will i knacker my dampers

[steve_rt]

ok, i read that adi clicked his torsion bar about 60mm and dropped the front on springs, (about -40mm?). anyway, i can do both jobs myself, so would just have to buy the springs. i know the dampers wil wear more quickly with the shortened springs, but how long are they roughly to last - i know it depends on how old they are already, but will they go like within a month, or a bit longer?

will the performance suffer aswell? i read that lowering the rear buggers up the handling becuase there are no springs involved - what is a good balance of dropping between front and rear to keep the geometry and handlign good?

cheers

 

[BenR]

if you want to keep swet sweet handling...no lower than 30mm.....

rears, no problem with lowering, but only prob occurs when you increase from spring rate and you cant the rear.

They will wear fater if they are hitting their bumpstops, damaging the valve......another reason not to go too low.

try Leda....its semi expensive, but good kit.....and you canspecify spring rates, and also get them to give you their race advice.

The rear torsion bar isnt too much of a problem..........just when your looking for perfection, it matters.

 

[steve_rt]

hows this then: stiffer springs, 30-40mm drop on both front and rear. stiffer should equal not hitting bumpstops if im careful?!

is that what you call bottoming out aswell?

...just checked out the leda site, dont really think i can afford that much!!!

was just gonna get springs for the front for now, and as ill be fitting it myself therell be no exp. labour. who makes decent springs?

Quote: Originally posted by BenR on 25 February 2003





The rear torsion bar isnt too much of a problem..........just when your looking for perfection, it matters.

what do you mean? will it take several drives and adjustments to get it handling how i want it then?

 

[BenR]

Quote: Originally posted by steve_rt on 26 February 2003

hows this then: stiffer springs, 30-40mm drop on both front and rear. stiffer should equal not hitting bumpstops if im careful?!

Should, but how much stiffer. Its asking alot, but see if they can give you spring poundage....if not, dont worry too much. Lower the rear by the SAME amount, dont be tempted to level it out.

is that what you call bottoming out aswell?

Yes

...just checked out the leda site, dont really think i can afford that much!!!

Dont worry, just that leda are GOOD

was just gonna get springs for the front for now, and as ill be fitting it myself therell be no exp. labour. who makes decent springs?

Cant help there, most ones youll get will be just shorted and stiffer.

Quote: Originally posted by BenR on 25 February 2003






The rear torsion bar isnt too much of a problem..........just when your looking for perfection, it matters.

what do you mean? will it take several drives and adjustments to get it handling how i want it then?

NO, i just mean since you cant change poundage, dont worry too much......you cant fine tune it too much.

 

[steve_rt]

cheers for all your help ben mate, youve cleared everything up for me!

...apart from one last thing - what is spring poundage? is it progressively wound springs?

thanks again ben,

steve

 

[BenR]

no worries mate.....just have fun, youll learn along the way.....

Spring poundage is the stiffness rating. I work in lbs/" but other use the metric equivalent which i hate and cant work in.

ANyway, lbs/" is the strength in lbss that i takes to compress the spring 1 inch.

e.g. a 190lb spring is a 190lb/" spring rate. So it takes 190 lbs to compress it one inch, then another 190bs for another inch and so on and so forth.

Progressive springs use coil windings of diffeernt torions and widths to alter the spring rates at certain compression heighs.....good for comfort and rd use, but not great track stuff.