My Misus is Suffering from to much STIFFNESS !!

[Wodjno]

My Missus ( LeggyBlonde) has got Tanabe Sustec Pro height adjustable suspension on her Leggy.. Upon driving it quite a bit recently i have found that the suspension set up is way to Stiff for normal everyday driving (And the odd RAZ) . Even on roads that my VR4 Glides accross ,Her Leggy rattles your teeth and jars your back.. It is set about 10mm off it's lowest setting(you can just insert 2 fingers on top of each other between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch, front and rear)..It has around 40mm of adjustment upwards.. Am i right in thinking if i raise it up 10mm front and rear it will give for a more softer ride as the spring has a little more give as it is not under so much compression..

[Kenneth]

I had the same problem.

I lifted the front (both wheels, otherwise you have to fight the anti-roll bar) and wound up the adjustable platforms as much as I could without resorting to force.

then measure to make sure they are the same height and repeat for the back.

this reduces the static sag and makes the car a lot stiffer on the road. however the ride comfort increases as does the handling. (a win win really)

Am I remembering correct that this is not a VR-4? If so, there might be some weight differences that mean you will never have a comfortable ride.

[Wodjno]

I had the same problem.

and wound up the adjustable platforms

this reduces the static sag and makes the car a lot stiffer on the road. however the ride comfort increases as does the handling. (a win win really)

Am I remembering correct that this is not a VR-4? If so, there might be some weight differences that mean you will never have a comfortable ride.

You are right in thinking this is not a VR4.. ( I can't afford to run 2)

I am a bit confused .. You say you wound it up.. Does this mean you highered it or lowered it.. Cos if you highered it,how does this make for a stiffer ride , i thought it would make it softer..

[Kenneth]

You are right in thinking this is not a VR4.. ( I can't afford to run 2)

I am a bit confused .. You say you wound it up.. Does this mean you highered it or lowered it.. Cos if you highered it,how does this make for a stiffer ride , i thought it would make it softer..

Yes, I made it higher.
It feels a bit stiffer because of the lack of sag. Going over some driveways (on an angle so as not to scrape the spoiler) the car will actually go on 3 wheels. On the road this means that when going over bumps or uneven surfaces the car isn't able to bounce much above ride height on rebound. as such, the car promptly returns to ride height.

Thus bounce is removed and ride is better... also have less problems scraping and handles better all round on the road.


To put it another way
Consider that the actual maximum extension of the shock (the stroke) is always the same.
At the lowest setting the shock is some way into its stroke and the car is resting on the springs to the point where the spring tension takes up the weight of the car.
If you lift the car (or park ONE wheel on something high) then any unsupported wheels will then extend to their maximum. As this also takes all (or at least most) of the tension off the spring, its easier to move the shock in that position.
If you pre-load the spring, then you also increase the static ride height, which shortens the available travel. You also have spring tension at maximum travel which means that you put more stress throught the body of the car to try and twist to keep all 4 wheels on the ground if you put one wheel on something raised.
If I lift one of the front wheels off the ground to change tyre, the back wheel also comes off the ground as it is unable to extend enough to stay on the ground.
Net result is the shocks are less inclined to let the car be pushed up in one corner as any height changes are absorbed through more of the car keeping it more level and feeling stiffer.

Hope this made sense... just got home and had a few to dring so tend to ramble. If you think I am full of crap say so and ill re-read and re-think what i said. lol

[Legnum Lad VR4]

Hope this made sense... just got home and had a few to dring so tend to ramble. If you think I am full of crap say so and ill re-read and re-think what i said. lol

bit scientific for me at this time of the morning lol