Lomax ride height

[Tamos]

More pics

[Tamos]

Last pics!

[howardjs]

All a matter of taste I suppose, but, Looking at your photos I think your car looks great the way it is. Nothing worse than a car with it's rear end dragging behind it. But that's just my view. Also very nicely cleaned up body tub lines at the rear too.
BTW a 652 Visa engine too if I'm not mistaken.

Howard

[Tamos]

Thanks Howard, you are quite right it is a Visa 652 engine
Tony

[QFAD]

Hi Tony,

As Howard says a very tidy body all round, and some one has gone to a lot of effort re the suspension system.

As for the ride height I think running basically a 'parrallel to the ground' stance looks really good, maybe a slight rise to the rear to factor in the car sitting down a bit with occupants on board. I have set-up QFAD at 180 mm at the rear and 150 mm at the front. The steering is not too heavy, but the wheels do flop over.

Yours seems to be fine as it is?

Steve

[djmagee]

Agree completely with Howard. The car sits very nicely the way it is in my opinion. A very significant amount of work has been done to that vehicle and from the pics its been done very nicely indeed.
The rear end is longer and flatter than standard and the rear light 'pods' aren't there!! I like that very much. Its got fabulous potential. Have a shufty at Gary Shearings 224, its very special indeed.

[Tamos]

Many thanks to everyone for positive comments and help re ride height of my Lomax project. The ride height shown in the photos was achieved with the springs loose on the coilovers (when extended) so that the car settled lower. When the springs are held reasonably firmly the car sits much higher and the front suspension arms are sitting hard on the upper bump stop. To get the desired ride height I can either buy new 2” shorter GAZ units front and back, or alter the framework to raise the upper coilover fixing points, or revert to the original suspension. To alter the frame would be quite difficult due to the way it is made and the latter is more cost effective as I already have the cans and would only have to buy shock absorbers. This is probably the option I will take as it appears there would be no improvement in ride or handling by using coilovers.
Tony

[howardjs]

Hi Tony, I may be barking up the wrong tree here.. However. You say that you lowered the spring seats at the rear until the springs were loose to reduce the ride height. Perhaps then it is the spring rate which is too high? It may be worth checking the corner weights at the rear to calculate the best spring rate, not forgetting the lever ratio. It may be that the designer of this set up fitted springs with rates based on 1:1 without factoring in the lever ratio.
With the correct spring rate the suspension should sit with the springs compressed at least 1" depending on the lever ratio.

It seems a shame to undo all that very nice framework. Also a pair of springs are not too expensive compared with the cost of complete coilover units.

I've been building a special with Gaz units all round and spent many hours deciding the spring rates. Even now I am having to remake the front levers to reduce the ratio in order to get the front end higher. I have already changed the springs to a higher rate and don't want to buy more!

Anyway keep going... Howard

[Tamos]

Hi Howard, appreciate your comments. The spring rate seems correct, it is the units that are approx 2” too long. With the springs put under slight pressure (ie not loose) when the shocks are fully extended, the springs compress just over 1” when on the car. But the car is then sitting far too high, so either the framework has to be altered, which would be quite difficult, or 2” shorter units fitted - this would be quite expensive.
General opinion is that the original 2cv suspension set up will work at least as well as the coilovers and, since I already have most parts reqd, that is the way I am going. Hopefully all will work out!!
Thanks again for your input, and good luck with your project.
Tony

[Jack602]

Tony,
Pembletons run with 5" ground clearance at the front, however to allow this the Citroen suspension arms are cut & welded to correct the castor & camber angle to avoid the "wheels flopping over" issue described by Howard.

Jack
Pembleton SuperSport