Just fitted Nitron damper/spring units - WOW!!!!
Discussion
Those nice men at Peninsula have just fitted a set of Nitrons for me using 20% uprated springs (400lb front, 340 lb rear, I think)to my 4.5 Cerb. Ride height set at standard I believe and dampers set to mid-position. OH YES!!!! OHHHHH YESSSSSSSS!!!!! OH YES YES YESSSSSS!!!!
As you may gather, I'm impressed. The car feels totally nailed to the road and curiously, in spite of stiffer springs, the ride quality is so much better. The exhausts don't bottom out on the Cornish lanes anymore, it doesn't tramline at all under braking like it used to and mid-corner imperfections in the road surface don't cause it to squirm now.
All in all - brilliant! Just three downsides though.
1) Expensive at £860 + VAT plus 6 hours labour to fit and set-up (but at least Richard's labour rates are sane at £30 per hour + VAT).
2) Lead time is forever. Although it should be around 2 weeks, mine took 6 to arrive. Still, worth the wait.
3) They are so beautifully designed and engineered it seems a shame to fit them out of sight where they will get dirty. Now, about those transparent wings!!
It does raise a question though. We all realise that TVR have to make the cars at a price so we can afford them. But as they are suppose to be real performance and drivers cars, it seems a bit strange that the standard suspension should be so inferior (or are TVR's only supposed to go in straight lines). At £50000+ for a loaded up 4.5 Cerb, the additional incremental cost of say £250 to TVR to put something like Nitrons on (they would get a volume discount and save the cost of the original units) - and a 60% mark-up for profit would only increase the price by £400. Now that ain't going to stop people buying one. Am I missing something here????
John McKenzie
As you may gather, I'm impressed. The car feels totally nailed to the road and curiously, in spite of stiffer springs, the ride quality is so much better. The exhausts don't bottom out on the Cornish lanes anymore, it doesn't tramline at all under braking like it used to and mid-corner imperfections in the road surface don't cause it to squirm now.
All in all - brilliant! Just three downsides though.
1) Expensive at £860 + VAT plus 6 hours labour to fit and set-up (but at least Richard's labour rates are sane at £30 per hour + VAT).
2) Lead time is forever. Although it should be around 2 weeks, mine took 6 to arrive. Still, worth the wait.
3) They are so beautifully designed and engineered it seems a shame to fit them out of sight where they will get dirty. Now, about those transparent wings!!
It does raise a question though. We all realise that TVR have to make the cars at a price so we can afford them. But as they are suppose to be real performance and drivers cars, it seems a bit strange that the standard suspension should be so inferior (or are TVR's only supposed to go in straight lines). At £50000+ for a loaded up 4.5 Cerb, the additional incremental cost of say £250 to TVR to put something like Nitrons on (they would get a volume discount and save the cost of the original units) - and a 60% mark-up for profit would only increase the price by £400. Now that ain't going to stop people buying one. Am I missing something here????
John McKenzie
Which ones did you get? I've got a set of the early type single adjustables, valved to suit my car setup. They're excellent. I don't see TVR using them as standard, though. They cost a lot more than standard, but more important Nitron couldn't supply them fast enough. They're overstretched as it is!
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
GreenV8S said: Which ones did you get? I've got a set of the early type single adjustables, valved to suit my car setup. They're excellent. I don't see TVR using them as standard, though. They cost a lot more than standard, but more important Nitron couldn't supply them fast enough. They're overstretched as it is!
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
Yeah, tell me about it - hence the 6 week wait. Cant remember what they are called but they have adjustable spring platforms giving about 3.5 to 4" of ride height adjustment and 22 damper settings adjusted by a knurled knob sitting on the top. They were built specifically for me so I assume Guy valved them to suit the Cerbera.
I know that the factory won't ever fit them but I gather Guy designs the dampers but only assembles them. All the machined bits he buys in (from Belgium in some cases). If he were moving into volume production for someone like TVR he would surely be able to justify carrying stock levels of components rather than working hand to mouth. That would help to break the bottleneck on leadtime. Economies of scale in purchasing would reduce his costs so the price to TVR would be somewhat lower than today. And what do TVR pay now for shock/spring units?? I cant believe the additonal cost, even if £250 - £400, passed onto the buyer with a healthy mark-up would be any deterrent to purchase. You know Peter how good they are from your own experience.
Regards
John
860!
That's good for Nitron dumpers and 400/340 springs...
The Bilstein GroupN for a Peugeot 106 costs 480 pounds plus vat, plus labour!
But there are 2 major differences between my example and your occasion
1) Your Dampers are Nitron! (the groupN not...)
2) you do not have a Pug...you have a Cerbera!
P.S.: Do not forget to refil the dampers every certain miles(if they are refillabe...think all nitrons dampers are refillable), check the dampers instructions
ByronTVR
>> Edited by ByronTVR on Monday 18th November 16:17
That's good for Nitron dumpers and 400/340 springs...
The Bilstein GroupN for a Peugeot 106 costs 480 pounds plus vat, plus labour!
But there are 2 major differences between my example and your occasion
1) Your Dampers are Nitron!
(the groupN not...) 2) you do not have a Pug...you have a Cerbera!
P.S.: Do not forget to refil the dampers every certain miles(if they are refillabe...think all nitrons dampers are refillable
), check the dampers instructions ByronTVR
>> Edited by ByronTVR on Monday 18th November 16:17
John - congrats - a revelation, isn't it? What took you so long? I've been saying they're fantastic all along! In fact, I think everyone who gets rid of the standard suspension seems pretty happy!
The ride height is not adjustable by the same amount on the damper due to the installation angle. But there's certainly plenty of adjustment available. You can afford to lower it quite a bit since the firmer springs will stop it from bottoming out.
danny
In fact, I think everyone who gets rid of the standard suspension seems pretty happy! The ride height is not adjustable by the same amount on the damper due to the installation angle. But there's certainly plenty of adjustment available. You can afford to lower it quite a bit since the firmer springs will stop it from bottoming out.
danny
Joolz,
Whilst we are on this topic are then any any general recommendations you can make about suspension upgrades? I realise everyone is different but something along the lines of: AVO's for normal road use, Nitrons for track days etc....
What are the main advantages of Nitrons versus the cheaper ones? Are the previously mentioned spring rates what you would recommend?
I was in a mate's elise on the weekend and the ride was harder than my cerbie (to my surprise) but was still fine so a hard ride is not a problem.
Thanks
Rob.
Whilst we are on this topic are then any any general recommendations you can make about suspension upgrades? I realise everyone is different but something along the lines of: AVO's for normal road use, Nitrons for track days etc....
What are the main advantages of Nitrons versus the cheaper ones? Are the previously mentioned spring rates what you would recommend?
I was in a mate's elise on the weekend and the ride was harder than my cerbie (to my surprise) but was still fine so a hard ride is not a problem.
Thanks
Rob.
Joolz,
I'm pleased Guy was chuffed. He deserves it having come up with such a great piece of kit. I keep on taking the Cerb out for quick blasts because I'm so chuffed!! As Danny said in a previous reply - I don't know why I didn't junk the standard c**p ages ago.
Now it's a case of saving up the pennies to bolt on a set of Dymag wheels!
Regards
John
I'm pleased Guy was chuffed. He deserves it having come up with such a great piece of kit. I keep on taking the Cerb out for quick blasts because I'm so chuffed!! As Danny said in a previous reply - I don't know why I didn't junk the standard c**p ages ago.
Now it's a case of saving up the pennies to bolt on a set of Dymag wheels!
Regards
John
Just one thing on the lead times from Nitron, If you ever get a problem with a damper, his turn around for rebuilds is excellent, on two occasions ( race damage) i've been down to him with the dampers and he has rebuilt them there and then
oh yes and it witney in oxon...
and,
i've now upgraded the taz to the latest Nitrons and i though the old ones looked good and well manufactured the new ones are amasing, and yes i do want another one to put on the mantlepiece....
>> Edited by Graham on Tuesday 19th November 11:14
oh yes and it witney in oxon...
and,
i've now upgraded the taz to the latest Nitrons and i though the old ones looked good and well manufactured the new ones are amasing, and yes i do want another one to put on the mantlepiece....
>> Edited by Graham on Tuesday 19th November 11:14
ro_butler,
As Graham said , you can rebuild these dampers also i think you can adjust the dumper stiffness. One friend of mine have the KONI for racing and road use, Nitron Dumpers, and he bought it from U.K. with a panel that is inside the cabin and you see the Nitron quantity and situation of each dumper on the car. Also you adjust form the inside of the car (through this panel) the stiffness of the dumpers
It has 4 scales to choose!
And just after some certain mile, you just must to refill the dumpers with nitron.
ByronTVR
As Graham said , you can rebuild these dampers also i think you can adjust the dumper stiffness. One friend of mine have the KONI for racing and road use, Nitron Dumpers, and he bought it from U.K. with a panel that is inside the cabin and you see the Nitron quantity and situation of each dumper on the car. Also you adjust form the inside of the car (through this panel) the stiffness of the dumpers
It has 4 scales to choose!
And just after some certain mile, you just must to refill the dumpers with nitron.
ByronTVR
And just after some certain mile, you just must to refill the dumpers with nitron.
Erm, Byron - Nitron is the name of the damper manufacturer, not the miracle gas they're filled with
www.nitron.co.uk/
Pete
brentonw said: I believe that all cars delivered after the motor show come with a completely re-designed suspension package using gas dampers instead of hydraulic - has anyone had any first hand experience of this improvement yet or can predict how this will change the handling?
I suspect you mean gas pressurised, the damping effect is still hydraulic. I don't think anyone has used actual gas dampers since the 2CV...
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