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converting to adjustable springs
02GF74 - 27/9/06 at 09:16 AM

RalDes do a threaded tube that can be slipped over a shock that allows the spring seat to be moved thus allowing ride height to be adjested.

Has anyone used them?

From measurement I made, it looks like these will go on my shocks and I can fit different s[pring rages (dolomite).


mookaloid - 27/9/06 at 09:39 AM

Why don't you simply buy some protech shocks and springs of the correct length?

You just tell them the fully open length and the range of movement you want together with your required spring rate and the ends you want and they send you some really nice ally bodied shocks adjustable for spring height and damping

They are much much better than anyhing based on Dolomite shocks and if you want your car to handle you need to be able to adjust the damping.

They are a good investment and you won't regret it.

http://www.protechshocks.co.uk/

Cheers

Mark

vorn - 27/9/06 at 09:49 AM

Thats the same way as I went . I was amazed at how thick the wall of a shock is . 5mm us the average wall thickness and that gives you heaps of room for a circlip groove

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[Edited on 27/9/06 by vorn]

02GF74 - 27/9/06 at 02:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Why don't you simply buy some protech shocks and springs of the correct length?

You just tell them the fully open length and the range of movement you want together with your required spring rate
They are much much better than anyhing based on Dolomite shocks and if you want your car to handle you need to be able to adjust the damping.




I know you're riught but I'm guessing that will set me back about £ 200 vs maybe £ 60 for the locost way

Peteff - 27/9/06 at 03:45 PM

A set of 1.9" protech with springs is about £315 to fit a locost but your rears are longer so they may be more for you.

02GF74 - 27/9/06 at 03:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
A set of 1.9" protech with springs is about £315 to fit a locost but your rears are longer so they may be more for you.


my wallet has just Fainted.

a set: is that a pair (e.g. rear) or 2 pairs (front and rear).

mookaloid - 28/9/06 at 08:26 AM

I think that's for a set of four

Ratters - 29/9/06 at 10:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
RalDes do a threaded tube that can be slipped over a shock that allows the spring seat to be moved thus allowing ride height to be adjested.

Has anyone used them?

From measurement I made, it looks like these will go on my shocks and I can fit different s[pring rages (dolomite).




The one's from RACE or Midland Performance Centre have a machined top cup rather than a cast one. Bit dearer maybe but you get what you pay for. I got mine from Burtons & although that is a cast top cup it is well made & finished.

hth

NS Dev - 29/9/06 at 10:30 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Why don't you simply buy some protech shocks and springs of the correct length?

You just tell them the fully open length and the range of movement you want together with your required spring rate
They are much much better than anyhing based on Dolomite shocks and if you want your car to handle you need to be able to adjust the damping.




I know you're riught but I'm guessing that will set me back about £ 200 vs maybe £ 60 for the locost way


yes, but without wishing to be rude, if the locost way doesn't work properly then it is a waste of money.

Unfortunately I can speak from experience having done things the cheap way on at least 5 car projects now, and almost invariably the "cheap" way has cost more in the long run when I ended up buying the expensive bits after finding that the cheap bits didn't wrk properly.

You pays yer money and takes yer choice, but £315 for a set of protech shocks is a billy bargain in my book.

If I spent 4 hours modifying shockers to fit, then another day or two buggering about wondering why my car skips over every bump I come to because the damping rate is incorrect for the sprung to unsprung weight ratio and spring rate, then another hour taking the shocks off, and replacing them with the protech ones or similar anyway, then suddenly the cheap way seems foolish.

Better to spend the extra couple of days working, save the money and buy the right bits to start with.

I would not have said this when I was 19 or 20, but now I am a bit older a hopefully a lot wiser!!

NS Dev - 29/9/06 at 10:32 AM

PS been there done that with those coilover conversions, in fact even spun the orrible cast ones up the the lathe and machined them all over so they looked neat...............................they still lurk somewhere in the garage after I took them off the rally car when i couldn't get the damping right and then bought the right dampers, after wasting the money on the conversion.