363 replies to this topic

[JohnTurbo]

He has..? Darron just had the full setup - where is he? He had a budget setup of a plans bar (now mine) and gaz nickels and was bloody quick! I'd like to know if he prefers it now.

[Spitfire Engineering]

id buy decent tyres first.

id guarantee a standard na or tubby with semi slicks will be faster, than the same car with any mod for the same price.

Actually that is an interesting proposition.
Unless the car is actually on the ground the tyres are academic.
1 set of slicks every 3000 miles at £500?

Makes a suspension setup look like a bargain basement after a couple of years.

[Spitfire Engineering]

He has..?

Darron just had the full setup - where is he?
He had a budget setup of a plans bar (now mine) and gaz nickels and was bloody quick!

I'd like to know if he prefers it now.

Where is he?

Probably out driving and enjoying his car?

[JohnTurbo]

Just for comic effect...

[Spitfire Engineering]

Ha, nice one.

[P11 COV]

hello Deano.
Buying the shiny bits is fine. And I quite like some of them also.
But let's get it in perspective.

As the OP says his car is a bit worn now.
So what about this.
He is also a track driver. So go to a track where he can put in consistent times.
Take note of the times and conditions. Rain would also be a good thing.
Then renew all the bushing maybe shocks etc with standard equipment. Then repeat the above. If the times are faster then he is heading in the right way.
Do not destroy the road car for the sake of making it a track car.

Even with standard equipment you can do some adjustments.
You can also play with wheel rim width. The standard mono tube shocks can be fitted with rising and faling abutments.
Giving the ability to trim the cars stance for rake.
The castor, camber and toe can all be adjusted.
Some weight reduction is not too difficult.

The people who put this car together where not idiots where they?
This will without doubt be more beneficial than bolting on some steel bars.

Korkey.

In an ideal world I am sure you are correct in this approach. However back in the real world it isn't really practical. I have a limited budget, I do not do mechanical stuff myself. The car needs some TLC in the suspension department. It already had Nitron shocks on it. I also have two sets of wheels tyres and am using 16/17 inch combo. I am getting all the bushes, toe links, etc done and it seemed sensible to consider other related stuff whilst it was in bits.



I am aware that there are many other aspects to becoming a quicker driver. I could spend £1500 on better seats to make me more comfortable in the car on track, but that's a lot more dosh. I have done driver training days, I have had tuition on track.

When it comes down to it I am just doing this for fun. It's not serious. I was just after a bit of advice on spending a couple of hundred quid on something that might improve the handling of the car on track. It is my 3rd car so on road handling is not a major concern.

Has the op decided which arb he's going for?
Edited by Bumblebee, Today, 01:28 PM.

I will probably go with the Elise parts cheapest one in the end as one thing all the 'know it alls' on here have convinced me is that no one knows it all. (Apart from scuffers of course :-) )

Edited by P11 COV, 14 March 2013 - 11:00 PM.

[Bumblebee]

What makes you think one person knows better than the other/others? Everyone seems to have a different approach so IMO you can't say 1 person approach is better than the other unless you've tried that approach and compared it to others for me personally I take on board all the comments mentioned as I'm still a newbie when it comes to suspension components

[P11 COV]

What makes you think one person knows better than the other/others? Everyone seems to have a different approach so IMO you can't say 1 person approach is better than the other unless you've tried that approach and compared it to others :)/> for me personally I take on board all the comments mentioned as I'm still a newbie when it comes to suspension components

I didn't say anyone knows more than anyone else. I don't think you can draw any conclusion from this thread as every believes their own view point and there is no right answer. I don't have the time, funds or energy to try all the suggestions mentioned in this thread and I'm not willing to spend the amount of money needed for some of them anyway.

If you were referring to my scuffers comment you missed my mischievous smile!

[Gedi]

I reckon after reading all the comments, I'd go for the cheapest eliseparts option too.

[Bumblebee]

I must say this thread has confused me even more lol

[techieboy]

I reckon after reading all the comments, I'd go for the cheapest eliseparts option too.

The cheapest option is to replace the ARB bushes and droplinks as part of the refresh and not bother with upgrading/downgrading/sidewaysgrading anything else.

[Winstar]

I reckon after reading all the comments, I'd go for the cheapest eliseparts option too.

The cheapest option is to replace the ARB bushes and droplinks as part of the refresh and not bother with upgrading/downgrading/sidewaysgrading anything else.

and the cheapest adjustable ARB is the Lotus Sport one http://www.seriously...ble-yellow.html

[Spitfire Engineering]

Surely the cheapest option is to do nothing at all ….. As mentioned all you will ever read is someone else's opinion and that may or may not suit you both in terms of what you want, price, value et. But the other side of belonging to a community like this is the huge benefit of being able to try stuff. On any one track day there are probably several standard, a few HP cars, a selection of aftermarket stuff, different setups. Why not compare as many of the ARB/damper/spring setup's as are available or possible? Then you will know what you want, what you didn't like etc. Once you know that you can make other decisions based of usage, cost, value etc.

[Nev]

Surely the cheapest option is to do nothing at all …..

Indeed.

Setup/test drivers at Lotus like Dave Minter are arguably the best in the world at such things, so long as you are intending to drive the car on the factory intended road surfaces like "Joe Average" then you will be hard pressed to beat the basic factory setup. Though I understand the OP mainly drives his on track, so some changes may well be waranted.

Edited by Nev, 15 March 2013 - 08:09 AM.

[Dave E]

Just for comic effect...

It's all in the timing

[2-20]

The cheapest option is to replace the ARB bushes and droplinks as part of the refresh and not bother with upgrading/downgrading/sidewaysgrading anything else.

Poly bushings, adjustable droplinks (without rubber bushes) and 2 additional holes drilled in an OEM bar, really provide a different feeling.

[Scuffers]

The cheapest option is to replace the ARB bushes and droplinks as part of the refresh and not bother with upgrading/downgrading/sidewaysgrading anything else.

Poly bushings, adjustable droplinks (without rubber bushes) and 2 additional holes drilled in an OEM bar, really provide a different feeling.

posted this before, but I guess it's not been seen in the context.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfZ7wEFRBiQ

Standard ARB is so weak that I really cant believe it actually had any discernible effect on anything.

[chris_uk]

thats shocking! does the vx use the same arb?

[P11 COV]

On any one track day there are probably several standard, a few HP cars, a selection of aftermarket stuff, different setups.
Why not compare as many of the ARB/damper/spring setup's as are available or possible?
Then you will know what you want, what you didn't like etc.
Once you know that you can make other decisions based of usage, cost, value etc.

The problem with that is that every VX on track has a different combination of ARB, Shocks, different settings on those shocks, Springs, bushes, (old, new, uprated, standard), tyres, wheel sizes and, of course, a miriad of different geos. Unless you copy a complete set up you would never know which apsect of the above has what effect.

[Scuffers]

I'm still waiting for some real laptimes from the CF boys... (or are you hoping nobody will notice...?)