Suspension set up fast road

[00series]

I'm just about to fit a full set of adjustable GAZ shocks & new rear springs to my S2 2+2 as the Koni's currently fitted look at least 30 years old & the rear end is sitting a little low & the front end is a tad high.
If the front still sits high even with new the new rear springs is it easy to lower the standard front end or would i be better off fitting a Rob Beere reaction plate to facilitate getting the car at the correct height?
I am also considering to upgrade the front roll bar to S3 - or would a set of roll bar polybush's have the same effect for less money? (Is it just me or do up-rated roll bars appear really expensive for what is essentially a bent steel rod)
Are their any other realistic & cost effective upgrades to the suspension?
I am currently using the car every day & i would like to firm the ride up a little - yet without going too stiff as the Devon roads can be a bit on the bumpy side & i wouldn't want to lose too much of that supple E-type feel.
Thanks for any guidance,
Bert.

[daverawle]

Just my experience; I've changed nothing in my '63 OTS suspension except going to Gaz shocks and PolyBushes. The car drives like it is on rails now it's set up correctly. I would find it hard to justify spending large amounts of cash to make arguably minor improvements in handling. After some experimenting I found the best setting for the Gaz shocks is 9 on my car. Works on Cornish roads so should be good in Devon :D

Dave

[00series]

Thanks for the feedback Dave.
Did you fit a full set of Polybushes to your car or just in selected areas? May i ask what brand of polybushes you use.
I hear that the road noise is increased & that the poly bushes can squeak & groan in hot weather, have you experienced this?
Thanks.

[Heuer]

You can adjust the front ride height by re-setting the torsion bars although the job is a lot easier if you fit one of Rob Beere's reaction plates: http://www.rob-beere-racing.co.uk/suspension.html#react

I have poly-bushes and I am gradually working my way around the car replacing them with standard rubber ones. They creak in dry weather and I am not sure they do much for the ride and handling other than make things harsher over our increasingly deteriorating roads. Others have reported positively however so it depends what you want from your car. Just make sure you use plenty of the supplied lubricant before fitting them. I can tell you though they will not make the car any quicker around corners than the standard setup. Ditto the solid steering rack mounts.

[daverawle]

Thanks for the feedback Dave.
Did you fit a full set of Polybushes to your car or just in selected areas? May i ask what brand of polybushes you use.
I hear that the road noise is increased & that the poly bushes can squeak & groan in hot weather, have you experienced this?
Thanks.

I fitted PolyBushes all round:
http://www.polybush.co.uk/

I did get some minor groaning when going over speed humps after 1 year and suspected the polybushes so I changed the ARB ones back to rubber with no improvement. I suspect the noise is coming from the Gaz shocks so plan to shoot some silicone under the shrouds.

Definitely recommend polybush for the rack mounts, they are much firmer and don't exhibit the alarming flexing of the modern Matalastic ones.

Dave

[christopher storey]

You will find that replacing the rear dampers should make a considerable difference to the firmness of ride. I would do nothing with the front until you have run the car for a while with the new rear settings . Bear in mind in any event that a 2+2 requires slightly more height at the front than a 2 seater, and the setting link dimension for an S2 2+2 is 18.125 inches ( without aircon) as opposed to 17.97 inches for the 2 seat cars . The S2 cars have a nominal height datum of 9 inches rather than the 8.5 to 9 inches of earlier cars

[1954Etype]

Thanks for the feedback Dave.
Did you fit a full set of Polybushes to your car or just in selected areas? May i ask what brand of polybushes you use.
I hear that the road noise is increased & that the poly bushes can squeak & groan in hot weather, have you experienced this?
Thanks.

I fitted PolyBushes all round:
http://www.polybush.co.uk/

I did get some minor groaning when going over speed humps after 1 year and suspected the polybushes so I changed the ARB ones back to rubber with no improvement. I suspect the noise is coming from the Gaz shocks so plan to shoot some silicone under the shrouds.

Definitely recommend polybush for the rack mounts, they are much firmer and don't exhibit the alarming flexing of the modern Matalastic ones.

Dave

Like Dave I have had no problems with groaning with poly bushes. I've done a few miles now.

[Larry Wade]

Hi David,

It's easy to lube poly bushes so that they won't squeak. Without lube they will make noise. With it....five years, over 30K miles, and the car is silent (except for wind and engine). I drive over rough roads in really hot weather and dusty conditions without problem.

If you really get paranoid you could try Mike Frank's solution:

http://www.coolcatcorp.com/faqs/PolyBushGrease.html

In hot weather (or bad pollution) the rubber bushes will fail every couple years. Poly is the only way to go (I like the handling better too).

Cheers,

Larry

[Heuer]

Larry

Thanks for that tip and it is a good modification. The creaking bushes seem to be prevalent where the car has experienced alternating good and bad weather. A run in heavy rain followed by a period of hot dry weather is what gets mine going - maybe the humidity washes out the lubricant?