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suspension
MC - 31/3/10 at 11:19 AM

Does anyone have any ideas for a cheaper alternative to coil over shocks for my locost or do i start saving.

blakep82 - 31/3/10 at 11:20 AM

start saving

tomprescott - 31/3/10 at 11:27 AM

Cheaper coilovers?

tegwin - 31/3/10 at 11:27 AM

IMHO.. decent coilovers are the key thing that makes the difference between a cack handling car and a decent one!

I know some people have succesfully used motorcycle coilovers, but you would have to use pushrod suspension to get a suitable ratio.

Gaz coilies from Rallydesign are reasonable....

Daddylonglegs - 31/3/10 at 11:32 AM

Got my GAZ from Dampertech. V. helpful and reasonably priced

StrikerChris - 31/3/10 at 11:48 AM

personally i'd prefer to skimp on the bhp side and spend on the cornering side if i really couldn't hide all the receipt from the other half.you want a comfortable ride too.even with a good one an enthusiastic hour really takes it out of you.

ReMan - 31/3/10 at 11:53 AM

hughpinder - 31/3/10 at 12:20 PM

Decide what size you need and vist the bigger kit shows, Stonleigh,Newark etc and scour the stands. I got my (unused, from the MNR sell off last year) AVO 13" (but the 2.25 steels rather than the 1.9 alloy ones)shocks for £50 (no springs though), but was looking for 1 stonleigh show and 2 newarks!

You could trya 'wanted' on here - maybe someone has upgraded/bought the wrong size etc.. I doubt youll get any really cheap though.


Regards
Hugh

Miks15 - 31/3/10 at 02:41 PM

i paid £150 for a set of unused alloy bodied protech shocks complete with springs a while back. The guy selling just simply listed them as shock adsorbers. So bad spelling lost him a few quid, but got me a decent set of cheap shocks

Just keep looking around, dont expect to find something striaght away, if you have the time and patience for it you can get yourself a good bargain!

Frosty - 31/3/10 at 10:39 PM

If I was on a budget, I'd be looking at Protech dampers from Procomp, who will supply, valve, and match dampers for under £90 each.

So for £400 you'll have a very respectable spring and damper combo which will work very well on the car.

If you skimp on suspension, you ruin what's great about a 7 chassis - how it handles.

There are cheaper options, but always strike the balance between cost and quality. Anyone buying a set of this or that for £50 is just not serious enough about the car. Buy something because it's right, not just because it fits.

StrikerChris has it right - handling is way more important.

iank - 31/3/10 at 11:25 PM

Do NOT buy Zeemeride's, even if they are 99p

[Edited on 31/3/10 by iank]

gethin - 16/7/11 at 06:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MC
Does anyone have any ideas for a cheaper alternative to coil over shocks for my locost or do i start saving.


I have just picked up some jag xjs rear coilover dampers and though bulky look like they will be spot on!!!

britishtrident - 17/7/11 at 04:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan



Been done

PDF file link Lightweight Special

Sam_68 - 17/7/11 at 06:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident Been done


Several times, in fact; Allan Staniforth used Pirelli rubber seat webbing for one of his Terrapins, and I think there have been 750 Formula cars that have used rubber band suspension too.

It does have the disadvantage that the bands are in tension, so when they snap you're left skidding down the road with a thin aluminium undertray separating your arse from the tarmac.

Is it just me being overly pessimistic, or does the likelihood of the (non-adjustable) rear dampers from a two-tonne lardy-arse gin-palace GT having exactly the right damping characteristics to suit a half-tonne road racer seem pretty slim?

I'm with Blake, Tegwin and StrikerChris... dampers are one of the most critical components to ensure good handling on light cars, so if I were you, OP, I'd start saving.

Mind you, the aforementioned Issigonis Lightweight Special does without dampers at all, and is still indecently rapid.

[Edited on 17/7/11 by Sam_68]

britishtrident - 20/7/11 at 07:56 AM

I have always been surprosed nobody has tried using Mini rubber cone suspension on a locost.