BOTTOMING OUT! >> Struts?
 

My SVX has been prone to bottoming out [in front] in dips at all but very cautious speeds! IS THIS NORMAL FOR THE SVX or should I replace the front struts (and/or springs) [with OEM or aftermarket products]? I have clocked about 75,000 miles.

THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS! :D

It's quite normal to scrape the front especailly when driving over dips (driveways, gutters). Still you might have a leaky strut(s) that might make it worse. The only wayt to tell is take the wheel off. Strut replacement is quite frequent around 100K. Mine have been leaking since 88K.

If all else fails, you also might want to cut out the big macs!:D

Typically, strut suspension has reduced (effective) suspension travel compared to unequal a-arm suspension. Weak struts will exacerbate the situation. Slow down and defer their replacement or replace them and find that you still need to slow down - just not quite as much. The only proper way to check the springs is to measure the ride height (anyone have the specs? if not I can probably find them somewhere) and compare to spec.

Re: BOTTOMING OUT! >> Struts?
 

I guess I would ask: what exactly do you mean by bottoming out? Can you feel the suspension moving all the way through its travel and compressing the bump stops? What do you mean by dips? Are these dips you can take at much higher speed in another car?

Greetings Beav,

Great to again have yout expert advice. As you have made a request the following figures may assist.

Wheel Arch Height. ( From the official Japanese RHD manual ) : -

Measurements from center and highest point under edge of wheel arch to the the center of the wheel hub.

Front. 380 m.m. +10 , -20, or 14.96 inches + 0.39, - 0.79

Rear. 335 m.m. + 10, - 20, or 13.19 inches + 0.39, - 0.79


Sincere regards, Trevor.

bottoming out!
 

Yes, I'm bottoming out! Hitting the bumpers after compressing the strut/springs to the max! I started to be concerned, when I went over the same bump (by work) with a friend's car - It took it much better!! I know our SVX's are heavy - Maybe that's a lot of it?

Thanks! :D

Re: bottoming out!
 

The car is low, but it has a fair amount of wheel travel. Its undersprung though. If the dampers are shot, then it would be relatively easy to bottom out the suspension. With that said, I cannot take dips and speed bumps at the same speed as I can in my little Toyota pickup. That's with brand new dampers and 30% stiffer springs in the SVX.

I have pretty old struts on mine (stock and 196k on them) My car definitely sags a little and sits lower than my wifes svx. In the rear the top of the tire is even with the fender where it is about an inch clearance on the wifes.
There are pictures from the dragon where the body roll is so bad it looks like I lifted the inner rear tire off the ground.
I still have never bottomed it out and I do not slow down for bumps/ railroad tracks(within reason).
I'd check the struts for leaking as seggested and check the ride height.

NEW STRUTS - Which Kind?
 

I have just about decided to put all new struts on my SVX. [Partly because of my bottoming out problem up front, but also because someone suggested that what appeared to be a front (steering wheel shook!) suspension problem while braking recently on gradual downgrade in mountains (which was solved totally by replacing rear rotors alone!) might in fact have been an (obviously) warped rear rotor(s) exacerbated by shaking through an inadequate shock (strut) damping mechanism. Soooo . . . .

MY QUESTION IS: Which struts should I get to obtain a stiffer (improved less bottoming affect) yet Cadillac-type ride (like our SVX's are famous for?)
1. OEM's
2. KYB's
3. Koni's
4. Other?

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP! :D

I have the Konis at all four corners and love them. I keep them set pretty high, and the ride quality is still more pleasant than stock. A little firmer than stock over low speed bumps, but just as nice on the highway, and the car loses almost all of its "floaty" nature in bumpy high-g turns. They make the car feel and respond much more "sportily", and if they fit your budget, I highly recommend them.

If you go that route, there are some good install notes on this site. A large diameter tubing cutter will save a lot of time and effort, and I would suggest you have an old bike inner-tube handy to cut up and "shim" the rear insert in the housing, as it does not fit snugly like the front.

-Mike

Did you think to check and see if your rear strut mounts have rusted away? That would explain the lower rear and body roll.

Re: NEW STRUTS - Which Kind?
 

Your only options are OEM or Koni. There is no KYB option. Fortunately, the OEM or Koni options appear to be about all that's needed. The Koni option consists simply of a strut damper that must be put in place of the stock damper on an OEM strut body. It requires cutting, welding, fitting. You can do it yourself, or pretty soon, you will be able to buy an already converted OEM/Koni strut from Porter. Either way, be ready for sticker shock. The Koni option is a minimum of about 2x more expensive than OEM, and that's if you do all the conversion work yourself.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember Gabriel making an SVX strut. However they were like $299 per axle - which is pretty stiff for the medium grade strut from that brand, non-adjustable, etc.

I just changed my rear struts w/OEM and I seem to remember seeing the name Showa on the body. While it doesn't have the adjustability of the Koni, it's a respected brand - at least in motorcycle circles.



Let's all try to talk Porter into the R&D for a set of Ohlins :D

I think the struts leak fluid from wheel vibration and bumps. It just goes out the seal after sometime. I am thinking about drilling and tap'en holes the next time I need struts and fill them back up. :D

Heh heh - I'm in SC and I bought the car from georgia - not a speck of rust on the entire car. :p