Suspension related....

[campbell]

Answers on a postcard as to what thought!

Not sure about cost comparisons, but I imagine a set of Nitrons is not far off full replacement LSS.

Couple of things though.

1) You need to be prepared to take the time to do the Nitron setup properly

2) Robin and McKean both found LSS too soft (!) and I think also got the "Randy" Nitron setup, which is not cheap I believe, albeit effing brilliant by all accounts. But my recollection of LSS is that it is a fine match for the car for general driving and the odd trackday. Only based on a few shotties of Robin's, mind...

[j2 lot]

Nitron Street Series are a cheaper option that seems to get

[campbell]

I wondered about those...just felt a shame to "demote" a 135R to something named as mundanely as that

[Rag_It]

Answers on a postcard as to what thought!

"Randy" Nitron setup, which is not cheap I believe, albeit effing brilliant by all accounts.

I have a PM on it's way to le Walsh to see what the score is with these. Although to be honest the standard Nitrons would be more than enough I think, but the advice is that the Randy ones are purfect!

[campbell]

I think they probably are, although I don't know if this then means you have no further setup to do yourself. If it saves this extra messing about, it could almost be worth the money!

[Shug]

McApe is of the opinion that Randy's are the work of genius - they correct an issue the standard Nitrons have in that there's too little rear droop travel, which can make them feel skittish on bumpy roads. I've driven Hambos S1 with this setup and it's the best handling & riding S1 I've ever driven.

I think they are just exactly the same as Nitrons from source, cost-wise, unless that has changed?

[campbell]

That's a strong testimonial, Shug. Nice one.

The most important thing of all for Dave, of course, is how he wants the car to be. Whilst for selling on purposes, it probably ought to have LSS in it, if a set of Nitron Street series hits the spot, or any other combo which is chosen, then that is how one should run the car to get max enjoyment out of it.

And for what McKean needs out of his 135R, I can imagine the Randy setup is the biz. But, for example, for what I would need from a 135R, that *may* not be the right route at all. And indeed, LSS almost certainly would *not* be the right route for me at all! So Dave - choose wisely based on how you will use the car.

Come to think of it, I must get a drive of Robin's at some point...

[robin]

Actually, the dampers fitted to both my car and Neil's car do not correct the rear droop travel issue - we had to correct that by buying some different upper mounting brackets and then machining them (by which I mean we had at them with a round file locked in a drill ).

I am led to believe that this is all sorted now, though, and that if you were to buy them today they would either be available with the correct brackets, or they have changed tube lengths to make it all work properly at a sane ride height.

If you're in any doubt at all, I suggest a careful discussion with the supplier around the ride height you want to run at, and how much bump/droop travel you will have front and rear at that ride height with either the OE suspension mounts or whatever new mounts might be supplied with the new kit.

I know nothing about street series.

Were it my money, and I was considering the normal (track) Nitrons, I would try to find the extra cash to get the Randy/Walshy/SteveW/... re-valved ones; the difference is well worth the ~400 quid.

Cheers,
Robin

[woody]

I've driven Hambos S1 with this setup and it's the best handling & riding S1 I've ever driven. {/quote]

I concur.

I think they are just exactly the same as Nitrons from source, cost-wise, unless that has changed?

IIRC They're slightly more expensive than the standard Nitrons. Nitron have also revised their range with a few more NTR options and incorporated new valving settings, which I think I recall reading came from working with Randy.

Robin: are the longer rods etc... to correct the rear droop not an option on the built to spec NTRs?

The good news is, pretty much anything should ride better than S2 LSS.

[Mike Scib]

2) Robin and McKean both found LSS too soft (!)

The good news is, pretty much anything should ride better than S2 LSS.

I agree with Woody on that one, i had S2 LSS fitted to my S1 135 and were far to harsh on the road IMO.

[Tom]

Paine Snr is coming to lend me a hand with his technical know how,

LOL @ this. Sorry Tom!

Dan

Harsh but fair

[Tom]

Although hard to tell from the picture, I believe that the push rod is also bent/broken away from the lower eye, so the damper is scrap.

Cheers,
Robin

Yes the pushrod has come out of the bottom mount and is sitting on the edge of the wishbone cross member. Dave should have another picture with the spring lifted clear allowing you to see the end of the pushrod.

[robin]

Robin: are the longer rods etc... to correct the rear droop not an option on the built to spec NTRs?

No idea. There's a lot of confusion in this area; that's why I am adamant that before ordering you should have agreed the ride height, spring rates and bump/droop travel available at that ride height. That way you have some leverage over your supplier afterwards to correct any issues when you can only get a compromised setup out of the kit that you've bought.

In my experience of trying to get sane ride heights (e.g. 110/120 to 120/130) it's common to have to wind up the front so tight that the helpers are coil bound even on full droop. Meanwhile in order to get the rear ride height to match you need to slacken off the spring so much that even the helper is loose on full droop.

At this point the available front droop travel is not very much and the rear has not enough bump, IIRC.

I'm not suggesting that the suppliers are incompetent, though. It's a tough problem to solve in a one-size-fits-all package; so it's best to get spring rates and lengths selected up front to match your chosen ride height and the available end-to-end travel of the damper that's been selected.

Either that or do your homework very carefully by asking the supplier to confirm all the measurements, (compressed eye-to-eye length, available rod travel) then do the sums ...

Cheers,
Robin

[mac]

I've got standard (and pretty old now) nitrons and the S2 kit wasn't as good as the S1 kit when it was launched - they were great for track work but I never found a happy road setting, it was either over or under damped until I went for softer springs - this probably means it won't be great on track now but hey ho - they car's used more on road now.

If I was doing it again - I would get the kits set up by Randy as there is something not quite right with the standard valving in my VHO.

Alternatively I would give ProComp in Brom a call and tell them what I'm wanting, I was down there with Simon & his locost earlier this year and was very impressed with their knowledge and kit with each damper being independantly dyno tested by them (the don't make only procure the dampers) prior to shipping to make sure they are all matched and as per spec.

Mac

[Ferg]

If going Nitron NTRs definitely go Randy as the price difference (certainly before the street series came out) was negligible, but if you want to randy'ise your existing set then it does cost considerably more than an basic rebuild.

Definately ask about the droop issue though as I had a new set of rears off them earlier this year and didn't know all about the issue at the time and what was supplied still have the issues with droop. I might look into the brackets thing though after Robin's post.