MadaboutKitcars

Hi Stuart,
did TD make any other recomendations or changes to your car?

Do you know what the final Camber, Caster, toe settings etc are set to?

Did it make much difference to your cars handling?

I've got Marlin supplied springs at the front and Apex lowering springs at the back, but no idea what spring rates they are?

thanks

Peter

Hi Phil,

These are the trailing arms as they came off the donor:

http://www.msportster.co.uk/data/stripping29.jpg

There are some pics of the arms installed here: http://www.msportster.co.uk/detail.asp?cat=7&offset=12

Hi Peter

Camber 1.5 degree
Toe .5 degree in front and back
Caster 5 degrees

Added to this corner weights were adjusted all together this made the car completely different drives much better now only issue I still have is its a little on the hard side so looking for new springs.

Stuart

Thanks Stuart - one question though - how do you set up the camber on the rear wheels? I don't recall seeing any adjusters on the trailing arms.

you can't set anything on the back unless you get ecentric bushes which are quite pricey.

Correct Patrick you need ecentric bushes which I dont have but he did check the rears and that is what they were as standard.

Thanks, Stuart.

For the caster setting of 5 degrees, how many washers front and back is that equivalent to?

Did they make any comment about the rubber bushes at the front or do you already have poly ones?

I'd like to get mine corner weighted as well sometime because i've read that this can make the biggest difference to handling.

...peter

I checked with Apex and they tell me my rear springs (Apex 20-10352 HA ) are 51N/mm spring rate which according to an on-line converter equals 291 lb/in so between the 260 and 300 lb/in recomended by TD.

I'm not planning to change them, so this is just info for other builders.

...peter

Peter I have 2 washers front and back so equally spaced.
I have poly bushes on the front.
Your springs of 291 lb/in sound almost spot on but you must make sure you have different rate springs at the front otherwise you could get harmonics through the car.

Thanks for the info.

But I have no idea what springs Marlin supplied as standard when I bought the kit from them?

I think that somewhere like Merlin Motorsport at Castle Combe can measure your spring's characterisitcs. (I can't get on thier website from work to confirm this though).

I would have thought that other motorsport suppliers can also do the same if you have one that is local.

Hi All,

Been back through all this and came to the conclusion that as I'm E36 based I'll follow mperman's suggestion and go for these as a first attempt

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p5289/FAULKNER-2.25-X-6-X-225LBS/product_info.html

They are close to the
REAR
MR = 0.63
WR = 90lbs (220lb spring, freelength 8")
Freq = 1.24 cps (softer than front)

he quoted being 225lb, 2.25" ID 6" length

Only difference is that the free length is 6" not 8". Does this affect the calculation. I can't see the free length figuring in any of the equations directly but I may have missunderstood.

I've gone for 6" as that's the maximum travel my dampers allow so any extra length is just more hard work compressing them in the first place.

When the half shafts are almost horizontal (just sloping diff to hub slightly) the length with the top adjuster at a low point (40mm of lowering left on the thread) is 5".

I suppose another way of looking at it is if I go for the 8" at the lowest ride setting then there is no chance of them popping off where as with the 6", if I adjust to the lowest they could just about slip out of position, not that I plan spending much time shooting through the air dukes of hazzard style.

In this case the best option is
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p5366/FAULKNER-2.25-X-8-X-225LBS/product_info.html

My e30 based car has 291 lb/in springs at the back that were 185mm free length before fitting. The car is on the firm side but any softer and I think the car would ground when going over large humps or dips in some roads.

Now that Marlin have finished their latest Sportster, it might be worth checking with Mark what he now recommends?
(assuming the car at Exeter had some springs fitted? )

Hadn't realised the factory car was actually done, have sent the question off to Marlin. Hoping they can give a definite answer on what spring rubbers to buy too. When I hear back I'll post the answer

Chris Cussen posted some pictures under the 'New Hood' thread...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac340/chris_cussen/Exeter%20Kit%20Car%20Show%202011/IMG_8126.jpg

(...and I've just noticed it has Willwood rear brake callipers)

Terry has come back and said they still need to do road testing before confirming the springs so I still don't know which ones to get

Don't really want to waste £50 on a pair of incorrect ones but at this rate I may have to take the risk as otherwise my rolling chassis by christmas plan won't come off

Terry has told me the testing is all done and they've placed an order with their supplier. they're going to be ~£20 each + VAT which is a fair price compared with what else is available off the shelf. There's going to be about a 4 week wait so I may get them in by christmas, just.

Still don't know what rate they will be but once they turn up I'll let you know the details

When I was talking to Mark at Exeter I asked him what springs he used on the back and he told me they were 300lbs/in and confirmed that was the same as the front.

But then I was also told that the car had failed IVA on emmissions because the engine was too clean..............??

I think my rear springs are 280/290 ish which is what GAZ recommended for my coil overs

Any news on the new springs and what spring rates Mark has used on the latest sportster. I've still got solid springs at the moment (a couple of pieces of 2"x3" softwood from a stud partition wall!!) and I'd like to get some bounce at the back.

Nigel

Afraid not. Originally I was told 4 weeks, after 5 I chased them and they said there was a supply issue so it would be after christmas. I did ask for the spring rate so I could just grab some off the shelf but they refused to tell me

I was going to chase today as it's starting to get a little bit silly as I need to roll the car out of the garage so I can get the engine in. I had thought of doing the same as you but using some thick walled plastic tube but I should be able to pull together some wood to do the same. I just had horrible visions of something slipping out

Nigel,

Terry got back to me had has said the springs will be with me by the end of this week so I'd give them a call and get your name down too.

Still not sure what to do about spring rubbers though. I may make my own or just go without and see how noisy they are

Can you not reuse the rubber spring seats from the donor? I managed to to modify mine to fit the marlin mounts.

Hi Ian,

I've taken the plunge and gone for a pair of Faulkner 300lbs spings with a 6 inch length. I measured between spring seats with the rear wheels at there lowest point (governed by the shocks) and at the shortest distance (the sping seats aren't parallel)I had 6 1/2". I figure I can then use the adjustable seats to get the right ride height and to ensure the springs are still slightly under compression at the lowest point of suspension travel so that they don't jump off. I think it will work or it could be a pricey 'suck it and see'.

Why are Marlin being so secretive. Its not as though they can make big margins on springs. Unless they use buy cheap springs to start with. (which was the opinion of the motorsports outfit I talked to when I changed my front springs a year or so ago)