My long promised blog

[infinity]

Probably best off keeping Facebook for friends and family and opening a business page on Facebook, that would you can still be referred to clients but don't have to listen to the **** anytime you open Facebook. Haters gonna hate innit.

 

[h701micra]

Probably best off keeping Facebook for friends and family and opening a business page on Facebook, that would you can still be referred to clients but don't have to listen to the #### anytime you open Facebook. Haters gonna hate innit.

Already got a Facebook page man. It gets constantly ignored and they continue to drivel on at me

 

[frank]

what would you do differently in hindsight then andy ?

 

[h701micra]

what would you do differently in hindsight then andy ?

A valid question Frank
And one with many many answers

Not allow myself to be messaged
Not allow installment payments
Charge more, work less

I disagreed with Ed when he said that a higher price brings a better quality customer and 9/10 he's been spot on

 

[frank]

Ed does,nt cater for your "average micra owner" tho eh, and there is a big market for them because of the lack of aftermarket stuff availiable.
personally, i would have concentrated on the panhard rods, offset bushes and strut braces etc, trying to juggle with too many balls in the air is tempting fate.
and i would have made sure there were many items already built/in stock, so that there was no waiting times involved, and like you say, no credit/multi payments crap

 

[h701micra]

Ed does,nt cater for your "average micra owner" tho eh, and there is a big market for them because of the lack of aftermarket stuff availiable.
personally, i would have concentrated on the panhard rods, offset bushes and strut braces etc, trying to juggle with too many balls in the air is tempting fate.
and i would have made sure there were many items already built/in stock, so that there was no waiting times involved, and like you say, no credit/multi payments crap

Aye that's true but it does make a great deal if sense now in what he was saying.

I'm cutting out the complex things and going back to what I make myself. I'm in control start to finish that way.
Stock has been a hard one with just enough in to match the out its hard to build up a decent kitty to create some gear, but I've started small and slowly heading towards that goal

Thanks Frank by the way

 

[h701micra]

Just a small update on things

Car is home. Barely touched it. I haven't time really. Especially now
As for me, what little recovery I made up until yesterday has gone completely backwards again

 

[Supernube]

Cut springs and the facts. End of. No questions. That's it

First off I took a spring...its a 100lb/in spring with a 13.2in free length
Few dimensions
12.5mm material thickness (w/t)
335mm free length (f/l)
87.5mm closed length (c/l)
138mm diameter

Currently on H701 is a smaller 10.5in 113lb/in spring..
268mm f/l
81.25mm c/l
136mm diameter
And the same 12.5 w/t

Anyway to the cutting
The spring has 7 coils
So I calculated the height and spring rate
1 full coil off gives
296mm f/l
75mm c/l
And 117lb/in +17% (40mm)

2 coils off gave
240mm f/l
62.5mm c/l
And 140lb/in +40% (95mm)

Cant go no lower as I want to remain captive and my aim is 125lb/in

So 1.5 coils off
268mm f/l
68.7mm c/l
And 127lb/in +20% (67mm)

Its official... cut standard springs are better than lowering springs in terms of rate...

As more coil off ups rate I need to go less..
So 1.25 coils off
289mm f/l
71.8mm c/l
And 122lb/in +22% (46mm)

You could say 1/4 coil is 5lb/in but that's incorrect.. rate goes up the more of the coil is cut.
1 - 17%
1.25 - 22%
1.5 - 27%
2 - 40%

The rate machine cycled each spring 100 times continuously so they're well settled. No sign of sag of wear. They retained their rates

Now I fiddled and tweaked my numbers about.
Chucked H701 on the scales and I got the static l/r weight balance 50/50. Weighing a massive 220kg on each front corner. And 93kg on each rear corner. 57% front/rear balance which is about right

Looking at the roll centres on the car there's more weight transition from right to left than the other way round only by a small margin and the only way to counteract that is varying spring weights... I cut the springs accordingly to give the right rate. 1.15 and 1.25 coils was my selection in the end.
Shimmed the height to reset the crossweights to where I like em

Normally varying weights on the springs isn't that plausible... trimming the coils gives me that flexibility
So I got 50/50 static and now 50/50 dynamic... not done that before on mine so it should corner like a lunatic now on some rough surfaces

So in summary as much as I hate cut springs. Providing they're cut correctly they can be extremely efficient. I don't recommend going beyond the max shock length, so they can remain captive. Other than that they should serve you well providing you get the right height and rate from them

Hello mate... I've been reading through your cut springs thread and I'm not going to lie I didn't fully understand all of it... but one thing I did get from it was that you know suspension... and that's enough for me.
I have a 97 K11... I want it low.. like the one pictured below... I didn't really want to cut springs (until reading your post tonight anyway) as I have my kids in the car etc...
But I also don't want a micra if it ain't low and slow....
Is there not an alternative to cutting the springs... an off the shelf kit or whatever that will get me this low.... I see gizfab do a cheap coilover set good for a 100mm + drop ?
Or do you think they would be safe cut as long as I go 2 coils max... and would 2 coils get me this low ?
Would you...is it possible to add strapping like on my T4 5 inch lowering springs?
I just want this look... low ...like proper low.
Thanks and sorry for all the questions
Daniel