P38A Ride quality.

Henry_b · Mar 1, 2021

Gents/Ladies.

Just a query regarding the ride quality of the P38, I have very stiff shocks which have made the ride rather choppy, I've since bought a softer set and will be replacing them when I have the time..

Whats your ride like?

Is it like floating on a cloud or the complete opposite or somethere in between?

Cheers

Rubberknees · Mar 1, 2021

What size wheels and tyres do you have. Believe these can also affect ride.
I am on 16" and air bags, lovely ride

Henry_b · Mar 1, 2021

Rubberknees said:
What size wheels and tyres do you have. Believe these can also affect ride.
I am on 16" and air bags, lovely ride

18" wheelz

Rubberknees · Mar 1, 2021

Henry_b said:
18" wheelz

Have you used the search I remember ages ago there was a thread with a big discussion about ride quality

Henry_b · Mar 1, 2021

Rubberknees said:
Have you used the search I remember ages ago there was a thread with a big discussion about ride quality

i'll 'ave a look

cheers.

kermit_rr · Mar 1, 2021

I'm on 16s and it feels hard yet wallowing. Hi over s bump and everything that's not melted down, rattles. Hoping new bushes on the front will help this!!

Karlos the jackal · Mar 1, 2021

new ball joints and on air with polly bushes on 18inch tyers not the magic carpet ride and not to wallowing it in-between

Grrrrrr · Mar 2, 2021

Henry_b said:
18" wheelz

18" are harsher. They're slightly more positive on the steering but I prefer the softer 16" for B roads or winter or off road.

I found Boge the best all rounder. I thought Terrafirma were harsh but Brian likes them. Maybe mine were extreme ones. Mine had Britpart on the front when I got it and one of them snapped!

Arnott 3 springs made a noticeable improvement.

brianp38dse · Mar 2, 2021

Grrrrrr said:
18" are harsher. They're slightly more positive on the steering but I prefer the softer 16" for B roads or winter or off road.

I found Boge the best all rounder. I thought Terrafirma were harsh but Brian likes them. Maybe mine were extreme ones. Mine had Britpart on the front when I got it and one of them snapped!

Arnott 3 springs made a noticeable improvement.

I have Arnott gen 2`s and monroe adventuras and 17" wheels, never tried Terrafirma shocks, i have a pair of boge fronts i am going to put one and see if there is a difference.

Grrrrrr · Mar 2, 2021

brianp38dse said:
I have Arnott gen 2`s and monroe adventuras and 17" wheels, never tried Terrafirma shocks, i have a pair of boge fronts i am going to put one and see if there is a difference.

Thought you'd had Terrafirma. My memory again. Someone on here does! Come on, own up!

300bhp/ton · Mar 2, 2021

Henry_b said:
Gents/Ladies.

Just a query regarding the ride quality of the P38, I have very stiff shocks which have made the ride rather choppy, I've since bought a softer set and will be replacing them when I have the time..

Whats your ride like?

Is it like floating on a cloud or the complete opposite or somethere in between?

Cheers

The p38 should ride well overall. However I have some issues with the ride. Not just on used examples of the age they are now, but also when they were brand new.
1. The ride quality varies depending on the suspension setting you have selected, e.g. the lowered motorway ride height will give a softer ride than the normal standard ride height, as the air spring is softer. But you'll probably get more roll, despite being lower. Again because the spring is softer.

2. On initial turn in the p38 has a lot of body pitch. I believe this is due to the air in the spring compressing, then making the spring harder. A regular coil spring is likely to be far more progressive. For me this gives the p38 a much more boaty wallowing feel. Good for wafting, but less good for spirited driving. And is a real shame they never added ACE to the p38 to counter this.

You can see the pitching here:

Ride quality in general will be affected by tyre type & size, pressure. Condition and type of the suspension bushes as well as the springs and dampers.

My p38 runs coils now and a lift kit. But interestingly I think it rides as well as it ever has and no longer pitches on turn in like it used to. But overall it is still a very good ride, better than most small cars.

Dopey · Mar 2, 2021

Henry_b said:
18" wheelz

Check they are round......

kermit_rr · Mar 2, 2021

Dopey said:
Check they are round......

they're round, they'll stay round, and they'll be around forever!

pwood999 · Mar 2, 2021

Mine rides nice & smooth on most roads, but seems harsh over speed bumps & potholes. Not sure what type the shocks are because the labels are too far gone to tell.

Henry_b · Mar 2, 2021

Thanks gents as always..

I've since fitted the new Britpart shocks to replace the TF ones, and the ride is transformed it has gone from juddery speedboat to a nice comfy cruise ship.

The choppiness and harshness has vanished and to be fair the handling has improved, I don't drive it like a sportscar anyway I bought a 4x4 not an MX5 so a spongy ride and a bit of body roll doesn't bother me, on the roads I frequent from work it is far easier to maintain the limit "60" without having to slow down when approaching either potholes or undulations in the road.

Before it would hit a pothole or undulation and bounce which was quite disconcerting and it would force me to slow down which was an irritation

Also if it hit a succession of potholes it was truly horrific

Now even locked in "standard" it is sublime I'm very happy with it..

It has poly ARB bushes

18" With Nexan Roadians at 40PSI rear and 30psi front to be fair I could drop it 2psi front and rear that might improve it even more.

Thanks.

Mark Piercy · Mar 2, 2021

16" wheels,
Hankook dyna pro 2 tyres
at 2.4bar all round.
Terrafirma heavy duty shocks at standard length,
Dunflop bags.
Poly anti roll bar bushes and I can chuck it around with confidence.
Bumps a bit but doesn't flop like a 2.25t flopping thing in flopping jacket!

domino · Mar 2, 2021

Henry_b said:
Thanks gents as always..

I've since fitted the new Britpart shocks to replace the TF ones, and the ride is transformed it has gone from juddery speedboat to a nice comfy cruise ship.

The choppiness and harshness has vanished and to be fair the handling has improved, I don't drive it like a sportscar anyway I bought a 4x4 not an MX5 so a spongy ride and a bit of body roll doesn't bother me, on the roads I frequent from work it is far easier to maintain the limit "60" without having to slow down when approaching either potholes or undulations in the road.

Before it would hit a pothole or undulation and bounce which was quite disconcerting and it would force me to slow down which was an irritation

Also if it hit a succession of potholes it was truly horrific

Now even locked in "standard" it is sublime I'm very happy with it..

It has poly ARB bushes
18" With Nexan Roadians at 40PSI rear and 30psi front to be fair I could drop it 2psi front and rear that might improve it even more.

Thanks.

Those pressies seem very high. Pretty sure the rear should be considerably lower.

Henry_b · Mar 2, 2021

domino said:
Those pressies seem very high. Pretty sure the rear should be considerably lower.

yeah.

I seem to recall it as 38 rear and 28 front.

could be wrong though!

Mark Piercy · Mar 2, 2021

36psi and 26psi?

Henry_b · Mar 2, 2021

Mark Piercy said:
36psi and 26psi?

That sounds about right

P38A Ride quality.

Think outside, no box required.

Well-Known Member

Think outside, no box required.

Well-Known Member

Think outside, no box required.

Very

Well-Known Member

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Well-Known Member

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Very

Well-Known Member

Think outside, no box required.

Well fumbled member....

Well-Known Member

Think outside, no box required.

Well fumbled member....

Think outside, no box required.

Similar threads