40mm/60mm Springs

[vaughanmc]

As you know on my car it has Gmax -60mm springs and uprated Gmax shocks front and rear and the back tyre sits just in-line with the arch

My mate put some '40mm' Gmax springs on his Nova with standard shocks and the back tyre/sidewall disappeared under the arch

I have asked about and people with -60mm Gmax kits all sit the same height as my car

I have been assured the springs on my mates car are -40mm

Just wondered how his sits lower than mine ?

I thought maybe because theres more load on the standard rear shocks...?

Could someone clear this up for us

I could post pic's up of the cars to show you what I mean if need be...

Cheers, Vaughan :thumb:

[mowgli]

if you order std nova -60 springs, they will be longer than -40 gte springs maybe your mate ordered gte ones

[vaughanmc]

I got my full -60mm kit from Colin Smith (novarally) so not 100% sure which type of Nova they came off

Also, the springs on my mate's Nova supposedly came off an SRi...

[Damo]

ive got this problem vaughan, ive got 60mm gmax springs on with shocks an it sat lower on the back with my 40s on than it does now. look at my avatar an you can see.:confused:

damen.

[vaughanmc]

Hmm I think it could be that the standard shocks are under more load as there not stiff ?

Standard shocks = Easier to compress

Uprated shocks = More difficult to compress

If that makes sense ?

So...If my mate put uprated rear shocks on his car the height would rise to the desired -40mm ?

Any help is much appreciated :thumb:

[mowgli]

Hmm I think it could be that the standard shocks are under more load as there not stiff ?

Standard shocks = Easier to compress

Uprated shocks = More difficult to compress

If that makes sense ?

So...If my mate put uprated rear shocks on his car the height would rise to the desired -40mm ?

Any help is much appreciated :thumb:

Right, the springs govern the ride height, the dampers stop it bouncing.

shocks are something that electric fences & visa statements give off

[vaughanmc]

Aye...sorry for not being 100% correct!

[Damo]

thats what ive been thinking mate possibly the shocks that make it sit up because theres not much weight in the back. bare in mind that most standard nova shocks are probably foobard by now anywhy hench the lower look.:thumb:
damen.

[vaughanmc]

Aye most likely mate - It just had us when we dropped the car down and it was on the deck for supposedly being down 40mm

So the back 'Dampers' must be the cause of it sitting lower

[mowgli]

a damper or shock absorber has never caused a car to sit up or down. it has a piston that has holes in it. it pushes through either gas or oil, to slow down the spring bounce. unless it is on its bottom stop, then it will never actually have any proper weight on it. only if a spring is broken or way too short, this will not happen

[Damo]

Thats what i would put it down to any way mate.

Damen.

[mowgli]

Thats what i would put it down to any way mate.

Damen.

please read my posts, damen.....

[Damo]

sorry mowgli just read it lol .
Damen.

[vaughanmc]

Not sure what it could be then...

[mowgli]

measure the unweighted springs, then measure them when fitted on the car. then ring Gmax and ask them what they should be. then you will find out whats been sent.

[staggy_gsi]

mowgli is right, even if you removed the shocker (sorry, damper) completely from the car it would sit exactly the same.

[vaughanmc]

There not brand new springs though there old 2nd hand ones

That's why we were wondering

[AlexW]

Maybe a different poundage?

[vaughanmc]

Not too sure...

[vaughanmc]

Well, today we swapped springs over

Here's how it sat with my -60mm springs on it:
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/vaughanmc/My%20Nova/Cleaned7.jpg
As it sits today with the -40mm springs on it:
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g191/vaughanmc/My%20Nova/Re-Lowered1.jpg

As Alex said...Could the poundage be something to do with it ?

[mowgli]

I can't imagine the poundage will be much different, has one of you got an enormous woofer in the boot or something...

[vaughanmc]

Nope mine and his boots are both always empty

Both have a standard 13" spare wheel, original jack and the wheel-brace thing

Nothing else...

[staggy_gsi]

if they are 2nd hand springs the only thing i can think of is that they are sagging abit. maybe the previous car they were fitted to was heavier due to speakers etc or was maybe used for towing???

[vaughanmc]

Speakers in a Nova is a possibility but not 100% about the towing

My old springs I'm not sure what they came off but the ones in it now are from a Nova SRi...

[Adam]

Id go with the post above, that the springs are a bit old and past it, so have dropped slightly.....

You could remove the dampers completely and the car should still sit at the same height... :)

[vaughanmc]

I'll leave them for now it looks mean sitting as it does

Cheers for the help folks :thumb:

[Leeboo]

Just for the record, I've seen a car or two sit down a bit with a tired or bust shock, though think it was on the front of a td cavalier.

How do you know for sure that your mates springs are 40mm drop? Seems a bit odd. 'Old' springs won't make that much of a difference (I don't think).

Any springs I've had, have been fairly accurate. Had spax 60mm's, they were very low, but were good for using with standard shocks. Had gmax 35mm, were accurate height but absolute dung quality (just springs tho), now have 60mm kyb springs and shocks up front and 35mm gmax rears, sits a little nose down (impressed with kyb's).

Thats my spring essay over lol.

[vaughanmc]

Been told there 40mm springs off an SRi Nova and putting my 60mm's and his 40mm's side by side they looked the same height...

He had the '40mm' springs on his car and it rubbed with 2 people just in the front and he now has my '60mm' springs on the car now and with 2 people in the BACK it doesn't rub at all

Strange lol