Rear Suspension, Shorter Sierra Springs?

[Guest docter fox]

I don't really like the rear suspension set-up on my s7, i think it's to high up and to soft, so is changing to coilovers and making some brackets the best solution? has anyone got some pictures and dimensions for the mountings?

 

whilst thinking about this, i thought that if they do lowering springs for a sierra (found out they do) then this could be another option? or would it not be worth the effort? anybody tried them?

 

Thanks

James

[Guest elwe]

Move to the coil overs. We changed our 2B to the RH supplied coil overs everyone slates. They are at least 10 times better than the sierra setup.

 

If you are lucky you might pick up a pair from someone changing to better coil overs.

[Guest docter fox]

have you got any details on the mountings?

[Guest elwe]

For the 2B we made a U bracket for the bottom end of the coil overs and bolted it to the hole in the centre of the spring cup on the trailing arm. We then drilled a hole through the bottom of the roll over bar and bolted the top of the coil over into the roll over bar.

 

I think the S7 has a bolt on roll over bar doesn't it? Therefore it probably won't work quite the same. Someone must have done it in an S7.

[Guest docter fox]

I'll have a look tomorrow at possible places, I seem to remember someone has but i can't remember who...

[Guest nightracer35]

is the s7 simular to the series three at the back??

if so i will try and measure the bracets for the rear shockers

 

 

ron hadaway

[Andy Spencer]

I can't help with the ride height but I did fit some spring assistors (available from caravan shops) to the rear springs on my S7, made a tremendous difference - oh and stuck on a new set of dampers as well for under £30.

Transformed the ride and handling.

 

Andy

[Guest docter fox]

Hi Ron, I don't know for sure but I think they are quite similar

 

andy, what are spring assistors?

[Guest salty_monk]

Big lumps of rubber that you feed into the springs. Serves to stiffen them up to stop the car sitting down like a dog with piles when towing...

 

In our case they just stiffen up the springs, (and stop them from bottoming out, can save the knuckles on the bottom of the car...) make the suspension harder for less than 30 quid.. take all of 10 minutes to fit too... use vegetable oil or fairy liquid as a lube to help insert them... buy at any caravan shop or you can get them on Fleabay...

 

Coilovers would be better but these are a good "stop gap" budget option...

[Andy Spencer]

You need to measure the diameter of the spring and the gap between coils when the spring is unloaded (i.e. jack the back of the car up) before ordering.

 

Agree with Salty that coilovers are the best option but this does make a great improvement for little cash.

 

I fitted them more for the reason that my driveshafts were contacting the tub when the suspension was bottoming out, they sorted this with the help of an angle grinder on the sharp bits!

 

Andy

[Guest docter fox]

I'll pop into the local caravan place during the week and have a look, how do you think I could manage to make it lower aswell? cutting springs seems a bit basic and probably not a good idea...

 

 

has anyone got a picture of the mounts for the coilovers? I'll keep a lookout for cheap coilovers whilst still trying to decidem anybody got a spare pair lying about?

[Guest ady]

I don't like this going into caravan shops business , I would have to put on some dark glasses and a fake beard first

[Guest salty_monk]

The RH one on my sliding pillock was simply a U bracket with a hole drilled thorugh it for the shock & another hole in the bottom to bolt it into the bottom of the spring well.....

 

Top was mounted on a Tube from memory, slid up into the chassis & pinned with a bolt all the way thorough....

[Guest chris brown]

That’s ok with a tubular chassis Dan but the Doc's car is a monocock

 

James

Do not cut the springs and in any case I’m pretty sure that if you lower yours by much you will find it will bottom out too easily

[Guest salty_monk]

Perhaps looking at what Dave Tilson has done to his car would be best for you James???

 

That thing handles superbly & I think it's the same model as yours...

 

Dave's driving is really good but the car makes a lot of difference too, those times he gets round Barkston must mean the settings are pretty good!