Suspension bush options - old style, damper programme ?

[Mightymetro]

Got it out, wasn’t too bad to be fair.  It came out the collar pretty easy to be fair, it was the other side which was quite tight but gave it a few heat cycles and just used spanner’s and managed to get it turning, then it wound itself out 

[Mightymetro]

Collar now out, used a socket and washers and lots of heat to press it out by about 5mm and then used mile grips to crush it together and turn it out 💪🏻

[Barrykearley]

See - simple 👍

[Mightymetro]

Oh Barry, you speak too soon.  This bugger is seized in, going to have to drill it out.  1 out of 4 isn’t too bad though 👍🏻
 

going to do it when I have more time so I’m not rushing it.  Top links separated.  On removal of the rear hub one of the bolts was tight and rounded off so ground the head off , took the hub off, then got the rear of the stud out with mole grips
 

all suspension now removed from car 

[Sparky]

Heat, soak, heat, soak, rinse, repeat.  I've never had to drill one; always managed to draw them out with patience.

[Mightymetro]

Here’s another query.  Looking at the rear stabilisers (that bolt to the rear upright to back of chassis) I have removed the bushes and they are the conical taper bushes......but the ones online look to be standard parallel bushes 🤔

[Mightymetro]

Everything off the car and dismantled.  Got the lower link studs out on all except the last one.  Had to drill it out gently and straight.  Tried the stud extractor once I had most of the bolt material out but it wouldn’t budge.  Quick trip to tool station for a 13mm cobalt drill as the hss ones were not up to the task and also what a difference cutting fluid makes.

got it out and then junior hacksaw through the split pin.  Plenty of heat and got it out without cracking the hubs

only 1 thing left that is seized and it is the top link.  The half that is left handed came off but the stud is solid in the other side.  Will persevere with fire and gt85 this week and see if it will come out.  If not I might need one new side but pretty happy with what’s been salvaged.

im still stuck with the fact my rear bushes seem to be conical and not parallel like the others.  The ones I removed were 2 part black rubber bushes.  I’ll,get them blasted and then measure them to see.  I’m guessing they are normally parallel inside?

 

Cweeden, last time I looked I’m sure that the Lotac suspension kit was £2200 but your right, it’s £2700 now!!!  Can’t believe it was £279 per pair when they came out.  I think I’m now edging towards the nitrons.  Will give them a call this week and discuss fitting and report back.    

[cweeden]

You are shaming me with the progress you are making, I may have to get my hands dirty and tackle the chassis work that I know is needed. 🙂

Looking forward to any news on the Nitrons, I'm pretty much sold on them, it's just a matter of when (and how massive the discount is from @Bibs 😇 )

cheers

-Chris

[Mightymetro]

Here is a summery that I received from a suspension company regarding choices.  I priced them at

Lotac set up - £2750

nitron - £2000

Protec and Gaz - £1000

 

I think you should realistically rule out the Bilstein option, there's a fair amount of 'Lotus tax' applied to that, and for that much money you could buy so much more.

If the money was no object, even with the Billies in the frame, I would go for the Nitron's. 

The reasoning for this, they run inverted monotube technology, they are simple to adjust (only 1 knob) they are fully customisable at the point of order, meaning we can choose your spring rates to suit your mode of use, and they are fully rebuildable (futureproof). We see the Nitron kit on a large proportion of the competition cars we set up, from kit cars and E46 M3's, up to 1200bhp Skylines and Noble GT3 race cars. 

 

We have seen quite a few cars now on the Protech kit, mainly TVR's and Noble's, and we are both pleasantly surprised with them, especially for the cost. 

With the Protechs you will get height adjustment, as well as separate bump and rebound adjustment. 350lbs springs as suggested by SJ's may be a little high (in my opinion) for a road only car, so it would certainly be worth enquiring as to whether softer springs can be supplied instead (250lbs-300lbs). Failing that, set aside a budget to replace the springs. 

The TVR owners are blown away by the performance of the Protech's, and this is coming from customers who have removed the stock Bilstein kit (similar to your lotus stock kit) or Gaz Golds. I guess the only thing that we do not know, is how they will fair in the longevity battle. However, factor that into the cost of the kit, and even if they only last a few years it still works out cost effective to have them rebuilt - and they do come with a 3 year guarantee. Price/performance, you can't go wrong.

 

Gaz Golds - hmmm - I wouldn't. I run Gaz Golds on my own 944, and since day 1 they have given me nothing but grief. They are too firm for the road, and I spec'd them 15% softer than their recommendation. I have since softened the spring rates, and they're still too stiff. And they leak oil from the adjusters when I set them soft. 

Ignoring my personal experience, on other cars we've seen, they are always too stiff for road, they come with 20-30 adjustments but to make them bearable you can only use the last 3-5 clicks, and time between rebuilds is very short - race cars are having them rebuilt at the end of every season. 

 

To summarise, if I were in your position, id be weighing up the Nitron's or the Protech's. Likelihood is the Protech's will win, especially if we can set the spring rates a little softer. And if you factor in the money side of things, the money saved buying the Protech's more than pays for the final set up works on the car. Protechs also have that fine tune capability of setting bump and rebound individually, whereas Nitron is combined.

 

I hope this helps - if you'd rather talk it through, or you have any questions, please do give me a shout.

[andydclements]

I know a few of us have had and binned Protech. On mine within 6 months of light use, pretty much all damping had gone, that may have been due to softer springs leading to the fluid having to work a lot more than it should with normal springs, but then compare that with what the firm above have stated.

[cweeden]

@Mightymetro don't forget @Bibs was offering you a discount too on the Nitrons. I'm also going to buy a set (at some point) and was serious about a 'bulk buy' of two sets, although not so serious to expect it to impact the discount at all. 🙂

The Nitrons seem like the sensible choice to me with the Lotac poly bushes.

cheers

-Chris

[Escape]

I've done over 40k miles with ProTec (rear only), including some pretty poor surfaces on a daily basis. I can't fault them, but I don't track my car, so don't know what they'd be like when really pushed.

Filip

[Mightymetro]

26 minutes ago, cweeden said:

@Mightymetro don't forget @Bibs was offering you a discount too on the Nitrons. I'm also going to buy a set (at some point) and was serious about a 'bulk buy' of two sets, although not so serious to expect it to impact the discount at all. 🙂

The Nitrons seem like the sensible choice to me with the Lotac poly bushes.

cheers

-Chris

I have a nitron on my triumph Daytona and it seems really well made but it is a summer toy only.  My only reservation is longevity as I’m hoping the car will be my daily driver.  I’ve been in touch with Bilstein about the possibility of them rebuilding Lotac dampers etc but I’ve had no response in over a week and that’s with email and phone

 

@Bibs, can you get a price and lead time for the Nitrons if you get chance and any more room in price if there is a small number of people interested ?

[Bibs]

👍

[Mightymetro]

I’ve pretty much come to a standstill with my current problem and any help would be really appreciated.  
 

‘’here are the photos of the rear stabiliser arms where the bushes go.  I’ve got the new Lotac bushes which are the red round bushes and these appear to be parallel.  
‘I’ve cleaned up the insides of the stabiliser bars and they are tapered inwards to the middle by about 2mm diameter.  The bushes I removed were split type black conical rubber bushes similar to the later spec front taper bushes.  I don’t know if they are all like this to allow movement of the poly bush during fitment to ensure a tight fit or I have some odd creation.  The car has no history of bushes been fitted previously but the only part number for rear bushes is the same for all types?

 

 

[Barrykearley]

They need pushing in with tonnes of lube - the first time you will think it’s going to rip and tear - you need to be brave 

[Mightymetro]

It’s not that Barry, it’s the fact that the link bar ends aren’t parallel and I’m worried that the bush is the wrong type as all the other Link bars I have seen seem to be parallel whereas mine are tapered / conical 🤔

[Barrykearley]

Oooh didn’t read that far..... All of mine have definitely been a parallel tube affair

[Sparky]

I've never worked on one with tapered bushes, but I've replaced plenty of the single-piece ones, and the arm apertures are definitely parallel.

[Mightymetro]

I might have to buy new arms and top links as I have no idea what The bushes are that are fitted to mine and no part numbers ££££££££

I don’t suppose anyone has one lying around and could tell me what the internal diameter of the link bar is.  I maybe able to bore them parallel 

[Barrykearley]

I’ve defo got a brand new lower link one in the shed on the shelf @Mightymetro

[Mightymetro]

2 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

I’ve defo got a brand new lower link one in the shed on the shelf @Mightymetro

If you get chance to have a measure I’d really appreciate it Barry 

[Barrykearley]

I can measure it tomorrow for you chap👍

[sailorbob]

On the later wishbone the rear bush is a single parallel item (standard part no. A075C6000Z, polyurethane part no. LOTAC05454) and the front bush is a split, two piece, conical item (standard part no. A082C4250F, polyurethane part no. LOTAC05458).

[Jacques]

t

That set of Nitron adjustable coilovers, would that be the same set as could be installed on my 1990 SE?
If so, I might be interested and jump on a group buy, if that could resolve in an even better price.
Let me hear what's possible.
Kind regards,
jacques