Rear suspension set up question
Discussion
Not long had my latest 7 and had no time to get a feel for the suspension set up prior to the Folembray track day this weekend. Anyway, whilst thundering along the planned 120 mile Blatting route, across some amazing but at times very bumpy roads, it was obvious that the back end was incredibly stiff, so much so that my neck was hurting on some sections.
Anyway, come the track day, I noticed that I was struggling turning in a bit and putting power down without creating wheel spin. The car felt ok but I wasn't too comfortable with entry speed and struggled on exit. I put a lot of it down to unfamiliarity with the car.
However on the way home and when we had all parked up, I was shocked (forgive the pun) to see how softly sprung all the other sevens were compared to mine.
Now that I'm home, I've just discovered that the rear AVO's are adjustable by using a key that was on my key ring. I wondered what it was for! I've found that the shocks were fully adjusted to their hardest setting! Winding them fully back now gives me a much softer rear. I can't drive the car to test the difference yet but assume it will be significant!
Anyway, come the track day, I noticed that I was struggling turning in a bit and putting power down without creating wheel spin. The car felt ok but I wasn't too comfortable with entry speed and struggled on exit. I put a lot of it down to unfamiliarity with the car.
However on the way home and when we had all parked up, I was shocked (forgive the pun) to see how softly sprung all the other sevens were compared to mine.
Now that I'm home, I've just discovered that the rear AVO's are adjustable by using a key that was on my key ring. I wondered what it was for! I've found that the shocks were fully adjusted to their hardest setting! Winding them fully back now gives me a much softer rear. I can't drive the car to test the difference yet but assume it will be significant!
That's fantastic, just what i was after.
However, i dont have any "clicks" when adjusting and assume the numbers refer to "clicks". If so, do you know how many clicks there would be in total on the rear, or for example, what does 12 represent in terms of the position between soft and maximum hardness, 75%?
Cheers
However, i dont have any "clicks" when adjusting and assume the numbers refer to "clicks". If so, do you know how many clicks there would be in total on the rear, or for example, what does 12 represent in terms of the position between soft and maximum hardness, 75%?
Cheers
OK great, so basically, I've been suffering with it whacked up to 100%, when ideally for road use it should be 25% of that or 50% to 75% for track. I'm not heavy, so suspect I should experiment at the lower end of the range for both road and track.
Hoping to experience a tranformed car! ;-)
Thanks again
Hoping to experience a tranformed car! ;-)
Thanks again
culminator - I started at softest on all corners and worked my way up. I believe mine are F-1 R-3 or 4 (or around there). Once I cranked the R-F one the wrong way, and had one side 2 clicks from softest and the other side 2 clicks from firmest. Oops.
edit -- Misleading thread title, as there is no question in the original post!
Darumvej - Huge thanks to you, sir!
edit -- Misleading thread title, as there is no question in the original post!
Darumvej - Huge thanks to you, sir!
Edited by BBL-Sean on Tuesday 6th May 16:18
TBH you should always count from full hard backwards to full soft.
So FH the -1, -2 -3 etc. This will give you the best base line -ie the needle and jet will be closed at full hard - dont force it past its natural hard point - it won't always go to the next click!
Full hard is when the shims will have an effect at full soft or probably within half a dozen clicks of full soft the bleed through the jet and piston will be taking the majority of the oil and so there won;t be much difference to a click at this softer end of the scale.
However from experience the dampers are not likely to be the same on the same click settings any way and the only way to tell if they are is to have them dyno tested.
So FH the -1, -2 -3 etc. This will give you the best base line -ie the needle and jet will be closed at full hard - dont force it past its natural hard point - it won't always go to the next click!
Full hard is when the shims will have an effect at full soft or probably within half a dozen clicks of full soft the bleed through the jet and piston will be taking the majority of the oil and so there won;t be much difference to a click at this softer end of the scale.
However from experience the dampers are not likely to be the same on the same click settings any way and the only way to tell if they are is to have them dyno tested.
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