Front Shocks & Springs

[Guest The Modfather]

Rally Design do Gaz for £50 each, when you add VAT and delivery it's £130 a pair, springs ar £15 to £23 + VAT

 

The rears I am looking at next, fitting a Quafe ATB and have this foolish plan to build a Haynes rear end cradle and convert to double wishbone, don't hold your breath though, takes me years to complete projects but that's half the fun.

 

Wow I didn't realise they were that cheap. When are you getting yours Paul? I think I might look a bit more into this.

 

Thanks Mick and Paul.

 

Daz

[Guest The Modfather]

Right, I have just been on the Rally Design site, and found the Gaz shocks Paul describes. The only thing is, they have 120lb or 140lb springs, nothing in the middle as I thought about 130's.

 

So, what would be the best spring, 120lb or 140lb, in 10" or 9" length?

 

I am looking at the 13" open 9" closed shocks like Paul is getting, but I'm stuck on the spring length. Do I go for 120lb 9" or 140lb 10"?

 

If the shocks are 9" closed, is that the whole length from eye to eye, or between the spring seats? If it is between the seats (which seems right) would I get better adjustment range using 10" spring.

 

Yes, I know nothing about springs and shocks!!!

[Snapperpaul]

Faulkner do 125 spings that's what I have gone for and will try those first, just remember the original setup had a very stiff roll bar and 180 springs, tie bars and 140's should still be a whole lot better.

As I have not received the shocks or springs yet, I cannot comment more.

I will however send them back if I need and buy other springs if I need, so don't copy what I do and get disappointed, by al means use what has been done then modify to your comfort and post results, this is how we reach a general consensus, a ball park figure.

 

At a North Weald handling day, with the old set up, standard with just a milled anti roll bar, I exited the long straight at somewhere around 80mph then turned the wheel hard left, the car whent almost straight on then as speed scrubbed off went left and fish taed uncontrollably for a couple of hundred yards, great fun but that's when I decided drastic action was required.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Snapperpaul

[steve in stockport]

Daz,

I'm pretty certain it's eye to eye for the measurements.

Rally Design do sound cheap initially, but once you add VAT and delivery etc it comes to over £170 for the pair and you have limited choice on the spring rates.

It might be worth shopping round for a supplier with more springs to suit your car.

[Snapperpaul]

As I said Steve the shocks alone + VAT & postage comes to £130 springs extra, you will be hard pressed to find a better price, I know I look for bargins all the time.

[Guest The Modfather]

I think it's a bargain. I was expecting £400'ish for all four, but circa £150 inc vat per pair is a £100 saving.

I will be ordering, but just want Paul, Mick or anyone else who knows a bit about this to confirm what length of spring I should look at, either 9" or 10" and if I go 9" should I have 120lb's, or 10" should they be 140lbs's.

Once this is confirmed I will order, as this is the next big job on the car.

[Snapperpaul]

I think Mick is you man to answer this, my 125 9" springs arrived today, shocks are in the post.

Even if I fit them this coming week, I still have the engine and gearbox to fit followed by ATB LSD then I will have to run in the engine, so I recon a month before I have anything to report

Edited February 5, 2011 by Snapperpaul

[Guest mower man]

Thanks for your vote of confidence, the logic behind my theory is mainly gathered from actual practical experience and a lot of guess work!.A long time ago a gent who I worked for gave me a little insight into spring and damper settings i.e. Soft[ish] spring rates and fairly stiff dampers with as much travel as you can get ,this is a rule I have used on numerous projects for fast road and low end comp vehicles with a fair amount of succsess in the past 30 years .I would think that 9"closed 13"open shocks with 10" 130 lb springs would be close to ideal , if a lot of track work is envisaged heavier rate springs will perhaps be needed. Some thought should be also given to tyre section and pressures ,low profiles give less movement because of stiffer walls etc .The above set up is what I am looking to do with my own car, and I am of the opinion it will .Daz ,remember you will have less weight up front after getting rid of Henry's boat anchor don't make it too stiff! comments awaited moweer man

[Guest The Modfather]

Thanks Mick.

 

9"-13" dampers and 120lb 10" coils then! (I'll order it all from Rally Design to keep things simple.

 

I'll get them ordered tomorrow.

 

What lengths and rates are on the rear end, and what should I look at for replacements? If I say the car won't be track raced and just for road. I've never been under the rear end of my car so don't know what I have.

 

Daz

[Guest The Modfather]

Just ordered my shocks (9" closed 13" open) and 10" free length 120lb springs, and a cheeky little navigators foot rest from RD!

 

I'm hoping the springs won't be too soft, but they're cheap enough and easy to sell on if need be.

 

Have you had your's down yet Paul?

 

Daz

[Snapperpaul]

My shocks have arrived, my springs are here 125lb 9", I am in Richmond Yorks at the moment, springs and shocks will be going in on Satureday morning

 

I think Red Seven had 16 x 10.5's with 10" 170lbs,

I think you may need an inch shorter but your best off setting the front ride height then making sure the rear is an inch higher at the back, measure floor to ground at the front then floor to ground at the back by the seat area

Edited February 9, 2011 by Snapperpaul

[Guest The Modfather]

Shocks and springs arrived today!

 

Look good, but won't be going on for a while yet as I want to finish the engine installation/wiring first.

 

Will update when fitted.

 

Thanks to all that helped

 

Daz

[Snapperpaul]

Interesting day today, I had all the bits together and skipped merrily over to the barn, foolishly thinking I would have both shocks on and start with the engine instsal.

Nooo way...

Shock bush holes 13mm, well I new that

Hood shock bolts 9mm, i new that.

Top shock mount width 20mm, I know that now

Top wishbone mount gap 16mm, i did not know that.

Now I have to remove the whole top wishbone so I can drill and grind the top mounts.

next job how do I match the 9mm hole in the wishbone to the 13mm shock bush hole.

I could drill the hood wishbone, or I could bush the bush.

So I decided to do was for the top shock bush is to pack it, to do this I found a bit of 13mm outside diameter rod with a 6mm hole and drilled it to 10mm, i then cut that down, twice, to fit both shocks metal bush tubes.

Next job was to widen the wishbone top mounts, a bit of angle grinder magic sorts that.

A bit of brute force gets the shock between the mounts and the bolt in.

Tommorow I hope to refit the whole lot, drill out the bottom 9mm holes to take the bottom shock mounts standard 13mm bolt.

Then the other side.

 

Edited February 12, 2011 by Snapperpaul

[Guest mower man]

Not trying to knock you at all but one of the reason I used Dampertech is that Dave could order shocks with custom bush set ups for me at no extra cost i.e 14 mm dia top mtgs and spherical brg [rose joint] bottom mounts which made thr job a simple bolt up [ this was the rear shocks not the front not coil overs either ] as I've said its not a knock but a way of getting whars req regards mower man

[Snapperpaul]

Well I sort of enjoy the challenge, Nothing is simple on a Hood or requires a bit more cash to sort.

My initial outlay was comfortable and I suppose I pay in time and effort.

But my time is free.

I feel that i have found a solution and posting here means the next person that wants to fit shocks on a budget has the info.