> > 1. The original shocks work pretty durn good for most street use.
>
> That they are. I didn't really notice much deficiency on the streets
> until I boosted the power by 50%. Once I had the power to keep up on
> the straights with that BMW trying to outrun me down hwy 9, the car
> didn't seem quite so precise in her handling.
It's been nice knowing you.
>
> I have noticed that she seems a bit underdamped going into turn 1 at
> Thunderhill, and that was before I boosted the power by 50%.
Increasing spring rate, or loading will result in underdamping.
Track use will require an increase in spring rate and damping due to an
increase in loading. You know that.
>and panhard rods will move the axle side to side
> too much for the applications I'm looking at.
>
Locating the axle side to side is very important, and the Panhard
rod is the easy way of doing this if you don't have gobs of up and down
movement. These work well for the track, but wouldn't be a good setup for
rally.
The V setup is an alternative. Larry Hoy from the list was playing
with this, and Moss Europe used to carry a kit, but I havn't seen one.
> >
> > 3. If you are going to take off the original shocks,
> install adjustable
> > tube shocks so you can play with them till they are right.
>
> I especially want adjustables as she'll probably end up triple
> purpose. I don't plan on actually rallying her, but rallycross is a
> lot of fun, and I seriously doubt that the proper shock setting for
> the race track would be right for a rallycross.
I get laughed at because I like drinking my coffee not wearing it.
I tended to set the shocks soft for commuting, then tighten them up a bit
for canyon running.
If you want to talk adjustable. Check out pickup trucks. I didn't
chime in on the tow truck thread, but I'm running a Dodge Turbo Diesel
Pickup. It goes from unloaded to 14,000 GVW. You can bet I'm running air
adjustable springs, adjustable shocks and changing tire pressure by 40lbs.
>
> It sounds like you have custom rear shock mounts. Are plans available?
> What would you charge for a second set? Or would I be just as happy
> with the Spax?
The rear mounts are too simple to need plans. If you can weld and
bodge big holes they are a cinch. If you don't have that ability, buy the
Spax ones. I've got some old Koni lower brackets, but they are the hang
down design, which are pretty clunky but offer good tie downs for my race
car.
>
> It sounds like the spax are adjustable. Actually, I want to know if
> adjusting the Konis is a pain, that was plan A.
Traditional Koni required the shock to be fully compressed, then one
end rotated to adjust the valve. This requires at least one end of the
shock to be removed.
> >
> > I'm also pursuing bringing in the Ron Hopkinson Front and
> rear shock kits,
> > but supply on those is problematic and the front does
> require modification
> > of the cross member.
>
> The Ron Hopkinson swaybar kit I have on Jasmine is perfectly
> balanced. Turn 2 at Thunderhill is a long, high speed sweeper, and she
> is perfectly neutral through there. At the limit, I can bring the
> front end out by adding a bit more gas, or bring it in by letting off
> the gas.
>
I'm trying to bring in the Hopkinson or Evolution sway bar kits, but
again supply is problematic. It seems like some of the parts are only
fabricated when a full moon falls on a Tuesday. The front shock kit is a
neat design, but I'm concerned that only nutters like ourselves are willing
to make modifications to the crossmember. That makes the kit much less
saleable.
Kelvin.
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