Just wondering what suspension setups people are running on their Vee. I am having a bit of trouble this year with the front end droop and dragging under braking. It seems to be getting worse since last year. Currently I have a set of Carrera shocks unknown on valves (with 2.5" rubber mounts on shaft to stop nose from dragging). It has a hard bar in top tube and a standard spring pack in the bottom tube. I made the mistake of trying to replace the spring pack but it was for the ball joint beam. What a pain in th A$$ it was to get it back together. Anyone willing to share their secrets of their front suspension setups.
As always any answers are appreciated.
Front Suspension Setups
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DanRemmers
- Posts: 293
- Joined: June 24th, 2006, 7:21 pm
Re: Front Suspension Setups
That is one area with lots of unknowns. Unfortunately, I'm more clueless than you.
The road racers have it dialed in pretty good. But they have skinny tires, more ground clearance and suspension travel, and they don't have to worry about quick transitions (slalom). As a result, they run a fairly soft front end (from what I can tell reading the forums).
When I bought my solo vee, the previous owner said he ran the shocks at full soft. (It's got one solid bar and a spring pack like yours.) I too have had the nose drag more and more under braking as the years go by. I don't know if the springs get saggy. If fact, I keep the front pressures higher than ideal because the nose hits the ground if they're too low.
When you say you have problems with droop, what do you mean? Do you have video of the front suspension, or is it just the way it handles?
I think the most important thing is the camber set with the shims. Beyond that, I don't think that other changes will make a big difference. (But then, I'm far from an expert.) My car handles mostly neutral, so I'm not changing anything. I'm just out there to have fun.
The road racers have it dialed in pretty good. But they have skinny tires, more ground clearance and suspension travel, and they don't have to worry about quick transitions (slalom). As a result, they run a fairly soft front end (from what I can tell reading the forums).
When I bought my solo vee, the previous owner said he ran the shocks at full soft. (It's got one solid bar and a spring pack like yours.) I too have had the nose drag more and more under braking as the years go by. I don't know if the springs get saggy. If fact, I keep the front pressures higher than ideal because the nose hits the ground if they're too low.
When you say you have problems with droop, what do you mean? Do you have video of the front suspension, or is it just the way it handles?
I think the most important thing is the camber set with the shims. Beyond that, I don't think that other changes will make a big difference. (But then, I'm far from an expert.) My car handles mostly neutral, so I'm not changing anything. I'm just out there to have fun.
Re: Front Suspension Setups
I had that problem with my Lynx. A new spring pack solved it completely. I now have about an inch of clearance at full compression with 20" tall tires.
Charles
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DanRemmers
- Posts: 293
- Joined: June 24th, 2006, 7:21 pm
Re: Front Suspension Setups
So I guess the question now is, whether to get a new spring pack or get a ball joint beam. I assume with the BJ front beam, you need different spindles, hubs, and you may as well do discs and 4 lug wheels. Has anybody priced the whole upgraded beam?
Re: Front Suspension Setups
Why do you want a ball joint beam? It is heavier and wider. And if you go to disk brakes, it gets even wider.
One option we can go to for Solo Vees, is coilovers. Depending, of course, on the backspacing of the wheels. With coilovers, the ride height is easily adjustable, and springs car be changed quickly. I just wish I had thought of this before I had the beam cut and a ride height adjuster welded in.
One option we can go to for Solo Vees, is coilovers. Depending, of course, on the backspacing of the wheels. With coilovers, the ride height is easily adjustable, and springs car be changed quickly. I just wish I had thought of this before I had the beam cut and a ride height adjuster welded in.
69 Beach Solo Vee, #65 FM
85 Lynx B Solo Vee
71 Zink C4 Solo Vee
85 Lynx B Solo Vee
71 Zink C4 Solo Vee
Re: Front Suspension Setups
That's exactly what I did to solve this very problem on my car. The previous owner was kind enough to provide a set of JC Whitney "helper shocks" (cheap coilover shocks) in the spares box, and they bolted right on. I only have two autox runs on them, so I can't say how they impacted the handling. The front end doesn't slam the ground under braking, though.....Lynn wrote:One option we can go to for Solo Vees, is coilovers.
Re: Front Suspension Setups
Before changing your front suspension, you might try putting a hard rubber stopper inside your front shocks. I had some Koni inserts that I placed inside my shocks and the front suspension no longer bottoms out. The result is I have a soft front suspension which generates nice turn in and I also have great brakes (I've converted to discs) without the front suspension rubbing the group.
I hope this helps,
Mike
I hope this helps,
Mike