Louis
05-02-2006, 11:37 PM
Just a quick bit of info on the D2 coil over set up for the Legnum VR4.
The shocks are totally adjustable, you can adjust the pre load on the spring separately from the ride height adjustment ( so you can have a normal or a preloaded spring at any ride height) and the damping adjustment is a smooth rotation, done at the top of the strut, 6 full revolutions from soft to hard, ( there are 36 positions marked off, but basically 6 full revolutions)
Fitting is very simple, at the front, 3 bolts at the top of the strut (14mm), and one bolt at the bottom ( 17mm), although you will need to loosen the rollbar link on the drivers side to access the 17mm At The bottom on that side. (roll bar link is 14mm).
At the rear there are 2 (14mm) at the top and 1 (17mm) at the bottom.
(no spring compressors just spanners and sockets).
I will attach some pics. Below are my initial settings.
The settings below were the same on all 4 corners.
I fitted the suspension over a week ago and the initial settings I had were, spring preload about 2cm from standard, this means basically with the spring collar adjuster hand tight against the base of the spring I then tightened the collar up 2cm to squash the spring (less travel).
I adjusted the ride height adjustment collar so that I had 2cm clearance between the tyre and the arch.
I adjusted the rotational damping force adjuster to 4 out of a max of 6 revolutions.
Results.
Very stable (flat no roll) on corners on smooth roads and roundabouts, but quite harsh on bumpy roads, I was out of my seat a couple of times on a bad road.
Speed bumps were quite jarring and when taken at speed I got a bit of rub on the front wheel arches,
( tyre to arch contact ).
The idea of this set up was to have the car low with not much bounce and with the dampers quite hard so that the 2cm clearance would not move much and not contact the bodywork (wheel arches).
I also noticed that when pushing it hard around roundabouts if I did hit a bump it was not absorbed, and the car would skip, (loose contact with the tarmac)
I changed the settings yesterday, and they are now.
Spring preload – a couple of turns from hand tight, (so no preload as such)
Ride height – 4cm clearance between tyre and wheel arch
Damping – 1 turn out of a max of 6
The new settings are much more useable, springs are not as harsh, I did the same tests as before, speedbumps at speed etc, with no arch to wheel contact, and the damping is softer but similar to factory set up, also no skipping on bumpy corners.
I think that I will stiffen up the dampers a bit more to see the results.
Compared to the factory set up the springs are a bit stiffer but not too harsh with no preload, and the damping adjustment can be from (I would say) softer than factory to very stiff, a good range of adjustment. Ride height is adjustable from the same as the factory ride height to as low as you are able to go. I was limited on drop height as my wheels and tyres are as wide as I could go. So as I lower the car the tyres actually come into contact with the wheelarches.
I have attached some pics so that you can see them in situ, ( I washed them prior to adjustment as they were quite dirty). One more tip, when you have adjusted the settings and tightened the lock collars etc, spray some grease on the threaded body of the strut.
photos are from phone so sorry for quality
The shocks are totally adjustable, you can adjust the pre load on the spring separately from the ride height adjustment ( so you can have a normal or a preloaded spring at any ride height) and the damping adjustment is a smooth rotation, done at the top of the strut, 6 full revolutions from soft to hard, ( there are 36 positions marked off, but basically 6 full revolutions)
Fitting is very simple, at the front, 3 bolts at the top of the strut (14mm), and one bolt at the bottom ( 17mm), although you will need to loosen the rollbar link on the drivers side to access the 17mm At The bottom on that side. (roll bar link is 14mm).
At the rear there are 2 (14mm) at the top and 1 (17mm) at the bottom.
(no spring compressors just spanners and sockets).
I will attach some pics. Below are my initial settings.
The settings below were the same on all 4 corners.
I fitted the suspension over a week ago and the initial settings I had were, spring preload about 2cm from standard, this means basically with the spring collar adjuster hand tight against the base of the spring I then tightened the collar up 2cm to squash the spring (less travel).
I adjusted the ride height adjustment collar so that I had 2cm clearance between the tyre and the arch.
I adjusted the rotational damping force adjuster to 4 out of a max of 6 revolutions.
Results.
Very stable (flat no roll) on corners on smooth roads and roundabouts, but quite harsh on bumpy roads, I was out of my seat a couple of times on a bad road.
Speed bumps were quite jarring and when taken at speed I got a bit of rub on the front wheel arches,
( tyre to arch contact ).
The idea of this set up was to have the car low with not much bounce and with the dampers quite hard so that the 2cm clearance would not move much and not contact the bodywork (wheel arches).
I also noticed that when pushing it hard around roundabouts if I did hit a bump it was not absorbed, and the car would skip, (loose contact with the tarmac)
I changed the settings yesterday, and they are now.
Spring preload – a couple of turns from hand tight, (so no preload as such)
Ride height – 4cm clearance between tyre and wheel arch
Damping – 1 turn out of a max of 6
The new settings are much more useable, springs are not as harsh, I did the same tests as before, speedbumps at speed etc, with no arch to wheel contact, and the damping is softer but similar to factory set up, also no skipping on bumpy corners.
I think that I will stiffen up the dampers a bit more to see the results.
Compared to the factory set up the springs are a bit stiffer but not too harsh with no preload, and the damping adjustment can be from (I would say) softer than factory to very stiff, a good range of adjustment. Ride height is adjustable from the same as the factory ride height to as low as you are able to go. I was limited on drop height as my wheels and tyres are as wide as I could go. So as I lower the car the tyres actually come into contact with the wheelarches.
I have attached some pics so that you can see them in situ, ( I washed them prior to adjustment as they were quite dirty). One more tip, when you have adjusted the settings and tightened the lock collars etc, spray some grease on the threaded body of the strut.
photos are from phone so sorry for quality