Make sure there’s no debris or rust buildup on the hub mounting surface or the lip of the hub. Start pattern mounting but use two sets of torque values — a lower one to center and then a final one to torque to official spec.
-
The February 2025 Lotus Emira Photo of the Month contest is underway! Please take a moment to check out thread here: 🏆 February 2025 - Emira Photo of the Month starts now! (You can dismiss this message by clicking the X in the top right hand corner of this notice.)
12mm spacers, seems a bit much on front
- Thread starter lynchy73
- Start date
RyanGphoto
Emira Fanatic
LOVE the carbon on the White.. Looks sick man.. Love the whole car.. Congrats. I wish I like carbon fibre but I just don't.. I am hoping somone (GRP talked about it) would make a wing or rear lip spoiler in the same black as the black pack or able to paint it.. I would def buy that.
- Thread starter
- #43
I got the wheels balanced and that resolved the slight vibration I was getting after fitting the spacers.
I’ve now lowered it a little by just moving the shock circlip and am happy with the results (10mm difference on the shock). Not a big drop, but enough IMO. The roads around here can be pretty terrible, not sure I’d want it much lower, or firmer than it is now.
Attachments
Using this approach will actually get your a softer ride
- Thread starter
- #45
I believe spacers (or higher offset wheels) effectively reduce the spring rate a little.
Many thanks for the tip/info about the suspension circlip modification
Are you using the standard wheel fittings?I believe spacers (or higher offset wheels) effectively reduce the spring rate a little.
Many thanks for the tip/info about the suspension circlip modification
I have yet to fit the GRP titanium motorsport fittings. Apparently you torque up the threaded bars which stay on permanently which hopefully will ensure the wheels are perfectly lined up after fitting.
Previously after getting what I thought was a balancing issue after going down a road full of potholes I removed the front wheels and refitted using lining up bolts and the issue disappeared. Also good to clean every as suggested by Kitkat.
- Thread starter
- #47
No, I bought longer bolts, 45mm if I’m not mistaken. 32mm as standard.
The spacers used on the Emira are not the type that bolt to the hub, with additional bolts to the wheels. The hub centric feature on the doacer, should avoid any misalignment.
The small issue I had was a wheel balance issue, Lotus checked the front wheels and had to adjust the weights a little. After that, no more vibration. TBH it was very slight and was likely always there, was just a bit more sensitive to it, after adding the spacers.
I have hub centric spacers as well but it’s still easier than you think to not line them up 100% which can have an effect. The lining up tools are pretty cheap and as long as all faces are clean gets it perfect every time. My mate let me use his and I realised how easy it was to change a wheel.
- Thread starter
- #49
Ok, wasn’t aware such a tool existed. Something like this?
Attachments
RyanGphoto
Emira Fanatic
I used these and they REALLY helped getting the wheel back on the car. Such a great cheap tool.
Ryan G
RyanGphoto
Emira Fanatic
Here are some pics of the 10mm hubcentric spacers pics. I think the front on 10mm is Perfect.. I think 12mm would be better for the rear.
I don't plan on dropping it, although after looking at it I think I might! SOO much money going into the car. ha
Ryan G
I don't plan on dropping it, although after looking at it I think I might! SOO much money going into the car. ha
Ryan G
Do you have an explanation to that claim?
RyanGphoto
Emira Fanatic
Sorry about that..I dont see any pics
Attachments
Because the springs are now sitting lower which makes the pre-compression rate also lower. In reality, its very minor, but you can still feel the difference when you do a sudden lane change, confirmed by my tuner and my racing instructor.
I don't think that's sufficiently true.
You can't change the 'rate' of a spring with pre-compression. Feel free to go find as many different resources supporting or denying that claim.
Preload will help you manage ride-height or corner balancing, but if the collar location change is done evenly across the car the corner balancing should not change.
Pre-load is literally only done for 2 things.
1. To ensure the spring stays seated at full droop conditions of the shock/suspension.
2. Corner balancing the car so that it does not have a 'long leg' like a stool/chair with a short/long leg acts 'tippy'. Harder to know/understand when each leg has a compliant (spring/shock) leg, but is there.
Getting scales and 'corner balancing' is the car is the only reason to adjust the preload it will not change the springs stiffness or behavior.
So in your experience with the GRP kit, you feel the ride is more harsh comparing to the factory setting?
I don't have GRP coil sleeves, but anyone with coilovers can actively run this experiment.
Of course, it's not a fun experiment to run, since raising and lowering a car changes alignment settings. But no coilover manufacturer mentions about adjusting stiffness using the spring perch.
Lowering a car can still create all kinds of other potential adverse effects.
- Less travel available on suspension arms. You haven't removed 1/2 the travel of the shock but you could remove have the travel of the upper A-arm to the frame.
- Geometry. Specifically the suspension geometry of the front tie rods and lower control arm. These both should be parallel to the ground in ideal conditions, lowering a car changes that. Typically the worst offense is bump steer from the tie rods.
- Jacking forces. You can get some tendencies for the suspension to push the car upward when the roll center gets moved downward.
But none of those have to do with the shock and spring themselves.
Create an account or login to comment
Join now to leave a comment enjoy browsing the site ad-free!
Create account
Create an account on our community. It's easy!
Log in
Already have an account? Log in here.
Emira Forum Images
Emira Forum Images
Similar threads
