Feedback Please

[Fiona]

Yeh right !

 

I'd love nitrons, A048s and oz wheels but I've had enough trouble getting these past SWMBO 

Eh?

 

You protest too much. I said go ahead if you want to.

[Steve J]

Oh you're in a compliant mood today

 

There's something I need to ask you to do when we get home

[Scott_Mac]

 

Err Steve, why are you not on the phone right now before she changes her mind!!!!

[Steve J]

Come on Scott, you know women don't do that

[Scott_Mac]

She admitted it in public.. we'll back you up mate...

 

[GCCK]

I went for the braided hoses (brakes & clutch) and gearshift kit when I had a load of work done a few months ago.

 

Hoses are a must - sometime - as rubber ones will perish eventually. Justified sooner by the improved pedal feel: not necessarily on first application, but definitely when working hard and the fluid's getting hot. Any expansion of the hose results in loss of feel/longer travel. A tired rubber one will expand much more than a steel braided one.

 

I paid £50 for the linkage kit which seemed like good value - my gearshift was far more obstructive than it is now - so consider it money well spent.

 

Couldn't justify the Quick shift which was £100. Unless I missed the point, think it's just a shorted, angled gearlever. Makes the gearchange heavier albeit a slightly shorter throw. Seemed a rather marginal benefit to me, although I've hear taller drivers (e.g. Mark A) swear by it as their knees don't foul the lever like it used to.

 

 

 

It's interesting that S2 owners don't talk about the catalogue of replacement items that S1 owners do. Doubtless this is in part because Lotus got the chance to re-engineer some of the wearing parts, but perhaps it's also because the S2's are that much newer. Not heard many threads about tired dampers, worn ball-joints, toelinks, wishbone & ARB bushes, steering racks & track rod ends.

 

Surely it's just a matter of time, or are these things genuinely better made for the S2? Does anyone close to the supply chain know the answer?

 

 

Graeme

[Zircon450]

I went for the braided hoses (brakes & clutch) and gearshift kit when I had a load of work done a few months ago.

 

Hoses are a must - sometime - as rubber ones will perish eventually. Justified sooner by the improved pedal feel: not necessarily on first application, but definitely when working hard and the fluid's getting hot. Any expansion of the hose results in loss of feel/longer travel. A tired rubber one will expand much more than a steel braided one.

 

I paid £50 for the linkage kit which seemed like good value - my gearshift was far more obstructive than it is now - so consider it money well spent.

 

Couldn't justify the Quick shift which was £100. Unless I missed the point, think it's just a shorted, angled gearlever. Makes the gearchange heavier albeit a slightly shorter throw. Seemed a rather marginal benefit to me, although I've hear taller drivers (e.g. Mark A) swear by it as their knees don't foul the lever like it used to.

 

 

 

It's interesting that S2 owners don't talk about the catalogue of replacement items that S1 owners do. Doubtless this is in part because Lotus got the chance to re-engineer some of the wearing parts, but perhaps it's also because the S2's are that much newer. Not heard many threads about tired dampers, worn ball-joints, toelinks, wishbone & ARB bushes, steering racks & track rod ends.

 

Surely it's just a matter of time, or are these things genuinely better made for the S2? Does anyone close to the supply chain know the answer?

 

 

Graeme

Graeme hits the issue head on !

 

How many of us have bought the latest digital camera, DVD recorder, car, pram, PS n and found that within weeks of ownership there is an upgrade, firmware fix, bug fix service pack, or worse still ... no upgrade, firmware fix etc etc.

 

We sadly are consumer testers for the modern day world. Long gone are the companies that R&D to death and market a fully finished item.

 

Ditto with the motor industry, its been the same for years, Mk1, Mk2 Mk3, Mk4, Mk5 CORTINAS - for Christ Sake - 30 years to make a decent Cortina, then they drop it.

 

So I totaly see where Graeme is coming from.

 

Sorry dudes, I've had a kin aweful day at w*rk. Ask me about the new rubbish recycle bulshit we are doing in Tambo if you want me to really rant !

 

Look ... not a tinge of Orange today !

 

Bob

[malbon]

Had the s-shifter/linkage and braided hoses fitted on my first one and didnt have them on my second.

 

1st of all, I must say that the braided hoses didnt make a blind bit of difference to me. Ok. They are a replacement item for the shite already on but thats it. You get used to elise braking however bad it is...or good...or bad...

 

S-shifter and gear shift fitted the same time so cant comment indivually but for 200 fitted for both it was a marked improvement. Excellent !!! very sports car indeedy !

 

Suspension I know nothing about as have never touched but my last car felt a bit less planted and Gurj ?? I think said I played a lot around the corners.

 

Exhaust and de-cat made a great deal of difference on the 111s. breathed so much easier and made the car IMHO.

[Steve J]

I know lots of you say it makes a difference on S1's but should I expect the same of my S2?

[Kris H]

Kris can only get to 185bhp with his.

Unless I got the VHPD head or went to see those nice chaps at TT of course. Don't think that power is the issue though tbh - shite driver and suspension a bigger issue.

 

Think braided hoses sounds worthwhile for mine, since the clutch and brakes can be a pain after a long spirited drive Not sure I'd bother with the shortshifter though since that doesn't seem to confer any huge benefits unless you're Mark A, and only Mark A is Mark A unless I've missed something.

 

Re S2 consumables vs S1, there are plenty of Y plate S2s kicking about and X plate S1s and there does seem a marked difference ebtween the rates that things are wearing. Not seen many, if any, S2 folks grumbling about ball joints etc.

[Scott_Mac]

I think they did address a lot of common issues with the S2.... which makes it a good buy no question. Whether or not they changed the ball joints i'm not sure, but it seems a tad unlikely!

 

Braided hoses deffo get the nod, but i'm not too fussed about the other bits.

[shortname]

Fitted linkage and quickshift together as well (to the S160) made a huge difference, gear selection much more precise. Quick shifter is shorter and more angled which helped me as a tall 'un, but the pivot is repositioned as well to give more movement at the cable for a given movement of the knob, so there's a double improvement. Loads do go up though.

[Ladders]

Doesnt it make it a bit harder to change gear though having the gear knob lower down?

[shortname]

Yes, the loads do go up, but not enough to be a problem. Not compared to super quick changes.

Really must do this on the R - should be even better with the lightened flywheel.

[niallf]

Just a note that it is possible to change the standard Liz (S1 at least) gearstick to emulate a short shift one. The pivot ball on the gearstick is only an interference fit onto the shaft, so it can be moved with enough heat, hammering and hostility.

 

Phew, got away without any knob, ball and shaft gags... doh!

 

Niall