New shocks fitted, now car looks jacked up!!
Discussion
As you may have read in my previous post, my mechanic had a nightmare fitting the near AVO shocks to the rear of my S3(geting the springs compressed was the problem)But he eventually did it, so i was very pleased
, untill i went to collect it...
Of all the places, this being a small carpark in a small village, my S3 was parked next to another S3, how random. But this highlighted just how ridiculously high the rear or my car was
It looks jacked up, i didn't mention it to the mechanic as i knew how hard he worked to get the shocks on(he said he nearly comitted suicide..) I drove it home, wanting to enjoy the new ride, but couldn't help but worry that my ride & joy looked like a rally edition. Also, in my previous thread, someone on here did warn me that this could happen as the original springs are too long. So I also now am thinking if only I had got new shocks & springs, the whole job would have been SO much easier..
What can I do now? Can anyone recommend some springs that will suit the Avo's??
Thanks in advance..
Tony
, untill i went to collect it...Of all the places, this being a small carpark in a small village, my S3 was parked next to another S3, how random. But this highlighted just how ridiculously high the rear or my car was
It looks jacked up, i didn't mention it to the mechanic as i knew how hard he worked to get the shocks on(he said he nearly comitted suicide..) I drove it home, wanting to enjoy the new ride, but couldn't help but worry that my ride & joy looked like a rally edition. Also, in my previous thread, someone on here did warn me that this could happen as the original springs are too long. So I also now am thinking if only I had got new shocks & springs, the whole job would have been SO much easier..What can I do now? Can anyone recommend some springs that will suit the Avo's??
Thanks in advance..
Tony
It isn't clear whether the problem was getting the springs mounted on the dampers, or mounting the dampers on the car. I assume it was getting the springs on the dampers. It is usually a good idea to get the springs with the dampers since the springs are relatively cheap and need to be the correct diameter, length and stiffness to suit the dampers. In some cases it may be possible to reuse springs you already have, but you need to check the spec carefully to make sure they're suitable. In your case it sounds as if the spring free lengths are wrong. It would have been quite easy to check this before fitting by comparing the distance between spring seats on the old and new dampers.
The old springs are too long - I think they are 11 inch or so.
Mine for the AVO's I think were 9 or 9.5 inch - I got them from Derek anyway and they fitted fine.
Whats really annoying for me, you and your mechanic is that you don't need any spring compressors to fit the new ones (though you will to get the old ones off) - they just slide on then you crank up the spring seats, so that set of spring compessors he bought was unnecessary, along with the 2 sets I bought
On my V8S I have 275lb springs on the rear and 325lb on the front, and they are a bit soft IMO, I may go for some that are a bit stiffer when its back on the road.
The springs are about £25 each I think.
Mine for the AVO's I think were 9 or 9.5 inch - I got them from Derek anyway and they fitted fine.
Whats really annoying for me, you and your mechanic is that you don't need any spring compressors to fit the new ones (though you will to get the old ones off) - they just slide on then you crank up the spring seats, so that set of spring compessors he bought was unnecessary, along with the 2 sets I bought
On my V8S I have 275lb springs on the rear and 325lb on the front, and they are a bit soft IMO, I may go for some that are a bit stiffer when its back on the road.
The springs are about £25 each I think.
Barkychoc said:
On my V8S I have 275lb springs on the rear and 325lb on the front, and they are a bit soft IMO, I may go for some that are a bit stiffer when its back on the road.
For road use I would say that the far end of the practicality scale is around 600f/400r, which is what I'm running. Great on track (and would be tempted to go even stiffer for that) but frankly a bit much on typical B roads. The ride quality at these high spring rates depends on having good quality dampers.Barkychoc said:
The old springs are too long - I think they are 11 inch or so.
Mine for the AVO's I think were 9 or 9.5 inch - I got them from Derek anyway and they fitted fine.
Whats really annoying for me, you and your mechanic is that you don't need any spring compressors to fit the new ones (though you will to get the old ones off) - they just slide on then you crank up the spring seats, so that set of spring compessors he bought was unnecessary, along with the 2 sets I bought
On my V8S I have 275lb springs on the rear and 325lb on the front, and they are a bit soft IMO, I may go for some that are a bit stiffer when its back on the road.
The springs are about £25 each I think.
thanks for the help, don't mean to sound stoopid, but who's Derek?Mine for the AVO's I think were 9 or 9.5 inch - I got them from Derek anyway and they fitted fine.
Whats really annoying for me, you and your mechanic is that you don't need any spring compressors to fit the new ones (though you will to get the old ones off) - they just slide on then you crank up the spring seats, so that set of spring compessors he bought was unnecessary, along with the 2 sets I bought
On my V8S I have 275lb springs on the rear and 325lb on the front, and they are a bit soft IMO, I may go for some that are a bit stiffer when its back on the road.
The springs are about £25 each I think.
also, how easy would it be to fit the new springs, as i don't want to piss my mechanic off any more!
Derek is from Absolutely Shocks ab_shocks
http://www.absolutelyshocks.com/index.html
first class gent and very helpful fellow!!
I have AVOs fitted and if you take the adjuster ring to the lowest setting the upper spring retaining collect isnt under pressure and can easily be removed by hand IF the springs are the correct ones. Its possible compressors will be needed to remove the longer, original, sprins
http://www.absolutelyshocks.com/index.html
first class gent and very helpful fellow!!
I have AVOs fitted and if you take the adjuster ring to the lowest setting the upper spring retaining collect isnt under pressure and can easily be removed by hand IF the springs are the correct ones. Its possible compressors will be needed to remove the longer, original, sprins
Gerald-TVR said:
Derek is from Absolutely Shocks ab_shocks
http://www.absolutelyshocks.com/index.html
first class gent and very helpful fellow!!
http://www.absolutelyshocks.com/index.html
first class gent and very helpful fellow!!
Top BlokeWannacoop - PM me I drive passed you on the M5 each week (Sunday 2000ish and Friday 1500ish) and am more than willing to stop and help for an hour or so if you need it (mark@gbsportscar.com). You could also come and see me in Plymouth and we could hoon across Dartmoor of course!!!!!!
It doesn't make any difference what springs you put on the car if the open length of the shocks is too long,it will sit up like a giraffe.
I fit 300lbx 9" springs on the rear of S's and have the shocks open at 13.75", which means that you can have a reasonable ride height without dislocating the spring in full droop.
BTW
It is possible that you might be pre-loading the springs to such an extent that they are coil bound, if not the car may settle a bit after driving for a while.
I fit 300lbx 9" springs on the rear of S's and have the shocks open at 13.75", which means that you can have a reasonable ride height without dislocating the spring in full droop.
BTW
It is possible that you might be pre-loading the springs to such an extent that they are coil bound, if not the car may settle a bit after driving for a while.
Edited by Ab Shocks on Tuesday 23 June 07:25
I found that the 300lb rear and 375 front springs supplied with my GAZ shocks were too soft. It would blow through the travel on any undulations in the road and the only way to stop this was to increase the damping. This then made the ride very harsh and reminded me of the original shocks harsh ride. I replaced the front springs with 450lb and moved the 375 to the rear and this combo works a treat now. The springs do the work and the damping has been turned down to and results in a better ride over lumpy Norfolk roads and cornering is flatter too.
Jed
Jed
Rockey said:
just read this thread, i think I'm too tired and too retarded to get my head around what is best for my S..Thanks for the offer Mark, i may well take you up on that
Also, reading what you wrote Derek, could my springs be ok, and it's just the shocks that i need to adjust?? (as you can tell, I'm not very good with the old mechanics!
)cheers for all the help so far chaps!
Jed-S said:
I replaced the front springs with 450lb and moved the 375 to the rear and this combo works a treat now.Jed
Springs on my Avo's are different diameters front 'n rear, Gaz must be same ? Going back to the "jacked up" thing, what measurement have you got floor to top of wheelarch ? One or two cars at SCH looked a little "high" but maybe had been to the shock absorber man and not settled since being literally jacked up or owners like them that way to clear speed humps etc ?
IMHO even when set as low as practical for road use S's tend to look as if "tyres have fallen out with wheel arches" especially if lower profile than standard tyres fitted !
Edited by phillpot on Tuesday 23 June 22:25
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