Suspension Differences

[Fitz]

Been a while since I last posted. Been very busy and only posting I've done has been on another MR2 forum :arrgg-matey: I feel a bit of a traitor.

I've been modifying my rev 1 quite a bit recently, got a rev 2 bib spoiler, clear OE front lights, high level rear brake light, rev 3 rear lights and rev 3 alloys.

Anyhow, I diverge.....The next modification I am looking at is suspension. I have read in the specs that rev 1's sit higher as the rev 2 got lower springs, and the rev 3 got blistien stuff. I have found a set of shocks and springs, though I will discard the shocks and buy new due to the nature of the car they are coming off....out of a scrap yard. The car is a bit odd..... Its an M plate turbo but has a mixture of rev 2 & rev 3 parts fitted, or did have shall I say.

Is there any difference between rev 2 and rev 3 suspension as I cannot see any maker name on the shocks. Are the springs the same? And can I fit the later springs to my rev 1 or do I need anything else, such as the top brackets on the shocks? I'm guessing it should make my rev 1 sit lower and with new standard shocks, I should retain the nice comfy ride as I don't really want to uprate the shocks and suffer a bumpy ride as the car gets driven 56 miles a day.

Any help greatfully received.....and I promise to post here more often.

[JappyBeast]

Thought all revs sat at the same hight, its the turbo versions that sit 10mm lower than stock.

The rev2/3 had revised suspension as the rev 1 is tail happy.

[T600]

Yes, significant changes from rev 1 to 2, incl stiffness of the roll bars for the reasons given by Jappybeast. Some people prefer the 1 setup; it's argued that it was sharper and that the later models were compromised as a reaction to criticism by Journos who couldn't handle the Rev 1's sharpness.

There were, I believe, also some changes on UK cars between rev 2 and 3; different shocks, stronger suspension mounts, and geometry changes.

[Fitz]

Ah right, dunno where I got it that the later cars wer lower too. Well, seems a bit pointless changing the springs over for these turbo ones just for 10mm.

Personally, I find the rev 1 handles well. If you do play about with it, you can feel the weight shift and can predict when it wants to let the back end go. If you therefore drive within these limits, it's a cracking little handler.

[jaxx]

rev3 went onto bilstein shocks aswell i believe

[Stef Derner]

At rev 2 the steering geometry was revised, front and rear anti roll bars were stiffened, all cars were lowered by 10mm, front shocks were made harder although spring rates were unchanged and the rearmost lower suspension arm was lengthened by 98mm and the mount lowered to reduce squat under power. Bigger brakes and a shorter clutch movement. Smaller steering wheel.

[dawolf]

The rev 2 definitely sits lower than the rev 1. Could still do with lowering more though :D .

[boundsw]

Yeah.

When i was looking at lowering springs for my rev1 tubby, i was told that rev 1's sit 10mm higher than all the others, so all lowering figures would be +10mm for a rev 1.

The rev 2 has adjusted springs / shocks (hight)

and that Rev 3's have Blistien shocks.

So you can put rev 2,3,4,5 shocks on a rev 1 to get 10mm lower

and the shocks only changed at rev2-3

n/a to tubby is like for like rev to rev if you get me......