Recommendation for good suspension indy near Rugby, warwickshire?

[craiginuk]

Hi all, am considering having front suspension sorted on the car. Wishbone bushes worn etc. Don't want it modified or uprated - just standard. Can anyone recommend a good place near Rugby in Warwickshire? Was hoping it may be a bit cheaper than the two indies I have used down South (Larose and Project 9 in kent).

As i work in Rugby a few days a week, I was hoping to try and drop it there and get the train back or better still if it can be sorted in three days could drop and collect the same week.

Just a thought so would appreciate any suggestions.

 

[DavidL]

Logical place to try is Centre Gravity in Atherstone. Their reputation preceeds them if you believe the myriad of posts praising their work.
Only issue might be actually getting in.

 

[edh]

the other issue might be price...

 

[944 man]

Leading wishbone bushes arent available and the new trailing edge / castor mount is a good deal firmer than the original.

 

[craiginuk]

ORIGINAL: edh

the other issue might be price...

Are centre gravity a bit steep then? Just after standard repair not track car mods etc.

 

[edh]

I believe he is very thorough, so although the hourly rate isn't too bad, the final bill may be quite high.

one benefit is that he will do the bushes etc... and the geo. many garages will need to take the car somewhere else for geo.

definitely worth a call though.

 

[craiginuk]

Ouch... Had a chat with Chris and he seems a really nice chap. Very thorough and the estimate for hartech front wishbones, and a few other bits (rear caster bushes) comes in at just under a grand. This includes fitting and proper setup.

Why is it that every time I want to fix something on this car it comes in at triple figures?? []

Has anyone used the rennbay kits? Am thinking of doing this myself and then just getting allignment done somewhere. Which kit is best and how dificult was it to do?

I know it won't be as sorted as having it done at Center Gravity but I just can't manage yet another grand at the moment.

 

[edh]

I did say he was thorough....

ph sportscars (m1 J24) too far away? they might lend you a car for a couple of days

£35/hour + VAT labour rate & would probably take the car to Nottingham alignment for geo, who don't charge the earth (under £100 i would expect)

You can supply own parts - mind you, hartech wishbones & castor mounts are the best part of £500 on their own...so it's not going to be cheap anywhere.

 

[Neil Haughey]

You can buy replacement wishbone bushes from type 911
http://www.type911shop.co.uk/shop/article_2631/944-1986-91-Front-Wishbone-Forward-Bush.html?sessid=qjOrosWWV5MfpY3ENeXPuR3i3oHT7iS6PsrTcTstNMCcFRQv9aqXG9014nbezE0z&shop_param=cid%3D1032%26aid%3D2631%26

Not cheap though but I had to do this earlier in the year as I had delrin bushes on my race car that would have been breaking the regulations for Porsche Club Championship.

EMC Motorsport are only a handful of junctions up the M6 or Promax a few miles south.

 

[craiginuk]

Thanks Neil, what about the actual ball joint? Is there a uk supplier for those?

 

[Neil Haughey]

None that I know of. If the ball joint itself is worn your options are either Hartech refurbed wishbones, which I believe includes new bushes, new arms from Porsche (if they have any) or aftermarket arms from the states (very expensive).

The other thing many ppl are not aware of is the fact that the dust cover over the ball joint if split can be replaced with a mk1 golf one ISTR.

 

[944 man]

As Neil says, Type 911 still have the bushes, but they have a finite stock and theyre no longer available from Porsche. From memory theyre about £110 per car-set, which is double the cost of Powerflex bushes, which I opted for in the end as I was fitting Hartechs stiffer 968 style castor mounts.

Remember too that if you buy a refurbed wishbone, they it will come with these (leading) bushes installed.



Simon

 

[944 man]

From Hartech, I should add. I dont know whether other firms supply new front bushes with refurbished wishbones, although I would presume so.

 

[os951]

Do you guys know does Hartech refurbish control arms etc. themselves ? Looks to me they distribute parts from one slovenian company.

 

[Neil Haughey]

I can't say for sure but Barry Hart gave me a tour of his workshops last Christmas. Most ppl have probably never been upstairs at Hartech but basically above the garage workshop he has a couple of factory cells and a large store area full of parts. He literally had a whole row of shelf racking stacked up with wishbones for different models.

I got the distinct impression that the wishbones have the ball joints inserted in-house, also I am sure one of em told me in the past for example that their bushes are made by the same company in France that supplies most of the major car manufacturers including Porsche.

I have been to many Porsche specialists over the years but if anyone gets the chance to have a tour up there its seriously impressive, as much a specialist engineering factory as it is a Porsche workshop. Many probably aren't aware of it but ISTR Baz used to be the Engineering Manager for a firm that used to produce things such as carbon fibre parts for the aerospace industry.

 

[nick_968]

If you have ever been to COG (Chris) and had your car setup there you will understand why it is worth the money. If your car is at the point where the wishbones are worn out there will probably be a few seized parts that may stop the suspension being aligned properly and he will also find other issues that need sorting along the way. In the end he will probably spend about 12 - 14 hours on your car getting everything right and you will have a perfectly setup car that will drive as it should. Go another route and you will probably spend half the money and then not get what you want and end up having it done again in the future!

 

[craiginuk]

ORIGINAL: nick_968

If you have ever been to COG (Chris) and had your car setup there you will understand why it is worth the money. If your car is at the point where the wishbones are worn out there will probably be a few seized parts that may stop the suspension being aligned properly and he will also find other issues that need sorting along the way. In the end he will probably spend about 12 - 14 hours on your car getting everything right and you will have a perfectly setup car that will drive as it should. Go another route and you will probably spend half the money and then not get what you want and end up having it done again in the future!

Hi Nick,

Yes I know exactly where you are coming from and have been thinking about this today. I'm thinking about going down the COG route.

Craig

 

[944 man]

So: the COG myth revolves around their doing everything properly, that no other company will? Its nice to have the job done properly, but its silly to suggest that no one else will spend the time to do it correctly.

 

[Copperman05]

I'd consider that Promax did the geo on my car properly, but what they didnt do was, corner weighting, accounting for driver by putting additional weights on drivers seat, spending 10-14 hours giving you a custom job depending on what you say is your style of driving and how you want your car set-up.

I think the difference with COG is that he does a tailored service, based on what you want and then spends 12-14hours meticulously setting it up for you. At the end of the day you get what you pay for, if thats what your after.

Personnaly Ive never used COG but would love to sometime in the future...



Edd

 

[craiginuk]

That's the thing... I'm not after a tailor made race set up. Just want the steering wheel to stop shaking around the 70mph mark. Would promax be a lot more reasonable then?