Suspension for dummies

[smac4494]

Just fitted -60mm lowering springs at the rear on my 1.2 because the arch gap was LITERALLY 112mm vertically. Problem is the springs are almost completely compressed (to the extent that the coils are now touching). The back end feels jumpy so I want to get some firmer shocks but I can only find shorter shocks (which I'm guessing would make the compression/ride quality worse).

Can anyone recommend any decent shocks that won't put more weight on the springs

 

[dangerous dave]

Do you know what you're doing?

Your springs sounds trash..

Dampers simply slow the travel impact from bumps.. If your spring are coil bound a new dampers gonna do nothing..

 

[dangerous dave]

You need some decent springs..

I and half of the UK male population have lowered a car 30-40mm without ruining ride quality on OE dampers..

When you dump a car 60 mm on junk springs your dampers have zero travel, hit the bump stops and bounce you into the air..

 

[Carlv8415]

Where did you get the springs from ?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

If you take dampers off the car, your ride height would not change.

 

[smac4494]

Guess it must be the springs. I've done this quite a few times on different cars but the arch gap was so ridiculous that 60mm felt like it would barely move it. The springs were from another 1.2 and the wheels were flush with the top arch on the donor car. The springs weren't even fully compressed. Still don't understand why it would work on another car and not mine

 

[Tomotek]

Hi, do you have any pics of the spring installed? (this will answer a lot of questions)
If your coils are spring bound it won't be long before you end up in a ditch! personally I wouldn't risk taking the car off the drive.

Changing dampers won't make a difference either, they don't add any weight at all to the springs.

You need a set of cooksport springs by the sounds of it, best springs for clios IMO.

 

[levaz]

They do cooksports for the 1.2?

 

[Tomotek]

They do cooksports for the 1.2?

Aren't the rear axles the same on the 1.2 and the 1*2's ??

 

[levaz]

I was thinking front end and weightings.
You're right on the back end though

 

[smac4494]

New development. This is the passengers rear. I can see now it's not seated properly but am I right in thinking springs shouldn't be compressed in the middle and flexed and the ends?

 

[Tomotek]

Who manufactures those springs?... they have 6 coils! never seen a rear spring like that.. they normally have about 4 coils!
Your springs look like they have a really soft spring rate to be coil bound like that too

This is what I was expecting to see....

 

[smac4494]

Yeah that's what I was expecting too. That was how it sat on the donor car. Sadly the manufacturing mark/part no. Is not present.

 

[dangerous dave]

Bin

 

[Tomotek]

Bin

Best advice on this thread! [emoji39]

 

[smac4494]

oh yeah definitely bin. Just can't tell why the springs work on one clio and not another. They're not cracked or bent or anything.

And about the cooksports, anyone know how far they'd lower the rear on standard 1.2 shocks?

 

[Symon]

I had a similar problem with a set of Apex spings on my Fiat coupe. 3 coils were touching at a standstill and you could hear the others banging as you went over bumps.

Luckily they are easy to change on those, so they went back.

 

[Tomotek]

oh yeah definitely bin. Just can't tell why the springs work on one clio and not another. They're not cracked or bent or anything.

And about the cooksports, anyone know how far they'd lower the rear on standard 1.2 shocks?

They lower a 172/182 by:
30mm Rear
25mm Front

not sure how much higher a 1.2 sits at standard than 172/182

 

[MicKPM]

They look like V-Maxx - terrible

 

[smac4494]

Thanks

 

[John Gordon]

NVM

 

[T12]

Alternatively, get yourself a set of eibach sportlines for the 1.2 - they'll give a 45-50mm drop, provide better (more comfortable) handling at speed and don't sacrifice ride quality (no worse than the standard springs over bumps I've found).