Spax shocks

[dbebb55]

Hey Kids... I need some info on adjusting Spax shocks. Is there anything important I should know before I start playing with the adjusting screws and large rings at the bottom of the shock??? Thanks
Dave
90SE

[lotusse89]

The stock ride height for the Esprit is 170mm. With Spax shocks, the lowest that they will go in the front is about 173mm (measured from the T in the chassis to the ground. So set your front spring perches all the way toward the bottom. Some people remove one of their front spring perch locking rings to lower the front some more. I don't know how safe this is???

In the rear the stock ride height is also 170mm from the ground to the chassis. To compensate for the weight of the engine and driver being on the same side (USA version car), I raised the driver's side rear spring perch by about 3mm. This will keep the car from leaning to one side, and it will also help the balance of the car by equalizing the corner weights.

For the SPax valving I set my fronts to the 12th click (out of 14). The rear shocks are at the 14th (and stiffest) click.

Car handles great.

Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/

[PatHeald]

lotusse89 said:

Some people remove one of their front spring perch locking rings to lower the front some more. I don't know how safe this is???

It's a pretty dim move on the face of it.

I suppose that there are two concerns here.

Firstly, does the damper rely on the combined strength of the locking rings, or is it engineered so that one is strong enough to take all the suspension loadings by itself?

Secondly, unless you find some other way of locking the ring, then there is a risk of it unscrewing itself and dropping off the damper, with obvious consequenses.

I suppose that a couple of blobs of weld at the bottom of the thread would be a satisfactory, if somewhat inelegant solution.

[rob.e]

From what's been said here, it sounds like that spax damper is really not a good idea for an esprit..

[LotusSE89]

PatHeald said:

lotusse89 said: Some people remove one of their front spring perch locking rings to lower the front some more. I don't know how safe this is??? It's a pretty dim move on the face of it. I suppose that there are two concerns here. Firstly, does the damper rely on the combined strength of the locking rings, or is it engineered so that one is strong enough to take all the suspension loadings by itself? Secondly, unless you find some other way of locking the ring, then there is a risk of it unscrewing itself and dropping off the damper, with obvious consequenses. I suppose that a couple of blobs of weld at the bottom of the thread would be a satisfactory, if somewhat inelegant solution.

There is a full perimeter weld at the base of the thread, so once the locking ring is screwed all the way down, it won't be moving anywhere.... Unless, as you said, that lone locking ring isn't strong enough to take the load.

Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/

[dbebb55]

Travis... Thanks for the information. My locking rings are set at they're lowest setting. The valve screws are in need of adjustment to reduce the sloppy rebounding on my car. Mine are set on the first click and didn't know how many clicks to go. I'll try your setting and see if theres an inprovement. Thanks again

Dave
90SE