Tonycaterham Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Having decided to fit stiffer/lower springs to my Live Axle Caterham based on postings on Tech Talk I ordered 1.9 inch 300lb 8 inch front and 1.9 inch 125lb 12 inch rear. Shockers are Bilsteins with adjustable spring seats. Springs arrive to find the back should be 2.25 not 1.9..... doh!!!! But of more concern is the front springs ones currently fitted at 7 inch so given the higher poundage and desire to lower ride height looks like I need 6 inch not 8inch . So what is it with all the posting saying 8inch front, 12inch rear???!! Furthermore Merlin Motorsport will not accept the springs back so £100 out of pocket already!!! HELP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwaters Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Bugger!! I would hazzard a guess that the sizes you have picked up have been for Spax equipped live axled cars... I know mine are 1.9" front and rear and about the sizes you suggest. I actually have some 6" 300lb fronts which are a bit short so I turned up some Ali spacers - I had been sold some which were too long and made flat flooring impossible. 8" 300lb would be about right for Spax fronts, and at a guess the rears too.... Time for a post in the For Sale/Wanted section maybe.... Phil Waters You mean you can drive these? I thought it was just there to polish 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Tony I would talk to someone senior in Merlin who has the authority to make decisions and make sure he/she knows (diplomatically) that their refusal to swop out the springs for the ones you really need will be read by hundreds of Caterham owners on the technical forum and will get passed round by word of mouth to many hundreds more. I can't understand why they wouldn't swop them out so long as you pay for the shipping etc. An attitude like that would put us all off giving business to them. Chris 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 You may find you can move the platform a whole circlip position and use the springs you have just bought. You might be able to use the rears. the lock ring on the adjustable platform is the stop for 1.9 inch springs, so just reverse the two rings and get a new stop for the other end. Also important to remember that damper open length is determined by spring stiffness and avoidance of slack springs. You may need some helper springs on the front makign the spring stack even taller FWIW I think I have run 8 inch lb/in springs successfully on the bilsteins. If you need morte length, remove the lock ring. As long as the springs never go slack, the adjustable platform will not move of its own accord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted April 12, 2003 Author Share Posted April 12, 2003 Peter, Thanks for the response, unforunately I had already done what you have suggested and now on looking at previous postings looks like getting an extra grove cut in the front shocker is the first option. I have ordered shorter springs for the rear. I presume the helper springs just compress when car is on its wheels and have no impact upon spring rates ( dues to their low poundage, so just there to prevent short springs popping out of their seats. If I have to do much more begining to wish I had just bitten the bullet andbought springs and dampers all set up from Freestyle.. oh well. Chris, I have decided to take the matter further with Merlin. Our company has an office in Chippenham ( near Merlin @ Castle Coombe) so I will go and see them face to face in a couple of weeks. Over the last few years I have spent £300+ with them. If no Joy I WILL post a cautionary note! Appreciate the help Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Tony, I recently changed to 1.9" ID springs and purchased them from Merlin. I asked before buying if I could return them if I had problems with ride height etc. They said no, the reason being that the the 1.9" springs are bought in as specials and are not stock items. They have exchanged 2.25" ID springs for me in the past without a problem. So I think your request may fall on deaf ears. They are not known as " Miserable Motorsport" for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted April 13, 2003 Share Posted April 13, 2003 I just fitted 300lb 8" springs over Bilsteins. Previous springs were 170 lb 7". I had to move the circlip to the bottom groove, but it all seemed to go together fine and ride height adjustment was ok. No slack on full travel either. Test drive much improved stance in the corners (so far as you can test it on the road). She doesn't lift her skirts up any more! 😬 C7 CDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted April 13, 2003 Share Posted April 13, 2003 Edited by - David W on 13 Apr 2003 09:33:03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted April 14, 2003 Author Share Posted April 14, 2003 David, I have now fitted 8 inch springs to my bilsteins after having a new groove cut 2 inches lower than the lowest setting. Platforms are screwed right down so ride height OK but no further adjustment and I was hoping to flat floor at some point. I do not think I will be dealing with Merlin again. The springs came directly from Faulkners ( Merlin told me this) so were obviously off the shelf at arrived next day, but Merlin will not swop. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old captain slow Posted April 14, 2003 Share Posted April 14, 2003 Tony, Just gone and measured my set up. I've got about 10mm of lower adjustment possible on the platforms, and the ride height at the front is set as it came from Caterham at about 14.5 cm to the underside of the front lower wishbone mounting bolt. Can't be more precise as the car is on the trailer and I had to hang upside down to get at it with the tape. I set it up from a different reference point that I can't get to while it's assembled. I expect there are other threads on ride height. C7 CDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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