Alternative springs and lowering

[Grinzzz]

I find springs are 40% calculation, 50% trial and error and 10% luck unfortunately. To try and calculate even simple suspension solutions is very complex, you normally calculate a workable middle point and get a few made up either side. The problem we have here is the skyhook damping - they make calculations more or less impossible so I'll probably find out the FD and standard spring specs and start from there.

Gut feel from road use is the FD springs are a little too stiff on the front and/or a little to soft on the rear. I'll probably start by fitting slightly stiffer springs at the rear and see what that does (although I'm lazy so I'd probably change whichever end is easier )

If anyone has spare springs sat around I could get them on a test rig and find the rates etc.

 

[BennyD]

I'm just a bit wary about having different spring rates on the back and front of a Spyder; wouldn't that make the scuttle shake worse as the front is doing something different to the back.

 

[Grinzzz]

Nope - weights and roll centres etc are different front and rear so you need different spring rates for each end to create a balanced solution. Every car I've personally ever come across has used different rates front and rear (apart from one BMW where owner had fitted same rates and wondered why handling was so awful). Generally the end with the engine in is heavier and therefore requires higher rate springs to control that weight.

 

[BennyD]

And that is why I let better informed people do my thinking. Well done Sir, you've passed!

 

[Mr.Cambio]

Speaking about stiffness and ride comfort, on every car i have driven, i never changed my mind regarding stiffening. Note that, not matter how hard the springs/socks are, they're installed on a car that weights 1650 kg.This means, ride comfort cannot change dramatically. My day-car is a saab that has bilstein sprint socks, eibach springs, poly bushes and bigger ARBs. I cannot say it's as comfortable as a bmw 520, or MB E class, but when in the city, it is not annoying. If it was a car that weights 1100kg, then it would be annoying.
FD springs are not track oriented springs, so don't worry about stiffness,personally i cannot live without them, and if someone would tell me to remove them, i would sell the car.I got mine with the group buy two years back, and if i'm not mistaken, they had a 30% discount.Jeff at FD maybe can help you to get both in a better price, maybe Noor at Performance Italia could help you, too.

 

[mjheathcote]

This could be interesting!
Had a run out today, it really is too wallowie as standard.

 

[mjheathcote]

Called in to Autoshield in Manchester yesterday and saw Marios.
Speaking about the suspension on my 02 car, he suggested the best option would be GS springs, however according to Eurospares the 03 on 4200 also had the same springs as the GS.
So my question is, do those with 03 onwards cars find the suspension okay, or wallowie? or is it just the early 02 cars?
Certainly the springs on the 03 onward cars are not expensive at about £100+vat for the complete set.
cheers
Mike

 

[safrane]

Had a 03 4200, found it fine...you can however lower to GS ride hight which should make things more stable for you.

Its a DIY job, but you will also need to do the Geo' again

 

[mjheathcote]

Had a 03 4200, found it fine...you can however lower to GS ride hight which should make things more stable for you.

Its a DIY job, but you will also need to do the Geo' again

Changing the springs DIY able?
I have spring compressors etc anything special to the job?

 

[Mr.Cambio]

I am not sure, Marios at Autoshield has tried the FD springs. I think all the years the 4200 inc the GS had the same springs.

 

[mjheathcote]

I am not sure, Marios at Autoshield has tried the FD springs. I think all the years the 4200 inc the GS had the same springs.

Looking at the Eurospares web site, the 02 model has different part numbers for the springs, the 03 onwards including the GS the same part numbers.

 

[safrane]

You do not have to change the springs to lower the ride hight on 4200, have a read.

http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/showthread.php/1187-4200-ride-height-adjustment-slight-problem

 

[AerosGS]

I'm just a bit wary about having different spring rates on the back and front of a Spyder; wouldn't that make the scuttle shake worse as the front is doing something different to the back.

That is exactly what I was thinking. _Any_ stiffer spring will worsen scuttle.

Cheers

 

[AerosGS]

At those (absurd) prices it would be worth getting an old GS spring measured at Faulkners as the baseline...

Cheers