Rebuilding old shocks with Spax

[redvxcoupe]

Started working on the "to do list" with my Coupe... 

I was lucky to find old original shocks on my -75 Coupe. This made thing easier when I had to replace parts of the suspension
Started making a tool to loosen the top nut. Bought from Biltema (a big warehouse in Norway)



Cleaning and painting



This is my favorite tool



Not installed yet but will be this weekend I hope.

Have a question for you guys. I think the ride hight is a bit too high at the front of old Coupes with uprated springs from BetaBoyz.
On my VX it looks perfect because this car is heavier at the front.

I was wondering cutting half  a turn to lower the car about 10mm 

What do you think?

[MattNoVAT]

Personally, I think manually cutting springs is a bodge.  Springs loose the pig tails and don't sit in the spring cups properly.  

I also think that it runs the risk of springs being cut to slightly different lengths and then giving different spring rates.  It could be negligible but I'd rather not risk it myself.

[redvxcoupe]

Thanks Matt,

I was thinking of cutting the spring so it fits exactly into the rubber top / step. I needs to be cut 90 or 180 degrees. I don't like it either but willing to try....

The Series 1 1600 car is much lighter at the front than my VX. VX looks very good...

What else ca be done? new front springs?

[HFStuart]

They're not that expensive - I've just had a set of 4 custom made for £155 and Mark can offer them a bit cheaper.

[spud]

They're not that expensive - I've just had a set of 4 custom made for £155...

Hi Stuart,
By whom and for what model of Beta? Just curious.

Andrew.

[HFStuart]

http://www.coilsprings.co.uk/

To my own specs but they were for a Beta Spider.

[spud]

Hi Stuart,

Very interesting. When you say your own specs, is this something you worked out yourself from scratch, did you use the standard specs as a benchmark and adjust from there to what you wanted, or did you improve on the BB lowering springs?
This is a subject I know nothing about but find fascinating. I quite like the way my VX rides and handles with it's standard springs and shocks but I find the ride height around an inch too high; purely aesthetically speaking of course. I find the lowered BB springs are the perfect height but, at least with the Spax fronts, the ride is too hard, no matter how I adjust the shocks. Upon reverting to standard shocks I find the lowered springs miss the smoothness of the originals... perhaps I am looking for the impossible...
What shocks are on your car Stuart?

Andrew.

[HFStuart]

The spring rates were worked out from scratch. Knowing the rate the standard ones are and the compressed length you can work out the loading on the spring in kg. You can then use that to work out how long and how stiff the spring needs to be to give the height you want without bottoming out all the time. I didn't go mad - about 10% stiffer I think it's worked pretty well.

Mine is on shocks that need replacing! I know that gas shocks would make it ride slightly higher though.