Suspension options... Need some information

[to4garret]

Also, when I last checked, cobra springs only listed lowered fronts and standard rears. New Zealand doesn't have a car industry so all local models are JDM. His assumption about ride height would be something along the lines of a JDM Galant vs USDM Galant, same basic car, but the USDM has and extra 40kg on reinforcement at the front.

Also be aware, that cobra springs are in Christchurch, where the 7.1 earthquake was last week, I have family there and there has been over 400 aftershocks and counting.

 

[umpc1611]

Yeah, he mentioned the earthquake, as a matter of fact.

Okay, I am going to pursue this with Mark/Cobra Springs, confirming amongst other things what the ride height of the part numbers they fabricate for the RVR is (as standard from Cobra), or if it's all customer request. Thanks for your input, to4 and others - helps a lot to go ahead knowing you have some experience at least working with the company.

 

[to4garret]

Shocks arrived, Thanks Just JDM Imports.

Just waiting on some new inner tie rods and then i can through them in.

 

[to4garret]

Okay so replaced the inner tie rod ends yesterday, it's a prick of a job. I then set about looking into swapping the suspension over, but once I compared the stock shocks with the new sr's it became apparent that they are lowered shocks, not standard replacements.

They are 35mm shorter front and rear, perfect for anyone who wants to lower their rvr, but sort of defeats the purpose I wanted them for. Not sure what I am going to do now. I can't use them if I want to raise the car and I don't really want to lower it either.

 

[Astron Boy]

Okay so replaced the inner tie rod ends yesterday, it's a prick of a job. I then set about looking into swapping the suspension over, but once I compared the stock shocks with the new sr's it became apparent that they are lowered shocks, not standard replacements.

They are 35mm shorter front and rear, perfect for anyone who wants to lower their rvr, but sort of defeats the purpose I wanted them for. Not sure what I am going to do now. I can't use them if I want to raise the car and I don't really want to lower it either.

I'm sure someone here would want them.
Then just buy some excel g's

 

[umpc1611]

I'm sure someone here would want them.
Then just buy some excel g's

I'd trade my new Excel-Gs (that I'm expecting to finally have in my hands on Tuesday, if Chilean Customs will just get up off of them) for those SRs right away, as 30-35mm is exactly how much the Cobra Springs (that I am hoping to be notified of by Customs the following week) are supposed to lower the HSG (according to Mark at Cobra). The very LARGE obstacle is distance/postage cost...

Keep us posted, to4 - maybe I'll end up needing those lowered shocks...

 

[dj_konix]

i've got brand new kybs for my rvr that i havent installed yet, i could swap?

 

[Astron Boy]

Thought I'd update with a bit of confirmation.

The Pedders Springs, PN: 7324 are a factory replacement spring.
They are in fact slightly more heavy duty than factory, which is good in my case.

The illusion in comparison to the Nimbus which uses the same front end lyes with the guards and the flares that are on the RVR, giving it a more lifted look.

605mm from the bottom lip of the rim, not tyre, rim, to the bottom of the guards flare is factory height, and confirmed to be the replacement height for the Pedders springs.

happy days, my front right will no longer bog on heavy cornering!!!

 

[Astron Boy]

Thought I would add another update again, re what I said above.

The pedders springs are NOT an exact replacement for factories.

As the pictures show, they are half a coil shorter, and also about 1/4" less in overall diameter.

I decided to fit and see the results, the car does sit at the correct height, but I have heard horror stories of leaving in coils that are undersized and also that have the cut off mark in a different location...

Given I now have factory front coils, I will get these re-made through the contact I have.

 

[umpc1611]

Okay - I finally got everything released from Customs and installed. This includes the set of new KYB Excel-Gs shocks and struts (a big Thank You to Dan), the set of new Cobra Springs (CCFL-238 (front), CCRL-239 (rear); a big Thanks to Mark at Cobra, and to4's recommendation), 4 new 17X7 Xtatik "Thermal" wheels sporting 235/45ZR17 Dunlops (sourced locally), and new strut top mounts (sourced locally, from Hyundai - part number "54610 M2000 insulator assy - strut" - for completervr, Dan - these are actually for a Hyundai model called the Santamo, which is Chile's version of the Nimbus).

I'll paste here the greater part of what I wrote to Mark at Cobra Springs regarding my first impressions:

"The car is lowered to exactly the right height (not too low, as I had feared), the ride is just perfect for where I live (not too stiff, making the poor roads tolerable, but just firm enough to let me really wind the power out without feeling over the limit for the chassis/suspension parts, as I did before - it had way too much roll and squat and dive under power and braking, but largely eliminated now), and there are no conflicts with the new KYB Excel-G shocks or the new 17X7 wheels and 235/45ZR17 tyres I also installed (completing the first stage of my suspension upgrades)...In plainer words, exactly the right upgrade to make the vehicle handle the radical power that it has but without making it unrealistic or uncomfortable (or TOO extreme) for a regular/daily driver."

"One note: during the install, it appears that the front springs are about 8-10mm smaller in diameter than the factory ones - this may be due to the fact that my model RVR is not at all the "normal" version (or even close to it - it's a Mitsubishi Evolution III in the RVR/Nimbus body), and so may have had larger diameter springs from the factory as standard (and I take it that you fabricate the springs to the standard RVR spec) - I will try to confirm this with the other owners in the group [That would be you, 4gtuners - Let me know on this one, guys.]. In any event, there are no untoward effects, only the improvements mentioned above."

So, mild upgrades providing a pleasantly "flickable" result - definitely not radical TFATF rice rocket stuff, but a very real-world difference for the investment. If I liked the HSG-R before, I am obsessed with it now (I have already talked to the previous owner's mechanic - an Evo enthusiast - about the big turbo upgrade, and can anyone say ceramic brakes?). I haven't had a chance to really shake it down yet, out of town, max boost and velocity, big high speed curves, etc. I'll post any further observations I have.

Here are a couple of pix, low res (old iPhone 3g) - I'll try to post up some higher res in the readers' rides section when I get the fog lights and some other details (paint the calipers to match the rim detail, etc.) done:

 

[Astron Boy]

The spring issue I fear is universal, if you read my post above, you will see the Pedders springs are also narrower in diameter.
I do not like this, and as such, using my old springs to get remade to correct factory spec for cheaper.

Great to hear everything worked out for you in the end, despite all the F'ing about with customs and shipping.

car looks much better at a flush level like yours (when height isn't a requirement) and the wheels aren't bad also.

Yeah, the Santamo is a body shell copy off the nimbus with a few panel and light changes. I don't make much reference to them, but do have them in the disclaimer down the bottom of Hyundai Motors. (Will add that part number also into the DB)

 

[Rockabilly]

RVR front springs aren't linier. 175mm to 185mm from memory. I used VR4 kyb dirtra front springs & lowered them 25mm.
On the base plate I welded 3 bits of round bar to keep the spring steady. 2 on the sides & 1 at the top.
rvrhsr your RVR is looking good !
Cheers !

 

[vr401]

RVR front springs aren't linier. 175mm to 185mm from memory. I used VR4 kyb dirtra front springs & lowered them 25mm.
On the base plate I welded 3 bits of round bar to keep the spring steady. 2 on the sides & 1 at the top.
rvrhsr your RVR is looking good !
Cheers !

 

[Beastlee]

rvrhsr, that looks great and is exactly the ride height we want from ours. How is the setup doing now, it's been a few months since you installed it?

I'm going to look into getting those parts shipped here to Germany as there's absolutely nothing in the way of support for them. I actually think we have the only one here.

 

[umpc1611]

rvrhsr, that looks great and is exactly the ride height we want from ours. How is the setup doing now, it's been a few months since you installed it?

I'm going to look into getting those parts shipped here to Germany as there's absolutely nothing in the way of support for them. I actually think we have the only one here.

I feel your pain - as far as I know, I have the only HSG R in Chile, and perhaps in South America! Won't even bother going into the parts sourcing problems; suffice to say I am going to have to open my own retail shop soon just to sell all the non-compatible parts I've bought based on inconclusive or bad information (and perhaps recoup some of my losses)! I am in the middle of a debacle now with the rear brake pads, but looks like I'll have some conclusive info soon, which I will post here and at completervr (look that site up as well if you haven't seen it; Dan's the man).

Anyway, regarding the springs, everything is still pretty much as I had posted initially, as can also be seen here:

http://www.4gtuner.com/index.php?/topic/17392-offset-for-wheels-on-rvrs/page__p__222225#entry222225

So, quality-wise, it's a good product (thus far). The only thing I would add is that if you intend to tune up beyond 300 HP (or 200kw), and really drive the HSG correspondingly, you will need something more aggressive, which I am sure that Mark and Cobra (contact info in the linked post) can fabricate custom for you (or just break the bank and do the coil over thing). The standard Cobras are stiffer than factory, yes, but not so much so that you can really throw her around like an Evo. Good luck, and keep us posted.