I'm starting to get a bit frustrated with my car bottoming out on fast roads. I've had big scrapping bottom outs on Evo Triangle and Snake Pass. Are Cooksports to low for these kinds of roads?
9 times out of ten i'd say the rubber splitter though its a real plastic sounding noise. The corner really caught on a long fast corner yesterday and unsteadied me. Also felt like the tray had a big scrap yesterday on a fast compression.
Main reason I didn't want cooksport springs is because of how low they are. Wasn't it you who had trouble with the rear shocks and a snapped front spring?
When I lowered my Clio I found myself actually driving slower as I was concerned about the clearance - mad really when you think about it, I put it back to standard and just enjoyed it for what it is.
Yeah the new rear dampers failed and are being replaced under warranty. I was under the impression the Cooksports were for fast road and track... Evo Triangle and Snakes Pass are defo fast road without being too minor B road. I love the way the car handles with them very little body roll and feels well hunkered down. Just not into bottoming out... I don't want to think it when i'm pushing on. I'd be interested if anyone else has driven these roads and had the same issue. The compression was at Lady Bower reservoir heading towards Manchester as it drops onto the dam. The left corner one was dropping down the hill from the top as you see Manchester in the distance.
Thats crazy i must have done 5-10 times sometimes more severe then others. I've emailed Josh at Cooksport. Their not famous for customer support so i won't hold my breath.
Both great roads. Sadly not near me anymore. I've got Duke's pass now (A821). I seem to remember my T16S spending most of the time on its bump stops coming down into glossop. You got new dampers at the front with good bump stops? Sounds like it's undersprung
Feels like i'm about to lose my sump on any compression i see ahead... Are Springs the only component to lead to this?
You'll get a very very small drop if your bottom arms have worn bushes. Slight increase in camber will reduce rideheight but it's very negligible not enough to make one car bottom out and not another on the same road. Only way to see for sure is take off front springs and measure their free length. Compare them to what cooksports state are normal. I suppose you could have a corroded strut tower and the whole leg has pushed up? Doubtful though. Or the strut has gone further through the hub housing (upright). Lowering the car further. This isn't really plausible because the pinch bolt also goes through a retaining flat attached to the strut to prevent this. What is the static rideheight like? The most sensible answer is the front springs I'm afraid. You may have just had bad luck and got some duff rated ones. Perhaps one of the springs is snapped?
Thanks for that detailed analysis. I totally agree. I'm going to press Cooksport and see what they can do. Start with emails and then phone calls lol
Just my observation as I drive snake pass a lot but even tho I'm on standard springs, I've never thought the road has bumps high enough to cause a car to bottom out. It's seems relatively smooth tbh even when going over the dam at lady bower. I would get a specialist to have a look over the car. If it's a plastic scrape sound maybe check the undertray
So update on this... Cooksport have got in touch and are absolutely lovely i might add. They think it could be a problem with my bump stops. Anybody got any advice on this? I'd not even considered them to be honest... Are they simple to change? Are there upgraded ones?
Cutting them out is just going to mean more travel and the car more likely to bottom out. Back to the question. Bump stops are fitted over the damper piston inside the spring assembly. The strut will have to be removed, the spring compressed and the top mounts removed to allow access. However you should have them! No reason why not. You can see them clearly enough so whip the wheel off and jack up the car and have a look. You're looking for this: Close up: It's the top part by the way as the lower piece is a bellows/dust protector for the piston itself although it is one complete part (bump stop and protector)
Awesome, cheers for that. Just reading up on all things Bump tops and it appears Renault sport shortened them on the R. Gonna take it to my tamed mechanic next week and see what he finds... Seen as i bought all new dampers, springs and mounts... I'm gonna throw it out there and say i have no bump stops fitted... We shall see.
So... Got to the bottom of the problem with the help of Cooksport. My garage forgot to put the bump stops in. Can you believe it! Hoping the new dampers are not knackered now. Once i got hold of Cooksport they were great.
You're dampers will be fine! Don't forget the damper rod goes right into the damper with about two inches left whereas when it's fitted into the spring it will only shorten so far before the spring goes coil bound. I doubt the spring seat platforms on the dampers would bend either so I recon you're ok. I'm amazed that it only took an extra inch (of bumpstop) before your car bottomed out. Must be very short springs.
