Help With Suspension

[Guest Andrew M]

Hello,

 

I was wondering how the best way to change the suspension on my S3, I have at the moment got the back high full adjustment to the top and the front fully lowered (this is how it was when I got it). I was wondering if it would be better to even them out as at the moment it is pointing down towards the front but I was wondering the best way of doing it as I do not wont to twist the car while I was doing it and I would like to get the front a little higher to stop "Sump Thumping".

 

Cheers

 

Andy M

[Big Jim]

If it's a mark 3 (see the identification page on our website) then you need to know first of all if the front suspension has been altered in any way.

There was a modification carried out by some builders of mark 3's to make the front end "softer" as in standard form it's near enough solid! (I'll bet yours hasn't been touched, if the springs are at their softest)

 

You also need to know that there are a couple of major problems with that front suspension. First of all, the pivot on the top wishbone needs drilling, and a grease nipple fitting (you really need to strip the top part of the suspension to do this) this nipple needs greasing regularly.

The shaft that the top wishbone pivots on, is nothing more than a bloody long studded bar, with a nut on either end. This can seize, or just get stiff in the wishbone, then start to "pivot" in the chassis instead, thus wearing the holes and the bar, as the chassis pieces are only 2 mm thick. The bar/stud needs to be locked in one position, so that it's the wishbone that pivots on the bar.

The other thing to watch, is where the stud/bar mounts through the chassis, you can get cracks appearing from the holes (I've been there!) as 2mm of metal supporting the suspension is just not man enough.

 

A main modification is to throw the RH shockers into the nearest dustbin and fit a decent make. Take one off, measure the open / closed lengths and you'll find there are standard ones out there you can buy (I fitted Spax units, sorry, can't remember the part numbers, they've been on a long time now) and then fit 130lb springs instead of the 180lb RH ones.

[Guest robinj66]

If the front coilovers are the same as the S7 then they are part number G451 AS200. the damper ubnits are still available from Spax @ £84.99 each. The only reason I know is because I've just contacted them about mine. I assume the AS200 part relates to spring rates (?). Does this mean my springs are 200lbs?

 

Spax can be contacted at spax@spaxperformance.com

[Guest robinj66]

Sorry to hijack this thread for a moment but can you elaborate on fitting the grease nipple on the front suspension. I've seen Jim's photo in an earlier thread but what's the fitting process - is it just drilling a hole & cutting a thread? What do you use as a grease nipple - can you use, Eg, a bleed nipple from a brake wheel cylinder?

[Guest chris brown]

Sorry to hijack this thread for a moment but can you elaborate on fitting the grease nipple on the front suspension. I've seen Jim's photo in an earlier thread but what's the fitting process - is it just drilling a hole & cutting a thread? What do you use as a grease nipple - can you use, Eg, a bleed nipple from a brake wheel cylinder?

You use Grease nipples thay can be obtained at lots of places do a search on google for the type you want or just call in to your local motor factors thay may have some.

[Guest robinj66]

Presumably you drill the hole right through the rubber bush?

[Big Jim]

Presumably you drill the hole right through the rubber bush?

 

It's not a rubber bush on the mark 3. Make sure you know what we're talking about here, this is nothing like the 2B.

The top suspension wishbone is a bit like a see-saw, with the coil-over at one end, and the hub at the other, it pivots in the middle. the tub where the pivot is, has 2 plastic bushes pressed into it, 1 in each end, there is a gap between them.

You dismantle the wishbone, then drill and tap a hole in the middle of the tube to take a grease nipple. (make sure that you can get at the nipple once the assembly has been rebuilt!) once rebuilt, you then pump grease into the space between the bushes, until you see it come out at the ends, now you know that it's lubricated properly. If it's not, then it's likely to seize onto the spindle, which in turn then moves inside the chassis mounts, wearing them.

 

From the photo, you'll see that my suspension mountings have been strengthened by riviting extra support plates to the chassis. I rivited, because I didn't have the welding facilities available at the time, they've been OK for over 5 years now anyway!

[Guest robinj66]

Thanks Jim

Mine's an S7 which has similar front suspension ( inboard coilovers ) but I definately have rubber inside but thinking about it I only assumed that the rubber went all the way through the tube. Any idea if I'm right?

[Guest salty_monk]

Yours is the same model & suspension as Jim's. An S7 mark 3.

 

In Jim's post he says bushes are on each end only, there is no bush in the middle if it's original it's just tube.

 

Dan

[Big Jim]

Take the top wishbone out and have a look. The S7 was the model just before the Mk 2 & Mk3, knowing how Tricky's mind worked, (he did chop & change things around for cheapness) I wouldn't be surprised if there's rubber bushes in the wishbone, but check that they aren't just black plastic.

Technically, a rubber bush should be clamped up solid, and the movement is then within the rubber, obviously this would be incorrect for a wishbone that moves a lot, and maybe he then decided to go to plastic bushes.

And before all you 2B'ers start to shout, your rubber bushes are "pressed" into the wishbone ends, and you should fit washers into the gaps (if there is any) around the bolts, then you tighten the bolt, clamping the inner metal tube of the bush, so any movement IS in the rubber.

[Guest timswait]

My 2B has nylaspa bushes, and there definitely ain't any movement in them, they're designed to move on the inner tube.

[Longboarder]

Couldn't see from your pic Andy but you have the lower sierra arm so do you have the sierra anti-roll bar? If you do then losing that and replacing it with tie rods or a custom made lower wishbone would provide you with the biggest improvement of all.

 

Nigel

[Guest robinj66]

Mmm. Lots to think about!

 

Can't say whether this kit left the factory as is or whether some previous bodger has replaced bits - this is how it came to me and until now I didn't know any better. It's never been on the road.

 

Pretty cetain my bushes are rubber with no central metal tube [will have to check to be certain]. If I'm right, do you suggest i change the rubber? Or is it possible to drift in a central tube?

 

Here's a picture of how the arm was mounted when i got the car

[Peter Bell]

Hi Robin from your last picture it is a series one which you have, it has an angle iron frame onto which the top wishbones fit. The standard? arrangement is to have a nylon bush in each end of pivot tube (not the rubber bush) and a whole heap of washers acting as spacers at either end to enable the the wishbones to be moved backwards or forwards to get the castor angle right. I can't find a picture at the moment but can take a few to send on. Do you have the build manual for the car? it is not much use but better than nothing.

Peter

[Guest robinj66]

Hi Peter

Front end setup is the sierra subframe with two lengths of angle iron added and I certainly do have loads of washers used as spacers . I do have the Build "Manual" but as you say .....

 

Pretty certain that my bushes are rubber but not yet had a chance to take the wishbones off (rear axle is off and stripped so jacks are in use). Assuming i need to get hold of the nylon bushes to press into my wishbone tubes? Are they "top hat" shaped? And do they come with the metal inner tube fitted?