Rear shocks !!

Leigh1299

Member
Hi all
It’s getting to the time off year to pull the buggy out off the garage 😎
I want to look at fitting coil over shocks on the rear as the standard mini shocks tend to give a lot on cornering so want to stop this from happening. What shocks is everyone else running on there freestyle buggies ?
 

Leigh1299

Member
I was more thinking of having coil over shocks aswell as the donuts .
I’ve already managed to damage 1 of the normal mini shocks on cornering as they are too soft so I’m wanting to stiffen the rear suspension up .
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Might be worth looking at getting a new pair of Dunlop donuts if they are still available, they do deteriorate over time, then maybe a pair of Gaz shocks which you can adjust the damping. It would be unusual to have both the donuts & the coilovers on.

If you wanted to go just coilover it would mean frame modification as the mounting point wouldn't be strong enough & there might be clearance issues with the spring. Sorry haven't got a Freestyle anymore so can't check/look
 

250buggys

Well-known member
Hi all
It’s getting to the time off year to pull the buggy out off the garage 😎
I want to look at fitting coil over shocks on the rear as the standard mini shocks tend to give a lot on cornering so want to stop this from happening. What shocks is everyone else running on there freestyle buggies ?
I have just replaced the do-nuts on mine and added adjustable dampers as well as adjustable height. Should make a difference.

Not sure what you mean by "give a lot on cornering" I bought one of those laser tracking and camber, caster adjusters and dialled in the settings that Justin recommended and mine handles well.

I would do the coilover mod at the front, details on the forum, Alan did a nice write up.

Also the rear disc mod is one to consider as drums are poor.

1.JPG2.JPG3.JPG
 

Leigh1299

Member
I’ve got the front coil over set up 👍
I find on cornering ….. well taking roundabouts at speed and letting the rear break loose 😂 I find the shock very soft and ends up damaging itself against my
Mudguard arrangement . I need to change the mudguard brackets and probably do what 250buggy has done . Where did you get your parts from 250buggy and what sort of price did it cost you 🤔
 

Leigh1299

Member
I’ve got the fully adjustable camber and caster , also running 4 pot metro brakes up front which is probably too much braking really . Might have to look at the rear disc option too .
 

250buggys

Well-known member
I’ve got the front coil over set up 👍
I find on cornering ….. well taking roundabouts at speed and letting the rear break loose 😂 I find the shock very soft and ends up damaging itself against my
Mudguard arrangement . I need to change the mudguard brackets and probably do what 250buggy has done . Where did you get your parts from 250buggy and what sort of price did it cost you 🤔
Fabricated my self, 6 inch vice is my bender folder machine :cool:
I don't have any issues with the shock hitting the mudguard, never heard of that one. There must be something wrong, send some pics over and we can compare.

I have the metro 4 pots and am swapping the drums out at the moment.

My rear doesn't brake loose, certainly not with the mini lump in on rounabouts, maybe on gravel with a bit of opposite lock.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
What tyre pressures are you running on the back? What are the tyres like? Are you on 10's, 12's or 13's?
 

250buggys

Well-known member
Tyre pressure is a good point Alan, mine are 20PSI on 13s and less in the front to give it some bite as the front is so light.
 

Leigh1299

Member
I’ve got 13 inch minilites , with Yokohama tyres , 30psi on the rear . The wheel arches are mounted from the brake cable mount and bottom shock mount .This is probably most off my issue as it moves with the travel on the shocks
 

250buggys

Well-known member
I’ve got 13 inch minilites , with Yokohama tyres , 30psi on the rear . The wheel arches are mounted from the brake cable mount and bottom shock mount .This is probably most off my issue as it moves with the travel on the shocks
There is some discussion on this forum regarding tyre pressure. 30 seems too high, try 20PSI.

Rear mudguard mounts made out of some scrap ally. Mounted to the chassis hole that is also for the rear bumper which is sold enough to jump up and down on.

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Screenshot_2022-04-03-19-33-39.png
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Front of mudguard mounted to the box section of the chassis :)
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
I’ve got 13 inch minilites , with Yokohama tyres , 30psi on the rear .
I suspect that is part of the problem, 18 rear, 12 front, seems to ring a bell to me, on Toyo Proxies but a bit of playing around maybe needed

What tracking have you got on the back (there is a post from Justin about it), are you still on the 1/2 turn originals, or ungraded to rose joints?, is there any play in any of the joints or in the bearings, once had a buggy that had lift-off steer as the bearing had play in it, well the bearing was good but there was play in the hub bearing retainer
 

Leigh1299

Member
I will try 20 psi , it’s got it’s mot this Saturday so will see if the mot man picks up play in the bearings . I believe I’m still on the 1/2 turn originals . I will have a proper look tomorrow night . Thanks for all the ideas 💡
 

Leigh1299

Member
This is the arrangement I have got for the mud guards ,and adjustments
 

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250buggys

Well-known member
This is the arrangement I have got for the mud guards ,and adjustments
Thanks for pics, you have some front cycle wing brackets on the rear which is non conventional.

These brackets are a right pain and the welds always snap, it happens to more or less every Freestyle at some point. I have welded mine up twice and beefed it right up the 2nd time. Every pot hole you hit sends huge shock loadings through these rigid brackets.

The only reason to have a cycle wing setup on the front is because the wheel turns. As the rear is fixed means the arch can be fixed and you have some good brackets that can be used here and puts them on the sprung side.

Bracket.JPG

It looks like it may be a non original Freestyle rear arch or may have been chopped, also looks likes there is some damage to the fibreglass which can be fixed easily. I spent a while restoring all my fibreglass panels including the nose cone.

Several options, the freestyle rear arches are rarer than rare so if you did want these you would need to make a plug and than lay up from an existing set, just need to find a Freestyle local to you. If you did manage you could probably reproduce a few sets.

You could repair the existing cycle wing brackets probably as an easier option, just grind back the welds and beef up as best you can. On mine I can sit on the front mudguards they are so strong.

The fibreglass damage can be fixed by applying some resin on the underside then a few patches of glass chopped strand mat and then cover with more resin. Once dry apply filler, sand and paint. That's the best thing about fibreglass, messy but easy to repair. As a starting point you need to drill out any cracks otherwise the cracks will keep going.


The design can be improved further by fitting some adjustable front and rear.

Adjust.JPG
 

250buggys

Well-known member
I will try 20 psi , it’s got it’s mot this Saturday so will see if the mot man picks up play in the bearings . I believe I’m still on the 1/2 turn originals . I will have a proper look tomorrow night . Thanks for all the ideas 💡
How did the MOT go?

I have my first one later this year.
 
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