Scottish Elises

Just fitting my new dampers and have issue's . With my previous dampers standard and Ohlins I had to bring the wish bones up to engage in the damper . So on full extension the damper was the limiter . With the ones I have received I have to compress the rear damper about 0.5-1cm to engage the bolt . Now the wish bone is the limiting factor, so in my opinion they are too long . The damper length eye end centre to centre is 40 cm .Tried to fit the fronts and the supplied spacers for the top mount are not wide enough.

Have I been sent toyota engine dampers?

You have to use the original top hat washers on the front with Nitrons, just the same as Bilsteins.

Sounds like you have Yota ones if the rears are too long though. Give them a shout tomorrow. They're helpful enough.

Dan

roadboy wrote:You have to use the original top hat washers on the front with Nitrons, just the same as Bilsteins.

Sounds like you have Yota ones if the rears are too long though. Give them a shout tomorrow. They're helpful enough.

Dan

Thanks Dan , I gave the original top hats away with the my old shocks , doh !

Yea I will give them a buzz tomorrow.

Alan,

I fitted Nitrons to my 135R ( so should be same as yours ) last year - they just bolted straight on with no problems with length or spacers.
I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to compress the spring/ damper to fit and they had been pre-set for a nominal ride height.
I just checked for a part number on the boxes but they only state Lotus Elise S2 NTR Sport -Front/ Rear. ( No mention of Rover / Toyota )

I took a note of the initial settings before fitment :
Front
- 38.8/38.6mm Top of Locking Ring to Bottom of Anodised Cap.
- 16 threads exposed.
- Spring fitted Eibach 0700.225.0325
Rear
- 57.7/58.5mm Top of Locking Ring to Bottom of Anodised Cap.
- 28 threads exposed.
- Spring fitted Eibach 0700.225.0400

hope this helps in your diagnosis.

Kevin

Kayfur wrote:Alan,

I fitted Nitrons to my 135R ( so should be same as yours ) last year - they just bolted straight on with no problems with length or spacers.
I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to compress the spring/ damper to fit and they had been pre-set for a nominal ride height.
I just checked for a part number on the boxes but they only state Lotus Elise S2 NTR Sport -Front/ Rear. ( No mention of Rover / Toyota )

I took a note of the initial settings before fitment :
Front
- 38.8/38.6mm Top of Locking Ring to Bottom of Anodised Cap.
- 16 threads exposed.
- Spring fitted Eibach 0700.225.0325
Rear
- 57.7/58.5mm Top of Locking Ring to Bottom of Anodised Cap.
- 28 threads exposed.
- Spring fitted Eibach 0700.225.0400

hope this helps in your diagnosis.

Kevin

Cheers Kevin , front measurements are very similar . The rears are about the same but I have had to back them right off to get them to compress so no preload , I do have helper springs fitted but you would think that would add to the length if anything. Boxes are marked up the same . Checked the invoice and it states S2 111S

I have done a hunt on Seloc and its come up a few times and been solved but nobody has posted their solution .

Maybe I am just destined to have old red Konis on my car . Anyone throwing their's out .

Are these Randy spec nitrons?? They are designed with a longer body at the rear.

mckeann wrote:Are these Randy spec nitrons?? They are designed with a longer body at the rear.

Yes they are Its the stress on the wishbones etc if I was to lift a wheel or wheels . Basically I don't know enough .

Can you shed any light ?

tenkfeet wrote:

mckeann wrote:Are these Randy spec nitrons?? They are designed with a longer body at the rear.

Yes they are Its the stress on the wishbones etc if I was to lift a wheel or wheels . Basically I don't know enough .

Can you shed any light ?

It's to do with the amount rear suspension droop. The Elise does not have much droop; Randy uses the longer dampers and helper springs to maximise the amount of time the rear tyres are in contact with the road under droop conditions. I'd imagine on track that would mean the car should ride the kerbs better.

The suspension will always ground out on something eventually but I would agree it probably should be the damper that contains the travel, what specifically is stopping the wishbones moving enough, can you tell ? . . . have you had any balljoints changed on the car ?

Fd

fd wrote:The suspension will always ground out on something eventually but I would agree it probably should be the damper that contains the travel, what specifically is stopping the wishbones moving enough, can you tell ? . . . have you had any balljoints changed on the car ?

Fd

Its all standard at the back same both sides . Its defo the damper length. I will post up when I speak to Randy tomorrow .

Spoke to Chris . The S2's have different rear shock mounts so they have to fit a longer lower eye end .They could shorten the damper but this would limit droop travel and damping . Not all cars are effected by the ball joint limiting the movement , mine is obviously one of them . Interestingly the right is more restrictive than the rear .

Hoffmans will be bringing out different upper damper mounts which will raise the shock in the near future to eliminate the issue.

Its ok to run the car like this . I will not stop flapping .

Apologies if i've missed this - but what was wrong with the Ohlins ?

The yellow colour did not match my car

On the road they were brilliant but on track with 48's too soft . Should have gone with 46mm ones from the start but they are £2k.