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#Post#: 28415--------------------------------------------------
Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: gp3trainee
Date: June 24, 2012, 9:38 am
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Wondered if any of you guys could help me with this:
Just bought this 88 and very happy with it (already taken the
cab off for our wonderful summer.....) apart from the ride.
I've had 88's before but this is the first one I've had with
parabolics. It's got a recent MOT and has had quite a bit of
work done in the last few years.
The previous owner fitted Paddock parabolics (3 leaf on back, 2
leaf on front), extra length Pro-Comp shocks and extended axle
straps. It's also got some sort of car steering wheel, which is
smaller than the usual.
Drove it 150 miles home yesterday, mainly on motorways, and
there's something not right. It's really hard work round
corners although the steering sort of reluctantly returns to
centre, at speed it wanders more than I remember the others did,
and hard braking from 50mph is a bit frightening, with the back
feeling it might break away. And the ride is bouncy and, er,
firm.....
I'm not interested in keeping the extra lift because I'll be
using it mainly on road, apart from a bit of greenlaning.
Do you think the present suspension set up, with the extra lift,
is contributing to the awful handling? I don't really want the
expense of changing the springs if I can help it. Is there a
cheap solution? Would it help if I just put ordinary shocks on
rather than the extra length?
Thanks for any help.
George
#Post#: 28416--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: Gadget
Date: June 24, 2012, 9:59 am
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Tis nice to say hello in welcome first. Those springs look like
shitpart to me, going on the gap on the lower spring. If thet
are it won't have a lift for long!!!
#Post#: 28431--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: Landyphil
Date: June 24, 2012, 11:43 am
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And hello.... :-\
I notice you're just on normal shackles so you won't benefit
from the extra castor angle that normal chassis with extended
shackles gives.
Best to seperate the two problems.
If the steering is heavy first things first is bin off the silly
steering wheel as that will always make things heavier.
Secondly with the front wheels jacked up is everything smooth
steering wise. Kingpins etc all in good fettle? Set right
steering should be light apart from walking pace etc.
As for the ride sadly they do indeed look like Shitpart springs.
So will start out harder than Elton at a Louie Spence convention
then invariably sag by varying levels. This isn't the end of
the world but Procomp shocks, while valved spot on for
trialing/laning and other away from tarmac stuff are a bit soft.
I have a pair of Shitparts on the back of my racer and they've
sagged about 2+" but offer all the flexibility of a BMW salesman
which combined with some stiffened Monroe's and everything
polybushed makes for a less than comfy ride and I imagine a bit
pants in the rough but it does handle.
#Post#: 28433--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: gp3trainee
Date: June 24, 2012, 11:55 am
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"Tis nice to say hello in welcome first."
Sorry, should have realised that's what the welcome forum is
for. I'd stick an 'embarrassed and crawling"' smiley in if
there was one. Maybe there's a "well whipped spaniel" smiley
somewhere. .
Thanks for the responses. I'll try the steering checks first.
For the twitchy ride, I see others have tried chucking bags of
sand in the back to weight it down.
Cheers
George
#Post#: 28435--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: parksy64
Date: June 24, 2012, 12:12 pm
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Bouncy and firm....
I think looking at the photo part of the problem may be the
shackles.
They should sit at more of and angle- rather than vertical (well
they look vertical in the photo.
It then uses the spring better rather than transferring the
bounce to the chassis. I would try adjusting that by loading
the back and retightening them before ditching the set up.
Steering- see above! :thumbs:
#Post#: 28481--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: Dave
Date: June 24, 2012, 4:19 pm
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Aren't the springs on the rear meant for a 109? They look way
too beefy (as beefy as anything made my shitpart can be) for an
88. No wonder the ride is firm.
#Post#: 28516--------------------------------------------------
Re: Suspension set up: Not right for motorway
DIR By: NiteMare
Date: June 24, 2012, 6:40 pm
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my 88 wears a set of those springs and has done for at least two
years (secondhand) the ride is pretty choppy and bloody awful
over speedbumps, i've heavy duty 1ton front shocks all round,
this suspension is way more comfortable with 2 or 3cwt in the
tub
the steering itself is a bit vague but that probably isn't
helped by the need to replace a top swivel pin kit on the
offside, it self centres reasonably well, it's also pretty light
when on the move on 7.50 SAG's
my 109 runs on 7.50 michelin xcl's, i do find that wanders a bit
as well but the steering is a light one handed touch
some of the things i've found need checking and tightening up is
the mounting for the steering box along with the footwell brace
from the chassis before now (if the A post foot is rotten your
bulkhead will be flexing and affecting your steering as well),
slack in the steering box, track rod ends with play add up,
swivel pins, tyre pressures and sizes/widths/makes/condition, is
your relay tight in the hole ?? has it got oil in it ??
wheelbearings correctly adjusted ?
a collection of small faults can give a big negative when in use
there's plenty of things that "can" affect the steering without
you realising it and i'm only just learning, so no doubt someone
else will be along in a minute to add to these suggestions
because i'm bound to have missed something rofl
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