LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 12:46 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 66 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: March 7, 2007, 5:05 pm 
Offline

Joined: August 15, 2005, 10:13 pm
Posts: 7043
Location: Charleston, WV
Just to play the devil's advocate here. :twisted: If just one of those units was designed to handle a 500 lb bike doesn't it stand to reason that four of them could suspend a 1200lb. locost? :P In the worst positions they would have no more than 600lbs a piece on them right?

_________________
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: March 7, 2007, 8:19 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: July 14, 2006, 2:54 pm
Posts: 449
Location: Corning NY
I know that i will blow this whole discussion out of the budget.... But what about a Koni Setup? I know that i will be looking to spend at least double what the GAZ and AVO setups are.... But from what i have seen with Auto-xing they are worth EVERY penny.

My setup on my prelude i have 385lb springs in the front and 250lb springs in the rear, mounting on KYB AGX shocks. My good friend and Prelude driver as well has 4x 500lb springs on Koni shocks and it ride down the highway better and performs better on course. That is enough for me to look into Koni's.

I contacted Koni and asked them what they reccomended for someone that is building a "locost" that will auto-x 1-2x per month, that needs something budget orientated. And they told me to look at there single adjustable shocks (shown below). I just can not decide if i need double or single adjustable... as it will be $400+ upgrade. I'm sure that it is worth it.... But if i need it?

Here is there economy coilover shock. I don't think that it is even adjustable. But at $150 per pretty cheap.
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s ... _744067_-1
Image


Then there is the single adjustable. Prolly more what i would need and be willing to pay. $310 per
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s ... _744071_-1
Image


Then there is the top of the line (in my budget range) the double adjustable. $420 per
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s ... _744069_-1
Image

Any thoughts?

Thanks Ken

_________________
http://kenbuilt79.blogspot.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: June 17, 2008, 12:02 am 
Offline

Joined: August 15, 2005, 10:13 pm
Posts: 7043
Location: Charleston, WV
I bought QA1s from Autofab Racecars. Best prices anywhere.

_________________
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: March 15, 2012, 3:11 pm 
Offline

Joined: January 31, 2008, 5:34 pm
Posts: 781
Location: SW Wes Consin
Let be bring this thread back from the dead with a perennial problem. Which coilovers do I use? It would seem the budget choice is the QA1s and they sound good. Lots of size choices and revalveable. But, do I choose the single or double adjustable units??? The singles adjust both bounce and rebound at the same time, I'm not so sure that is a good idea. The cheap (??) Koni single adjusters only adjust rebound. There is an $80 price differential at Autofab Racing so this is a real concern.

It is really interesting to see how prices have gone up since this thread started. 2822 Konis are now $1500 :ack:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: October 5, 2012, 7:16 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am
Posts: 2386
Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
Here's site I just came across. Rebound adjustable.

Going to try them out. Looking at the 656's and the 659's.

http://www.aldaneagle.com/index.html

Nice thing too is that they're built on this side of the pond.

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: October 5, 2012, 10:12 am 
Offline
Mid-Engined Maniac

Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
Posts: 6410
Location: SoCal
vroom wrote:
Let be bring this thread back from the dead with a perennial problem. Which coilovers do I use? It would seem the budget choice is the QA1s and they sound good. Lots of size choices and revalveable. But, do I choose the single or double adjustable units??? The singles adjust both bounce and rebound at the same time, I'm not so sure that is a good idea. The cheap (??) Koni single adjusters only adjust rebound. There is an $80 price differential at Autofab Racing so this is a real concern.


Once I admitted to myself that I wasn't and won't ever be a threat to Schumacher it made the decision much simplier and used QA1 double-adjustables. That said, I've read in a number of places that when it comes to shocks, you really do get what you pay for. That's fine, but spending $2000 (each!) on Motons makes little difference to me since I just do trackday events. So what if I'm one second slower... it's just not worth $8000 to me...

You have to keep in mind that these cars are toys, end of story. We aren't Schumachers so it's just not going to buy us anything getting top-of-the-line shocks. It all comes down to how deep the delusion goes...

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 10, 2012, 9:21 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 25, 2006, 9:39 pm
Posts: 346
But I'm the Stigg :lol:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 11, 2012, 12:53 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 31, 2012, 12:49 pm
Posts: 1713
Location: Louisville KY
I'm wondering how Dennis Brunton is doing with his GAZ shocks these days? I just dropped him an email asking for a recommendation/price/availability.

_________________
***************
Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 11, 2012, 9:47 am 
Offline

Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
I got my Gaz units from Jack at Kinetic who really just passed it off to Dennis, whom I ended up dealing with...both very pleasant guys. It all took a bit longer than we all thought to ship them and the rear springs were slightly harder than what I spec'ed out, but all in all a relatively painless transaction. Dennis will swap out the rear springs for me if I end up needing it. I wont know until next spring when I actually drive the car hard. The shocks themselves are very nice, no issues at all and they look sweet on the Hodgepodge.
Paul

_________________
Parts left out cost nothing and cause no problems!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 11, 2012, 4:48 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 31, 2012, 12:49 pm
Posts: 1713
Location: Louisville KY
I think I just had the opposite experience. I contacted Dennis, mentioned that I was already buying from Jack, and hence I will buy the shocks from Jack.

I then had a long conversation with Dennis Brunton, which I'd never had before. It was great -- he obviously knows all of the tricks for making a GM 3.4/S-10 build work. When I get the front suspension hung, I'm supposed to make measurements, and then Dennis will work with Jack to make sure I get the correct shocks. Since I basically did the original Stalker thing with the rear axle (I don't believe that the Stalker used the factory spring perch to mount the shocks like I'm doing) they are pretty confident w/ that side of things.

_________________
***************
Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 11, 2012, 7:56 pm 
Offline

Joined: October 19, 2009, 9:36 pm
Posts: 2199
Location: meadview arizona
i just hope you choose a spring that everybody likes.

_________________
this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.


Last edited by john hennessy on December 12, 2012, 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 12, 2012, 9:34 am 
Offline

Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
geek49203 wrote:
I think I just had the opposite experience. I contacted Dennis, mentioned that I was already buying from Jack, and hence I will buy the shocks from Jack.

My message was not clear. I sent my money to Jack. Then dealt with Dennis on the technical. I think I must have had the same conversation you had with him as well. All part of the entertainment of building one of these silly things.

_________________
Parts left out cost nothing and cause no problems!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 12, 2012, 11:32 am 
Offline
Locostering Legend
User avatar

Joined: December 27, 2005, 8:13 pm
Posts: 787
john hennessy wrote:
remember that a 100lb per inch spring is for the first inch of compression so if they are compressed at ride hight to three inches they are 300 lb springs supporting the car and so on until coil bind.



Really?

Spring rates change only if springs are progressive, variable rate. Non-progressive (constant) rate springs have the same spring rate for final inch of compression as they do for the first inch.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 12, 2012, 12:30 pm 
Offline

Joined: October 19, 2009, 9:36 pm
Posts: 2199
Location: meadview arizona
at least i made an atempt at giving some advice

_________________
this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.


Last edited by john hennessy on December 12, 2012, 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Coil over suppliers?
PostPosted: December 12, 2012, 1:35 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 26, 2008, 6:06 pm
Posts: 3268
Location: Under the weather. (Seattle)
john hennessy wrote:
if you view it differently please explain, how would you compress a 100lb per inch spring by 3" without applying 300lbs to it.
The confusion seems to be in calling a 100lb/in spring that is compressed 3in, a '300lb' spring. While what was trying to be explained may be true, the terminology was confusing as it goes against standard convention. For consistency of understanding, springs are almost always referred to exclusively by their spring rate and not the amount of load they happen to be supporting at any given time. So saying a '300lb' spring indicates to most people a '300lb/in' spring. Interpreted that way the statement changes from the intended meaning and becomes incorrect. It further confuses the matter when the person doing the explaining uses the terms inconsistently, on one hand uses "300lb spring" to mean a 300lb load on a 100lb/in spring and on the other hand to mean the more conventional 300lb/in spring.



john hennessy wrote:
therefore if you have a 100lb. spring in your suspension and at ride hight it is compressed by 3" there must be 300lbs on that spring, you could remove it and replace it with a 300lb. spring that was 3" shorter and ride hight would remain the same

perhaps i did not make myself clear enough, if you have a 100lb. spring of a length X and compress it by 3", you know there is a load of 300lbs. on that spring

therefore, it could be replaced by a 300lb spring that was 3" shorter and there would be no deflection, the spring length would be X minus 3"

hoverver, if you added 100lbs. more to each spring, the 100lb spring would deflect another 1" because it is now supporting 400lbs, thats 1" for every 100lbs. applied but the 300lb spring would only deflect 0.333333333333", i could go on with the decimals but there would be no point, likewise my post.
This is a fairly common misconception about spring rates. If you replaced the 100lb/in spring compressed 3 inches with a 300lb/in spring 3 inches shorter, your ride height would drop by 1 inch. This is because a 300lb/in spring with a 300lb load on it would also be compressed by 1 inch. As follows, a 300lb/in spring with a 400 lb load on it would compress by 1.333 inches, etc.

_________________
-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie


Last edited by Driven5 on December 13, 2012, 4:12 am, edited 7 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 66 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY