More coilover questions!
 

Having read all of the threads regarding this topic one question seems to have remained unanswered:
What happens if you just drop an adjustable beam as low as it will go, and leave it untightened and then stick coil overs on, to regain the height? Are the torsion leaves not just doing the same as the tie bars in the red9 kit?
Has anyone tried this.
As £300 for a couple of coilovers and a couple of metal bars seems a little excessive to me, when you can get a pair of coilovers for £60!

Sure you can do that. There is not reason why you should not be able to.

BTW.....if you want to get nice coilovers you will pay 300$ a piece for them. Look at adjustabilty of the shock and how easiy it is to adjust them. They also have to fit beside the front dual trailing arms without touching them.
Alex

I thought about doing this for awhile, but the thing is, all of the shops I have checked, who sells coil-overs, have coil overs which arent't made to carry the whole weight. They are made to make middle adjustments. Lets say you want to lower one and a half inch, but the steps are 1", and the next is 2", so you lower it two inches, buy coilovers, and use them to raise half an inch. The only company I found who sold real coil-overs which is supposed to carry the whole weight of the car is red9design and Legend, now that Legend is out of buisniss, that leaves us with red9.. I have been thinking of buying their kit for a while, but it's to expensive for me right now.. Have to get a new engine first, and then I'll order a set.

But, does anyone know what kind of shock absorbers are in there behind those feathers from red9? Are they cheesy poofy?

they used to be GAZ shocks, but the supply ran out, so now simon uses spax shocks in the kit.. certainly not cheesy or poofy ;)

I've been told if you simply undo the central locating grub screws from the leaves there is not enough lateral location for the trailing arms. The last thing you want is the arms moving side to side with the car in corners!
Can anyone else confirm this?
Rich

thats true rich.. its clear to see if you take a stock beam and undo the central grub screw and push and pull on the arms.. the seals at the end wouldnt last long for a start!

I did not see that "untightened" there. Must have read right over it.
I agree with Ricola and Bren.....you should not leave it untightened. Drop it as low as it goes and tighten it up again.

Sorry,

Alex

Bear in mind that the shock absorber mounting stud (bottom) and the top mount on the beam are not designed for such a high loading. Especially the new beams on offer with their 'pot shot' spot-welds.

Are they strong enough to carry the front of the car and not suffer any detrimental flexing that will lead to a fatigue related failure? I'm thinking years down the line, perhaps then someone else will be driving the car?

By design, a lot of the damping of the stock system is a result of the frictional losses between the leaves and in the trailing arm bearings. Therefore the loads that the shock absorber has to deal with are somewhat minimised.

I have first hand experience at putting a cheapo coil-over through the top of a bj beam, though rust was a factor, as was 'big air' offroading!

My main concern is the lower stud.

Not my cup of tea, on a 'full-weight' road car anyway.

2p over.

Matt