Suspension Problems.

[Guest Peter Kelly]

My car, Super spec with 2ltr Rover T series engine, bottoms out at high speeds on all but the smoothest of roads at high speeds with two up.

The sump is wearing out quicker than the tyres.

Do I

1. Fit stronger springs. The current springs are rated at 200lbs in. Replacements are available at 25 lb increments up to 400lbs.

2. Fit stiffer or adjustable dampers. I am having a problem finding these for sale with the same bottom end fitting.

3. Do both.

 

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

Driving slowly or without passengers are not options.

[agent_zed]

Hi Ive got a 2b with pinto and i believe the springs are 320lbs as they are the green RH ones.

hth

[Guest marsbar]

Hi Pete, I foolishly messed with my front end settings one day, as I thought it was too hard, so I dropped it from 16 turns to 10, result it was Ok on dual carriageways and new roads put any older roads with camber it ground the sump bar.

I re did the turns to 14 and its been OK, so you can raise it a considerably distance by compressing the spring more, have you tried this?

I presume the back end does not drag?

 

 

If this fails, you can move in the struts to give more height, but you will need to talk to a expert as I would be out of my depth.

 

Good luck

 

 

Steve

[Guest Peter Kelly]

Hi Pete, I foolishly messed with my front end settings one day, as I thought it was too hard, so I dropped it from 16 turns to 10, result it was Ok on dual carriageways and new roads put any older roads with camber it ground the sump bar.

I re did the turns to 14 and its been OK, so you can raise it a considerably distance by compressing the spring more, have you tried this?

I presume the back end does not drag?

 

 

If this fails, you can move in the struts to give more height, but you will need to talk to a expert as I would be out of my depth.

 

Good luck

 

 

Steve

Thanks Steve. Yes I have tried cranking up the spring. The car does not look good and handles poorly. Perhaps I have been overdoing the adjustments. I have never given suspension much thought till now.

[Redspec]

1) I have 400lb on at the moment - still to soft, changing to 450lb this winter

2) Bin the zimmers and get proper shock's, new bottom mounts required

3) Yes

 

 

What sump have you got fitted? is it level with the bottom of the bell housing or lower?

 

You can always fit a sump guard as well

 

HTH

 

Steve

[Guest Peter Kelly]

1) I have 400lb on at the moment - still to soft, changing to 450lb this winter

2) Bin the zimmers and get proper shock's, new bottom mounts required

3) Yes

 

 

What sump have you got fitted? is it level with the bottom of the bell housing or lower?

 

You can always fit a sump guard as well

 

HTH

 

Steve

That's interesting.Think I might go for 250,s.

Do you have any info on a bracket for the bottom end?

The sump is exactly the same height as the bell housing. Where should I look for a replacement?

Zimmers? Is that what the original shocks are called?

Car has been measured for a sump guard, awaiting delivery.

[Redspec]

That's interesting.Think I might go for 250,s.

Do you have any info on a bracket for the bottom end?

The sump is exactly the same height as the bell housing. Where should I look for a replacement?

Zimmers? Is that what the original shocks are called?

Car has been measured for a sump guard, awaiting delivery.

 

If the sump is the same level as the bell housing you have the shortest sump off the 420 (the rover 620 sump is 20mm deeper)

 

You will find 250 lb spring to soft Belive me I'm on my 2nd set 350 lb, 400lb, --------> 450lb next

 

Zimmers = zimmerides, and is what the kit came with and they are not up to the job, mine had no resistance after about 300 miles

 

the bottom mounts are a u channel welded to a flat bar GBS will make you some up, if you want to make your own 40 x 40 box section with the seem welded side cut out is the right size, and this welded to a flat bar about 6mm X 11/2 that can be bolted down onto the lower wishbone, because this lifts the bottom mount you should drop to 9" springs or you may have trouble fitting them.

[Guest Peter Kelly]

If the sump is the same level as the bell housing you have the shortest sump off the 420 (the rover 620 sump is 20mm deeper)

 

You will find 250 lb spring to soft Belive me I'm on my 2nd set 350 lb, 400lb, --------> 450lb next

 

Zimmers = zimmerides, and is what the kit came with and they are not up to the job, mine had no resistance after about 300 miles

 

the bottom mounts are a u channel welded to a flat bar GBS will make you some up, if you want to make your own 40 x 40 box section with the seem welded side cut out is the right size, and this welded to a flat bar about 6mm X 11/2 that can be bolted down onto the lower wishbone, because this lifts the bottom mount you should drop to 9" springs or you may have trouble fitting them.

Thank you Steve for all of this info. I feel more confident now about going forward with mods.

 

Peter.

[Guest Scarlet]

I have just bought my first RH - a series 3 I'm told, registered in 2006 and with only 400 miles covered since. I'm also experiencing sump grounding on country lanes with two up and, as a new kid on the block, I have asked my local garage to take a look (the garage owner is an ex Westfield owner). I have some technical knowledge having rebuilt and run a pre-war car for over 20 years, but this is a new ball game. Please keep the advice re grounding coming as I have no knowledge/understanding about this type of suspension.

[Longboarder]

Can you post some more pics of the shocks and springs in place on the car.

Moving the lower mounting point inwards is not a good plan. It puts more bending strain on the lower wishbone and requires different spring and shock lengths.

Simply winding up the ride height a few turns is also ineffective and messes the handling.

First step would be decent shocks so they resist the movement better and reduce compression speed of the shock. The mounting bar you show may press out of the shock and into the new ones. AVO or Gaz would be good choices.

You may need stronger springs but I would be wary of going shorter. And I would buy them second after fitting the new shocks with the old springs.

My series 3 handles well after several changes of shock and spring. The zeemerides are next to useless.

 

Nigel

[Redspec]

Can you post some more pics of the shocks and springs in place on the car.

Moving the lower mounting point inwards is not a good plan. It puts more bending strain on the lower wishbone and requires different spring and shock lengths.

Simply winding up the ride height a few turns is also ineffective and messes the handling.

First step would be decent shocks so they resist the movement better and reduce compression speed of the shock. The mounting bar you show may press out of the shock and into the new ones. AVO or Gaz would be good choices.

You may need stronger springs but I would be wary of going shorter. And I would buy them second after fitting the new shocks with the old springs.

My series 3 handles well after several changes of shock and spring. The zeemerides are next to useless.

 

Nigel

 

Should have said mounting holes on the bottom wishbones use the set closest to the hub, and you will still need 9" springs if you use new bottom mounts, you could try and use the old mounts as they do push out of the zimmers, but I would think twice about trying to fit them to the bottom of new shocks, for a start any warranty would be void and you would probably ruin the bushes

You can still use 10" springs if you compress the spings when fitting them (not easy or safe) the 450lb springs going on next are 9" but the ones fitted at the moment ARE 10" but not worth the effort as there is no issue of them going coil bound or any other problems.

 

Steve

[Guest Peter Kelly]

Can you post some more pics of the shocks and springs in place on the car.

Moving the lower mounting point inwards is not a good plan. It puts more bending strain on the lower wishbone and requires different spring and shock lengths.

Simply winding up the ride height a few turns is also ineffective and messes the handling.

First step would be decent shocks so they resist the movement better and reduce compression speed of the shock. The mounting bar you show may press out of the shock and into the new ones. AVO or Gaz would be good choices.

You may need stronger springs but I would be wary of going shorter. And I would buy them second after fitting the new shocks with the old springs.

My series 3 handles well after several changes of shock and spring. The zeemerides are next to useless.

 

Nigel

Thanks Nigel

I have taken this all on-board. I am sure that there are firms out there that could fit these mountings to new shocks.

Peter.

[Guest Peter Kelly]

Thanks Nigel

I have taken this all on-board. I am sure that there are firms out there that could fit these mountings to new shocks.

Peter.

Visit to Tweeks today. Came home with two new shocks with adjustable damping. Had to buy new springs as well, the old ones would not quite fit.I went for the same weight of spring. 400lbs, not 200 as I said before.

I am looking for bushes now so I can use the same fittings.

They doe arf look good.

Thanks for all your help and advice.

Peter.

[Guest carlconrod]

Hi all

With the help of the members on here I have my alloy sump fitted and I don’t get the oil serge anymore. Thanks to edbond, steven, mower man.

Right I want to adjust my ride height “higher” and fit some Gaz shocks and springs. I have bought the lower front mounts http://www.kitspares.co.uk/shop/item.php?cat=16&product=4966&catsub=0

But I have not bought the shocks and spring yet “as without going over old ground” a few members have said they would go for stronger springs or longer shocks if they done it again?

Have any of you found the best of both worlds, good on the road and track with ground clearance?

Redspec would you mind me asking what you have ended up running and are you happy with it?

Sorry for all the questions but as with all of us I don’t want to waste money on the wrong shocks and springs.

Best Regards

Carl

Super spec 2l 16v rover 08 plate

[Guest carlconrod]

Hi all

With the help of the members on here I have my alloy sump fitted and I don’t get the oil serge anymore. Thanks to edbond, steven, mower man.

Right I want to adjust my ride height “higher” and fit some Gaz shocks and springs. I have bought the lower front mounts http://www.kitspares...t=4966&catsub=0

But I have not bought the shocks and spring yet “as without going over old ground” a few members have said they would go for stronger springs or longer shocks if they done it again?

Have any of you found the best of both worlds, good on the road and track with ground clearance?

Redspec would you mind me asking what you have ended up running and are you happy with it?

Sorry for all the questions but as with all of us I don’t want to waste money on the wrong shocks and springs.

Best Regards

Carl

Super spec 2l 16v rover 08 plate

can i bump or is this not allowed?