Discussion
Hi,I'm still mucking around trying to step up Avo's dampers,getting a bit fed up with these dampers.
They seem either to stiff or to springy and car never seems very good at high speeds (doesn't feel very safe).Is it better to have harder suspension for speed.
I have got R.T.racing hard springs fitted,the rebound doesn't seem very good on these dampers as well,has anybody else found this problem with Avo's,thanks Ken.
They seem either to stiff or to springy and car never seems very good at high speeds (doesn't feel very safe).Is it better to have harder suspension for speed.
I have got R.T.racing hard springs fitted,the rebound doesn't seem very good on these dampers as well,has anybody else found this problem with Avo's,thanks Ken.
dukeenfield said:
Hi,I'm still mucking around trying to step up Avo's dampers,getting a bit fed up with these dampers.
They seem either to stiff or to springy and car never seems very good at high speeds (doesn't feel very safe).Is it better to have harder suspension for speed.
I have got R.T.racing hard springs fitted,the rebound doesn't seem very good on these dampers as well,has anybody else found this problem with Avo's,thanks Ken.
I've got my AVO's off the front at the moment. Now they are 6-7 yrs.old, so could be worn, but whilst the bump and rebound characteristics are quite similar up to about 10 clicks of 25, over that point the bump continues to increase in a linear manner, but the rebound almost locks solid. I tried RT stiffer springs a few years ago, but took the fronts off again as they increased the ride height by at least an inch over the standard springs. The car just didn't look right, and I wouldn't say that it was particularly low to start with. As Wedgie says, they don't like poor road surfaces at all. One thing you can do to try to improve things is make sure that the wheel bearings are adjusted properly and the ball joints, track rod ends and steering UJ's are not worn. I don't know why car drivers don't seem to be trusted with separately adjustable bump and rebound on their dampers (unlike most decent bikes) until you start looking at race orientated suspension.
Hi,
I have AVO's on my 350i and run them soft rear (less than 6)and 10 on the front for the road. Keeps the front better planted but the ride is reasonable (still crashy) and the rear is more forgiving. On track this weekend I went for 10 rear 15 front and found the front probably could have been harder. Had many bikes with both rebound and compression damping and did lots of tweaking. Found the same thing that Paul notes re the wedge shocks - stock units just aren't linear. On the bike only high spec race units like ohlins (at big cost)stay near linear.
I have standard springs on the front and found the offside front wheel touched under the arch at a tough downhill right hander so interested to see the race springs sit higher
I have AVO's on my 350i and run them soft rear (less than 6)and 10 on the front for the road. Keeps the front better planted but the ride is reasonable (still crashy) and the rear is more forgiving. On track this weekend I went for 10 rear 15 front and found the front probably could have been harder. Had many bikes with both rebound and compression damping and did lots of tweaking. Found the same thing that Paul notes re the wedge shocks - stock units just aren't linear. On the bike only high spec race units like ohlins (at big cost)stay near linear.
I have standard springs on the front and found the offside front wheel touched under the arch at a tough downhill right hander so interested to see the race springs sit higher
Hi,Thanks for help,yes was a bit disappointed with springs and dampers,my old mondeo feels a lot better,but I suppose its a lot newer.I will carry on clicking,until it feels resonable,the steering feels quite good (had new steering joints and trackrod ends ect),just the suspension seems to be rocking about,anyway thanks Ken.
I have the same problem with my 350 been clicking for a month now at present got 14 front ( too hard ) and 8 at the rear. What a difference a click makes.let us know if you find a good setting. Anyone know what tyre presure to run for normal road use ? Bare in mind I live in North Staffs where the roads a bit like Beirut !!
Darren350 said:
Anyone know what tyre presure to run for normal road use ? Bare in mind I live in North Staffs where the roads a bit like Beirut !!
for the standard size tyres, the handbook says 22 front and 24 rear. Use it as a starting point, and also look at the wear pattern across the tyre, e.g. I use 25 on the rear of my 400.
Incidentally, can you be sure the dampers have a similar rate? 'coz if not you will get a lot of problems.
My 280 was a pig to drive until I set the dampers to be the SAME both sides, and that, incidentally was NOT the same number of clicks on each unit. (they woz olde Konis though) .
-Jim
My 280 was a pig to drive until I set the dampers to be the SAME both sides, and that, incidentally was NOT the same number of clicks on each unit. (they woz olde Konis though) .
-Jim
Hi dukeenfield,
I have got new standard springs (from RT) and Avo's all round. They are set 7 at the front and 5 at the rear (as advised as a starting point), but it is too soft. I intend to harden up both front and rear.
The problem I have is, despite the rear shocks being set equally for height when fitted, the drivers side of the car is now 20 mm lower than the passenger's after only a few hundred miles?
I am assuming it is the dampers?
As my mate had Avo's fitted to the rear of his Cerb and both sides settled down and needed readjusting.
Has anyone else had this problem with Avo's?
I have got new standard springs (from RT) and Avo's all round. They are set 7 at the front and 5 at the rear (as advised as a starting point), but it is too soft. I intend to harden up both front and rear.
The problem I have is, despite the rear shocks being set equally for height when fitted, the drivers side of the car is now 20 mm lower than the passenger's after only a few hundred miles?
I am assuming it is the dampers?
As my mate had Avo's fitted to the rear of his Cerb and both sides settled down and needed readjusting.
Has anyone else had this problem with Avo's?
Hi,Weeman,When I took my old rear springs off,the p/s had packing rings fitting between spring and body,but I didn't replace them.I must amit I haven't check ride height to see if one side is higher than other.When I fitted rear springs to dampers,I just screwed the ride height collers to where I thought they should be.Do you measure the distance from top of tyre to top of wheel arch.thanks Ken.
I would have thought the springs affected the ride height more (and the various bushes).
Anyway, My RT Redlines, along with new springs were fitted in January, (front and rear) and I'm also about to start twiddling with settings.
The driver's side rear corner is definately softer than the passenger side.
I'll give it a go at the weekend and see what happens.
Now then - what's this corner weights business all about ?
Anyway, My RT Redlines, along with new springs were fitted in January, (front and rear) and I'm also about to start twiddling with settings.
The driver's side rear corner is definately softer than the passenger side.
I'll give it a go at the weekend and see what happens.
Now then - what's this corner weights business all about ?
I have recently had Redline shocks fitted whilst retaining the old springs.
They have 13 clicks of adjustment and were set at 8 all round.
The rear felt ok but the fronts felt to firm for our roads...steering was quite squittish. Hit a patchy, rough tarmac surface and the steering felt like it was skipping off line...(if you know what i mean)
Has anyone more experience of these shocks? What settings etc..
They have 13 clicks of adjustment and were set at 8 all round.
The rear felt ok but the fronts felt to firm for our roads...steering was quite squittish. Hit a patchy, rough tarmac surface and the steering felt like it was skipping off line...(if you know what i mean)
Has anyone more experience of these shocks? What settings etc..
wee man said:
Hi dukeenfield,
the drivers side of the car is now 20 mm lower than the passenger's after only a few hundred miles?
I am assuming it is the dampers?
Not true, the dampers only control the rate at which the suspension bounces up and down. The springs will control the height of the car.
Quite a few wedges, mine included, sit unevenly when eyed up on a level surface. After lots of careful measuring on mine I have found that the rubber packers between rear of the body and the chassis are unequal. It only takes a little where the rubbers are to give a much bigger discrepancy at the wheel arces etc.
Certainly worth getting the car on a good level surface and then measuring from points on hte chassis & body to the floor.
I would be very surprised if it was unequal springs.
Good luck,
Mick
Hi Dukenfield,
Every set of dampers I have ever taken off a car were weak on the passenger side. (okay, thats only three sets, but it sounded impressive eh?) It may not be a problme if you have brand new springs and brand new dampers, they will _probably_ be factory calibrated. But old dampers seem to get a bit of a beating on the passengre side, so you have to give them a bit more adjustment. The Konis I had didn;t have clicks as such, but seemsed to be infinately variable, and the amount of turn on each was different for similar damping. The damping tests I did at 10kg 5kg with a kithcen timer and some bathroom scales, which although not very scientific seemed to get really good results.
PS if the compression rates are different you are stuffed, as they are not adjustable on the Konis, only the extension damping rate is. Dunno about AVOs.
-Jim
Every set of dampers I have ever taken off a car were weak on the passenger side. (okay, thats only three sets, but it sounded impressive eh?) It may not be a problme if you have brand new springs and brand new dampers, they will _probably_ be factory calibrated. But old dampers seem to get a bit of a beating on the passengre side, so you have to give them a bit more adjustment. The Konis I had didn;t have clicks as such, but seemsed to be infinately variable, and the amount of turn on each was different for similar damping. The damping tests I did at 10kg 5kg with a kithcen timer and some bathroom scales, which although not very scientific seemed to get really good results.
PS if the compression rates are different you are stuffed, as they are not adjustable on the Konis, only the extension damping rate is. Dunno about AVOs.
-Jim
FrenchTVR said:
Hi dukeenfield,
the drivers side of the car is now 20 mm lower than the passenger's after only a few hundred miles?
I am assuming it is the dampers?
Not true, the dampers only control the rate at which the suspension bounces up and down. The springs will control the height of the car.
Quite a few wedges, mine included, sit unevenly when eyed up on a level surface. After lots of careful measuring on mine I have found that the rubber packers between rear of the body and the chassis are unequal. It only takes a little where the rubbers are to give a much bigger discrepancy at the wheel arces etc.
Certainly worth getting the car on a good level surface and then measuring from points on hte chassis & body to the floor.
I would be very surprised if it was unequal springs.
Good luck,
Mick
My Esprit suffers the same. The chassis is square to the floor, but the shell leans to the right.
My old Tasmin had the same symptom....
dukeenfield said:
Hi,Weeman,When I took my old rear springs off,the p/s had packing rings fitting between spring and body,but I didn't replace them.I must amit I haven't check ride height to see if one side is higher than other.When I fitted rear springs to dampers,I just screwed the ride height collers to where I thought they should be.Do you measure the distance from top of tyre to top of wheel arch.thanks Ken.
You can see the lean from the rearof the car. So I measured the distance from the top of the wheel arch to the floor? Only the rear is affected the fronts are even?
FrenchTVR said:
Hi dukeenfield,
the drivers side of the car is now 20 mm lower than the passenger's after only a few hundred miles?
I am assuming it is the dampers?
Not true, the dampers only control the rate at which the suspension bounces up and down. The springs will control the height of the car.
Quite a few wedges, mine included, sit unevenly when eyed up on a level surface. After lots of careful measuring on mine I have found that the rubber packers between rear of the body and the chassis are unequal. It only takes a little where the rubbers are to give a much bigger discrepancy at the wheel arces etc.
Certainly worth getting the car on a good level surface and then measuring from points on hte chassis & body to the floor.
I would be very surprised if it was unequal springs.
Good luck,
Mick
Thanks Mick, I can see how that would make sense. Where exactly are these packers?
Simon.
Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff