My vectra sri 150
- Thread starter SriSte
- Start date
SriSte
Regular Member
Thankyou for the kind comments, it's nice to know its entertaining 
Its getting there slowly, I haven't been fortunate with the weather to do much to it recently, This threads due a proper update and luckily plans are in hand :angel:
Its got fully functional vectra electric rear windows now, and I'm awaiting some parts from vauxhall (£160 on trade!) to fit this lot next weekend
Excuse the scattered stuff
Its time to get rid of the slightly random ride from having suspension components with 50k miles difference in use.
Its getting a bit pricey :silent:
Its getting there slowly, I haven't been fortunate with the weather to do much to it recently, This threads due a proper update and luckily plans are in hand :angel:
Its got fully functional vectra electric rear windows now, and I'm awaiting some parts from vauxhall (£160 on trade!) to fit this lot next weekend
Excuse the scattered stuff
Its time to get rid of the slightly random ride from having suspension components with 50k miles difference in use.
Its getting a bit pricey :silent:
SriSte
Regular Member
Well, my vauxhall stuff arrived, but the part I needed the most wasn't there, so a quick call to LMF vauxhall and I had a set of springs seats and bearings on the way. But the expected delivery wasn't until after the upcoming weekend.
While the weather was good I got my rear doors finished and back together, nice to have all round sound again!
Well this afternoon the parts from LMF arrived early so I was straight in the car and off to Newcastle to fit them, working on a muddy drive isn't much fun.
By the time I got there we only had around 2 hours of daylight to fit bits. So currently the front suspension has been replaced and the anti roll bar links. So just the rear suspension to do tomorrow, so i'll be staying in Newcastle until tomorrow.
Thankyou envoy cdx for the help and use of your spring compressors
I can't get the pictures off my camera at the moment so I'll write a proper update when i'm home.
All good!
While the weather was good I got my rear doors finished and back together, nice to have all round sound again!
Well this afternoon the parts from LMF arrived early so I was straight in the car and off to Newcastle to fit them, working on a muddy drive isn't much fun.
By the time I got there we only had around 2 hours of daylight to fit bits. So currently the front suspension has been replaced and the anti roll bar links. So just the rear suspension to do tomorrow, so i'll be staying in Newcastle until tomorrow.
Thankyou envoy cdx for the help and use of your spring compressors
I can't get the pictures off my camera at the moment so I'll write a proper update when i'm home.
All good!
SriSte
Regular Member
I'm home
Well the electric window fixing was a bit more involving than expected
The existing omega motors seemed to be fitted strangely..
With rivets in newly drilled holes, i'd already refitted the new motors by this point.
More extra holes and it looks like it has been hammered?
And the loom that's mostly sat in the bottom of the doors
It's a loom from a 92 vauxhall joined to the vectras existing loom
I didn't have a proper vectra loom to hand so the extra wires and connectors were stripped out and the rest taped back up.
Well it seems to work anyway dunno..
The window motors were replaced with vectra ones, riveted into the proper holes and all working showo..
The next job was getting the doors back together
Speaker wiring was a bit easier than the fronts.
No dynamat or plastic sheeting yet, that's a job further down the to do list for now.
I need some vectra switches for the rear doors now, its got cavalier ones in at the moment, still thinking what to fill the hole where the winder used to go with :roll:
Anyway more mechanical things!
With the arrival of the last parts I needed to fit the suspension on saturday I packed the car up and headed to Newcastle to envoy cdx's Nice smooth tarmac to work on there and he has a set of spring compressors. And vauxhall dealerships if we break something
Everything was new apart from the bump stops and the nut that holds the top mount and the spring assembly together on the damper
The Eibach springs are shorter than the old standard ones, but thicker
This could well be the cause of the odd ride :think:
A few coils missing, not enough to cause any rattles though, No sign of where they went.
I wasn't sure what the orientation of the upper spring seat was meant to be, I put it at its most level and left it at that
Seems okay lol
The hardest part was getting the old anti roll bar link off, the bottom nut was almost off before it jammed up, envoy cdx managed to remove it, it took more effort than it should of!
Everything went back together okay
It seemed like a good time to renew the ARB links.
The bilstein shock absorbers need a hex key to hold the strut while bolting it to the turret instead of the vauxhall 8mm spanner fitment. The plastic caps don't fit any more because of this so i'll need to modify them.
Sitting high, lets see how they settle.
Onto the rears
Plenty of mud to get covered in
There's adjustment in the bolt holes that hold the rear suspension to the body, what's it for?
More parts in the rear suspension
The bilstein dampers are thicker than standard
Seems a shame to put rusty parts back on
The bits of masking tape were wrapped around the spring so the compressors didn't remove any paint.
I'll have to get those bits stripped an painted.
And fitted
All new bolts, although the ones on the rear were in surprisingly good condition.
The eibachs are taller than the standard rear springs
Had part of a coil missing from one of the old springs, not much though.
The old passenger side suspension had an extra lower spring mount too :?
All done
Low at the back and high at the front
I know it needs a wash lol I wasn't expecting the suspension parts to arrive for another few days.
It handles a LOT better, it has a great ride now, it'll be interesting to see how it all settles.
Well the electric window fixing was a bit more involving than expected
The existing omega motors seemed to be fitted strangely..
With rivets in newly drilled holes, i'd already refitted the new motors by this point.
More extra holes and it looks like it has been hammered?
And the loom that's mostly sat in the bottom of the doors
It's a loom from a 92 vauxhall joined to the vectras existing loom
I didn't have a proper vectra loom to hand so the extra wires and connectors were stripped out and the rest taped back up.
Well it seems to work anyway dunno..
The window motors were replaced with vectra ones, riveted into the proper holes and all working showo..
The next job was getting the doors back together
Speaker wiring was a bit easier than the fronts.
No dynamat or plastic sheeting yet, that's a job further down the to do list for now.
I need some vectra switches for the rear doors now, its got cavalier ones in at the moment, still thinking what to fill the hole where the winder used to go with :roll:
Anyway more mechanical things!
With the arrival of the last parts I needed to fit the suspension on saturday I packed the car up and headed to Newcastle to envoy cdx's
Nice smooth tarmac to work on there and he has a set of spring compressors. And vauxhall dealerships if we break something Everything was new apart from the bump stops and the nut that holds the top mount and the spring assembly together on the damper
The Eibach springs are shorter than the old standard ones, but thicker
This could well be the cause of the odd ride :think:
A few coils missing, not enough to cause any rattles though, No sign of where they went.
I wasn't sure what the orientation of the upper spring seat was meant to be, I put it at its most level and left it at that
Seems okay lol
The hardest part was getting the old anti roll bar link off, the bottom nut was almost off before it jammed up, envoy cdx managed to remove it, it took more effort than it should of!
Everything went back together okay
It seemed like a good time to renew the ARB links.
The bilstein shock absorbers need a hex key to hold the strut while bolting it to the turret instead of the vauxhall 8mm spanner fitment. The plastic caps don't fit any more because of this so i'll need to modify them.
Sitting high, lets see how they settle.
Onto the rears
Plenty of mud to get covered in
There's adjustment in the bolt holes that hold the rear suspension to the body, what's it for?
More parts in the rear suspension
The bilstein dampers are thicker than standard
Seems a shame to put rusty parts back on
The bits of masking tape were wrapped around the spring so the compressors didn't remove any paint.
I'll have to get those bits stripped an painted.
And fitted
All new bolts, although the ones on the rear were in surprisingly good condition.
The eibachs are taller than the standard rear springs
Had part of a coil missing from one of the old springs, not much though.
The old passenger side suspension had an extra lower spring mount too :?
All done
Low at the back and high at the front
I know it needs a wash lol I wasn't expecting the suspension parts to arrive for another few days.
It handles a LOT better, it has a great ride now, it'll be interesting to see how it all settles.
SriSte
Regular Member
That looks much more composed than mine does, no to mention cleaner
Maybe I need to replace the rubber bushes in the rear suspension too, that should help even it out.
With the front components new and uncompressed I maybe should have expected this.
How are you finding the ride? Mine feels a lot firmer, but somehow softer over bumps, there's a big difference driving over cobbled streets.
Maybe I need to replace the rubber bushes in the rear suspension too, that should help even it out.
With the front components new and uncompressed I maybe should have expected this.
How are you finding the ride? Mine feels a lot firmer, but somehow softer over bumps, there's a big difference driving over cobbled streets.
i dunno tbh
the only reason why i am thinking of selling it is cos of the roads around birmingham, i get cant redline it without braking first
my missus is learning to drive and i am on the look out for a corsa so i might insure myself on that and use that to drive about rather than wreck mine
the only reason why i am thinking of selling it is cos of the roads around birmingham, i get cant redline it without braking first
my missus is learning to drive and i am on the look out for a corsa so i might insure myself on that and use that to drive about rather than wreck mine
SriSte
Regular Member
Yeah, just normal droplinks from vauxhall, around £12ish each I think on trade. Ive tried the ebay ones before, their no cheaper and the boots are made of clear plastic rather than rubber!
The springs are from Courtenays From the conversation I had the nose weight is heavier than what the springs are rated at, thats why I think its a bit odd the front is higher. Or does the rear look more than -40?
Its the first time i've lowered a car, i'm not sure what to expect really.
I did loads of searches about suspension, but its not until I noticed the new angle of my rear wheels and searched for 'camber' and realised how expensive this could get lol
I looked at astras but the equivalent 2.2 was 2 insurance groups higher than the vectra.
The springs are from Courtenays
From the conversation I had the nose weight is heavier than what the springs are rated at, thats why I think its a bit odd the front is higher. Or does the rear look more than -40?Its the first time i've lowered a car, i'm not sure what to expect really.
I did loads of searches about suspension, but its not until I noticed the new angle of my rear wheels and searched for 'camber' and realised how expensive this could get lol
I looked at astras but the equivalent 2.2 was 2 insurance groups higher than the vectra.
i would say the rear is sitting slightly lower than a 2.2 sri suspension but the front looks normal height, but your new front springs were substantially thicker than the standards hence the reason why along with new shocks, they are prob handling the weight a lot better than your standard setup
you be fine like that and she should feel like it is on rails going around bends
i always drop the rear lower than the front as i dont like the front banging off anything
usually 40 mm front 60 mm back
you be fine like that and she should feel like it is on rails going around bends
i always drop the rear lower than the front as i dont like the front banging off anything
usually 40 mm front 60 mm back
SriSte
Regular Member
Yeah certainly no complaints about how it drives, it feels like the steering wheel is connected to the road wheels now, rather than the steering wheel controlling how much the body lurches to one side round a corner lmao
My main concern was banging off things, the roads are very uneven here, but so far so good it all seems to make the car feel lighter somehow.
Im going to have to start jacking the rear of the car up to wash it though, i'll never get all that mud out from the arches otherwise
My main concern was banging off things, the roads are very uneven here, but so far so good it all seems to make the car feel lighter somehow.
Im going to have to start jacking the rear of the car up to wash it though, i'll never get all that mud out from the arches otherwise
Similar threads
Z22SE
Wet piston top