demo cars, DJC will support some of the reasons behind that.

First 'Gris was set very low, and I just put up with it, didn't bother me and was part of the fun of the ride. The area grounding was "sacrificial" as such - current car very occasionally grounds out.
Prior to a run at the 'ring the ride height will be adjusted down - and then back up after for everyday driving.

Did it bottom out while you had it? Admittedly some of the roads were pretty bumpy, but we spent two days gritting our teeth and waiting for the next touchdown. We had intended to use the car for a lap of Scotland for clients - the route was amazing, but unfortunately we will either have to sort the car or use something else. The ride is great, so I don't really want to fit stiffer springs.

[DJC]

northo said:

rpa.janwell said:

Deffo ride heights, unless, as DJC refers, to oscillation, which does happen on the bumpy b-roads. Take it that is your Blue '06 car? Found it very soft compared to the '05 cars, particularly the early demo cars, DJC will support some of the reasons behind that.

First 'Gris was set very low, and I just put up with it, didn't bother me and was part of the fun of the ride. The area grounding was "sacrificial" as such - current car very occasionally grounds out.
Prior to a run at the 'ring the ride height will be adjusted down - and then back up after for everyday driving.

Did it bottom out while you had it? Admittedly some of the roads were pretty bumpy, but we spent two days gritting our teeth and waiting for the next touchdown. We had intended to use the car for a lap of Scotland for clients - the route was amazing, but unfortunately we will either have to sort the car or use something else. The ride is great, so I don't really want to fit stiffer springs.

I run an '05 car and it bottoms when Im pushing on hard over a bumpy or undulating road and I keep an unbroken rhythm. For that to happen however, I have to be pushing on very hard and that only happens on roads I know very well and have clear visibility on.
Ive done the Scottish jaunt, inc. some fast dashes over Borders territory where there are some stunning fast and clear roads, but also with the sorts of humps n yumps which is going to get you grounding and I *deliberately* slowed down because I knew exactly what would happen if I kept the hammer down. For those of you with a less explicit imagination...100mph+ rear end grounds, rebound pushes you too far from the road surface, what downforce you were getting from rear diffuser is gone, you are way over your available grip/downforce for the speed ratio and yer in a travelling wing. Can your closest relative please identify your remains. We have jaunted up and around Scotland in ours, 2 up, full luggage load and it has been fine. Apart from the seatbelt height not being to Sarah's liking across her, she has found the car too bad at all, a little hard riding for her tastes maybe, but easily bearable enough for 5/6 days travelling.

If you are not hammering on, the car should not be grounding on humps n yumps. If you are travelling at speed and you find yourself on an oscillating road, break your speed up. Come off the pedal before the next peak and break the frequency cycle.

Where are you based and what do you think you want doing? Give me an email and ill drop you my number for a chat.

[rpa.janwell]

northo said:

rpa.janwell said:

Deffo ride heights, unless, as DJC refers, to oscillation, which does happen on the bumpy b-roads. Take it that is your Blue '06 car? Found it very soft compared to the '05 cars, particularly the early demo cars, DJC will support some of the reasons behind that.

First 'Gris was set very low, and I just put up with it, didn't bother me and was part of the fun of the ride. The area grounding was "sacrificial" as such - current car very occasionally grounds out.
Prior to a run at the 'ring the ride height will be adjusted down - and then back up after for everyday driving.

Did it bottom out while you had it? Admittedly some of the roads were pretty bumpy, but we spent two days gritting our teeth and waiting for the next touchdown. We had intended to use the car for a lap of Scotland for clients - the route was amazing, but unfortunately we will either have to sort the car or use something else. The ride is great, so I don't really want to fit stiffer springs.

That '06 car is set for quite a high ride height - if I remember correctly a little lopsided - which I passed back at the time. I don't remember any grounding - unlikely in that when I had it that the car had low mileage and was not ramped about at all.

[tvr moses]

I mentioned this problem to TVR Power and was told there was a modification of fitting some spacers to the rear suspension....

[GR1FF1F]

I've experienced this a few times and it is somewhat disarming when it occurs. Mine's an 06 car so if it is higher then it ain't quite high enough. Seems to happen on long straights and has usually been one individual undulation at 85-90, rather than a series of bumps - even had it on the M25 one time, round near the M11. This also makes it pretty unavoidable as backing off or braking is likely to convert the front spoiler into a road digger.

Does anyone know if this could cause damage or is it built to withstand these impacts ? Certainly makes me cringe when it happens. Mrs. Grif says it's simply a matter of driving slower, but what does she know.

[DJC]

GR1FF1F said:

I've experienced this a few times and it is somewhat disarming when it occurs. Mine's an 06 car so if it is higher then it ain't quite high enough. Seems to happen on long straights and has usually been one individual undulation at 85-90, rather than a series of bumps - even had it on the M25 one time, round near the M11. This also makes it pretty unavoidable as backing off or braking is likely to convert the front spoiler into a road digger.

Does anyone know if this could cause damage or is it built to withstand these impacts ? Certainly makes me cringe when it happens. Mrs. Grif says it's simply a matter of driving slower, but what does she know.

It shouldnt do that!

[GR1FF1F]

So is the noise I hear likely to be the shocks bottoming out ? or is it the floor pan or rear spoiler hitting the asphalt ?

[Neil P]

I've just bottomed mine on a bumpy back road. you can see the scratches to the front and rear if you get on your knees. Its worth praying while your there, so the next time it happens theres not too much damage.

Edited by Neil P on Friday 15th December 16:09

[bogie]

on ours it seems to be the bottom of the rear spoiler...when I follow the GF in the saggy and Im in the Elise, from behind it looks like theres only about 75mm of clearance between the plastic and the road...I run 115/125mm ride on the Elise and thats bad enough !

I think ours (06 car) is overdamped and under-sprung ....trying to convince her indoors to get some Nitrons and sort the spring rate out

[_deejay_]

I drove one of the first demo cars and it bottomed out on numerous occasions on the test drive.
From looking at the car afterwards, it was metal to tarmac where the bolts holding the rear tray to the car touched down.

I heard there were modifications later on to remedy that.

D