Anyone managed to change the ride of a vtr?

  1. Regular Poster Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 300 Own a 01' plate vtr
    #1
    The saxo is a great car, just really let down by the ride quality and its poor ability to handle uneven road.

    Has anyone managed to inprove the general ride?

    If so, how, rep given.
  2. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Feb 2007 Burton Posts: 3661 Alfa Romeo GT
    #2
    Most people on here would have made there ride even stiffer so not what you want. The VTR/S are actually very good handling cars and are set up appropriately which is why they ride quite stiffly and not all wallowy and comfortable.
  3. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2006 Washington Posts: 3117 veeteeess
    #3
    get a suspension kit?
  4. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Oct 2005 Aycliffe Posts: 32205 Saxo VTS
    #4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by harrisvtrkid1 View Post
    Has anyone managed to inprove the general ride?

    If so, how, rep given.

    when you say ride are you referring to grip in corners or ability to remain 'composed' on rough surfaces?

    if you want a smoother ride you want to get dampers with lower damping coefficients... however i doubt they'll be off the self type jobbies as the majority of suspension upgrade tend towards a firmer ride, sportier feel.

    down sides will be underdamped which will make the car bounce around in the straight line of undulating surfaces and making the car less responsive to steering inputs and the possibility of bottoming out the suspension.

    if you want good handling improvments then dont lower the car anything more than 30mm (maybe 40mm at a push) but the stability of the car on road surfaces becomes an issue with 'Bumpsteer'. aim to match the increase in stiffness of the springs with firmer dampers. however the problem with a lot of springs on the market is the 'progressive stiffness', which makes the cars initial roll angle similar to that of the standard car but progressively roll rate reduces, this is fine except for the damping coeffs being totally incorrect for the spring...
  5. Saxperience Addict Joined: Apr 2006 Frome, down deepest, darkest zummerset Posts: 12971 VTRallye
    #5
    that was about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.

    even though the saxo isnt the greatest built cars they are easy to fix (just changed a gearbox myself ) parts are cheap and there are lots of different upgrades avaliable.

    ive improved my handling by getting a better suspension kit, and better brakes.
  6. L-plater Joined: Aug 2007 co. antrim Posts: 35 1999 phase2 saxo vtr 8v
    #6
    wld have to say a full set of adjustable dampers and new springs wld probably do.
    ps. ur obviously driving to slow if ur worried bout comfort. built to be driven! thrash it!
  7. Infrequent Poster Joined: Feb 2007 solihull Posts: 167 escort cossie/vts
    #7
    simple answer, i lowered mine with billies 30mm slapped some 15's running 195/45/15's and put some gti-6 front brakes on and now it handles and brakes 10x better than when i first bought the car std form!!!
  8. Saxperience Addict Joined: Nov 2006 A farm shed in Aylesbury Posts: 14916 Corolla AE86 Peugeot 205 B18C (in bits)
    #8
    unsprung weight, tyres (psi, tyre wall stiffness, profile etc), shocks, springs, suspension geometry, corner weights all make a difference as does the component quality of all the above.

    Ideally would first check that everything you had was in full working order before looking to make improvements. then perhaps list what has been done to modify the suspension so far as the standard setup is really quite good

    if you want to start changing the handling characteristics then that gets a little more tricky as the current mcpherson front struts and torsion bar setup is not the most readily tweakable. we converted our 205 to a rear coilover setup to get around this which could easily be done to the saxo also..