Spyder Twin Wishbone Rear Suspension

PostPost by: elansprint71 » Fri Jan 23, 2004 8:35 pm

Can anyone who is using the Spyder RSC twin wishbone rear suspension tell me the dimensions of the box section is that I apparently need to cut out of the bodywork to clear the top wishbone? How did you make up the section? Any photos would be appreciated.
Also I would be interested to hear RSC user's experiences.
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PostPost by: Elanman99 » Fri Jan 23, 2004 8:56 pm

Mr Pete

I would have thought that Spyder would have an 'Installation Notes' leaflet or something. Having said that, getting advice from someone thats actually done it is probably woth a 1000 words.

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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Fri Jan 23, 2004 11:05 pm

Ian P-
In this respect Spyder only deal in two dimensions, unfortunately. I would have thought that they would be enterprising enough to have these sections ready made up, to sell along with the suspension components, not so.

Cheers,

Mr Pete.
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PostPost by: elancoupe » Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:05 pm

While I have not used the rsc setup myself, I have couple of friends who have. Other than the necessary body alterations, the only complaint I have heard is the rear brake rotor scraping on the spring. :( Dunno what the fix is, or if there is one.
Mike
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PostPost by: riverkeeper » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:48 am

I've not long fitted the twin Spyder RSC set-up and yeah you do need to cut a section out of the body work for clearence. There's not enough room to clear the 'forward facing' wishbone spindle/nut so you have to remove a part of the bodywork and make up your own cover. Means in future you get on the forward facing nut on the spindle from inside the cabin. I won't get a chance till the weekend but I'll measure it up and try to get a couple of images.

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PostPost by: gav » Mon Jan 26, 2004 9:12 pm

Hi chaps

I have an RSC kit on a sprint connected to a Spyder chasis and using their minilite rep wheels.
The only trimming I needed to do was to the inner flange of wheelarch to clear the tyres. It doesn't show externally.
Does the box section mod refer to Lotus chasis rather than Spyder? My experience of them as a supplier is that they cover all of the angles (their chasis and Lotus) so I'm surprised that you need to do major surgery.
The combination works really well so its worth persevering.

Gavin
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PostPost by: Foxie » Wed Jan 28, 2004 11:48 pm

Regarding the brake rotor contacting the spring -
When I fitted the Spyder rear suspension to my +2S, I found one of the discs contacting the spring. When I checked the hub carrier, the spring/shock mount was badly misaligned. I cut and rewelded the mounting and it's fine. Bad quality control at Spyder, it seems.

If you attempt to lower the rear suspension beyond a certain point, the brake disc contacts the upper wishbone. The rubber strip glued to the bottom of the rear tower is the bump stop.

Other wise I'm very happy with it. Big advantage is being able to use 14 x 6 Minilites, and height/stiffness adjustable Spax shocks. The spring/shock unit can be removed in ten minutes, a big improvement on the original installation.

Sean Murray
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PostPost by: summerinmaine » Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:30 am

Spyder supplied the glass box sections with my RSC, as well as a written set of instructions and a couple photos of the proper installation. Who could ask for anything more?

Jim
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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Thu Feb 05, 2004 9:48 pm

Jim,
I don't suppose that you could post the photos. The reason that i don't have any is that I obtained the RSC stuff second hand, but unused! I got the two bits of paper when I visited Spyder, but they don't have much in the way of dimensions.

How do you find the RSC drives/handles in comparison?

Cheers,

Pete
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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:29 pm

Oh well... as Fleetwood Mac once said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE4HGlmtOcg

Thanks for all the responses :roll:

Now it's been a while; so how many long-term users of the RSC twin-wishbone rear suspension are there on here? Most of the previous respondents seem to have taken the last train to Clarksville (along with Davey Jones; RIP).

I have had something of a marathon day under the car, changing various bits and pieces and it looks like being the same tomorrow. The problem that I am trying to trace is a loud metallic "clack-clack" as I drive over bumps. It sounds like my Lotocones are really shot- the noise is over my left shoulder (rhd so in the centre-line of the car); of course with a Spyder chassis and RSC set-up there are no Lotocones!

I'm reasonably sure that the bushes at the top of the coil-over are OK and the mounting-plate is secure; I've emptied the boot/trunk and hopefully thereby eliminated all the red-herrings but... the noise is still there. :evil:

All suggestions, no matter how daft, are welcome but... if there are any RSC long-termers, I would love to hear from you.
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PostPost by: ardee_selby » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:18 pm

Does the noise occur at all speeds? Assume it does. If so, any sign of the noise when bouncing the rear end?

Cheers - Richard
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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:30 pm

I notice the noise most when driving along my road: and unmade private road with a good selection of pot-holes (not an ideal place for a serial Elan-owner to reside) :roll: so it is most obvious when the suspension is jolted at slow speed (before the rest of the general racket associated with driving a Lotus has taken over). However, if I hit a pot-hole at any speed it is noticeable.

I cannot replicate the noise by bouncing.
Last edited by elansprint71 on Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: gjz30075 » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:32 pm

Bring along a passenger for another set of ears. They'll watch and listen while you drive.

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PostPost by: elansprint71 » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:32 am

gjz30075 wrote:Bring along a passenger for another set of ears. They'll watch and listen while you drive.

Greg z


Tried that, but no wiser; I'm going to persuade my Son to ride in the boot along our road. :D
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PostPost by: Foxie » Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:20 pm

elansprint71 wrote:Now it's been a while; so how many long-term users of the RSC twin-wishbone rear suspension are there on here? Most of the previous respondents seem to have taken the last train to Clarksville (along with Davey Jones; RIP).


Beg your pardon ! I am very much alive, and scuba diving in Tenerife at present :mrgreen:

One thing you might check is whether there is enough clearance in the lower shock mounts, allowing the metal eye to contact the shock mount when the rubber bushings are subject to bump loads....
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