The TRD superstrut coilovers I had were not 'rebuildable' as such. They use a gas cartridge insert which is secured within the superstrut leg by a screw top. I suppose you could always replace the cartridge but even if you could take the cartridge apart I'm not aware of anyone in the UK that can rebuild them? I spoke to Dynamics but they wouln't touch them. The availability of a rebuild service here in the UK makes the TEIN units quite attractive to me. Bilstein and Ohlins may be options but AFAIK they don't offer anything off the shelf for the ST205. The rally cars used them but the settings and/or construction would probably make them unsuitable for tarmac use on a converted road spec ST205.

The only 'quality' issues I'm aware of with the TEIN's is the external preparation i.e. they seem to have a single coat of green cellulose paint rather than being powder coated to survive the rigours of a UK winter. They share this 'characteristic' with the TRD's ....... my coilovers didn't last more than 3 months on salt roads My KYB's are not perfect but the struts are corroding at a much slower rate than the TRD's

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Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp

an alterntive is to send a front superstrut unit to http://www.leda.com/services.htm and have them build /design some serviceable items.

stick with a UK manufacture for ease of transaction, service and warranty.

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ST165 turbo 4WD
ST185 GT-FOUR RC Carlos Sainz Limited Edition 825•5000
ST185 turbo 4WD Carlos Sainz Limited Edition 2541•5000

Hi Ian

I am quick off the mark. not.....

Suspension .......well ..............Leda..........what more can i say.. Proven works under heavy usage. Fully rebuild-able, valve-able etc...lol. Springs easy to get, standard dia.

Anything else is puppy food...

Most of the units you guys talk about can be reengineered, with proper internals, yes indeedy, you can buy 35,40,45,50,55mm rams, bushes, seals to fit..plus remote gas can, etc.

A truly adjustable shock should not be to hard its adjustable…or am I missing something here.

99% of the time. People do not work out spring rating, travel range under compression, roll centre, tis this that causes most of the problems with hardness & handling etc.

Funnily I actual set vehicles up…so I do have a little understanding of what’s required, not in a grand scale, like WRC,F1 but rather more like production cars for club racing…this seems to cover quite a variation of vehicle. of all power levels.

I know a few racing drivers that will help out too, they always need extra funds , some even hold uk lap records on uk tracks….lol, they will push hard, find the limits quickly, thus helping to reach a dialled in set-up.

At the end of the day, the best set-up on the track will be very harsh on the road.

The best road/trackday set-up will be compromised for heavy track use, that’s how its is..

Most Uk tracks are good, yes some have a few bumps, but nothing like the roads we use getting to them.

We run 1200 lbs front springs; works on 90% of uk tracks vehicle mass 1150 kg… group A. the group B car running 412 bhp on crank runs with 750lbs/inch + arb (150 lbs) =T 900lbs, 75mm travel mass 1200 kg , the later being used on RWD & 4X4 ,a message in this, I think..

Would you be thinking of a spot of club racing...maybe. Ian

The guys at castle combe will be able to help out , make sure you are involved it the process, I have a few stories about things like this….

Always best to have a professional race driver to check it out. Before & after…

Not being funny, but most people do not fully understand what a properly dialled in track car will do, hence they get something that drive half great, and think its on the button, then racing driver gets to have a go, thinks it’s a pram, get what I mean, these guys think, joe public, what will he know..

In general, it can take many hours of blood & torture to get an end set-up that works.



If you get stuck, let me know, I have a few secret weapons, that can be rather useful.

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Black UK 96 205 shed with heater full on telemetry.

project six million dollar 185, faster, stronger, lighter than before.

the site of the company i am going to use for setting up the car is http://www.trackdevelopments.co.uk/
Apparently they work alot with Merlin Motorsports, i am not 100% but i think they might just be suppliers

They certainly seem to talk the talk and unless anyone has had any dealings with them and suggest otherwise or alternative people i guess i am going to see if they can walk the walk

talking to sumo power, envy performance, garage funaki in japan and www.japanparts.co.jp they all seem to be of the same opinion that tein are cheap and poorly built, i have no personal use of them, so i can only go on recommendations.

there is plenty of alternatives in japan for the superstrut coilover system amongst them are TRD, Tein, Ohlins, bilstein premium, j-speed, TCS, C-One, Sustec, eL Sport (using bilstein inserts/ valves) so variation isnt a problem. i quite like the look of the eL Sport struts

Ive called Proflex uk regarding making a coilover kit and @ around £500 per coilover i dont think there that expensive for a proper setup, trouble is they require constant maintenance as there pure performance suspention kits for tarmac, gravel or mud, and the constant maintenance maybe a little to much

I never considered Leda to be honest, but i will definatley be calling them later Thanks

Ive been stuck with what to do any who to ask ever since i decided i didnt want a straight line drag car jon trouble is ive never had the time or the need to look into this side or vehicle tuning so i am a complete virgin and just like a virgin i am itching to do it, determined to get it right, but will probally make a complete balls up of it.

Ian

If it was me, i would not use them.. at trackdevelopments, Muppets comes to mind.

Have you rang around, or are they the 1st port of call…

Would prefer to use some one like Rod Birley, who has < 1000hrs of 4 x 4 seat time.

In conjunction with leda supplying the equipment..


Rods a veteran racer, he's been racing 4 x 4 wrc escorts for many years, will be able to tell you what is required, by driving it, plus he is useful when using powerful vehicles, something i think could be a problem with Muppets.

web site www.rodbirley.com
as you can see he has over 420 race wins..

just a thought.. that’s my 2 pence..

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Black UK 96 205 shed with heater full on telemetry.

project six million dollar 185, faster, stronger, lighter than before.

Good news jon, ive never used the company and i was hoping to hear from someone who has, so thats enough for me, booking is know cancelled

I phoned around everywhere i could think of, roger clark motorsport, prodrive to name a few but they didnt want to know as they dont do toyota why did i choose to do this to a bloody toyota,

Anyway ive just got off the phone to john @ Leda and there going to be recieving my old suspention tommorrow for a bespoke set-up, there progressive coilover setup sounds great, gives 1/2" extra travel on the rams in a straight line but as soon as you start putting lock on it stiffens right up to counteract body roll in the corners, 24 point damping adjustment with a romote oil cooler/ resevoir system. Cheers for the heads up i am feeling much more ethusiastic about it all know

Good-Move Ian, Leda will work for you,I have good experince with them..

If you want a test drive session & professinal drivers, let me know, will ring around for you..

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Black UK 96 205 shed with heater full on telemetry.

project six million dollar 185, faster, stronger, lighter than before.

yeah i will definatley need someone who knows what a well set up car should feel like to drive it and make suggestions jon, so when the Leda kit arrives i will probally be pestering you for help

Also m8 while i have your attention, i have a cusco roll cage in place thats obviously more cosmetic than strutual, is there anyway of adapting it to make it more structual to the chassis ? is it something you could do ? its chromoly.

TIA

Ian

Hi Ian.

chromol.. should be ok, what part you worried about, floor section fixings or would you like more internal bracing?.

side bars, make good sense, forward brace to turret tops, maybe more mounting points all round, can add to it no problem, you can never have to much cage...lol

would be happy to help out were i can. What i don't know, i know others who do..

Have corner weights, exact6000 full 4 wheel ccd wheel aligner, ..can even take to track side if required..

a good test track would be brands maybe, close to some use full chaps who could pope over and perhaps help, see how it pans out. if required.

get a dl1, data logger www.race-technology.com ..or equivalent for telemetry, gps with accelerometers come in handy for chassis tuning..

I swear by them. they are a very handy tool…use them loads.

Jon.

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Black UK 96 205 shed with heater full on telemetry.

project six million dollar 185, faster, stronger, lighter than before.

I'll be interested to see the look on Mr Leda's face when he receives the Superstruts This has always been the major hurdle in using aftermarket shocks for the ST205.

Mike and I spoke to them a while back and they were quite happy to look at doing something for the ST205 but it may turn out to be very ££££££ Hopefully there won't be the sort of quality issues like there are with some of the other aftermarket kits?

Quite frankly I'd be amazed if they take on the job as they'd have to spend so much time and effort on development that they'd never make any money. I think this is why there are so many rubbish suspension kits on the market. At least with Kayaba (KYB) you're in the right ball park for fast road spec.

I guess I'm agreeing with Jon here, there is no substitute for lots of blood, sweat and tears with this but whoever takes this on deserves a medal....

Kerplink!

BTW Whoever said TEIN are cheap needs to check the price. They are the same as KYB and TRD. A few people are running them now so time will tell whether they are 'poorly built'

_________________
Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp

i dont think they meant the price was cheap, just the quality of the parts they use.

They must be referring to the internal components since Tein buy the suspension leg from Toyota/KYB

_________________
Kris
95 ST205 - slept for 10 years, now waking up...
Avensis
http://www.gtfours.co.uk
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Turbocharging - the replacement for displacement

Thought that might have been what they meant. In which case I guess they should wear out significantly before 70k miles of standard road use?

_________________
Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp

ive heard the term "filled with chip pan oil" used on more than one occasion i honestly dont know i havent used them, but as you probally know if i hear a couple of bad stories i generally dont want to take the risk, ala "Eagle Rods"

Most strange, not so…...Have any of you used LEDA before in the real world..

As for the super strut, its not that super, the amount of problems associated with the design, the extra weight seems a backwards step..
As for increased to suspension stability, control, umm have any of you ran a setup though its motions….or is this just speculation again..?


proof of the pudding is in the eating.. Maybe a shoot out, who's car handles the best....lol super strut ver McPherson


stock to heavy modified..

_________________
Black UK 96 205 shed with heater full on telemetry.

project six million dollar 185, faster, stronger, lighter than before.