Front Splitter
Discussion
BritishTvr450 said:
Back in the old days you could do a rough ride height check by measuring from the ground up to each corner of your outrigger plates and that should be about 140-150 front 160 rear.
With a 10 mm rake front to back.
On my drive, with a quick tape measurement, front outrigger corners sit at 110mm, rears at 130mm. With a 10 mm rake front to back.
The outriggers were replaced by Str8six, so I’d trust them to be welded on straight.
I’ll check the measurements properly when I finally get over to Steve Sprint’s pit, also will look at the level of the wishbones.
But as I said, the geometry was set by experts, so I’m inclined to leave it alone.
PabloGee said:
On my drive, with a quick tape measurement, front outrigger corners sit at 110mm, rears at 130mm.
The outriggers were replaced by Str8six, so I’d trust them to be welded on straight.
I’ll check the measurements properly when I finally get over to Steve Sprint’s pit, also will look at the level of the wishbones.
But as I said, the geometry was set by experts, so I’m inclined to leave it alone.
That does seem like the car is running extremely low. Have you a picture of it side on?The outriggers were replaced by Str8six, so I’d trust them to be welded on straight.
I’ll check the measurements properly when I finally get over to Steve Sprint’s pit, also will look at the level of the wishbones.
But as I said, the geometry was set by experts, so I’m inclined to leave it alone.
Looks great at that height but it’s not so great for handling in my experience.
Ordinarily you’d expect to get 2 fingers in between wheel arch and top of tyre front, 3 rear.
You’ll struggle over speed humps, curbs and pot holes. It’s been known to knock your sump filler plug from underneath and resulting in it falling out so unless it’s specifically for track use being that low is not normally recommended
What shocks are on your car.
Raising ride height won’t effect anything drastically unless tracking was also done when being set up.
I’d be inclined to ask St8six why they set it so low.
No question it looks fabulous like that but sadly not the best for handling or control on roads because the dampers will need to be very stiff to stop bottoming out.
Ordinarily you’d expect to get 2 fingers in between wheel arch and top of tyre front, 3 rear.
You’ll struggle over speed humps, curbs and pot holes. It’s been known to knock your sump filler plug from underneath and resulting in it falling out so unless it’s specifically for track use being that low is not normally recommended
What shocks are on your car.
Raising ride height won’t effect anything drastically unless tracking was also done when being set up.
I’d be inclined to ask St8six why they set it so low.
No question it looks fabulous like that but sadly not the best for handling or control on roads because the dampers will need to be very stiff to stop bottoming out.
The shocks were replaced in 2015 (around 10k miles ago), they are the adjustable Protech recommended for the car.
I am tempted to ask Str8six about it, they’re helpful, though I expect they would invite me to take her in, as it’s impossible to assess something over the phone. I have spoken to them before about the car and they lost the records of the car (amongst others) with an IT update.
The previous owner said this to me:
“I basically took the coilovers out the box and fitted them. Str8 six did the alignment, I asked about the ride height, they said it was good where it was. It's been a while though to be fair, probably worth another 4 wheel alignment.”
I plan on putting new tyres on soon, and was going to get the wheel alignment done at that point.
I am tempted to ask Str8six about it, they’re helpful, though I expect they would invite me to take her in, as it’s impossible to assess something over the phone. I have spoken to them before about the car and they lost the records of the car (amongst others) with an IT update.
The previous owner said this to me:
“I basically took the coilovers out the box and fitted them. Str8 six did the alignment, I asked about the ride height, they said it was good where it was. It's been a while though to be fair, probably worth another 4 wheel alignment.”
I plan on putting new tyres on soon, and was going to get the wheel alignment done at that point.
If it was done 10 years ago there’s a possibility they have been adjusted since for aesthetic reasons or because the customer asked for it to be set low because it wouldn’t be to improve handling IMO.
If you have the adjusting spanner that came with the Protech shocks it’s not hard to adjust them by lifting the car and winding the adjuster rings upwards although it’s a pain in the arse to do so as it’s all guess work,
Lift, adjust, drop down,roll the car back and forth, push down on each corner,check heights at outrigger plates, repeat
It’s probably best to wind damper adjusters off a few clicks.
Normally you’d wind adjusters back to zero then wind them on again.
You Must count how many clicks it takes to wind them to zero and record it before you start.
The rears tend to have a different number of clicks from the fronts.
The more clicks up the firmer the damping will be.
If the knobs are very hard to turn spray some lubricating liquid directed behind them as they can seize up.
If you have the adjusting spanner that came with the Protech shocks it’s not hard to adjust them by lifting the car and winding the adjuster rings upwards although it’s a pain in the arse to do so as it’s all guess work,
Lift, adjust, drop down,roll the car back and forth, push down on each corner,check heights at outrigger plates, repeat
It’s probably best to wind damper adjusters off a few clicks.
Normally you’d wind adjusters back to zero then wind them on again.
You Must count how many clicks it takes to wind them to zero and record it before you start.
The rears tend to have a different number of clicks from the fronts.
The more clicks up the firmer the damping will be.
If the knobs are very hard to turn spray some lubricating liquid directed behind them as they can seize up.
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Sunday 27th October 08:11
^^^^^^^^^
I would start with the damping adjustment on the front at about halfway and slightly softer on the rear as the rear needs to be more compliant.
Out of interest, many years ago when I first started fiddling with the adjustment of suspension, I asked a local Ish independent what the right height settings were. The response was, “we just set it so it looks good”! What can I say…
I would start with the damping adjustment on the front at about halfway and slightly softer on the rear as the rear needs to be more compliant.
Out of interest, many years ago when I first started fiddling with the adjustment of suspension, I asked a local Ish independent what the right height settings were. The response was, “we just set it so it looks good”! What can I say…
And just to add, raising the ride height will offer more suspension travel and as Peter mentioned earlier on in this thread will activate the shocks working efficiency more.
It’s all personal to each owner but if you want to get better handling and a more positive steering with less wander using a splitter you’ll need to raise it closer to the standard 150mm F 160R imho
The 10 mm rake helps push the front down a little and reduces the nose wandering at speed but the splitter is vital for this to work.
It’s all personal to each owner but if you want to get better handling and a more positive steering with less wander using a splitter you’ll need to raise it closer to the standard 150mm F 160R imho
The 10 mm rake helps push the front down a little and reduces the nose wandering at speed but the splitter is vital for this to work.
The Cerbera that originally did this looked great, because the splitter was mounted quite far forwards.
I've got this splitter, and did some research at the time: it appears that the Cerbera nosecone is flat underneath for a distance from the wheelarch forwards, whereas the Chimaera nosecone is already curving from the wheelarch, with the result that the further forward you move the splitter, the more skyward it points.
The natural rake of the car offsets this very slightly, but it always sits further back under than the Cerbera, which is a great shame IMO...
I've got this splitter, and did some research at the time: it appears that the Cerbera nosecone is flat underneath for a distance from the wheelarch forwards, whereas the Chimaera nosecone is already curving from the wheelarch, with the result that the further forward you move the splitter, the more skyward it points.
The natural rake of the car offsets this very slightly, but it always sits further back under than the Cerbera, which is a great shame IMO...
On the basis it has been 10-years since the suspension was installed and geo'd then I would see the value in getting it re-done and inspected for leaks etc ..
Mat Smith has done mine after a conversation about how I wanted the car to 'be'. Transformed the car.
They do look good low to the ground, but the dynamics are terrible in my ill informed opinion.
Mat Smith has done mine after a conversation about how I wanted the car to 'be'. Transformed the car.
They do look good low to the ground, but the dynamics are terrible in my ill informed opinion.
So I spoke with Str8six - love those guys.
Two key bits of info -
Firstly it is too low, but I can get a C spanner around the suspension and raise it up again without making a mess of the geometry.
Secondly, the choice of suspension is 'budget' - they are Protech, and apparently the coils creep down over time more readily than 'better' suspension kits, so you need to monitor and adjust them repeatedly. In the end, the risk is that they become 'coil-bound' and it's time for replacement.
So, to keep this thread off topic of the front splitter, I'm going to have a go at adjusting the suspension ride height, see how it sits, then bring this thread back on topic by installing the new (and cheaper) splitter that I bought from Amazon.
The advantage being that I know what to do with it, and I don't need to spray paint this one to hide the sticky glossy finish of the first one.
If it doesn't work as well as I'd like, then Str8six can take a 'professional' look at the suspension/geo, as it's theoretically overdue anyway.
Onwards, and quite literally upwards...!
Two key bits of info -
Firstly it is too low, but I can get a C spanner around the suspension and raise it up again without making a mess of the geometry.
Secondly, the choice of suspension is 'budget' - they are Protech, and apparently the coils creep down over time more readily than 'better' suspension kits, so you need to monitor and adjust them repeatedly. In the end, the risk is that they become 'coil-bound' and it's time for replacement.
So, to keep this thread off topic of the front splitter, I'm going to have a go at adjusting the suspension ride height, see how it sits, then bring this thread back on topic by installing the new (and cheaper) splitter that I bought from Amazon.
The advantage being that I know what to do with it, and I don't need to spray paint this one to hide the sticky glossy finish of the first one.
If it doesn't work as well as I'd like, then Str8six can take a 'professional' look at the suspension/geo, as it's theoretically overdue anyway.
Onwards, and quite literally upwards...!
I had a set of standard Pro-Tech suspension many, many years ago. It was perfectly okay and worked well on the road. I replaced it with a set of, “Mono’s” as I was doing a lot of Track Days and these were more suitable for the car.
As far as I remember, all Pro-Tech’s are rebuildable as I had a couple rebuilt while I waited outside the factory having removed them in the car park! It was early one morning and they treated me to a cup of tea while I waited. Good guys.
As far as I remember, all Pro-Tech’s are rebuildable as I had a couple rebuilt while I waited outside the factory having removed them in the car park! It was early one morning and they treated me to a cup of tea while I waited. Good guys.
To be fair, I won’t be changing the suspension out, they barely look dirty, but I do know more about what to expect. And the type of driving I do - a bit of B road and a bit of ordinary commuting, certainly doesn’t require me to be going nuts.
What I have found though is that the rear ARB brackets will ground if I hit a vigorous dip, the exhaust between the Y piece and the silencer box will scrape on a speed bump if I have a passenger, and my front splitter lasted 3 weeks.
I’m not attributing this directly to the Protech, more to the fact that I (as well as the previous owner) hadn’t recalibrated after first installation.
Living and learning!
What I have found though is that the rear ARB brackets will ground if I hit a vigorous dip, the exhaust between the Y piece and the silencer box will scrape on a speed bump if I have a passenger, and my front splitter lasted 3 weeks.
I’m not attributing this directly to the Protech, more to the fact that I (as well as the previous owner) hadn’t recalibrated after first installation.
Living and learning!
I have 17’s on mine but the outside dia of the tyres are roughly the same as on 15/16 so makes little difference to be honest.
It’s all in the ride height.
I had Protech on mine for awhile and tried lowering and playing with damping to get it to work satisfactory but never achieved a happy medium so eventually went back to standard right heights and overall much happier with that set up.
I lost a splitter, scrapped my nose cone and even bottomed out straddling a curb until I saw the sense in the correct ride height.
It’s all in the ride height.
I had Protech on mine for awhile and tried lowering and playing with damping to get it to work satisfactory but never achieved a happy medium so eventually went back to standard right heights and overall much happier with that set up.
I lost a splitter, scrapped my nose cone and even bottomed out straddling a curb until I saw the sense in the correct ride height.
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