Damper travel

[RobGT81]

While playing around with the car today I noticed how little damper travel I have. I didn't get round to measuring it, I was busy trying to cure a leaky Apollo tank :-/ It looks about 20mm of shiney damper portion, which doesn't leave a lot of travel when I'm sat in it.

Does this look normal? How much travel do other people have? The car is a 2004 VVC with standard narrow suspension. I have never really paid much attention to it before. The suspension looks about parallel and sump doesn't look too close to the deck. If I get chance tomorrow I will have a measure.

[Red Seven]

RobGT81 said:

Does this look normal? How much travel do other people have?

Yes. That's quite normal.
The wheel actually moved around 1.6 to 1.7 times the damper travel.
Additionally, the bumpstop is an active part of the system, effectively giving a progressively higher spring rate as the bump stop is compressed. As the bumpstop is some 40mm long, you have significantly more travel available than you are currently assuming.

[RobGT81]

Cheers! I seem to remember reading that was the case, with the bumpstop. Is a bumpstop used like that in many other cars?