Rear Suspension inserts

Elan Discussions
1

Hi all!
Just an update to say that the elan has been repaired successfully! Ive entered it in 2 regularity rallies with success (meaning I?ve finished the rally!)
However the repairs are not quite finished. The brakes now need attention as does the rear suspension.
More to the point of the suspension, the car was riding fairly low in the back I installed new springs and the car looked ok. After measuring rear toe + camber it was spot on! However when I get in the car, the rear is again running low (I?m about 95KG-about 15 stone) so logically the car is now off its settings with me in it!
Ive been thinking of buying rear suspension inserts from paul matty. The goal is to avoid the exhaust bottoming out and mend the look of the car!
Has anybody done this?
Thanks
Vassilis

2

Vassilis,

Do you have adjustable rear suspension?

I am 90kg and have set the spring heights so that the levels are the same on both sides for when I am in the car.
The front is also adjusted in a similar manner.

3

Hi!
No, I dont have adjustable suspension. Im hoping the inserts will help and bring the car to a reasonable height when I am inside.

Vassilis

4

Vassilis,

New inserts will only make some difference if the existing ones are shot. You could put a long bump stop on the driver side strut, but adjustable spring seats is the only sensible route to address an uneven weight distribution while keeping the suspension working as it should.

5

Thanks for your replies,

Its more of a question of both of the back suspensnions beeing compressed simultaniously rather than one side when I get in.
About the adjustable spring seats, do these require adjustable shocks? Where do I buy them? Do they fit easily?

Thanks
Vassilis

6

Sounds more like the springs are nacked.

To convert to adjustables is quite easy if you ignore the need to remove the struts to do the job.

  1. Remove strut assemblies
  2. Remove inserts from the struts.
  3. Cut off the spring abutments.
  4. Weld threaded spring seat tube to strut tube (remembering to have the spring seats in place) for example see burtonpower.com/pic_viewer.a … ersion.jpg
  5. Assemble new inserts.
  6. Replace in car with new 2.25" springs, bump stops and top locators (probably TTR)

Now you are able to set the ride height to suit your needs.

I’m sure you can get complete kits from the usual suspects (Matty, Miller, Thompson)

7

Thanks for this Brian!!
Ill try it out. Btw the springs are brand new and the standard ones too…