STOLEN 99' Spec Almera GTi

Just pop on sometimes see how things are going.
I got myself a Leon cupra. Quick enough and nice and comfy to . Will have to get you cleaning it
 
MOT next month as always prompts prior repairs, new lower arms with ball joints, poly bush new arb drop links and arb mounts. Also lowered the right height all round by 15mm and went from 1-2mm to 4mm of preload - feels pretty decent.

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Along with the MOT, ive booked a wheel alignment straight after.
 
opt'd not to poly bush the arms due to costs and effort. doubt the £110 layout would have been worth it, over the feel of new standard bushes anyways? rather put that money towards discs all round or a new set of front tyres for the 15's, both of which will be needed come year end.

I bought the BC's used and stripped them down for cleaning so lost any preload that might of been set, plus id rather set them up myself anyways being second hand. initially i had brought the larger collar up to meet the spring, then added 3mm of preload. but i think this was the wrong way for set up? this time i brought the collar up to the spring and wound it up by had until the spring could barely twist, then added 4mm of preload. like the method below:


GTi's set up for USA roads now LOL
 
Interesting. I've always done the 5mm preload from when the lower perch touches the spring. If I was to wind it by hand first surely that would give say 6-7mm preload because any tension after the initial contact is loading the spring.

Also I've never changed the spring from the top. Always from the bottom. Reason being I've no idea what that top locking but should be torqued to. Firstly it's suspension and I don't want any doubt in my mind about how tight a vital component should be and also does it not clamp a bearing? This cannot be too tight or too loose.
 
If you look at the numbers stamped on the spring telling you the spring rate/inner diameter/spring length.

Say its a 200mm spring I've found uncompressed its actually a few mm longer, so for preload I just wind to collars until the spring measures its stated length, then add what I want.
 
Yeah Sam, that makes sense. I had pretty much fcuk all preload the way I had it set up before yesterday lol. During cornering the spring would then load up, body roll much.

rowdy-GTi said:
How do the new LCAs compare to the OE ones? They look identicle, but are they as sturdy?
Click to expand...

They look identical yeah, seam welded too like OE. Seen some aftermarket ones which arent. Tougher that what's come off lol
 
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not much of an update, lower'd the car a tad all round circa 15mm and fitted a vzr grille. over the years ive had 4 different grilles however think this is my favourite yet.



David
 
Should paint the bits in the top corners of the grille black.

Its my favourite as well, makes the front end more aggressive.
 
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