Nitroned!

[SAJ]

I'll be picking up the Europa today from SLS after getting Nitron 46Race Pros fitted. I also had new side engine mounts and Powerflex front and rear engine mounts inserts installed too.

Hoffman's kindly supplied the damper and geo setup for the car so will be interesting to see how it performs now. First comment from Mark was that it is now very focused which I take to mean quite firm but I'll see for myself today.

The dampers are set 8 clicks and 10 clicks from full hard, can't remember which is front and back but I'll confirm when I pick it up. Spring rates are 450lb front and 600lb rear.

I'm interested to know how many clicks everyone else with Nitrons is running and what you think.

I'll report back later with my thoughts on the new setup once I've had a chance to give it a bit of a blast.

Saj

[robin]

The number of clicks you need depends on valving, spring rate and mass of car. 8/10 F/R from full hard sounds plausible, though.

Cheers,
Robin

[Alex 111s]

The dampers are set 8 clicks and 10 clicks from full hard, can't remember which is front and back but I'll confirm when I pick it up. Spring rates are 450lb front and 600lb rear.

Will be interesting to here the results. Did you go for helper springs with this set up?

I went for 400lb front & 550lb rear on my NTRs without helpers on my S2 and found the Hoffmanns recommended set up to be sharp/good for spirited use but have since backed them off a bit to remove some of the crashiness due to the poor condition of the roads since last winter.

[SAJ]

The dampers are set 8 clicks and 10 clicks from full hard, can't remember which is front and back but I'll confirm when I pick it up. Spring rates are 450lb front and 600lb rear.

Will be interesting to here the results. Did you go for helper springs with this set up?

I went for 400lb front & 550lb rear on my NTRs without helpers on my S2 and found the Hoffmanns recommended set up to be sharp/good for spirited use but have since backed them off a bit to remove some of the crashiness due to the poor condition of the roads since last winter.

(Didn't spec helper springs on mine) Also it's 10 clicks on the front and 8 clicks on the rear.

Well just been out for a good hour in the car.

Impressions:

+ Steering is now razor sharp, the car switches direction instantly - like a hot scalpel through butter
+ The car can clearly carry more speed in the corners than before - to the point I don't have the balls to take it close to what I perceive could be its new limits
+ Any body roll that use to be there is now gone
+ I feel a lot more confident in the corners, roundabouts are such a joy now, not that they weren't before but the car just sits flat going through them
+ The ride quality - it is without a doubt a firmer ride which is noticable on the larger bumbs but oddly on the smaller ones it seems to cope with better than the original billies so i'm happy about that (I can always soften them but as the Mrs didn't complain i'm not going to bother)
+ The Mrs who was with me in my hour long drive thinks the car feels better than before and she doesn't even know I put the Nitrons on, all she knew about were the engine mounts and poly bushes - don't think I'd hear the end of it if she found out i'd spent 1700 quid on them.

Overall I'm very happy with the new setup and can't wait to spend time learning the car all over again. Need to also book a car limits day too

[j2 lot]

I didn't tell my other half how much the Nitrons cost either. I exaggerated the cost of standard shocks and convinced her that as one had gone the others would fail soon too. Then a bit of 2 for 1 pricing and Nitrons it is.

I'm sure they do the same to us with the price of shoes/ handbags/ outfits.

[SAJ]

I'm sure they do the same to us with the price of shoes/ handbags/ outfits.

Yeh that I don't doubt for a minute.

What spring rates and clicks have you set on yours, would be interesting to compare and get your thoughts on the setup.

[j2 lot]

Tbh I don't know what the spring rates are on mine
I have them set slightly harder than mid point- not sure where exactly as I went from where they were set and played about with a few clicks at a time and a spin around the block until it felt right. I am going to soften the rears a bit over the weekend as it is probably set too firm for the potholed roads. I will let you know my settings when I have played about some more.

[Stu160]

You will also find increased vibration in the car with the powerflex bushes, I know I did in the VX, but they do stop the car from eating engine mounts(last set lasted 15 laps of Knock Hill !!!)

Stu

[SAJ]

You will also find increased vibration in the car with the powerflex bushes, I know I did in the VX, but they do stop the car from eating engine mounts(last set lasted 15 laps of Knock Hill !!!)

Stu

15 laps!!! Wow.

Yes I did notice engine vibration from the powerflex mounts (which I was expecting) but not much, only when I first started the car and it sat at idle but after the car had warmed up it disappeared.

[SAJ]

I will let you know my settings when I have played about some more.

Thanks - It will be good to compare notes.

Does anyone know how to check what the spring rates of the stock billies are?

[Alex 111s]

sounds like you're a very happy man. the 46 Race Pro's must be awesome

Impressions:
+ The ride quality - it is without a doubt a firmer ride which is noticable on the larger bumbs but oddly on the smaller ones it seems to cope with better than the original billies so i'm happy about that

This was my opinion on the NTR's also - I dialed them down a little because there's just too many pot holes (& badly repaired potholes) in Aberdeenshire this year.

enjoy re-exploring the car.

(from another member of 'My Wife doesn't know I put Nitron's on my car' Club)

[SAJ]

This was my opinion on the NTR's also - I dialed them down a little because there's just too many pot holes (& badly repaired potholes) in Aberdeenshire this year.

Good to know someone else noticed this and I wasn't imagining it.

(from another member of 'My Wife doesn't know I put Nitron's on my car' Club)

I'm betting this is a pretty big club.

[robin]

My wife didn't know I had two Lotuses let alone Nitrons

[Andy G]

My wife didn't know I had two Lotuses let alone Nitrons

[SAJ]

My wife didn't know I had two Lotuses let alone Nitrons

lol that is classic.