New Lotus Suspension

[GoldenGT3]

Hi chaps,

My old girl is feeling the strain and needs some tlc in the undercarriage department the poor thing is not as tight as she once was. :yes

I was woundering if anyone here had fitted the upgade from lotus/bilstein, not sure whether to go this route or maybe try something aftermarket fully adjustable.

I use my car everyday but don't cover any great distance so comfort is not my main concern, I take a yearly pilgrimage to the Nurburg Ring and I am looking to do a couple of track-days a year.

Any comments on the new Lotus Suspension or any other reccomendations would be greatly appricated.

All the best Golden

[Kato]

We wouldn't recommend any aftermarket adjustable stuff unless you have experience in setting it up and have a track to do it. We've not heard of anyone setting up adjustable stuff with any great success. We would only recommend adjustable stuff for a trackday only car.

The Lotus Suspension has been developed by Lotus road & handling guys and will be the best available for a road car.

You can read more here if you haven't already.

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/EM...Suspension.html

We do know quite a few owners who have fitted the Lotus stuff and all seem to be happy. We have it fitted and although we still haven't given it a good hard run yet (don't ask) we can see/feel a big difference from our previous set-up.

Would be good to hear from those with aftermarket stuff and how they are getting on.

[mayevora]

We wouldn't recommend any aftermarket adjustable stuff unless you have experience in setting it up and have a track to do it. We've not heard of anyone setting up adjustable stuff with any great success. We would only recommend adjustable stuff for a trackday only car.

The Lotus Suspension has been developed by Lotus road & handling guys and will be the best available for a road car.

You can read more here if you haven't already.

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/EM...Suspension.html

We do know quite a few owners who have fitted the Lotus stuff and all seem to be happy. We have it fitted and although we still haven't given it a good hard run yet (don't ask) we can see/feel a big difference from our previous set-up.

Would be good to hear from those with aftermarket stuff and how they are getting on.

Does anybody know if they will fit my 89 n/a? (X180 but with eagle chasis) - ie don't know which one to order - x180 or SE? Car cannot leave South West Lotus at the present time. Suspension on one side at the rear is completely shot to pieces so needs replaceing. Obviously cant do just one side of the car so hopefully getting both rears done (if they fit)

How much of a differance will this make to the handling if the rears are replaced but the fronts not replaced? But which ones?

(Sorry, don't mean to hijack thread)

Edited June 8, 2007 by mayesprit

[armynick]

Hi chaps,

My old girl is feeling the strain and needs some tlc in the undercarriage department the poor thing is not as tight as she once was. :yes

I was woundering if anyone here had fitted the upgade from lotus/bilstein, not sure whether to go this route or maybe try something aftermarket fully adjustable.

I use my car everyday but don't cover any great distance so comfort is not my main concern, I take a yearly pilgrimage to the Nurburg Ring and I am looking to do a couple of track-days a year.

Any comments on the new Lotus Suspension or any other reccomendations would be greatly appricated.

All the best Golden

My mechanic has fitted my GT3 with the Bilstein / Eibec combo, along with the poly bushes. He says it's now one of the best handling Esprits on his Books. I'm currently abroad but will be back at the end of the montha nd am going on the Furball 5000 alpine run next month, so we'll see how it does after 3000 miles in 8 days.

i don't have his number with me but it, Gerald at GST Performance, Newmarket, Suffolk.

[Tentenths]

Welcome to LEF Nick

That's really gonna be a baptism of fire for the new suspension. Look forward to hearing your opinion in due course.

Gerald Turner's details -

G S T Performance

Unit 7 Studlands Business Centre

Studlands Park Industrial Estate

Newmarket, CB8 7SS

Tel: 01638-661144

[peter_england99]

Ian,

Sorry to hear that your car is stuck at SWLC and needs extra work done on it. I've been there myself.

In regard to your questions I think you need to contact Lotus support for a reliable answer.

Regards,

Peter.

Does anybody know if they will fit my 89 n/a? (X180 but with eagle chasis) - ie don't know which one to order - x180 or SE? Car cannot leave South West Lotus at the present time. Suspension on one side at the rear is completely shot to pieces so needs replaceing. Obviously cant do just one side of the car so hopefully getting both rears done (if they fit)

How much of a differance will this make to the handling if the rears are replaced but the fronts not replaced? But which ones?

(Sorry, don't mean to hijack thread)

[Dan]

Does anybody know if they will fit my 89 n/a? (X180 but with eagle chasis) - ie don't know which one to order - x180 or SE? Car cannot leave South West Lotus at the present time. Suspension on one side at the rear is completely shot to pieces so needs replaceing. Obviously cant do just one side of the car so hopefully getting both rears done (if they fit)

Whoops! Erm, how can I put this delicately - it's not the driver's side that's suffering, is it?

From Bibs' sig, give the factory a call on +44 (0)1953 608000, tell 'em your chassis number, and see which kit they recommend.

[GoldenGT3]

Cheers for your replies chaps.

Looks like I will go with the lotus stuff sounds like its getting the thumbs up, I would have loved to have the suspension fully adjustable but don

[Kato]

Does anybody know if they will fit my 89 n/a? (X180 but with eagle chasis) - ie don't know which one to order - x180 or SE? Car cannot leave South West Lotus at the present time. Suspension on one side at the rear is completely shot to pieces so needs replaceing. Obviously cant do just one side of the car so hopefully getting both rears done (if they fit)

How much of a differance will this make to the handling if the rears are replaced but the fronts not replaced? But which ones?

(Sorry, don't mean to hijack thread)

I would give Lotus a quick call to confirm. Have your chassis no. on you! Also remember they only do a half day on Friday, so you won't get anyone there after about 12.30pm.

I would guess it would require the X180 suspension, as the actual dampers and springs for each model are the same shape, just different internal set-up. The difference between the X180 and SE is likely to be weight and distribution between the models, not the chassis type. But I could be wrong!

I would ask SWLC what they think you can get away with if cost is a real issue. Lotus have said that you can use the new dampers with old springs, so you could go that route if your springs are ok. To be honest, it's probably worth biting the bullet and getting it all fitted at once. I wouldn't advise not doing all four dampers, especially if they not going to be direct replacements. The spring aren't too expensive and your current one's are probably past there best. You'll end up paying the labour again to change them in the near future anyway.

At least you'll be getting a minimum of 5% off as a ClubLEW member! Should take the sting out of it a little!

[Fred Basset]

My mechanic has fitted my GT3 with the Bilstein / Eibec combo, along with the poly bushes. He says it's now one of the best handling Esprits on his Books. I'm currently abroad but will be back at the end of the montha nd am going on the Furball 5000 alpine run next month, so we'll see how it does after 3000 miles in 8 days.

i don't have his number with me but it, Gerald at GST Performance, Newmarket, Suffolk.

and very nice it looks too. I had a nosey underneath it when I dropped mine off for service with him a couple of weeks ago. I had the rear bush kit fitted but don't need new dampers yet.

Regards

Fred

[Tentenths]

Seems quite a few of us have had a look at the 'work in progress' on your car Nick

Good to see that Gerald has quite a fan base on here - deservedly so IMO.

[GoldenGT3]

Just ordered new Bilstein shocks Eibach springs and the rear poly bush set from my local Louts dealer, unfortunately the dampers are on back order .

Lotus after sales say they should be in the end of next week, hopefully i will have them on the car by the end of the month

[mayevora]

Whoops! Erm, how can I put this delicately - it's not the driver's side that's suffering, is it?

Cheeky Bar Steward All the damage obviously done by a previous owner

[Simon350S]

Too much and me thinks...!!! LOL

Simon

[Jonathan]

I've not had a chance to test mine out either.

There are a few fitting issues which I wish Lotus would have explained in a small A5 sheet of photocopied paper with them.

I nearly went into low orbit when I found out the rear springs wouldn't fit into the chassis cup so I saved myself the hassle and got them fitted by my local dealer, just waiting for it back now.

There are some adjustables out there but for the same price the Lotus ones should do what you want and be better suited to road use.

Mine's certainly lower at the front and as the springs/dampers wear in it'll squat as low as you really want it imo.

[mayevora]

Too much and me thinks...!!! LOL

Simon

Think I'm developeing a reputation

[Jonathan]

Just checked mine out after gettnig it back from Lipscombs.

Thing you notice is how much more the car seem to float rather than feel very tight in a straight line - I didn't find myself correcting the car after it nodded this way and that after a few bumps and thats a good thing.

You still have that bump and rattle in the car on man hole covers etc but any initial movement is pretty insular to the driver - it feels like a newer car's suspension rather than something I am used to on an Esprit, it might be fair to say the car feels as if (in a straight line) it could be twice it's weight as it feels stable.

Steering seems much sharper now and more weighty on corners - it feels more precise and the feedback (even on powersteering) seems more apparent.

TBH it doesn't feel a million miles off the Europa when I drove it - when you chuck it into a bend it seems to go "bump...wait, no its a corner" and the car reacts to reflect it.

I would LOVE to try this out on the track, or a smooth road. The prob with 99% of roads here is they are not good surfaces and the feeling is lost inbetween un-accountable dips and ruts in the road (manhole covers and so on) - if you had something nice and smooth you could apprecitate the difference in the straight line feel which doesn't feel like a go-kart anymore.

I appreciate most of this is to be found on a set of new dampers but it does feel good, I can definatly tell an improvement over the old setup.