Supersport 140 front dampers

[TBKBABABTIM]

Had quick trip to Dartford yesterday as was in the area and my front dampers had finally arrived.

Had a quick look round the factory and asked a few questions to help on the build. one was do the dampers actually go on with the platforms at the top to which I was told yes and showed me a car on the line with them that way round. Had asked as noticed the original press car had them fitted like this and read a thread somewhere where CC actually changed them at the PBC to this way.

So this morning fitted them like this but looks like cant be right as they are touching the bottom wishbone. Any supersport owners/Current builders come across the same advice/situation.

Don't want to complete the whole front and find have to take it all apart to swap the dampers round.here

[Martin J]

I thought the only reason they were fitted upside down was to reduce the unsprung weight a little.

[Mankee]

I can't see the pictures on Flickr, but some of the older-chassis'd cars needed the dampers flipping over for clearance when fitting newer dampers. Do you have the extensions fitted to the top of the dampers when widetracking? I think a new Supersport is widetrack as standard, but not sure. Or Caterham/Bilstein might have made the dampers longer now to make the damper extensions unncessary.

[TBKBABABTIM]

Found this thread herewhich supports the upside down mounting but can't see how the fitting

In the photo can be right. Guess I'm stuck until can check with CC on Monday.

 

Edited by - TBKBABABTIM on 6 Apr 2013 14:10:08

[TBKBABABTIM]

Seem to have problem with flickr try this here

[Apollo71]

Hi,

 

I completed my Supersport build last Autumn and had the dampers on the traditional way first and was then told by CC that the upside down figment is correct so had to swap them. Wasn't particularly happy as they were a pig to fit!! The top (bottom?) also touches the bottom wishbone like you suggest and I raised this at PBC. CC said it was fine and with the car on the ground there was a small gap. I can't say that it's a great design but more of a case of TADTS!!

 

Ian

[Grubbster]

I was there yesterday and the super sport that was awaiting IVA that I took a photo of didn't have them inverted, I'd just fit them the other way up to be honest.

[pugwash]

When I build my supersport 140 last year I fitted them the right way up. I heard the rumor about them needing to be upside down but the factory told me that was just for race cars.

 

Went through IVA fine and nothing touches.

 

I will BM you a picture.

 

 

[TBKBABABTIM]

Thanks Ian did you have any issue with ride height before they were swapped round? Also do you have a picture of them after they were changed?

 

Pugwash with them fitted the usual way do you have a very low ground clearance at the front?

[pugwash]

Out of the box, ie fitted as they came there was very low clearance at the front. But by winding the platform all the way up (or do I mean down, you know what I mean, to lift the nose up a bit) I achieved the magic coke can height at the front. I confess I got CC to do the final ride height adjustments which was front all the way up and back all the way down.

[1360rallye]

When I built my supersport last year I was equally puzzled. I fitted them inverted as advised by CC. CC did the IVA. When i picked it up and asked for a definitive answer I was told that CC have a special set of front dampers they fit just for the IVA...

[TBKBABABTIM]

I presume they put them back on inverted which case you haven't had any problems

With bottom of the damper hitting the lower wishbone?

 

Edited by - TBKBABABTIM on 7 Apr 2013 08:21:45

 

Edited by - TBKBABABTIM on 7 Apr 2013 08:22:22

[Grubbster]

I looked at a couple of similar cars today, none had the front shocks inverted. If you have widetrack suspension and therefore fit the 1" extenders to the shocks then you could invert them, if not then fit them the right way up - I wouldn't like any contact between platforms and wishbones personally.

[TBKBABABTIM]

I've decided to wait and check with CC tomorrow, checked out photos of a couple of factory built

cars and they definitely have them inverted but you cant really see the bottom mounting clearly but they wouldn't fit if you fitted the extenders.

[pugwash]

Forgot to say that mine is an SV and therefore comes widetrack anyway. I don't have extenders. Perhaps the SV supersport has different shockers?

 

While not the most helpful post, it does at least give you a few more facts!

 

Mark

 

[Ozzy]

I think you're getting yourself in a tizz about nothing!

 

When I bought my car (used) the shocks were inverted, and I was told sometimes racers have them that way, as they're easier to adjust. It was a kit built car, so who knows whether that's true or not. One things for certain in my case, the previous owner wasn't a racer, as it still had Michelin Pileups on it, which had probably been on it since new. There's no way it was ever "exploited" using those tyres!

 

Anyway, when I replaced the front shocks a couple of years later, I put the new ones on the other way round, as they look better/correct that way. Did it make any difference to the handling, absolutely not!

 

Just stick them on the way "you" prefer.

 

Oz.

[TBKBABABTIM]

You're probably right am getting a bit too paranoid about a few things during the build but think there must be a reason why the factory fit them this way round.

 

Also the other thread about ride height made me think, although can't work out in my head why inverting them should make any difference to ride height or how you can adjust the ride height.

 

 

[TBKBABABTIM]

Answer from CC, fit the dampers the 'usual' way up as needs to be like that to get through IVA, then they will swap them round afterwards. There is clearance between the dampers and the rest of suspension once all fitted and the car is on its wheels.

[Grubbster]

That would explain why the bright green supersport I saw had the dampers the right way up - it was outside with just trade plates on, ready to go for IVA I guess.

[TBKBABABTIM]

Didnt get a definte answer as to why they are better fitted inverted.

[myothercarsa2cv]

Reduces unsprung mass. If the dampers hit the wishbones upside down, I wouldn't fit them this way, as when you get airborne (or jack up the car) the damper will hit the wishbone again.

[TBKBABABTIM]

Will discuss it with CC again prior to the PBC