Paper Lawyer

Potentially (I'm now running softer rear springs) but other possible factors include (a) increased spring stagger betwen front and back; (b) much higher rebound settings;

Nick Graves

It's a de Dion rear like a Caterham, no?

In which case, the ride height will make no difference to the camber.

Yes, a raised ride height will increase the rear roll-oversteer tendency, but your ears will give you more warning - bit like when they softened the rear springs on the 02-04 S2Ks.

I'd try that first, with the modest increase in bump damping (I assume it's bump & not rebound that's causing the handbrake problem!) if you regularly run the car two up.

You may wish to raise the front ride height, if the roll centre stagger creates an unwelcome inbalance front to rear.

GSi

Not had time to read the responses, but looks like there is some useful stuff in there. Will look tomorrow.

Not a de Rion, it's Live Axle

MarkB

- you need to be more specific, is it just that you want to stop the car fouling over bumps, without changing the handling of the car, or do you want to alter the way the car behaves in some way?

This is also true, BUT only ever change one thing at once, measure the result, then change something else - you can get in an awful mess otherwise. Make notes. Make sure you know how many clicks you are off fully soft on the dampers, how high the spring platforms are and any anti-roll bar settings if you have one etc. etc. That way you'll know how to get back to the settings you currently have.

Since the car is new to you, it would be advantageous to get the car set up with a 'general' suspension setup, which you can tweak to suit your driving style - this way you can have a base to start from, and return to if things don't quite change the way you want them to. At the very least, get the car corner weighted with you in it (I suspect you're quite a bit heavier than the last owner) - if the car has adjustable spring platforms, you can have the ride height altered at each corner to balance the car, this might be enough to stop the cable fouling.

If you still foul the handbrake cable, you might need stiffer springs, in which case you'll have to go through the set up stages again, but that's the thing about suspension, you have to get a stable, neutral base to start from before you start tinkering.

GSi

Good stuff lads, thanks.

At this stage I only want to stop the handbrake fouling on the prop.

The handling (which obviously I'm still getting used to) is very benign in the dry, not been out in the wet yet.. Mild understeer when turning in before balancing the throttle, but still very good turn in. It's pretty good /compliant over bumps in corners and then mid corner there is plenty of throttle adjustment possible without under or oversteer ruining your fun.

I have adjustable dampers front and rear (22 clicks!) and one knob to twiddle, so I presume this is a single setting rather than bump/rebound seperate? The springs are on adjustble platforms too and I have an adjustable front ARB.

To date all I've tried is increasing the rear damping - +5 clicks (was 9 from soft) - which was very a BIG change, so I've knocked both sides back by 2 clicks now and it's a better compromise. I suspect that this will stop it fouling over large bumps at speed with me in it (which it did on the odd occasion), but am certain that two up it'll be no use.

I'm arranging for it to be booked into Northampton Motorsport for a couple of hours soon where they'll check the spring length/rate for me and replace them if necessary and then setup the new kit, weighted for me.

My guess is that the current springs are too soft for me. The platforms are relatively high up, so the low ride height is due to compression of the springs rather than an initially low ride height.

If I can't get to them for some time, I'll have a bash at adjusting the ride height and putting the dampers back to their original setting.



SO, I want to stop the car from fouling without changing any other characteristic of its handling. Then when I've been to a few trackdays I'll fiddle with the damping to find a good flat road setup.

Heinz '57

You will find that the guys on the Westie site are a fount of knowlege on all things Westfield....I know 'cos I've got one.
Over hard damping on a Westie makes it VERY skittish and I suspect that your problem is down to low ride hight rather than anything to do with the spring rates. If you want to use it on the road as well as track it will be worth while asking the Westie experts....they are very kind to noobs

Kobe

absolutely.. it's all in the detail.. what I meant is.. you need to restart all your data as everything is interdependent.

and you can be surprised by a few incidental effects..

I had forgotten to check the headlight aim (my car does not have self adjusting lights as it is a JDM) before swopping the springs/dampers.. quick panic before the MOT..

then I find certain combinations of "softer" damper settings that are not OK... as you get into some kind of feedback loop between your foot on the throttle..the car pitching..which moves your foot on the accelerator pedal.. so a self induced kangaroo effect.. you really have to concentrate hard to keep you foot steady with those settings..

Heinz '57

Ah,I see you already have Trust Blatman

GSi

almost definately spring rate I reckon, ride height isn't THAT low.. but I'll find out when I visit Northampton Motorsport.