Suspension refresh

[½cwt]

Good luck with getting all the old steel bits out of the alloy casting.....

[el 3.2S]

2 hours ago, Delaneycatz said:

By way of an update..... didn’t get underway last year but finally! Ready to go. 
i am just waiting on a delivery of a pair of front tuning forks and into the garage by Wednesday. Decided to lay it all out to make sure I haven’t missed anything. Still will have a couple of bits to change at a later date if required. Can’t wait just a shame I won’t be able to give it a long country lane run for a while🙁

That is an impressive collection of suspension bits. I hope you are rewarded on the investment with a car which feels tight and with greatly improved handling.

Anyone know which part would be most likely to make the biggest difference, if fitted to a car which has had no suspension work done in its life, or, are there any parts which are cost effective and easy to fit diy at home?

[Delaneycatz]

Thankfully work is being done by a local garage I trust. Garage is closed but owner lives on site so I guess he will be busy as I suspect he would like to keep active. I have read that the strip down can be problematic and from what I can tell apart from the rear coffin arms most looks like original factory install 20 years ago. So best place to be if the right knowledge or equipment is required🙏
 

good question to ask el 3.2S and not sure 

Springs?

[PaulQ]

I expect most would say the dampers make the biggest difference if tired/leaking etc, but springs can (not always though) sag. 

Once your in there it's best to replace as much as you can though, else you'll be paying for extra geos etc, and labour on stuff already done if not doing the work yourself. 

[edc]

I would be hesitant but would plump for dampers too. Having done it twice it has always been with other suspension work so it's always hard to isolate. However, if you are logical enough and understand the way suspension works you can feel the effects. For example in my first car when going from standard to M030 you could feel the reduction in dive under heavy braking and as a consequence better braking and better stability. When going from M030 to Koni FSD on the current car I wrote at the time that it initially felt disconcerting but once your brain relearns the damping is actually much more complete. There is a noticeable level of increased feedback and a better compliant ride. 

[½cwt]

Not had much suspension work done on any cars, but the two that I have, both were rear shocks change with nothing else other than bump stops in once case and the difference on how firm the rear suspension response was when done was really noticeable. 

That said to get as far as the dampers you'd might as well do springs, top mounts and bump stops whilst you're in there as you have to take them all off and you'll probably damage the rubber on the coffin arm splitting the upright off the ball joint so you'll need those too and that is if you can then even get the damper unit out of the casting....  Having this weekend just done springs, top mounts and bump stops without splitting the ball joint on the coffin arm on a DIY basis I am very glad I wasn't paying by the hour, which you'll need to do to someone who knows what they are doing to get the damper out!  As I noted elsewhere if my dampers ever need doing it will be two salvage front upright castings for me!