Uprating Front Suspension

[warrent]

I'm in the process of tidying up the front suspension on a 1.6 superlight. I have all the front suspension stripped off at the moment and intend to replace all the heavily rusted rod ends, wing stays's and springs.

 

As the springs are heavily corroded and require replacing, I'm intending on sticking in some new 300lb ones. At the same time i'm considering some AVO shocks to go with them.

 

Is it reasonable to do this, whilst leaving the rear alone? I know new shocks are not incredibly expensive, and In an ideal world i would uprate the lot, but i'm also now having to fund my 7yr olds Cadet kart so don't want to spend money when it's not entirely needed especially when he needs loads of ki

[Shaun_E]

300lb sounds mighty stiff for a K series car. Have a search through the archives for recommended spring rates. Caterham's upgrade packages have a maximum of 250lb for extreme road/track /race.

Why do you want AVO dampers - if it's for adjustability then if you can't adjust the rear as well then you are going to be limited in what you can achieve.

 

Yellow SL #32

[warrent]

I've looked through the archives quite a bit and it seems the favourites are between 250lb &300lb. I live in a rural area with awfull roads, most of which have subsided at some point and i'm fed up of smacking the sump and looking at the oil pressure for the next mile or two. Stiffer springs should help on smoother roads, whilst helping with the bottoming out I get at the moment.

 

As for AVO's, it's on the way to changing the lot, for adjustabilty. If others recommend sticking with the Bilsteins then i'll do that, but they're looking a bit second hand and will look odd against re-powdercoated/replaced front suspension bits

 

Edited by - super7 on 19 Jan 2005 14:50:07

[martinwhitcher]

How about these here 😬

 

Martin

 

MW 51 CAT

Superlight No.171

now know as:Superlight DVA 207

[Delberts Wallet]

I would say that 300lbs is far to hard for a superlight. I would say somewhere 250 is as hard as you wanna go. Why do you want to change to AVO's anyhow, what is wrong with the Billys you have at the mo?

 

On my old car I change from Billys to AVO and I was forever messing with the settings and re-painting them because they were always going rusty (the treaded part was bare steel).

 

The freestyle ali shocks go someway to sort this out but still not sure if they are anodised or bare ali. I guess it depends on when you use the car (winter etc).

 

Gareth

 

Blue and Carbon 6 Speed Supersport

lots of Caterham piccies here

 

[Joe 90]

Wide track or standard? It affects the spring rate greatly.

 

SEP field working, not spotted in 103,100 miles. Some photos on webshots, updated 21 Sept

[Shaun_E]

Hi Oliver - Superlights have widetrack

Super7 - I can see the point in wanting a tidier set up - I have just put my old Bilsteins (and old springs) back on my nice shiny refurbished chassis and they do look a bit tatty ☹️. My point was that if you want to play with the adjustments then only being able to do the front would be a bit of a compromise - if you plan to replace the rears as well sometime soon then it's probably OK.

From what I've read it seems the AVOs are a lesser quality damper compared with the standard Bilsteins so the advantage really is only in the adjustability. If that adjustability is what you want then go for it but, if you want fit and forget then new Bilsteins might be the solution.

I know it isnt waht you'd want to hear but why not raise the ride height a bit?

I have a Superlight running (AFAIK) the standard springs but with a green (18mm) anti-rollbar which is the stiffest available. The car is a real handful on bumpy roads (improved with a bit of toe in) and I will be replacing the anti-rollbar with an adjustable one during my rebuild. Whilst stiffening the front up might avoid bashing the sump, it may want to spit you off through a hedge on those same rural roads .

 

Yellow SL #32

[RESOLVIWOLF]

300lb !!!!

 

you realise what will happen if you keep like 150 at the rear dont you ?

[david nelson]

Phil

 

I have not bottomed out yet with 250 sping up front and 150lb at the back. Before I change my springs and change the rake it hit the sump a few time.

 

hope your well.

 

David

[Casbar]

I've got 275 and red arb on the front and 225 nd 3/16 arb on the rear, narrow track

 

Bit frisky on the road, but using M0 dampers so they arn't valved the same as M1's.

 

Also been considering AVO's but may just have to go Nitrons, as the price difference isn't that much, if you spec ali AVO's and spherical bearings.

 

But may need a major cash injection before I can change

[Alan L]

If your Bilsteins are OK and you want adjustability why not get the adjustabile platform kit?

 

 

 

Alan and his Yellow and Green 1700 BDR HPC.

 

[david nelson]

Alan

 

superlights come with ajustable platforms.

 

Phil

 

YHM

[Alan L]

Thanks David, showing my ignorance having an older car.

 

Alan and his Yellow and Green 1700 BDR HPC.