Body roll control...suspension modification

[mjheathcote]

For general road driving, I find the suspension works pretty well.
On the motorway, in non sport mode the suspension is quite soft allowing a long distance flying carpet ride.
Hit the sport mode and the skyhook does firm things up quite a bit, on anything but the motorway sport mode is certainly required.
My gripe however, is body roll. On the track the body roll is extreme, and I find this also the case on the road when 'pushing on a bit'.
I have a few choices.
Being an early Classico the suspension springs can be changed to 03/Facelift/GS springs all sharing the same, at little cost, but somehow I doubt the body roll to be much less?
Change to expensive Formula Dynamic springs. The reports are that these are great, much reduced body roll etc but at what cost, apart from price? A hard ride? No flying carpet ride on the motorway? 'What have I done' as I drive down a typical UK road with ridges and pot holes?
So....
What about the Formula Dynamic anti-roll bars and keeping everything else stock? These control body roll of course, but the ride should be unaffected in a straight line?
Any thoughts on this?
Cheers

 

[Rex B]

Hi

II have a 3200 but it shares the same springs as the early 4200 so one option you might have for springs is to fit the firmer AC 3200 springs. However one of the critisms of 3200 was the firm rise and putting firmer springs on will only make this worse, so the choice I made was to upgarde the roll bar and if I had a early 4200 this would be my first choice as well as lowering the car 15 - 20 mm.

Rex B
Manual 3200

 

[Mr.Cambio]

I drive the 4200 fast mainly on roads with curves. I paid a lot for the FD springs, but every penny is worth. I know you've been looking for cheaper solutions, but i don't think there are any.

 

[alfatwo]

The 3200 has a fairly soft suspention set up, great for motorways but not too good for the twisty bits
Stiffer roll bars are an easy way to stop roll,even fitting stiffer mountings(poly bushes)to the standard items will reduce the roll

I read somewhere fitting the AC 23mm front bar, plus a few adjustments to to rear camber settings transform the handling of a standard 3200

Dave

 

[mjheathcote]

Looking on the Eurospares web site they 'appear' not to be any difference between 3200GT, 3200AC, or early 4200 springs.
What they do list however, is 3200 'optional racing trim' springs and a front anti-roll bar...these actually might be the 3200AC items...web site not really clear?

 

[conaero]

I have ordered a set of GS springs for the Spyder as the handling is very fidgety at the moment.

When I accelerate the car pulls to the right, lift off and it pulls to the left. A good geo also should sort it.

Not looking forward to changing them it looks like a pig of a job.

Anyone else in an early Spyder experiencing this?

 

[mjheathcote]

But when you say GS springs, you mean 4200 '03 onwards springs that where also fitted to the GS.
I know they are cheap, but worth the effort to change?
It's not as though the GS had more 'sportier' springs, they are stock 4200 from '03!

 

[SpyderNick]

Matt, the one time that mine was fidgety at high speed I had the geo done again and it's been fine ever since. I've never had it pull to one side on acceleration or braking, but a full geo sounds he first step and see if it also cures the pull.

 

[SpyderNick]

Mike,
I had mine lowered shortly after a purchase and it definitely stopped a great deal of he roll and wallow.

 

[mjheathcote]

Mike,
I had mine lowered shortly after a purchase and it definitely stopped a great deal of he roll and wallow.

What ever I do, it will also be lowered slightly for sure!

 

[Andyk]

Mike, the man you want to speak to is Miles.....He did all sorts to his 4200 to stop the roll...It was a very well sorted 4200.

 

[Mr.Cambio]

Springs are all the same, if you wast something without cost, then you can lower your car by 10mm max. Then you'll recognize significant change in handling, but not dramatical.

Matt..have you tried to check if your wheels are balanced?

 

[Emtee]

I didn't do a great deal to be honest. I just dropped it on the standard springs by about 20mm. The improvement in roll was relatively small, but noticeable. If I'd kept at it, I'd have changed the ARB's as well, as on high speed bends the wallow was still there.

If I ever get around to doing anything suspension-wise to the GS, I'll start with the ARB's and only then look at the springs.

 

[Mr.Cambio]

not sure if the upgraded ARB will work properly with standard springs.

ARB are aimed to push the car lower, lower than standard. Maybe an email to Jeff from FD could clear this out.

Miles, next road trip you're free to drive my 4200 with FD springs

 

[mjheathcote]

I didn't do a great deal to be honest. I just dropped it on the standard springs by about 20mm. The improvement in roll was relatively small, but noticeable. If I'd kept at it, I'd have changed the ARB's as well, as on high speed bends the wallow was still there.

If I ever get around to doing anything suspension-wise to the GS, I'll start with the ARB's and only then look at the springs.

So really, your GS corners no differently to your old 04 4200 (lowered to GS spec, same GS springs) apart from maybe the slight difference the 19" wheels make?

 

[mjheathcote]

not sure if the upgraded ARB will work properly with standard springs.

ARB are aimed to push the car lower, lower than standard. Maybe an email to Jeff from FD could clear this out.

Miles, next road trip you're free to drive my 4200 with FD springs

I've dropped FD an email....

 

[Emtee]

So really, your GS corners no differently to your old 04 4200 (lowered to GS spec, same GS springs) apart from maybe the slight difference the 19" wheels make?

No, the wheels / tyres make a difference, and the steering is quicker. The GS does wallow a bit less, as it's already set lower than the stock 4200, but it does still wallow.

All I meant was that in lowering the stock springs I didn't really change the roll. All I did was lower the stance. Fitting stiffer ARB's is the only way to address this directly.

 

[Parisien]

Surely Miles with lowered suspension....you reduce the extent of roll as theres less overall travel in suspension........how many mms less?


P

 

[mjheathcote]

Lowering the suspension on the spring platforms will compress the spring. However the spring will extend and compress the same distance, so roll the same. I think!

 

[Emtee]

In reality, changing the spring height, as Mike mentions, is just a case of lowering the platform on which it sits, but it returns to the same spring compression as the weight of the car drops down in relation to it. The spring travel remains more or less the same, but the damping is compressed. So essentially other than compressed damping and potentially different wheel geometry, as you've done is allow the body to sit lower.