GranSport Ride Quality

[PDS]

I have not had my GranSport long enough to know if this is normal, or even whether it has changed since I got it, but the ride seems very hard in Normal mode and I am not sure it changes in Sport. It is certainly crashing over the slightest imperfections in our Cotswold roads. As a comparison, it is much harder than my previous Boxster S and my wife's Mini.

So my questions are - should it be this harsh? How noticeable should the change be in Sport mode? Is there anything I can check?

Thanks for any help.

Paul

 

[Team GCR]

There should be a noticeable change between Normal and Sport modes.

I am just the other side of Banbury if you want to compare your car to mine.

 

[hodroyd]

Yes you should notice the change between normal and sport..!! Do you get the exhaust valves opening when you put sport on, or not..?? Have you got standard size tyres on and are the pressures correct, silly question perhaps, but it can make a difference,,??

 

[Emtee]

Just looking at your avatar photo your car looks like it might have been dropped on the springs and, if this is the case, the ride will be harsh with less of a discernible difference between normal and sport.

 

[PDS]

Thanks for the comments. Miles - that sounds worrying. How can I check? And TeamGCR - I may well take you up on that. I will have the car out over the weekend and will check again on the difference in ride quality and the exhaust - I am pretty sure the exhaust changes. The gear change certainly changes in sport.

 

[Emtee]

Hi Paul, Nothing to worry about other than a harsher ride. I have my GS dropped on the standard springs and yes the ride is harsher (it's also more stable hence the reason for doing it) but there are no issues. I did it previously to my 4200 and there are numerous members on the forum that have done the same.

If you feel it's too harsh, perhaps it's worth getting an indi' to take a look and, if indeed dropped, raise it up a little to your preference.

 

[outrun]

Miles, quick question. I'd like to drop my ride height but have just had the corner weights etc done. Is it as simple as using precisely the same number of turns per strut or should I get it set-up again after doing that?

Cheers

 

[Marwood]

A related question, if I may…Most on the forum recommending leaving GSs in sport, for quicker engagement and clutch preservation as much as noise / handling. Does this therefore mean that pottering around in 'normal' wears the clutch faster? Has anyone produced a switch allowing 'sports clutch' with softer springs?

I've yet to drive a GS - the car arrives at the end of the month - but expect ride quality to be a major topic of conversation between me and Mrs Marwood. The roads here are are pretty poor…Mrs M is considerably pregnant…and she hated that time many years ago when I had an R32 with no springs on.

M

 

[safrane]

I think all GS have the Sofast 3 software and as such non sport has less of a wearing outcome on the clutch...so you may get a few extra % from it but that equates to just a couple of thousand miles...biggest issue is to keep it out of Auto.

 

[Emtee]

Hi Outrun,

It is simple to drop the spring plates and, as you mention, it's just a case of dropping each corner exactly the same number of turns. This assumes all four corners are sitting the same height in the first place, which hasn't always been the case. The fronts are a bit of a p1g to get at, but other than that simple enough.

The effect of this on corner weighting is something else and depends on how thoroughly you've had your car balanced...

Static weight will be un-affected, as this is simply a function of weight at each corner, but ideally unsprung.
Cross weight is a different matter, as this is often fine tuned by adjusting the springs to throw weight to where you want it to be. Given your dropping the springs and changing the influence of the dampers, this could easily affect cross weight distribution, and so I'd advise it be re-checked, but dropping the car on the springs may well be something your corner weighter could do at the same time?

Geometry is the other thing, and this should bet checked and adjusted. I haven't actually done this to mine yet, as the steering and track of the car feels much better since dropping it, however I'm keeping a close eye on my tyre wear and if I see them wearing unevenly I'll have the geo' checked.

Hope this helps.

 

[outrun]

It does, cheers Miles.

I've had full geometry and weighting done do I reckon that if I drop by the same turns all round, it should work. Inside edge tyre wear is going to be the key because is may well increase the cambers a little too much but I agree with your tact here which is just to look at the tyres and see what happens.

Interestingly, my car sits very slightly higher on the offside rear and i'm told 100% by an expert that this is a factory setting related to improved cornering. I thought it mad but it has been assured to me. I know that just a glance at any GS or 4200 will show a slightly larger gap from arch to tyre which looks a little ungainly. It is, apparently, supposed to be there! I'm also reliably informed that the 2002-2010 Mercedes SL has a similar arrangement.

 

[PDS]

One more question - the manual says tyre pressures should be 2.4 bar front and 2.2 bar rear. Mine had just been serviced by a specialist when I collected it, and they were the other way round. The manual does have some errors - is this one or are the fronts really run at a higher pressure than the rears?

 

[Emtee]

One more question - the manual says tyre pressures should be 2.4 bar front and 2.2 bar rear. Mine had just been serviced by a specialist when I collected it, and they were the other way round. The manual does have some errors - is this one or are the fronts really run at a higher pressure than the rears?

Yes this is correct to the owners manual, however what brand are you running? Makes a big difference. There's also some room for personal preference. I'm running Falkens and, depending on what I'm doing, I'll go between 2 and 2.2. Pertaining to the subject of this thread, it also assumes the geo' is correct.

 

[Emtee]

It does, cheers Miles.

I've had full geometry and weighting done do I reckon that if I drop by the same turns all round, it should work. Inside edge tyre wear is going to be the key because is may well increase the cambers a little too much but I agree with your tact here which is just to look at the tyres and see what happens.

Interestingly, my car sits very slightly higher on the offside rear and i'm told 100% by an expert that this is a factory setting related to improved cornering. I thought it mad but it has been assured to me. I know that just a glance at any GS or 4200 will show a slightly larger gap from arch to tyre which looks a little ungainly. It is, apparently, supposed to be there! I'm also reliably informed that the 2002-2010 Mercedes SL has a similar arrangement.

Theres some logic to that. Assumes the car will have just the driver for most of the time I guess and also accounts for for/aft weight balance, however if you've had your car corner weighted, this should have been set with you, or a body weight, in the car, so much more accurate. Regarding your question, I'd advise you speak to the company that did your corner balance. Belt and braces says yes, get it redone, but this assumes you're using the car in situations where small changes to the balance will be noticed, which on the road is just not the case.

 

[PDS]

I corrected the tyre pressures (I had thought a specialist would have got them right during a service) and it was definitely better. I could feel the diference between normal and sport. I was also on slightly better roads than I have been on lately, and the ride was not so bad. The bottom of the wheel arches are 67.5cm from the ground. Can anyone confirm that this is the normal ride height?

Thanks

 

[bigbob]

I never trust any tyre fitter or garage for pressures. They are right maybe a quarter of the time. I also rebalance them on cold pressures at home.

 

[hodroyd]

Always best to check the pressures yourself to be sure..!!

 

[conaero]

I changed to Falkens for the same reason you are having. The PZeros have stiffened sidewalls that make the ride worse. Falkens, a cheaper tyre, have softer sidewalls and hence soak it up better.

I cant vouch for the 453's, but the 452's were epic and had loads of grip. If I had to be critical, the Pzeros are better on the track as the Falken 452's go off very quickly and dont have the stiffest of sidewalls.

To tell if yours has been dropped just measure the height to the middle of the wheel arch and compare with others on here.

 

[hodroyd]

I always thought the Pirelli had the slightly softer tyre wall, that's why it was suggested to run them with a fractionally higher pressure to others..??

 

[outrun]

Me too Robert. I also thought the softer sidewall was a reason why they occassionally suffer blowouts when compared to other manufacturers.