JRZ Race Double Adjustable Suspension

[Vulcan Grey]

Just received these JRZ Race Double Adjustable shocks with remote reservoirs and Eibach springs!

[karmavore]

Purdy! Are you really attaching the reservoirs with Velcro?

[Vulcan Grey]

the velcro was on there, I assume it was in addition to straps and just to keep the remotes from rubbing on the chassis.

[Simon350S]

Very very nice!!!

[Vulcan Grey]

Installed!

Rebound adjuster (clockwise is softer)

Bottom is ball joint instead of a bushing, and very close to the hub carrier. I actually put 3 washers between the shock and the hub carrier after this photo.

Drilled a hole in the body to run the remote reservoir hose up into the body work. The oil lines have a quick disconnect so I didn't have to Dremel a big hole.

Here is the remote reservoir, it has the adjustment knob for compression damping, and it has a Schrader valve for nitrogen pressure, which is an adjustable spring pressure!

Protecting the hose and the body, they are steel braided.

Securing the remote hose so it doesn't get pinched or caught.

Other side

Hose routed in existing grommet by the battery

Other remote

Front ball joint needs replacing (bought some for a Triumph Spitfire)

Spring compressors definitely needed for the fronts... Very dangerous, I almost lost a finger 10 years ago the first time I replaced the suspension in this car. Nearly lost my face too when the spring exploded out of the compressors because I had neglected to use the safety hooks.

Front installed

Haven't set the ride height yet, but these are much more adjustable than the SPAX that I had on there.

[Simon350S]

Looks lush. Are you a little worried about heat from the exhaust?

[Vulcan Grey]

There is a heat shield that goes over the top of the shock tower there and then another heat shield between the exhaust and tire. It should do about the same as the last shock for 10 years...

The oil hose goes up in front of the exhaust and into the body where it should be pretty cool.

[Jonathan]

Looks great, are those front upper ball joint bolts bent !? (think mine were as well but not that much)

[Vulcan Grey]

Not bent, just the boot torn. New ones were $15each.

In that picture above, the ball joint was already loosened.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Vulcan Grey

[Vulcan Grey]

Finished the install, except for final tuning and ride height.

Replaced the ball joints with some from a Triumph Spitfire

Test fit my Brembo race brake caliper bracket

And mounted my front remote reservoirs.

I used the spare tire bolt to hold them down with rubber hose as a cushion, and a rubber floor mat underneath to keep them from bouncing around and making noise.

My new nitrogen pressure fill gauge.

[Vulcan Grey]

my car is too low to measure the ride height. almost couldn't get a jack back under it... oops

My old SPAX wouldn't go low enough for the stock 170mm ride height in the front.

These JRZ can go quite a bit lower if I chose.

I'm shooting for 168mm or so for now.

[trackmagic]

Travis,

What are the spring rates you are trying?

Best,

Jeff

[Vulcan Grey]

These were originally on a V8.

The rear springs are (10") 350lbs and the fronts are (8") 300lbs

Fronts required more preload to get the ride height high enough. My initial guess at trying to set the fronts to the same preload ended up with the front slammed almost onto the tires. Would not have been drive able. Had to raise it several inches, just to keep it from scraping...

So far they feel good. I like the spring rates, and the remotes have a nitrogen reservoir that you can use to add spring rate.

The stock settings for the rebound do feel a bit too harsh for the street.

[qwerty123]

Impressive setup, I'm on the hunt for shocks and springs now.

I daren't ask how much that little lot cost. More than the Lotus/EibBilst kit I'd imagine.

[Vulcan Grey]

To buy new, they would be around $8000...

[qwerty123]

:faints:

[Quicker]

awesome!

I'm running 375 rear / 275 front and it made a heck of a difference.

where did you get the ball joints?

[Quicker]

this 'looks' close - http://www.englishparts.com/products/gb/Triumph/1976/Spitfire/Ball-Joint-Upper-Spitfire--GT6/14350/661-095.html

Edited June 20, 2011 by Quikr

[Vulcan Grey]

Yea, those are the ones.

[Quicker]

cool - $14 each.

mind me asking how much your suspension setup cost?

I recently did the GAZ adjustable upgrade ( http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/index.php/topic/37042-ride-height/ ) - but your remote reservoirs are very nice!

[Vulcan Grey]

I got my JRZ used for $1800

[Quicker]

nice!

[Vulcan Grey]

Update:

 

Yesterday I replaced all the bushings in the rear suspension.

 

I also changed my rear upper spring mount to work with a 2.5" spring, and to take the load into the chassis as designed rather than use a upper spring adapter cone and have all the load go through 2 small bushings.

 

This is how I received the JRZ shocks.

 

And this is how they fit

 

But the bushings were getting pounded out.

 

The SE spring perch will not fit a 2.5" spring.

 

So I made some adapters

 

Also replaced the semi-trailing arm pivot bushings (really weren't in bad shape)

 

Rear lower link bushings

 

Rear upper link bushings

 

 

I'm also replacing the rear pivot arm brake lines, since I hadn't done that when I replaced the rest of the brake lines... not sure why.

[sanj]

I'm curious as to why you didn't make a single-piece adapter -- couldn't you have incorporated the black perch as part of the silver adapter?.

 

 

Update:

 

Yesterday I replaced all the bushings in the rear suspension.

 

I also changed my rear upper spring mount to work with a 2.5" spring, and to take the load into the chassis as designed rather than use a upper spring adapter cone and have all the load go through 2 small bushings.

 

So I made some adapters

 

 

[Vulcan Grey]

The black thing is a rubber cushion by energy suspension.