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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

Not Another Suspension Query?


MrWill

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Well actually it is about suspension and what's worse, I am now on my second bottle of red.

 

Best road suspension pour va voir?  

 

forget track days - if I do them I'll hustle it around  don't you worry.  In the real world I drive on 'the road'.  And its quite bumpy out there in real world, I tell thee.

 

I'm running on old bilsteins - who knows they may be original 15 years after she left the factory?  So basically anything is going to feel 'amazables' by comparison, But what is actually going to be the best road set up?  I have no experience running anything else so here's where you may be able to help me?

 

Here's what I know:

Having talked to Ollie at Phoenix motorsport he recommended another set of the Bilsteins - Option 1, or NTR street series (don't like them, no reason just not on my list).

 

My other two options are the quantum 2000 or ATR damper both on road set up; obviously.

 

These two bad boys appear to need regular servicing every two years so that makes me think that they better be appreciably better than the fire and forget Billy's to warrant faffing about every 24 months and spending even more on servicing.

 

Does the marketing hype and servicing cost and faff warrant me getting anything other than the standard S2 Bilsteins which have just become available on Eliseparts?

 

So does anyone out there have any experience of any of these three options as road set up and an idea of service costs?  I'd very much appreciate your thoughts

 

Todays serving suggestion is Apothic Californian red.  It's VERY nice.

 

Regards 

 

Will

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Will there has been a recent thread on this - I think Chris Lawless started it.

My view is stick with the Billies. They offer what the Lotus ride and handling engineers thought was optimal in terms of spring rates and damping (within the limits of a mass produced damper's capabilities) and are very good. I loved my Billies on the road and miss them now I have Nitron Street Series fitted but I do do track days now and the NSS are unquestionably better on circuits.

One thing I would add - most 15 year old Elises will benefit from a suspension refresh. New wishbone bushes, ball joints etc at the same time as new dampers and springs will probably feel night and day better.

 

If money were no object by the way three way Ohlins with the same or slightly stiffer spring rates could be amazing if you knew how to set them up and could be arsed to have them serviced every couple of years.

Hope that helps.

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I've fitted Quantum Zero's to both my previous and present Elise, they're on a par with the standard Bilsteins but are lighter and give the option of height adjustment. Eliseparts offer various spring rates depending on the cars intended use and will be very happy to discuss your requirements as they developed them directly with Quantum, I can't remember what spring rates I went for in the end I'd have to get the invoice out, but the vast amount of my driving is done on Wales finest and I've not been disappointed.

I've fitted NSS to a previous Elise but wasn't impressed with the longevity plus as my car is a road only car found them a bit too harsh There's nothing wrong with the standard Bilsteins and Ollie at Phoenix certainly knows his stuff so I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with him however Lotus have to work to a cost and like all things if you pay more there are better options.

As Dean says if it's on the original set up anything will be an improvement, but if your looking at a quality fit and forget option the Quantums are certainly worth a look. It's all very subjective and the best route is to try and get a ride in cars with different setups although I appreciate that's not the easiest thing to do with a Lotus.

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Having a ride in a few as Jonathan says is a great idea. If you came on one of our Sunday morning breakfast runs there is bound to be a few you can try.

I will happily take you out in mine to show you the NSS.

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I had the same conundrum, but it was Bilstein vs NSS2 for me - cost was a factor, I couldn't justify the NT40's or Quantums for what I use it for.

 

I went with the NSS2 - I got them for £680 delivered, the Bilsteins would have been £850. I also wanted some height adjustment, which the Bilstein can't do. I'd hard to give a fair comparison, as I had a 65k car which then had a full suspension refresh and NSS fitted at the same time, so obviously it was going to be a massive improvement regardless.

 

What I will say is, I don't find the suspension harsh at all. It's firm, obviously, but only as much as you'd expect for this type of car. I'd love to try the same setup with fresh Bilsteins, but for me, the NSS2 is a good compromise. And it looks awesome sitting lower ;)

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Does the marketing hype and servicing cost and faff warrant me getting anything other than the standard S2 Bilsteins which have just become available on Eliseparts?

Be careful, I think it's only the fronts that are available!

 

My actual bilstein dampers are fine, but the collars that the spring is mounted on are showing corrosion.

 

Luckily, these are sold separately! Unluckily, I can not find anywhere that currently has or can get hold of them!

 

Anyone on here know where I can get these?

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Be careful, I think it's only the fronts that are available!

My actual bilstein dampers are fine, but the collars that the spring is mounted on are showing corrosion.

Luckily, these are sold separately! Unluckily, I can not find anywhere that currently has or can get hold of them!

Anyone on here know where I can get these?

Try Bilstein themselves - they have a place that rebuilds their dampers in Leicestershire somewhere

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Thank you for your words of wisdom Gentlemen.

Interestingly no one (who's replied) is running the ATR dampers? 

 

While my head says the billy's will be just fine (and I know they will be Dean) I'd always be thinking I wonder what the Quantums would be like.  Great to hear some good feedback about Jonathan's road only use.  

 

I'll give Elise parts a ring to discuss before buying - which won't be until this summers driving is over at which point I'll be doing the full refresh 'thing'.  Which will be fun as everything is rusted and when I say rusted think ship wreck - I think she's been previously stored in the sea

 

In the meantime I am half way through fitting the 7/8th ARB.   Oh and swapping the horrid EBC green stuff pads for for some 1144s while I wait for some ARB poly bushes following a WTF moment when I opened up the Nytralon bushes from Elise Parts and realised how hard they are - I still think leg bricks are the hardest thing know to man. (would you have to crack them in half to fit them??)

 

Thanks again for all your comments and remember...Apothic red: highly recommended cheers.gif

Regards

Will

 

Crusty Rusty

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I used to have ATR's fitted to my GBS Zero kit car. 

They was a great upgrade compared to the cheap basic Gaz units that was on the car. But that wasn't hard as they was s***.

 

However i have never tried them on a Lotus. 

I have had Lotus cars with Nitrons 46 and Ohlins single ways. Both do a great job. But be careful with spring rates selection to suit your preferred use of the car. 

 

I believe Elise spares have run and help develop the ATR range on their race cars for Lotus fitment. But i think that they are produced and designed by Richard at Great British Sportcars in Ollerton, Notts.

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I've fitted Quantum Zero's to both my previous and present Elise, they're on a par with the standard Bilsteins but are lighter and give the option of height adjustment. Eliseparts offer various spring rates depending on the cars intended use and will be very happy to discuss your requirements as they developed them directly with Quantum, I can't remember what spring rates I went for in the end I'd have to get the invoice out, but the vast amount of my driving is done on Wales finest and I've not been disappointed.

I've fitted NSS to a previous Elise but wasn't impressed with the longevity plus as my car is a road only car found them a bit too harsh There's nothing wrong with the standard Bilsteins and Ollie at Phoenix certainly knows his stuff so I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with him however Lotus have to work to a cost and like all things if you pay more there are better options.

As Dean says if it's on the original set up anything will be an improvement, but if your looking at a quality fit and forget option the Quantums are certainly worth a look. It's all very subjective and the best route is to try and get a ride in cars with different setups although I appreciate that's not the easiest thing to do with a Lotus.

I was at Gav's (Unit 4 in Burton) yesterday and he told me he had fitted a set of these for a customer recently and was really impressed with how the car rode. His view is they are a very good road option and he has driven literally hundreds of Eliges over the years.

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Re builds are expensive and in my experience have always cost more than the quote. For reference the last re build on my NTR 40's cost over £600.

What work had to be done on the dampers for the rebuild to cost £600 if you don't mind me asking? As I'm potentially in the same shipwreck damper condition as the op

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