Adjustable platforms

[grover]

Just got a set of adjustable platforms to fit on standard Bilstein dampers. Having never taken springs / dampers apart before any chance of a quick fitting procedure & are there any problems I need to be aware of?

[StewartG]

I've just done this self same thing and I could probably write a small book on the subject but I'm sure PC could write a big book and his book would have longer words in. If he hasn't published by the time I get home from work I'll sit down and help all I can.

[grover]

In addition to the above, I was thinking of uprating the springs while I'm at it. Caterham recommend 300 lbs on the front with dual rate 200 lbs on the rear for a 92 VX HPC de dion car. Sound about right?

[Jason Plato]

Is there any proven method of increasing the available travel on the front

dampers / bumpstops ? .Other than winding up the platforms ?

Although I have no evidence that the are bottoming out , recent photos of my car in action clearly show that the full travel is being used !! :-)

Car is 1.6 superlite .

 

Dave .

[Paul McKenzie]

Grover,

Biggest problem is standard spring compressors don't fit the small pitch of the springs - I borrowed? a custom-made compressor

[StewartG]

Before you dismantle anything measure the ride height front and back. The trick to removing the front dampers is flexing the bodywork to get the upper mounting bolts out and being gentle with the lower cap head screws as these have been known to shear and if they do you'll need a new lower wishbone. I don't know of a commercially available spring compressors that will fit and I made some from ally strip and studding. Having got the springs off position the circlip so that the spring will go back in roughly to the same position up the shocks that they were in before removal. I lightly greased the inside of the platform tubes to reduce corrosion and make adjusting easier. To get the rear shocks off first support the de dion tube, undo the bottom bolt and then the top cap head bolt. The rears are fitted in a similar way to the front ones but on reassembly the platforms may touch the de dion tube when the lower bolts are tightened. Position the platform tubes so the flats face the de dion tube and minimise the rubbing. Set the ride height as per initial measurements but make sure you settle the suspension by rolling the car back and forth to get a true reading and match the settings of the platforms side to side. Adjust with the car jacked up to take the weight off the springs. Refer to other strands on this forum for set up advise. That's it how do you think I'll get on at the Haynes interview?

[StewartG]

To Dave J Your superlight must be widetrack and you can remove the spacers at the top of the shocks reset the ride height with the platforms and gain about an inch of compression travel.

[Chelspeed]

For narrow track cars you can slice the bumpstop in two and remove half of it. That gives almost another inch travel at the expense of a bit harsher bump stop.

 

For widetrack, as Stewart said, remove the spacers if they are supplied. Some kits appear to use narrow track billies with spacers and other kits use purpose built longer billies. You can also do the half a bump stop mod too.

[Jason Plato]

Cheers Guys , I'll try the tips and report back on the results

Dave