Sport 350 suspension

[Daniel]

I've never been happy with the handling on my 350.

Had the geo checked and full alignment carried out last week, but the suspension has always felt poor.

Feels like there's very little damping, and was compounded yesterday at a track day, the car was practically undrivable.

It's running GAZ shocks fitted by the PO, and going through all the paperwork, I've found a receipt for new shocks for 'Esprit Turbo Front 87 on" and "Esprit Turbo Rear 87 on"........these shocks were very cheap.

I'm not happy that these are the right units to fit on a 350, and wondered what your thoughts are?

My options at the moment are:

1. Send the units back to Gaz for refurb

2. Invest in the new Lotus developed units

Need to get something sorted before a trip to the ring next month.

[mike_sekinger]

On the basis that last week your suspension set-up was fully aligned by professionals, I would say that you are most probably running crap dampers that are totally unsuitable for the car.

Instead of continuing down the wrong road, I would try and get back to qualified set-up. The suspesion set-up will make or break your driving experience, so I would suggest the Lotus set-up would be a very good place to start.

Hopefully, one day soon you

[Daniel]

Brilliant, thanks for the quick response Mike.

That's exactly where my thought process was leading me, I've been on to Gaz who suggested a heavier spring, but I could invest in that and find it still not as good as it should be.

I'm now of the opinion that I should ditch the units completely and get new.

I've spoken to Pete at PNM who has given me 2 options:

1. Lotus developed units with the Eibach springs

2. Their own units which are more adjustable, with the same Eiback springs from Lotus

Sounds like I'd be happy with either, as they are both suited to the car, and are not just some units which happen to fit.

I also destroyed a set of front disks within 2 session yesterday at Oulton Park, so I'm ordering them today.

I think the soft pads fitted (too soft in my opinion.....loads of bite, no feel) may have caused the disks to overheat, so I'm opting for standard road pads.....what do you think?

Again.....advice very much appreciated.

[mike_sekinger]

Nothing wrong with having the ability to adjust/fine tune the dampers, but I would stick with the Lotus suggested springs.

I don

Edited June 18, 2008 by mike_sekinger

[Daniel]

you have to come to terms with the fact that if you want excellent track baised brakes, you will eat discs

oh yeah, no doubt.

The disks are less than 2000 miles old, so I'd hope to get more than 2 sessions on a track day.

[mike_sekinger]

yes, there is definately something wrong there.

Changing tack slightly - how do you find the engine temperature during hard track driving?

[Daniel]

Temperature was something I was monitoring.

I was also hooking up the OBDII up between sessions to monitor the O2 sensor voltages.

Temp was a smidge over 80 while on track, rising to 91 ish when I'd pulled in.

I'm monitoring a very small coolant leak (could be small HG breach) hoping it doesnt get worse through summer, as the engine will come out at the end of summer for new belts, clutch/consumables.

All new springs, dampers, disks and pads ordered from PNM today.

I can't wait!!!!

[neal]

I've found that the limiting factor on the track is the discs overheating and not the pads.

Originally I ran hard high coefficient of friction pads and was frying the discs. So I changed to gentler low CoF ones but it didn't make any difference. If you think about it, it does kind of make sense. With gentler pads you have to brake for longer and at the end of the day you still have a shed the same amount of kinetic energy as heat. True, with the harder pads you brake later so will have a slightly higher terminal speed but not enough it be significant. I've now switched back to the hard pads.

With my Brembo setup and EBC turbogroove discs (which are crap in my opinion since they hairline crack like crazy especially through the dimples - I'm going to try the 320mm PNM ones next) I can run a maximum of 15 minutes before the discs start to fry. Even after only 15 minutes, the fronts discs are at 400'C (with the rears not far behind) and that's by the time I get back to the pits and can measure them with my infrared temperature gauge. The on track temperatures would be even higher. I've got some makeshift cooling ducts for the front brakes but that's not nearly enough.

Changing tack slightly - how do you find the engine temperature during hard track driving?

Ah, I wanted to ask the same thing. I've just posted a new topic which I'd appreciate some input on:

http://www.lotusespritforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=17281

Edited June 18, 2008 by neal