New Trophy owner, several questions!

[willcrook]

Hello, I've bought a trophy and I love it lots, but there's a couple of niggles:

1) I feel the car is slightly down on power, the car has an incomplete service history and i'm told the cambelt was changed by the previous owner, it's suggested that I get the timing checked, does anyone know how much this could cost?

2) The suspension feels bad/skittish over uneven surfaces and the rear feels light when pushed, perhaps this is due to the Sachs needing a refurb (93k without one) but i'm wondering whether it's the cooksport springs having lowered/stiffened the car and preventing any absorption? other possibilities could be that no camber bolts are fitted / rainsport tyres / the gaz rear adjustable shocks set too hard or just a tracking issue? (tracking wasn't done after the cooksports were fitted)

3) The brakes feel poor in hard braking, I don't know why. Luckily this should be eliminated as I intended to upgrade the brakes anyway (braided hoses/decent fluid/Brembo HC's/Pagids) also I noticed that the brake fluid container was filled way past it's 'max' limit all the way to near the brim.

4) I'm planning to strip the rear of the car, how negatively would this affect the balance/handling?

5) Does anyone have any 182 cup dampers for sale/I could borrow for 2 weeks so I can get the sachs refurbed ?

any replies appreciated

 

[Sean Jones]

I may have a set of cup dampers for sale at the end of the week .

 

[hoolio]

Hey Will welcome.
1) You think it's down on power. In comparison to what? Where abouts are you? It will give us some idea who to talk to/take it to.
2) The rear of mine has always felt light whilst "pushing on" The tracking will definitely sorting after fitting new springs though.
3) All that will sort the problem, Pagid blue are awesome.
4) See above.

 

[Carbon Chaos]

Get the geometry checked as said this should really have been done once the car was lowered,

Also have a play with the rear shocks and find a setting YOU like,tyre pressures can play a part in all this which often get over looked.

What tyres has it got ? mich or budgets ?

But enjoy the 'T' thats the main thing.

 

[aucky]

1) Who did the last camblet change? Any other symptoms?

2) Push your weight over the strut, does it move?
Cooksport springs are pretty highly rated FYI. I'm yet to see a poor review. The shocks are pretty firm as standard though.

3) Sounds a bit like a fluid issue. Pagids are quite expensive iirc? DS2500+Brembo HC are a tried and trusted FR/occasional track set up. Once hot they really do perform well and barely compromise cold road braking.

4) Don't bother IMO. Its a few KGs but unless you're going to go the whole hog its not with the noise etc. On standard suspension I found that a stripped rear made the rear feel like towing a trailor. It really wanted to skip around and wasn't very progressive. Now, with Mark Fish springs, Rear Konis, RARB, its so adjustable. it was so light and skittsh in the aformentioned setup. hard braking wasn't so fun either!

 

[willcrook]

Hey Will welcome.
1) You think it's down on power. In comparison to what? Where abouts are you? It will give us some idea who to talk to/take it to.
2) The rear of mine has always felt light whilst "pushing on" The tracking will definitely sorting after fitting new springs though.
3) All that will sort the problem, Pagid blue are awesome.
4) See above.

Ty!

I'm in Manchester, heard it RR'd at 150~bhp ! I've heard Birchdown come recommended so I may take it there, they've said it will almost defiantly need a new belt if not a full new kit.

Get the geometry checked as said this should really have been done once the car was lowered,

Also have a play with the rear shocks and find a setting YOU like,tyre pressures can play a part in all this which often get over looked.

What tyres has it got ? mich or budgets ?

I'll get the geo checked/setup and camber bolts added (if it's worth it?) after the Sachs come back from their refurb

It's got uniroyal rainsports on atm

1) Who did the last camblet change? Any other symptoms?

2) Push your weight over the strut, does it move?
Cooksport springs are pretty highly rated FYI. I'm yet to see a poor review. The shocks are pretty firm as standard though.

3) Sounds a bit like a fluid issue. Pagids are quite expensive iirc? DS2500+Brembo HC are a tried and trusted FR/occasional track set up. Once hot they really do perform well and barely compromise cold road braking.

4) Don't bother IMO. Its a few KGs but unless you're going to go the whole hog its not with the noise etc. On standard suspension I found that a stripped rear made the rear feel like towing a trailor. It really wanted to skip around and wasn't very progressive. Now, with Mark Fish springs, Rear Konis, RARB, its so adjustable. it was so light and skittsh in the aformentioned setup. hard braking wasn't so fun either!

The second to last owner did it himself, I have no documentation though.

Yeah the Padgids are pretty dear but I've heard they're the best and have good longevity/performance from cold

That's exactly what I don't want, the back skipping around anymore, though I do already have rear gaz shocks and cooksport springs so I'm not that far off your working setup!