[Munki]

A while ago I fitted lower stiffer springs to my car to try to reduce the body roll but I kept the standard dampers. The result was a very bouncy ride with the smallest of potholes causing the car to hit its bump stops.

After doing much research I decided that my only real option was to fit Koni dampers to control the bounce. Bizarrely it was cheaper to buy a full kit c/w springs rather than just the shocks. So I decided to treat myself for Xmas and purchased them from Parts For Saabs and, with the help of Ragtopcav, fitted them on New Years Day.

What a difference! The dampers are set on their lowest setting and the car is a joy to drive again. Hugely reduced body roll, the ride is not at all hard, the car has a much more aggressive sporty look and if I want to take it on the track the damping rate is adjustable without having to take the dampers off of the car.

If you are looking to lower your car and/or reduce body roll this kit is well worth the money IMHO

Pretty colours too! :lol:

 

[Paul]

Very nice Munki 8)

How long did it take to fit the kit?

 

[Munki]

We were working for about 4 hours in total. However we have had the suspension on an NG900 apart before so we know our way around it.

The hardest part was removing the rear dampers. The nuts at the top are nyloc and as you turn them the shaft of the dampers turns but there is nowhere to grip it to hold it while you undo the nut. In the end we had to remove the dust cover from the top of the old damper and grind two flats on the rod (see pic) and grip it with a pair of stilsons

Included in those 4 hrs were fitting new front brake pads, spark plugs, windscreen wipers and headlight wipers. All this done with hangovers!

 

[Rob Sandey]

Good effort. Did you keep the JR springs in favour of the Koni ones. :-?? You can tell its Raggy he has hair :cheesy:

When are you changing the interior. :-??

 

[ragtopcav]

Thankfully on the grinder shot Munki had the sense to crop out as much of my jumper as possible for the sake of the rest of you guys :cheesy: , on that siezed nut issue, the problem was compounded by water ingress through the rubber bush assembly on the inner arch that the strut passes through, they had rusted on too :evil:, it is an inherent weakness in the design from the Cavalier, I recommend you check the condition of your vehicle in this area, look from inside the wheel arch for rust around the rubber bush the strut end passes through.

After fitting a brief test drive was performed, I deliberately pointed out a route which included sleeping policeman [traffic calming humps] the car took these with aplomb, it was taught without being harsh, this demonstrated to me immediatly the advantage of buying a 'balanced' kit.

 

[KevBu]

Munkis new work has made me think.
Could anyone put a horse power value on a good suspension set up.
Im thinking that investment in suspension and tyres will reduce track times, or point to point in the real world, more than the same amount spent on engine mods.
If, for example, a 5 second reduction in lap times is achieved on track by changing from stock, to tuned suspension with sticky tyres, how much extra hp would be needed to match the new times, on stock suspension.
Real tracks with left and right hand corners (not ovals) and B roads (not motorways)
Im going to have a saturday afternoon of research on Gran Tourismo 3, (its cheaper than hireing a track and pitcrew)

Goodwork guys

Kev

 

[Rob Sandey]

I can't give you any figures but my suspension mods and VRK transformed the way my car goes. Rather than fighting to control the torque steer you can concentrate on the driving conditions and enjoying the ride. I wouldn't go back, no way ever, to the stock setup. If I had to chose between the power mods and suspension mods the latter would win every time.

 

[Dead Centre]

The suspension is integral to good trac times. Ask Lotus!

Ross Brawn said when he took over Ferrari that the errors they had made were obvious. The team would start the day trying to knock 5 seconds off there previous days work. He started and set the days task to getting a 10th of the time as this was acheived by suspension tuning 'his words' the days work was acheived very easily so they went for another 10th and so on in the end working through the whole cars infastructure.

Nice job guys my kit and springs are still in the shed. Had enough of the car at the moment.

Dead

 

[ragtopcav]

Nice job guys my kit and springs are still in the shed. Had enough of the car at the moment.

Dead

The bulk of the suspension work is getting the front legs on and off, you could have done that whilst the subframe was removed :lol:

I'll run away now I've upset you.

 

[Dead Centre]

Yeah I did think about the shoxs and springs whilst doing the gearbox. I stopped cos I think i'm going to off load the car for a 3 door with leather. Her indoors is not to happy due to the kids. I sais who said U and the kids are getting in the new car :cheesy:
I obviously had to spend the cash on the new box and clutch to sell the car on

I love the 5 door but I really want a 3 door I've not had 1 in years. So i'm going to get the new car and fit the clobber to that.

Dead

 

[ragtopcav]

Munkis new work has made me think.
Could anyone put a horse power value on a good suspension set up.
Im thinking that investment in suspension and tyres will reduce track times, or point to point in the real world, more than the same amount spent on engine mods.
If, for example, a 5 second reduction in lap times is achieved on track by changing from stock, to tuned suspension with sticky tyres, how much extra hp would be needed to match the new times, on stock suspension.
Real tracks with left and right hand corners (not ovals) and B roads (not motorways)

It is difficult to give a time value on these sort of changes, but it does take quite a lot of time and patience to develope big power out of a N/A engine, as you have pointed out you want drivability on interesting roads not 1/4 miles sprints [yawn] and motorway top speed.
A sensible handling/brake upgrade will give bigger benefits whilst driving down a twist road than any performance jump on power unless you're on something straight like Fosse Way or Watling Street [Roman Roads].
Myself? I have taken an incremental approach, due to the engine needing a rebuild tuning was pulled forward, in the next week or so my car will be fitted with the big brake [Viggen size] conversion on the front [big wheels to accommodate them have been fitted some time], I have already uprated the rear dampers and added the saab uprated rear inner anti roll bar.
If further tuning is to occur it will be important to budget Abbott's VRK and heavy rear outer anti roll bar, whilst installing the VRK adjustable front dampers to match the rears may also appear.
Next tuning mod looks likely to be an oversize throttle body.

After rambling a bit, I concur with Rob Sandey, drivablity/handling is more important than pure power.