Rear adj. spring set-up - Demon Tweeks?

[RotoFlexible]

While browsing the archives, I found a reference to this spring conversion kit from Demon Tweeks. With 12"x90# springs, it prices out to about $175, less than half of what the equivalent kit costs from Lotus specialists in the UK (Spyder) and US (Dave Bean). It claims to be "suitable for any 50mm diameter front or rear strut" and can be had with a D-hole top cap that looks as if it would fit the Koni inserts. Any reason this wouldn't work as well as the Spyder or Dave Bean kits? I measured the O.D. of my struts at 51mm - is there a size issue there?

[tower of strength]

What you get in the kit is a threaded tube and a new lower spring pan. You have to grind off the existing spring pan and weld the threaded tube to the strut body, if you are using smaller diameter springs, then you will need the new top pan as well. I have fitted these kits to several |Capri/Escort MK2 type struts in my dim and distant past. With hind sight it was a lot of work for little result (lower the car too much and the damper bottoms out and gets smashed up or the exhaust drags on the floor.
Where they are really usefull is in setting up the corner weights of the car, the only benifits for this would be on a race track in my opinion, then again if you want the car spot on or effectively blue printed, then this is the way to go.

Easy to fit if you can weld/have access to welding plant, I used a mig welder.

hope this helps

Regards

mark

[elansprint]

Also look at rallydesign.co.uk in online shop look at adjustable front suspension first item on list only ? 18.50 ea per side used for ford mcpherson strut but 2 inch tube may well fit elan
Ian

[RotoFlexible]

Thanks for the comments and pointers. The motivation for fitting is twofold: I need stronger springs to balance the 100# springs I'll be using at the front, and the old stock upper platforms need to be replaced anyway (the D hole has turned into an O hole). I don't want to lower the car, but the adjustability (to even out the corner weights and fine-tune the ride height) is very desirable. I don't foresee any immediate need for wheel clearance but who knows?

The Demon Tweeks kit has machined upper spring platforms (as do the Spyder and Dave Bean kits) - more durable than the stock sheet-metal items. My understanding is that normal practice is to cut off most of the lower spring platform, leaving what's left as the base for the threaded tube. A few spots of weld should serve to keep it from turning.

[steveww]

The threaded tube and bottom spring platform will work OK on the Elan, however the top spring platform does not fit the Elan. You can buy just the top platforms from TTR.

[RotoFlexible]

The threaded tube and bottom spring platform will work OK on the Elan, however the top spring platform does not fit the Elan. You can buy just the top platforms from TTR.

Thanks - that's what I needed to know. I received clarification from Dave Bean on the cost of their kit - less than I thought - and they do have the Elan-specific knowledge so that, for example, Ken asks what kind of inserts I'm using so that they can supply the correct nut. I was tempted to stray but have seen the light.