S4 Front Spring Top Insulator Alternative Required

[sailorbob]

The S4 (and other models) front spring top insulator (part number A082C4069F) is now obsolete and unavailable from Lotus. Does any one know of an alternative for this?

[andydclements]

I've removed mine from the TE under advice from a certain specialist who can all trust. he advised (correctly) that it wouldn't make any real difference to ride quality, so you could just not use them.

[Vulcan Grey]

removing them will effectively lower the car...

I have JRZ adjustables so I don't use them anymore, but then I also have adjustable spring perches.

It would be possible to make a simple mold and make some out of polyurethane, but it would help to have an undamaged one to create the mold from...

[MartinL]

Removed mine when I changed to adjustable AVO all round..........no problem,

[Giniw]

On 02/02/2012 at 21:24, Vulcan Grey said:

removing them will effectively lower the car...

 

I have JRZ adjustables so I don't use them anymore, but then I also have adjustable spring perches.

 

It would be possible to make a simple mold and make some out of polyurethane, but it would help to have an undamaged one to create the mold from...

I know it's an old thread but I am fitting new springs and I was wondering whether I would change them or not and ended up here. Anyway, the pair I have on my car are just two big black rubber (?) washers so a mould would be easy to make. For your information SJSportscar has them available apparently. But I suspect they are not the Lotus original ones since they are yellow and the pair I have is black.

https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and-accessories/A082C4069F.htm

Do you all confirm there is nothing at the rear axle? (I can't see anything like an insulator from the diagram but I haven't addressed the rear springs yet)

[sailorbob]

The rear spring top isolator for the S4 is part number A079D4038F.

[Giniw]

The item #21 in this? https://deroure.com/images/diagrams/15/31_03.gif

It's listed as alloy material? (and labelled A082D4122F)

Am I missing something?

 

[sailorbob]

A082D44122F is a 12 mm aluminium spacer used on 1988 - 1992 and V8 models. The early S4 and USA S4s isolator is rubber and 23 mm thick. The later S4 and USA S4s use the same isolator as the S300 (part number P625.3103.009AF).

[Giniw]

Thanks, yes in the meantime I had a look at the parts manual rather than the deroure drawing and I basically found the same thing.

The only problem is that in the comment column it's not written the VIN number limit ... I suspect the later part is always preferred? (in my case for a european S4s it would be a P625.3103.009AF too)

[Barrykearley]

Yellow bit from sj on the front.

i can’t remember the rears  - I can dig out the sj order  to check if you need

[Chillidoggy]

SJ lists the S4s rear isolators.

[Jacques]

May I ask you gentlemen if there is any idea, apart from lifespan, in making these front and rear isolators in polyurethane?

And those yellow ones from SJ for the front, are they in polyurethane?

I was thinking that if one does the Whole suspension setup, why not swap these as well, so they are firm and nice for many years, not going sloppy like rubber.

Would it be even better to use the ones in aluminium? Or can they all four be deleted?

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Barrykearley]

Top ones on the rear are the thick ones - a black rubber affair.

believe the front yellow ones from sj are polys 

[Chillidoggy]

Have them made in titanium.

[Barrykearley]

They’s rubber for a reason ?

[Jacques]

MMMMMMmmmmm  Titanium. Nice          

But can they last and is it possible to do both front and rear in metal?

Jacques

[Giniw]

25 minutes ago, Jacques said:

May I ask you gentlemen if there is any idea, apart from lifespan, in making these front and rear isolators in polyurethane?

Steve from SJSportscars confirmed it's made out of polyurethane, same shore hardness as the originals in rubber.
I think these are the only one available (at least the only ones I found yet)

25 minutes ago, Jacques said:

Would it be even better to use the ones in aluminium?

Better I don't know, it probably depends on what you are after. The thing I know is that, generally speaking on modern cars, those pads can actually be complex compounds chosen very wisely, with non linear deflection laws, and that the spring behaviour is calculated and dimensioned with that deflection law in mind.

And a rubber/polyurethane probably helps the spring to resist to corrosion by protecting the paint, too.

33 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

SJ lists the S4s rear isolators.

Yes, but would you confirm the European S4s proper part number is P625.3103.009AF? (my part manual doesn't say anything about the VIN limit unfortunately ...)

EDIT : Apparently, all models with Brembo brakes use P625.3103.009AF as rear upper cups isolators (just got a reply from Steve/SJS)

[Chillidoggy]

4 minutes ago, Giniw said:

 

Yes, but would you confirm the European S4s proper part number is P625.3103.009AF? (my part manual doesn't say anything about the VIN limit unfortunately ...)

 

Yes, that's correct.

You should trust sailorbob, though. If that's what he says it is, then that's what it is!

[Giniw]

Thanks @Chillidoggy!

Oh I do trust him, it's just that VIN thing that was a bit unclear int he parts manual

[sailorbob]

The A082D4122F spacer is for the lower spring seat.

Also, above, I fat fingered the part number for the rear spring top isolator, it's A079D4028F not A079D4038F.

[Giniw]

^^

Just ordered a pair of A082C4069F (front, poly from SJS) and a pair of P625.3103.009AF (rear, Lotus original if I am not wrong).

[Chillidoggy]

As that insulator only fits the S300 and S4s, the VIN is not really relevant because the parts manual says “non-USA S4s”.

 Purely out of interest, what is your serial number? Mine is 4136.

[Giniw]

Are you sure it only fits the S300 and S4s? As I understand it, it fits all the late 4 cylinders?

[sailorbob]

The non USA S4s uses the P625.3103.009AF isolator.

[Giniw]

OK ... I just realized it was not "on" but "Non" USA S4s (It was a bit less obvious than the From and Previous first letters missing to me )

Anyway, I ordered the right part so all is well ^^

Thank you everyone!