Damper Questions?

[Daniel Adragna]

Just wondering if anyone has installed the new Lotus / Bilstein dampers on their V8?

When I say new I mean the recently developed non-adjustables. I checked into ordering some

through JAE but Jeff said he is having a tuff time getting them, and at this point has only received one pair for the fronts? Any feed back would be great!

Also, I am installing dampers on my friends 02 Esprit this weekend (Spax) and was wondering if a need to compress the springs or are they not under tension with the suspension at full extension. (Car on the lift)

Thanks!

Dan Adragna

99 Esprit

92 Elan

[Vulcan Grey]

Just wondering if anyone has installed the new Lotus / Bilstein dampers on their V8?

When I say new I mean the recently developed non-adjustables. I checked into ordering some

through JAE but Jeff said he is having a tuff time getting them, and at this point has only received one pair for the fronts? Any feed back would be great!

Also, I am installing dampers on my friends 02 Esprit this weekend (Spax) and was wondering if a need to compress the springs or are they not under tension with the suspension at full extension. (Car on the lift)

Thanks!

Dan Adragna

99 Esprit

92 Elan

Hey Dan,

Front shocks you may need to compress the spring to remove it from the lower arm. A little hint is to unbolt the sway bar and the lower arm... Then you may not need to compress as the shock is a unit that holds the spring in. But you will need compressors to move the spring over to the SPAX shock. Be very careful, USE the saftey hooks!!! I almos lost a finger when the spring slipped out cause I hadn't used the saftey hooks.

In the rear you don't srictly need a compressor, leave the top of the shock bolted in and then undo the lower bolt through the shock Then the spring should be slack around the shock. Then you can unbolt the shock from the car and pull the spring off and place it over the new spax shock. Bolt the top back in and then jack the shock with the cup of a jack to get it lined up with the swing arm hole.

The SPAX will be too high in the front... about 3mm higher than stock...

SOme people remove one of the locking rings in the front to lower it enough... not sure how safe that is.

Don't tighten all the bolts till she's back on the ground or the pivots may bind up.

[Daniel Adragna]

Travis,

What about factory ride height for the rear. Any suggestions for getting the height about correct on the install. I thought I remembered hearing that you set the adjustment toward the bottom of the threaded

portion of the damper. Does this sound correct to you? The car is Glen's 02.

Btw- Can't wait to see you in Colorado & how is your car project progressing?

Dan A

In the rear you don't srictly need a compressor, leave the top of the shock bolted in and then undo the lower bolt through the shock Then the spring should be slack around the shock. Then you can unbolt the shock from the car and pull the spring off and place it over the new spax shock. Bolt the top back in and then jack the shock with the cup of a jack to get it lined up with the swing arm hole.

The SPAX will be too high in the front... about 3mm higher than stock...

SOme people remove one of the locking rings in the front to lower it enough... not sure how safe that is.

Don't tighten all the bolts till she's back on the ground or the pivots may bind up.

[jetfixr123]

Just went through the whole spax thing....Great units but the front is way too high. Jeff is supposed to be getting me shorter springs for this problem.

You may want to call him (JAE 805-967-5767)

Ian

Travis,

What about factory ride height for the rear. Any suggestions for getting the height about correct on the install. I thought I remembered hearing that you set the adjustment toward the bottom of the threaded

portion of the damper. Does this sound correct to you? The car is Glen's 02.

Btw- Can't wait to see you in Colorado & how is your car project progressing?

Dan A

In the rear you don't srictly need a compressor, leave the top of the shock bolted in and then undo the lower bolt through the shock Then the spring should be slack around the shock. Then you can unbolt the shock from the car and pull the spring off and place it over the new spax shock. Bolt the top back in and then jack the shock with the cup of a jack to get it lined up with the swing arm hole.

The SPAX will be too high in the front... about 3mm higher than stock...

SOme people remove one of the locking rings in the front to lower it enough... not sure how safe that is.

Don't tighten all the bolts till she's back on the ground or the pivots may bind up.

Edited January 14, 2007 by jetfixr123

[Vulcan Grey]

Travis,

What about factory ride height for the rear. Any suggestions for getting the height about correct on the install. I thought I remembered hearing that you set the adjustment toward the bottom of the threaded

portion of the damper. Does this sound correct to you? The car is Glen's 02.

Btw- Can't wait to see you in Colorado & how is your car project progressing?

Dan A

Hey Dan,

The rear I ended up moving the threaded locking nuts up about an inch from the bottom of the threads, then you'll have to set it on the ground and re adjust until it's right. Of course the V8 may be different. The threads are much longer on the rear SPAX and you'll be able to set the ride height anywhere you want. IIRC I left out a spacer in the rear to set the spring perch in the middleish of the threads. If you leave the spacer in, you end up at the end of the threads with no ability to adjust.

In the front, some people take out all the spacers and one of the locking rings. This allows the fronts to go down a little lower than stock Esprit ride height.

Glad to hear you're coming to Colorado. I'll be there and I'll make sure my car is ready, but it's still in tiny pieces right now. Been too cold to work on it and too many other things to do. Hopefully I can get some needed parts from Lotus' parts sale.

[jaysingh]

I had the Bilstein/Eibach upgrade on my V8 about 2 months ago. The ride height looked slightly higher than the old setup (which was knackerd) and I thought I give the car a few months to bed in. I've just measured the distance between the top of the tyre and bottom of the wheel arch (with no passengers), its 6.5 cm at the front and back. Is this a bit high?

[Vulcan Grey]

I had the Bilstein/Eibach upgrade on my V8 about 2 months ago. The ride height looked slightly higher than the old setup (which was knackerd) and I thought I give the car a few months to bed in. I've just measured the distance between the top of the tyre and bottom of the wheel arch (with no passengers), its 6.5 cm at the front and back. Is this a bit high?

The body on the Esprit isn't necessarily straight, even, or symmetrical, so it isn't a good way to measure from the body to anything. The correct measurement is from the chassis to the ground per the manual.

Measured with driver and passenger + 1/2 tank of fuel

From the front cross member down to the ground should be 170mm (V8)

from the rear chassis rool hoop down to the ground should be 164mm (V8)

That is the correct way to measure the Esprit ride height.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Vulcan Grey