Bradders Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 All, Just a quick one. Bored at work again! About to change my suspension from Race Adjustable Bilsteins to Road Non-Adjustable Bilsteins in a week or so, on advice from the venerable chaps in my area. I'm thinking and hoping that these road ones are not going to change my 7 into a Cadillac, lurching from side to side in corners, but are just going to be that little bit more compliant on rough roads? Everyone I talk to seems to go for as soft as possible. I like its handling but not the ride that much, too crashy. Don't want to massively compromise the former. Cheers, Bradders. Edited by - Bradders on 12 Jun 2012 14:15:15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrixswhitestrat Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Sorry...thought this was a post about my ex-wife... 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezky Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 You need a set of these here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Quoting Q102: You need a set of these here Indeed Unfortunately due to just buying the Seven itself in January, plus new wings and these Bilsteins, cookie points are well and truly exhausted. Maybe next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 What's the problem you're trying to solve? Apart from being less adjustable, what will the new dampers give you that the old ones don't - is the damping rate the same? Are you keeping the same springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted June 12, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted June 12, 2012 Bradders, Do your new damapers look the same as your old ones? If so, why not swap the adjustable spring platforms, then you could have adjustable ride height, but softer springs and dampers 🤔 Standard springs and dampers (with adjustable platforms) are just fine ❗ My car runs standard springs and dampers and performs well enough in the clubs speed championship If it wallowed or was too soft, I would have changed years ago. I think the caterham "race" springs and dampers are too stiff for road use (and not very good for sprint and hillclimb use either). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Quoting charlie_pank: What's the problem you're trying to solve? Apart from being less adjustable, what will the new dampers give you that the old ones don't - is the damping rate the same? Are you keeping the same springs? No real problem Charlie. The ride is just a little hard and I've been advised that I could make better progress on road dampers, as she does tend to jump around on bumpy roads, and I fear for my dental work. They are complete shock and damper units with non-adjustable platforms, so different springs, yes. Richard - That is precisely what I hoping to hear . Being used to "normal" cars, "soft"road springs and dampers to me means wallowy, but I'm guess this doesn't apply to Sevens. Wasn't aware that I could put adjustable platforms onto those shocks to be honest, then again my mechanical knowledge is not that high. I'm hoping the Seven will teach me. Thanks for the reassurance, much appreciated. Bradders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Bradders, the springs are seperable from the dampers. I wonder whether it's the springs or the dampers that are making the ride too harsh. Perhaps setting up the race ones correctly would give you the behaviour you're after... Sometimes race cars are run on the bump-stops, which gives a very harsh ride. If you measure the length of exposed damper rod with someone sitting in the driver's seat, then measure again with the wheel off the floor and the damper fully extended, you know how much bump:droop you're running. Rule of thumb is 1:2 if you're way outside this you might be hitting the bumpstops or topping out causing your ride problems... This can be fixed by adjusting the platforms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 They'll be perfect for road use. Pick up some adjustable platforms to get the car flat again, and you'll be flying. Keep your race billies (and mark which corner each one goes on) and then when you go to the track, you can pop them back on and enjoy the benefits! No potholes on circuits, so your teeth will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLimits Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I'd agree with Richard. For general road use the standard Billsteins are just fine. If you can get a set of adjustable platforms even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Just finished changing the damper units with the great help of a mate. Thanks Grant. Planned on 2 hours. Took closer to 5. Would have been two if the bottom bolt on the front hadn't proved to be such a pain. Allen key kept flexing and we didn't have an imperial socket for it. After searching various shops to no avail, we returned to the garage and WD 40 had worked its magic in our abscence and after a bit more persuasion it came loose. Seems Caterham had used copperslip on all the bolts. Thanks. Re-fitting seems to be easier fitting the bottom bolts into the Dedion tube first. Fronts were the other way round it seemed best to us. Top first. Very happy with the way she rides now. Just removed the crashiness and the high speed damping is much improved too, so she feels far more stable. Bring on a Lakes blat! Thanks all for the great advice from here and the local club. First big job on a car like that for me and feel very satisfied indeed Bradders Edited by - Bradders on 27 Jun 2012 14:41:17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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