How low to go?

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 12:37 pm

I've been thinking about lowering my Turbo (and have been egged on by a certain Murf) for a while.

-40mm seems to be the commonest, but i'm not sure on that one really.
I know Jamex do a -30mm, and they are cheap. So cheap actually that if they were utter crap it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Has anyone actually got these on, i know lots of us are on PI.

Any other ones out there- before i get hit with "use the search, young Jedi", i have, a lot of springs mentioned are posted by europeans and seemingly not available here.

So any others out there less than -40?
I know all the lowering benefits and drawbacks, this is purely about the springs.

Comments?

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:07 pm

PI -35mm, thats what i had and would go with again

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:27 pm

Murf wrote:PI -35mm, thats what i had and would go with again

See, he's doing it again!

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:48 pm

you asked for opinions and thats what you got!
you'll change your tune when you want them fitted

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 2:25 pm

Pi springs, No problems here

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:26 pm

Murf wrote:you'll change your tune when you want them fitted

ahem, sad but true

There arent 2 PI sets, one -35, one -40mm?

5mm difference seems almost negligable, surely?

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 7:17 pm

theres always a certain amount of sag after the springs bed in so -35 will actually be lower than that and the same with -40's, i think thats why people were having problems with springs popping out.

PI's are about Â£100, how much are jamex, ive never seen these for a 480.
you gonna new front get dampers as well, do you have bilsteins on the back already? cant really remember!

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:13 pm

http://www.topgear.co.uk/acatalog/Jamex_Volvo.php

Â£69 inc VAT.

I've got the standard black Bilstiens on the back. Think the rear springs are past it.

I think i've got Sachs on the front, don't know what Volvo used originally?

Still have never seen -35mm PI's for the 480!

chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:37 pm

I think they used BOGE gas filled ones.

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:50 pm

Lowering a car too much without other suspension mods can have some bad effects.

If you lower your car 35mm the CoG sadly doesn't move 35mm too, but the RC moves generally more then the CoG.

The bodyroll is determined by the distance between RC-CoG, springrate and antirollbarrate.
So if the distance between RC-CoG is increased and if the springs cann't composate this you car would have roll then standard. Futhermore your ride is lost because of the harder springs.

So the effects of bad lowering are:
-like having more bodyroll instead of less (due to greater distance RC -CoG )
-bad ride
-dampers underrated for springs

Upgrading suspension involves a lot more then changing springs;)

Some intresting threads about this:
VW Golf suspension talk
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=333413&page=1
Mazda Miata suspension talk
http://forum.miata.net/ubb/ultimatebb.p ... 718#000001

greetz Richard

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:38 pm

I have mixed views...regarding the top link....when i used to race (county level) radio controlled cars, i'd always go for a suspension setup where the arms were below parallel, and this gave better handling, although too much and it would induce squat.
Certainly if you go for the supsension setup myself and mat have (and others) the stiffer springs are not damped quite enough by standard dampers. On a flat road i'd even have a tendancy for a touch over critical damping.

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:14 pm

Well the first link isn't the best I had in my favourites list
This one is better(14 pages long

):

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1363022&page=7

but an RC-controlled cars specialist I (specialized noobie) have nothing to tell, I guess

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:26 pm

but an RC-controlled cars specialist I (specialized noobie) have nothing to tell, I guess Arguing or Dispute

Not sure i understand...
I think some principles from RC cross over, lets you play with all aspects of suspension setup. Not all of course. I'm no expert on supension, but i know a bit about damping coefficients and such.

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:23 pm

well, i bought some nice bilsteins all round and got some ventura -40mm springs from euro car parts. went to fit them today and found they are totally wrong! i took them back and they are getting another set in for tomorrow to check. dont hold much hope though as they were totally too narrow and wouldnt even fit over the rubber shock boot!

might give the jamex -30mm ones a shot, anyone tried them before??

volviz · Post by **volviz** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 8:36 am

Koni adjustables with custom springs (80-100mm) - car feelz perfect

also doing some 1/10 RC touring stuff

alkurtz · Post by **alkurtz** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:18 pm

Intresting reading.. Used to do some Rc 1/10th buggy racing myself a few years ago and have some experience of suspnsion setting up suspension for carpet racing , multi surface, off road conditions etc.

Which is the reason why , i'm not giving into my desire for a lower looking 480 on the cheap, as it would seem logical that changing springs alone may look great , but does not seem like a good idea with inferior damping.

P.s interesting reading the 14 page link posted.

alex

ForZe · Post by **ForZe** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:20 am

Im thinking about lowering my 480 myseld, about -40 mm as thats the most common one used to improve the handeling.
But i dont want to drive over every speed bump with 10 km/h like all those "tuned" cars driving around here. So if i lower it with -40 mm will can i still drive over speed bumps and park the car withouth having to look out for the turbo lip getting or anything else damaged ?

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 7:23 pm

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 7:25 pm

Unless of course you take care, no going fast over speedbumps etc.

ForZe · Post by **ForZe** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:59 am

Thanks, as long as i dont need to drive 10 km/h over them i can live with it