Paul Coleman 471 Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 I'm restoring my S1 and the front suspension height is way higher than the rear. The rear looks good but the front looks too high to me. I thought it was because it didn't have the windscreen in it but having fitted that today it didn't make a lot of difference. I still have to add the bonnet, radiator, spare wheel and interior but I can't see it dropping that much. Anybody else noticed this during a restoration? The front is not adjustable unlike the rears? Very confused. Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
slewthy 249 Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Same for me too with my S3. I even started to wonder if I had the wrong springs. However, at the Donnington meet last year, looking around, many look the same. Mine settled after around 1000 miles or so but I still was unhappy so in the end, I removed the rubber dampers at the top of the springs. Dont know if thats an option for the S1 though. Still looks a little high, but I have done something about it, so I feel better! My gauge is the bottom of the doors - that line should pass just above the wheel centre badge. Have you measured the chassis to ground distance? How far off is that? Quote "Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them." Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
jonwat 422 Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Same for me too with my S3. With S3 & later cars you have to make sure the wishbone to chassis bolts are tightened with the wheels on the ground or at least with the wishbones horizontalish. Tightening with the wishbones dropped lower forces the body higher when lowered to the ground & eventually ruptures the bushes. Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to post Share on other sites
peteyg 336 Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 The suspension bolts need to be tightend with the car loaded as per the manual which will make it sit at the right height. Until you have everything reinstalled and bolted back on, 2 occupants and full tanks of petrol (or maybe half, need to look it up) I wouldn't worry about the hieght as you wone't be able to set it correctly. Pete Quote Pete '79 S2 LEW Miss September 2009 Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 471 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Okay. I've not tightened the suspension bolts up yet for the reasons you mentioned so I'll plod on and see how it looks at the end... Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM skiing 107 Posted September 22, 2014 Gold FFM Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 half a tank of fuel and equivalent of 75 kg for each passenger I seem to remember... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kleynen 5 Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Hello All, Like Paul I a finalizing the restoration of my S1 and the front suspension height is way too high. There is a gab of 12cm between the tires and the wheel arches. Is the car really going to drop that much when I install the windscreen ,interior, bonnet, cooling fluid and petrol?? I can hardly believe it?? I hope I did not mix up front and rear springs?? I am really confused. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Christof Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WolfgangK 6 Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 I felt that mine was also way too high to the extend that the steering rods touched the swaybar and blocked the steering. But after a few days sitting on the wheels and with some stuff in the front trunk (tools, spare wheel...) it looks good now. If you reuse the original springs there is not a lot you can do wrong.... Wolfgang Quote Link to post Share on other sites
molemot 521 Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Changing the anti roll bar bushes has quite an effect on the ride height, too. As has been mentioned...leave everything loose and then tighten up when loaded on the wheels. 170 mm is the height specified between the datumn points and the ground, iirc. Quote Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been." - Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 471 Posted October 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 When I'd finished restoring mine and had everything back on it was still too high. I had reused the original springs. I sent my car down to SJ Sportscars and I had the anti-roll bar on upside down plus they replaced the original front springs. When it came back it was at the correct height. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
Kleynen 5 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I am reusing my original springs. To check, I removed the anti-roll bar and dampers. It hardly effected the height. I (90 kg) sat down on the nose of my car and it dropped like 2 inches, but it was still too high. I will post some pictures tonight. Something is clearly wrong, but I dont see it .... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kleynen 5 Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) 5 inches between tire and wheel arch. Something is wrong, but I don't see it Is it normal to have these thick washers between body and chassis (front and rear) Not that it makes much difference in height... Edited October 18, 2017 by Kleynen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeanvm 105 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Christof, is yours an USA version, who have higher springs? And those thick washers is not normal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andyww 1,278 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 The springs look too long, I recall thy have 8 or 9 turns not 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kleynen 5 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 My car is a right hand drive. So I guess that makes it European? Although the car has a USA electrical cable loom. Lotus probably just used what they had available... I reused the existing spring. The car was at the correct height before the restoration. I start to wonder if there is nothing wrong with the pivot points of my lower wishbones? Tomorrow I am going to compress the springs and check if these lower wishbones can freely rotate upwards... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giorgio67 181 Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 The washers in the pics are the ones for the REAR fixing (chassis to body) not front. They must be fitted on chassis between body and rear fixing bar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kleynen 5 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 This car has the thick washers in the front and the rear. No idea why. I now removed the front ones. That is already one centimeter. Now the rest... Thanks Johan and Giorgio! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andyww 1,278 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 The washers were added "as required" I believe, during factory build depending on the fit of the body to chassis. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.