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V12 VS Coilover upgrade question

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Old 07-06-2018, 06:11 PM
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V12 VS Coilover upgrade question

Has anyone replaced the dampers on a V12VS?

I’m thinking of upgrading my dampers to coilovers from Motion Control.

How do you deal with the ECU? Won’t it go berserk thinking the adaptive dampers have gone AWOL?
 
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Old 07-08-2018, 03:37 PM
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I have been looking at coil-overs as well. I need to close up the wheel gaps.

KW has dealt with EDC delete successfully on other marquees and I have been trying to get them to put together a kit for our cars. Fact is the market is so niche not worth their R&D etc.
 
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Old 07-08-2018, 05:38 PM
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Thanks. Good luck.

Unfortunate, I’m just not a fan of KW. If I do this, I’ll be going with Motion Control
Suspensions.

Just have to figure out the electonic damper issue.

I wonder if anyone has put on nitrons. I don’t think their dampers are electronic. So they would have faced the same issues I am.

Part of the reason I’m doing this is to fit an iLiftsystems.com lift kit. I recently installed the AMR aero kit and the front splitter has reduced my approach angle.

From this


To this

 
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by RickyG
Part of the reason I’m doing this is to fit an iLiftsystems.com lift kit.
Just subscribed to this thread as I’m keenly interested in this! Have you confirmed this can work with our cars? Any details you can share? I have yet to see an aftermarket lift system fitted to a Vantage but would LOVE to see it!

Unfortunately, lowered suspension options are extremely limited to our V12V’s. Mine is a 2012 so I don’t have electronic damping control to worry about integrating but alas, still very limited. Nitron and KW are the only two I know of for full coil over setups. I hear Nitron is good but requires a lot of time to dial-in given their vast setup options.

Another option hopefully soon: VelocityAP will have their lowering springs done for V12V—which mount up your OEM shocks. I’m running a prototype set on my car now; rides awesome but didn’t achieve the lowered stance we were shooting for. Stuart from VelocityAP is working to fix this and get me a second set to try. This might be a good option for you to retain your electronic damping system.

-Dan
 
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:20 PM
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Btw, here is another option to make room for the iLift system. In fact, the OEM front shocks on my V12V already have additional lowered spring perch grooves:




Do your V12VS front shocks have these auxiliary perch grooves? If not, they can be added. Check out this thread: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/365721-just-re-lowered-my-dbs-amazing-alternative-springs-coilovers.html

I was considering have my local machine shop machine some grooves like the thread above to retain stock springs but achieve lowered ride. (Since my rear shocks have no spare perch grooves.)

-Dan

 
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:34 PM
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I’m dropping my car off today at the AM Service Center. iLift provided a template to check whether their actuator will fit in the cup for mounting the damper.

This is the “cup”



And the damper is mounted like this:



These are the requirements for fitment:



I got those pictures from a website that added the KW hls to a vantage. The kw hls is mounted on the bottom at the spring perch unlike iLift.

Here’s the article: http://www.brrperformance.com/blog/?p=1990

Looking at the pic above of the actuator, I have my doubts if they will fit in the mounting cup. The stock springs as well look like the take up all the space of the mounting cup. If they do, then I’ll need coilovers. But if they don’t, I’ll need to find a different solution.

I am also looking at velocity AP and Swift Springs. But before I can investigate the either option, for the swift springs I need to know the ID of the OE spring, the spring length and the spring weight. I can have the service center measure the spring length and ID but I’ve put in a query to Gaydon for the spring weights. As for the VelocityAP springs, since you have them, are they straight springs or are the tapered or barrel springs? I can only use them if they are straight. Then I woundnt need the spring measurements as they simply drop in.

Thanks for the pics of the spring perch grooves. I’ve read about them but haven’t seen how it works. The pics clear things up..
 

Last edited by RickyG; 07-08-2018 at 07:37 PM.
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:42 PM
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The VelocityAP springs are straight barrel. Here’s a pic next to the OEM (left):




The coils taper from thick to thinner coil to alter the damping rate but the outer barrel is straight.

I also found in my notes, the OEM spring rates for my car are as follows: F 531 lbs / R 590 lbs. Not sure if the V12VS is any different.
 

Last edited by supraholic; 07-08-2018 at 07:45 PM.
  #8  
Old 07-08-2018, 07:54 PM
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Awesome. How do you find the ride quality on the VelocityAP springs compared to stock, ride height aside?
 
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Old 07-08-2018, 08:22 PM
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I’ve only put on about 100 miles since installing the springs; mixed around town and some short highway stints. But they feel really good. Very close to OEM for normal road feel over bumps but when you lean into them, you can feel the progressive rates stiffen nicely. I know Stuart builds these springs for the Lamborghini Huracan, amongst many other high end cars too, all reviews I’ve read have been very positive. Once we get the ride height issue sorted, I think they will be perfect for the street without compromising ride quality.
 
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Old 07-08-2018, 10:21 PM
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Thanks for the feedback. I would have thought they’d be more comfortable on the street.

They aren’t on the VelocityAP website though are they?
 
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Old 07-09-2018, 06:58 AM
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The springs aren’t available yet...once we get the ride height sorted I’m sure Stuart will post them on his site ASAP.

Look forward to hearing the progress of your research for a lift system!
 
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Old 07-09-2018, 07:06 AM
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Ok good to hear.

Just dropped the car off at the service center today.

Will find out tomorrow I guess.
 
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Old 07-11-2018, 09:56 AM
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good discussion.

@supra did you have to align the car after the V AP spring installation?

@rickyg, keep us posted!
 
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:04 PM
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Supreme Power in LA just did a lowering on a V12 S, see the second picture (swipe left) here:
View this post on Instagram
 
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by V12Vin
good discussion.
@supra did you have to align the car after the V AP spring installation?
Given I’m awaiting another set of springs to install, I didn’t bother getting it re-aligned. I know I should but I need new tires anyway...car rides and tracks true on the road currently but once I get the official set installed, I will for sure get it aligned.
 


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