B-road blaster spring rates & bottoming out...
Discussion
Current spring rates are 450lb/375lb which is too stiff for the abysmal roads round here - unless on the motorway, or going at 70...
Want to reduce spring rates to improve the traction and flow over uneven ground - eg. turn the car into a B-road blaster, rather than the track set-up I have.
HOWEVER, don't want the car to be bottoming out - which I have read a few people are having problems with...
The car is not excessively low, but probably a touch lower than others - I can get 2 fingers between each tyre and wheel arch... Don't really want to raise it, as 3 fingers just seems a touch high to my eyes.
Recommendations as per a previous thread seem to be 400/325lb - is this likely to give me what I want? Really want to know more about people's experiences with this set-up re: bottoming out vs the more supple ride...
Thanks,
Dom
Want to reduce spring rates to improve the traction and flow over uneven ground - eg. turn the car into a B-road blaster, rather than the track set-up I have.
HOWEVER, don't want the car to be bottoming out - which I have read a few people are having problems with...
The car is not excessively low, but probably a touch lower than others - I can get 2 fingers between each tyre and wheel arch... Don't really want to raise it, as 3 fingers just seems a touch high to my eyes.
Recommendations as per a previous thread seem to be 400/325lb - is this likely to give me what I want? Really want to know more about people's experiences with this set-up re: bottoming out vs the more supple ride...
Thanks,
Dom
Interesting points on the air suspension guys, however I have GGPs and am looking at changing the springs only...
It was your previous reply Peter that suggested I use those spring rates, this now being my likely replacement.
The reason I have posted is in response to reading my last thread on spring rates and a couple of threads, and a couple of people including A900ss have mentioned bottoming out with those springs...
This was what my original set-up used to do (spring rates unknown unfortunately), and the reason I changed the springs in the first place. Just trying to ensure I don't go full circle and find myself back in the original situation again...
Dom
It was your previous reply Peter that suggested I use those spring rates, this now being my likely replacement.
The reason I have posted is in response to reading my last thread on spring rates and a couple of threads, and a couple of people including A900ss have mentioned bottoming out with those springs...
This was what my original set-up used to do (spring rates unknown unfortunately), and the reason I changed the springs in the first place. Just trying to ensure I don't go full circle and find myself back in the original situation again...
Dom
Thanks for the replies guys.
The car does not bottom out any more - that was the reason I took the opportunity to increase the spring rates when I had the dampers rebuilt at the beginning of last year.
The car does not bottom out any more, even at it current ride height.
However, the ride has been transformed into a much more crashy experience around our terrible Bournemouth roads, even with - as Spend says - the dampers slackened right off to almost comical levels.
I feel like the change has come from the spring rate, and therefore want to try another set halfway in between - just wondered if anyone had any problems to report before I committed to 325/400 (it is rear/front, right?)...
Dom
The car does not bottom out any more - that was the reason I took the opportunity to increase the spring rates when I had the dampers rebuilt at the beginning of last year.
The car does not bottom out any more, even at it current ride height.
However, the ride has been transformed into a much more crashy experience around our terrible Bournemouth roads, even with - as Spend says - the dampers slackened right off to almost comical levels.
I feel like the change has come from the spring rate, and therefore want to try another set halfway in between - just wondered if anyone had any problems to report before I committed to 325/400 (it is rear/front, right?)...
Dom
I have slackened the dampers right off, after that was the advice from Anthony in my previous thread - and yes, it bobs like a duck...
However, the rear still takes off from bumps and loses contact with the ground before coming back down with a crash onto the next bump, rather than "sucking it up" and remaining in contact with the road like it used to...
Anthony, I am currently running 17/18s - but only for the last 6 months. This current ride characteristic has manifested itself since the spring change, and would lose contact with the ground with the previous Estoril/Toyo combo as well, it just wouldn't "crash" so much on landing I guess, probably bounced more...
Its the losing contact with the ground over the completely scarred roads here that seems to be the cause of all the problems...
However, the rear still takes off from bumps and loses contact with the ground before coming back down with a crash onto the next bump, rather than "sucking it up" and remaining in contact with the road like it used to...
Anthony, I am currently running 17/18s - but only for the last 6 months. This current ride characteristic has manifested itself since the spring change, and would lose contact with the ground with the previous Estoril/Toyo combo as well, it just wouldn't "crash" so much on landing I guess, probably bounced more...
Its the losing contact with the ground over the completely scarred roads here that seems to be the cause of all the problems...
Just to revisit and complete this thread...
With no change to the damping (this had been softened considerably to try and offset the stiff spring-rates) I have had the 400/325 spring fitted to replace the previous 450/375 rates - perfect!
Even though the change seems quite small, the car is not bouncing off the bumps at all now, and feels firm but properly planted - very like my other halfs MR2 roadster now.
The difference is night and day as far as B-roads go, I can now attack these roads in confidence, rather than previously where the back end was very jittery and not confidence-inspiring at all.
I can firmly recommend the 400/325 spring rates for anyone looking to set their cars up for the crappy British B-road
Dom
With no change to the damping (this had been softened considerably to try and offset the stiff spring-rates) I have had the 400/325 spring fitted to replace the previous 450/375 rates - perfect!
Even though the change seems quite small, the car is not bouncing off the bumps at all now, and feels firm but properly planted - very like my other halfs MR2 roadster now.
The difference is night and day as far as B-roads go, I can now attack these roads in confidence, rather than previously where the back end was very jittery and not confidence-inspiring at all.
I can firmly recommend the 400/325 spring rates for anyone looking to set their cars up for the crappy British B-road
Dom
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