Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 08:32 PM |
|
|
Topping out?
Was in the garage tonight trying to sort out my poor handling. The car is going for a full geo set-up soon but wanted to try and dial it in a bit
cause even the drive to get the geo done won't be much fun.
The car is a westfield megablade that according to the plate weights 420kgs. I have set the ride hight tonight that was miles out according to the
set-up sheet from westfield, 114mm front and 133mm rear. I set this wiith me weight in the car. I proceded to set the dampers to factory clicks, 8
front 6 rear from softest setting.
My new problem, the front feels lots better and even the rear untill I hit a slight dip then lift on the road the rear shocks top out and give a huge
knock. After taking it back home turns out I can top out the rear shocks just by rocking the roll over bar!
Any ideas of the problem or cure? Would hate to wait for my slot for the geo just to find out I need new shocks or springs ect.
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 08:46 PM |
|
|
Additional info, I have no idea of the make of shocks, guessing gaz or something and the front springs are black whilst the rears are blue and
that's about all I know of them.
|
|
|
mark chandler
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 09:18 PM |
|
|
If it's at the correct ride height and bottoms or tops out you are wasting your time on a full geo, they cannot correct physics.
Time to measure up and get some longer replacements or modify the mountings.
|
|
|
CosKev3
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 09:21 PM |
|
|
Got to be the wrong length shocks as above?
Get pics up if possible 
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 09:22 PM |
|
|
That's what I was thinking but don't know why this is the case if the kit was all supplied by westfield and the car has 4000m on it
thought it would still be original and correct shocks.
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 09:23 PM |
|
|
I will go to the garage tomorrow and get some pics.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 09:26 PM |
|
|
Another thought I had was, if the knob at the bottom of body of the shock might control rebound also so I might have them set to soft?
When I got the car it was set at around 20+ clicks and was rock solid so I put it to standard clicks and have plenty downwards travel, more clicks
maybe?
|
|
|
CosKev3
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 10:18 PM |
|
|
Your 100% sure they are the shocks supplied/specced by westfield?
|
|
|
bi22le
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 10:45 PM |
|
|
I dont think you have the right shocks. Maybe front and rears are back to front if your 100% thatthey were part of a kit.
Also they were probably set to mega bonkers hard because they b bottom out too easily!!!
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 24/5/14 at 10:46 PM |
|
|
Can't be 100% as am not the first owner/builder. The for sale thread was on here for it tho and am guessing with the limited mileage it would be
the original shocks.
IDONTBELEVEIT was they guy that sold it if it helps.
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 25/5/14 at 07:22 AM |
|
|
Do you mean the car is hitting the bump stops ?
The danger is if you fit shorter bodied dampers the tyres will hit the body work.
Longer springs won't make any difference if you set the car to the same ride height.
Westies are generally regarded as having springs at the rear that are too soft. so fitting harder springs and setting to the same ride height is
probably the best answer.
However if you fit harder springs to the rear only it will increase the cars tendency to oversteer, to bring it back into balance the front end
requires to be stiffened by fitting harder front springs or a skinny ant-roll bar.
ISTR a figure of 180 lb/inch has been quoted in the past for Westie rear spring rates.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 25/5/14 at 10:59 AM |
|
|
What I mean is the damper is fully stroked out to full length and knocking.
If I fit stronger springs surely this would make the problem worse?
|
|
|
jwhatley
|
| posted on 25/5/14 at 11:04 AM |
|
|
You need a set of shocks with a longer top eye.
For example protech shocks sell these: http://www.protechshocks.co.uk/spares/extended-top-eye-bearing-107
That will allow you to run the spring lower and give you more extension.
|
|
|
jacko
|
| posted on 25/5/14 at 11:14 AM |
|
|
Would fitting a torsion bar help like in the tv program Race car is born ?
Jacko
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 26/5/14 at 07:53 AM |
|
|
So what you mean the car is you are running out of droop travel.
The amount of droop travel is limited by the chassis on most 7 style chassis, as a result they use short travel dampers with considerable compression
pre-loaded on the springs
With soft spring and only short damper travel much more pre-load will still be held on the spring at full droop, harder springs need less
pre-load.
To give a rough and ready example, a car weighing 1400lbs exerts 400 pounds on each rear spring, the damper travel is 4" at specified
ride height this is -- 3" bump and 1" droop.
With 150lbs/in springs to maintain normal static ride height the spring must be compressed 2.66" of which 1.66" must be pre-loaded
giving a pre-load of 250lbs.
With 300lbs/in springs to maintain normal static ride height the spring must be compressed 1.33" of which only 0.33" must be pre-loaded
giving a pre-load of 100lbs.
[Edited on 26/5/14 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 26/5/14 at 03:53 PM |
|
|
Wow, lost now Britishtrident!
I think Whatley idea of longer top eyes is what I need.
Really don't know how to word it better but when I pull up on my roll over bar my dampers hit the top of there stroke.
Cheers again.
|
|
|
Copland
|
| posted on 26/5/14 at 04:08 PM |
|
|
BTW according to a invoice the springs fitted are 200lbs on the rear and the car is 420kgs.
|
|
|
