250lb front springs

[adrain]

After conversations with Simon L at Caterham, I bought a pair of 250lb front springs for my SV, to replace the existing [150lb?] springs.

 

The change went OK - no problems with bolts etc. but I cannot get the ride hight anywhere near what I had before, it is about 30mm higher!

 

I took them off and tried another groove in the platforms, but could not get one suitable.

 

Anyone had any similar experience 🤔 - or preferably a solution other than giving it to Caterham to sort out!

 

I have reassembled the original for the time being - but now I have lost my corner weighting

 

cheers

 

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[16vastra]

well since they are higher poundage they wont compress as much under the weight of the car

what we do is take all the details of the current spring and how much lower the owner wants the car to sit then a suitable length of spring is made to the correct poundage...its invariably a smaller spring required for a higher poundage, hence your problem.

if its 30mm higher, get 30mm smaller 250lb springs i guess

 

Edited by - 16vastra on 13 Nov 2004 17:55:16

[John Howe]

Surely shorter springs will still give you the same problem, since you will then need to take up any slack in the system. I'm assuming your problem is related to less compression of the stronger springs.

 

When I fitted stronger springs at both ends of the car I ended up with it tail high. Adjustable platforms allowed this to be readjusted.

 

From my point of view, I was happy to settle for a slightly high ride all round, as my rural existence this made for sump longevity

 

 

JH

Deliveries by Saffron, the yellow 222bhp Sausage delivery machine

[adrain]

I might be wrong, but I think either he spring length is wrong of the there is no suitable groove for the platforms for the give spring length to allow the Bilstein sufficient bump/rebound with the higher rated spring.

 

If Caterham supply these things - why dont they fit ❗

 

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[Peter Carmichael]

The 250lb/in springs will not give you a sensible ride height on an otherwise unmodified widetrack setup (including SV). The ride height can't be set right without the springs going slack at full droop.

 

Options are:

 

1. Remove spacers from piston end of shocks. (makes bump stop inoperative)

2. lock wire the springs to the platform (not preferred)

3. use helper springs to take up the slack

 

It is sensible to have adjustable platforms to fine tune if you don't have them already.

[Silver 21]

When I changed front springs a couple of rears ago and went to adjustable platforms at the same time I had exactly the same problem, it appears that not all the Bilsteins that are supplied have enough grooves in them to mount the spring platforms on.

 

I had to get the local engineering company to machine extra sets of grooves into the damper body so I could move the platform into the right place and adjust it.

 

Graham

 

Competition Secretary

2005 Speed Championship - 12 Events and Growing

[shn7]

adrain,

 

You haven't said (unless I've missed it) if you have adjustable platforms or not.

 

Steve.

 

Edited by - Steve Newman on 14 Nov 2004 08:38:25

[Petrolhead]

Good point adrian, you would have thought that when advising you Caterham would have also informed you of the complications

 

R500 no 65 😬

I am after a passenger side half door, 6inch and 8inch x13 Alloys + Slicks

[adrain]

Sorry, yes I do have adjustable platforms.

Caterham specifically asked me this as well!

 

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[clarkey]

Peter is right, you need some helper springs to get the correct ride height. If you are in the maidenhead area, I've got some lying around in the garage.

[Jason Plato]

Use 5 " long 250 lb springs these work fine ( I have used them for the past 3 years on std caterham billies with adjustable platforms )

 

helper and tender springs are not required unless you expect the front end to be airborne on a regular basis .

 

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[Peter Carmichael]

Dave,

 

Haven't you removed the spacers... 🤔

 

Airborne on a regular basis? Surely just once could be enough 😳

[Nifty]

Does anyone have a picture of the helper spring setup because I've been toying with going to heavier springs since widetracking but also want to maintain ride height.

Car seems to scuff the sump much more now (as well as the well documented smash) so want to stiffen to see if this cures it any.

 

Keep off the straight and narrow 😬

[Jason Plato]

Nope - the spacers have been used this season - I found the droop was only about 5mm without the spacers .

 

I also had a pair of spacers machined down by 50 % but I havent got around to fitting them yet.

 

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[StewartG]

Adrain, you need a heavier engine this will solve the problem.

[adrain]

Thanks for all your input guys .

As least it seems as though I have not got it completely wrong.

I shall be speaking to Caterham tomorrow to see what view of this problem is.

 

thanks

 

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