I am switching from the AO39’s to AO48’s on my Exige. What else needs to be changed? I just bought an Elise 190 Sport that had a V-Tec installed. The original owner brought it from Germany where Elise-Parts installed their " NITRON " shocks and springs. He found them TOO stiff for the streets here. I like stiff. I’m thinking of installing them at the same time I install the AO48’s. I was wondering if anyone on the list has any experience with that suspension and what their thoughts are on it?
Mark, I think a few on here are running that set up on Exiges. I have the Nitrons with 325f/400r springs which are firm but not too stiff for the UK. You can always run the dampers softer for the road but I always leave them around 10 clicks from soft. They are great! You would not regret changing over. especially if your standard dampers are tired.
I have fitted the 048s and am thinking of going for the Nitrons - question for me is what spring rates / ride height?
RussT - how much stiffer is your setup than standard -could you perhaps describe before and after on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is solid and 10 is a floating ride?
Have you also lowered the car?
Russ
At standard ride height are your front Nitron bump rubbers just starting to be compressed ?
I just lowered my suspension 5mm and noticed this - the rears are 10-15mm away …
Cheers
Oh and on a scale of 1-10 I would say 5 … I think the 400/325 springs and 6 clicks from soft give a very similar standard feel, just a bit harder but not harsh in any way.
10-12 clicks for the track feels just perfect, I think with grippy tires like the 48’s you might be able to go for stiffer springs but then the road driving would be comprimised far too much .
Mike, the consensus seems to be 325/400 - I would start at 112/122 ride height as per the manual, and see what difference that makes first, before you fiddle with owt else. I would say I am at 4 or 5 on your stiffness scale, before it was 6ish with the LSS. If you go conservative on the damper settings, you will hardly notice the difference (in stiffness) on the road. What you will notice is the damper control is much better.
Andy, my fronts are as you said - just compressing, but I have a 110/110 ride height at the moment, so my rears are getting that way too. I agree with you about going any harder on the sprigs.
Cheers Russ ! - puts my mind at rest
Does anyone think it is necessary to upgrade uprights or toe links to run the 48’s? These mods are necessary to run full slicks and the 48’s are pretty sticky.
Meat
What upgrades to the uprights are we talking about ?
Already have the rose jointed toe links for security …
Upgrading the aluminum uprights to steel.
I believe the rears are aluminum.
Could someone correct me if I am wrong on this.
On a different note - how would you compare the Nitron bits to the Dynamics?
Meat
Later elises and all Exiges have the steel uprights at the rear as standard… as did Sport 190’s I beleive …
Meat
Later elises and all Exiges have the steel uprights at the rear as standard… as did Sport 190’s I beleive …
Not quite…
Sport 190’s came with whatever was current at the time, thus a lot had ali uprights.
The ali ones are actually stronger than the steel ones when used with the additional toe link bracket.