# 'Nitron' shock systems



## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

http://www.nitron.co.uk/

A few of the guys on PH have had the 'sport' systems fitted to various TVRs (a Cerb a griffith and a few Saggys) and say it rids the car of it's twitchyness from the back end and makes the car more planted and bascially transforms the car completely to make it more precise and controlled.

Looking at the fitment & price list there seems to be loads of other popular apps and before plunging blind into a set which would cost over a grand, i wondered if anybody hear had heard of them or knew of anybody with a set fitted to a car (any marque) etc?

TIA


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

Modding already :lol:


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

BAMTT said:


> Modding already :lol:


Just looking! :roll:


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

I take it the Trevor is staying for a bit then [smiley=thumbsup.gif] ,

Maybe an after market supercharger kit in case you need to over take a long line of grand prix cars


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Don't you wnat to wait until you have tracked it and explored the stock chassis on-limit behaviour before changing any variables?

I have never heard of this company as one does koni, ohlins, Eibach, H&R etc. :?


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

garyc said:


> Don't you wnat to wait until you have tracked it and explored the stock chassis on-limit behaviour before changing any variables?
> 
> I have never heard of this company as one does koni, ohlins, Eibach, H&R etc. :?


Due to money constraints, any mods I make to her wont be done untill next year anyway, so ill have a few more miles (and hopefully trackdays) under my belt by then.

I hear what you are saying about the name though, which is why I have posed the question.


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## PhilJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Kev

I have got Nitrons fitted to my S2 Elise to replace the existing Lotus Sport Suspension. The ones I have are one way adjustable which allows you to adjust the firmness of the ride by rotating a bezel on the shock. The intention was I could soften the suspension for road use and then firm it up for the track. I am lazy and its left firm all the time.

I had the car corner weighted and geometry set up for track use at the same time, so its difficult to make a straight comparison with the old suspension. But the car is quick on track against similarly spec Elises and I can soften the ride for road use if required. Nitron also do a 3 way adjustable suspension, but I am not sure it offers any significant advantages unless you race. Also I guess there is more scope to get the wrong setting on a 3 way adjustable damper than a single one.

Nitron will refresh the dampers for you and this extends the warranty for another 12 months I believe. As far the Elise is concerned, I think for the money, they are considered the best dampers and certainly seem to be the most popular aftermarket choice. I also think that in Caterham circles they are well regarded.

Cheers

Phil.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

PhilJ said:


> Kev
> 
> I have got Nitrons fitted to my S2 Elise to replace the existing Lotus Sport Suspension. The ones I have are one way adjustable which allows you to adjust the firmness of the ride by rotating a bezel on the shock. The intention was I could soften the suspension for road use and then firm it up for the track. I am lazy and its left firm all the time.
> 
> ...


Interesting viewpoint. One could be forgiven for thinking that the chassis dynamics folks at Lotus are amongst the best in the business for defining, calibrating of spring damper settings.

But if Nitron is good enough for Elise and Caterham users, it should be fine for TVR.


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## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

Have you thought about doing an advanced driving course with Big Jon or similar, i would imagine this would be far more benificial to spending Â£1K on upgrading the suspension when i doubt you have even come close to the cars limit to warrant the upgrade :?


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## PhilJ (Sep 2, 2002)

garyc said:


> Interesting viewpoint. One could be forgiven for thinking that the chassis dynamics folks at Lotus are amongst the best in the business for defining, calibrating of spring damper settings.
> 
> But if Nitron is good enough for Elise and Caterham users, it should be fine for TVR.


I think it comes down to costs. Lotus are building the Elise down to a budget and standard Lotus dampers or those fitted as part of the sport suspension are more compromised than the Nitron set up. On the top of the range Elises (240r and VXR220) you can get Ohlins 3 way adjustables, but you pays your money and takes your choice. There's loads of information about Nitron suspension on forums such as SELOC.


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## paulb (May 6, 2002)

Thorney has Nitrons on his VX220. Has to be the most sorted car I've ever been in. They really know their stuff and they are a league above the regular Konis etc.

They were also used by Colin Blower in the British GT VX220 and have been fitted to numerous TVR race cars.

They'd do you very well.

Paul


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## Stu-Oxfordshire (May 7, 2002)

Yup, all i've heard about Nitrons is nothing but great reviews.

That said, no matter HOW good a set of coilovers are, unless you have them properly fitted by a specialist who can optimise the handling of the car to YOUR preference, you risk being very disappointed. I have recently fitted some HKS Hypermax coilovers to the Evo and I had read some disappointing reviews from various of the Evo "illumni" but everyone in the know was massively complimentary about them.

I had them fitted by a specialist not the local tyre shop) and they have transformed the car.


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## TJS (May 6, 2002)

As previously mentioned Nitrons are highly regarded in the elise/exige community.

see www.plansmotorsport .com for reference to Nitron NTR sport adjustable dampers for TVR


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## paulb (May 6, 2002)

Steve Guglielmi also has an excellent reputation for setting up TVRs


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

kmpowell said:


> Due to money constraints, any mods I make to her wont be done untill next year anyway


waiting to see what you have left after the heating bill for your flat :wink: :lol:


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

Firstly I must say that I think its great that you are thinking about mods, but as garyc says, the best approach is to try it on track to see. I remember Thorney telling me that TVRs were rubbish on track, that you needed to spend on the suspension to get them sorted, so I guess this would be a good place to start.

Really looking forward to seeing the car, particularly at a track day. However my memory of your track activity in the past is somewhat hazy...was it back in your TT days? I can't currently remember you driving at any of our track days in the past :wink: :roll:


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

Carlos said:


> Really looking forward to seeing the car, particularly at a track day. However my memory of your track activity in the past is somewhat hazy...was it back in your TT days? I can't currently remember you driving at any of our track days in the past :wink: :roll:


Careful Carl, you nearly started to sound like Tim "I've done one trackday, so I am now Michael F*cking Schumacher, enabling me to slate and take the piss out of Kevin for being nervous about tracking a RWD car" Gaywood. Don't go down that route please mate. 

In all honesty i've never tracked my own car before(i've done driving days at combe etc in other cars though) due to either money constraints (when i had the TT's) or weather constraints (when i had the S). I have however listened to a lot of advice regarding December @ Combe and am defo going to try and take my first step out, regardless of how slow and cautious i take it.  My plan is to take it easy throughout the day gently progressing and pushing the car, then it will give me a feel for the car and see if it needs these wonderful 'Nitrons' everybody is raving about. If i feel the car is too twitchy or unsteady, ill look into buying them next year, whilst in the mean time hopefully getting more track experience in.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

kmpowell said:


> Carlos said:
> 
> 
> > Really looking forward to seeing the car, particularly at a track day. However my memory of your track activity in the past is somewhat hazy...was it back in your TT days? I can't currently remember you driving at any of our track days in the past :wink: :roll:
> ...


You're beginning to sound like a whining girl, Powell.

I've done 1 trackday and learnt a lot - not least the need to be aware of my own abilities and those of the car I drive. I drove well within BOTH, and didn't even turn my ESP off... so claiming to be a World Champion I most certainly am NOT...

I simply suggested (to your face, AT THE TIME) that then was as good a time as any to learn how your S2000 would handle - and having heard you rave on about how much better it was than anything else you'd driven, I sort of expected you'd put your money where your mouth was and take it on the track to find out. You didn't.

If you can't drive a (RWD) car around a few bends without being scared it'll crash, you really shouldn't have bought TWO of them. Don't blame me if your nervous or scared of your own shadow...


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> I've done 1 trackday and learnt a lot - not least the need to be aware of my own abilities and those of the car I drive. I drove well within BOTH, and didn't even turn my ESP off... so claiming to be a World Champion I most certainly am NOT...
> 
> I simply suggested (to your face, AT THE TIME) that then was as good a time as any to learn how your S2000 would handle - and having heard you rave on about how much better it was than anything else you'd driven, I sort of expected you'd put your money where your mouth was and take it on the track to find out. You didn't.
> 
> If you can't drive a (RWD) car around a few bends without being scared it'll crash, you really shouldn't have bought TWO of them. Don't blame me if your nervous or scared of your own shadow...


For some reason you find it very difficult to comprehend why i didn't track my S2000 and am nervous of tracking the TVR, but i'll say it one more time for your benefit... THE WEATHER!!!!!!... Neither the S2000 or TVR had/have ANY kind of driver aids, no traction control, nor ESP etc etc. So for me to take it out in pissing down rain would be stupid if i wasn't comfortable with it, and if you reckon you would be confident taking a cars like that out on a track for the VERY first time in weather such as this country gets sometime, then you are a fool.

Yes i raved about the S2000 'cos in the dry it handled like nothing else i have ever driven and i stick by it, but unfortauntely the track day that was organised was in a time whent here was a large chance of rain, so why should i waste Â£100 on something i prob couldn't take part in?

The TVR is slightly different as it gives you prior warning when its going to bite, however with such huge power going to those rear wheels, i still feel a bit nervous.

If it wasn't for the weather and it was dry then i would have booked ages ago, so PLEASE can you finally see its nothing to do with me being scared of the cars, im scared of the cars in probable weather conditions, which is only natural! :?


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

kmpowell said:


> jampott said:
> 
> 
> > I've done 1 trackday and learnt a lot - not least the need to be aware of my own abilities and those of the car I drive. I drove well within BOTH, and didn't even turn my ESP off... so claiming to be a World Champion I most certainly am NOT...
> ...


But how are you going to get comfortable with it UNLESS you take it out in the rain? Castle Combe was lovely and sunny... and once we'd blown the ice of the racing line, I daresay it was every bit as driveable as a summer trackday.

I hope you enjoyed the trev over the summer. In case you weren't aware, the UK suffers from relatively wet and windy autumn, winter AND spring seasons (summer, too, if we aren't lucky...) so either you'll get VERY used to it VERY quickly, or you've bought something you can use for 10% of the year.

Either way, laying into me about it isn't going to help matters, is it?


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> kmpowell said:
> 
> 
> > jampott said:
> ...


You are right, Castle Combe was lovely and sunny, but at the time of booking what were the realistic chances of that happening in the middle of winter, for me to risk wasting Â£100 just the privilege of standing on the sidelines? Unfortauntely i was wrong, but you pays yer money and take your chances (which i couldn't afford to risk at the time). The good thing that came out of it was that i met some new people and managed to get lots of passenger rides.

I am quite aware of the weather in this country, but as i don't use the car as a track day only car and my commute to work is only 3 miles, I am under slightly different circumstances than you may think. I bought the TVR not for its Track/power ability, but instead for its luxury, its noise, it rareness and also its drop dead gorgeous looks (yes i am shallow as you well know!), so going as fast as i can all the time is not really high on the list of my priorities. But that doesn't mean i dont want to test the car to it's max under a condition i will feel safe in or am not a petrolhead.

I am not laying into you at all, but since you did your first track day, you have had several digs at me for not tracking and how I can't attend things cos im 'learning how to drive properly!' etc, sometimes banter maybe, but it get's a bit boring after a while when you are assuming things that are incorrect about me, and then making the comments.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Last I checked, February was hardly the "middle of winter"... :lol:

Driven with a sensible head, even an S2000 wasn't going to crash into the nearest armco barrier - winter or not. I agree with ScoTTy's point - the slower speeds of bad weather driving may even give you a BETTER idea of what goes on. I used to enjoy turning the aids (apart from the ABS) off in th Z. I learnt to drive it during the snowy weather in Ipswich, and it never had a chance of biting me, because I wasn't intent on getting everywhere as fast as I was used to in the TT.

You forget, Kev, that I've seen how you used to enjoy driving the TT. Is it any wonder that I assume you want to hoon around in the S2000 or the TVR too? I know you're a poser (as am I) but your favourite stories of the TTR always seemed to be the times you'd gone nuts around a roundabout. Not the times you'd polished it and stood back for a look.

Oh well, not to worry.


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## paulb (May 6, 2002)

Kevin

I tracked my VX220 the first weekend I owned it - the day was booked before I knew the TT was going. There was standing water on some of the corners and so things were built up very slowly. I had a couple of instruction sessions (always worth doing) and by the end of the day was driving through 3 inches of standing water at 80 mph on a bend in a car without (and I use your words) ANY kind of driver aids, no traction control, nor ESP etc etc. I leant more on that day that I would in a year of road driving. Yes, I was very slow at the beginning of the day, and far from quickest by the end, but I built up speed as I learnt the car.

The beauty of a track is that you can learn how *your* car feels on the limit and it can help recognise the same signs on the road. I admit that Combe is probably not the best place (I've never understood the fascination with the awful place anyway) but the track is the place to learn how a performance car with no driver aids performs.

Paul

PS - Tim, since winter officially runs from 21 December to 20 March, February sounds pretty close to the middle of winter to me.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

> PS - Tim, since winter officially runs from 21 December to 20 March, February sounds pretty close to the middle of winter to me.


Interesting "official" timing... and true, I believe, for the entire Northern Hemisphere.

I've always considered "winter" in the UK to mean November to Feb - ie a couple of months either side of the shortest day, as that is when our worst weather and darkest skies seem to occur.


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

Kev - all rib poking aside, I would think carefully about Combe in December. Stu and I were there on monday and it was a joke. I had zero (almost literally) grip on these useless Yokohama's which are supposedly my wet tyres. It was a case of tippy-toeing around feeling for grip, skating around every corner. Twice I wondered if I would be able to stop into Quarry. In the end it was fun as I learned that the car was progressive and I could drive it around corners with all 4 wheels slipping, but I wouldn't want to try it in a powerful RWD car. We had two crashes (a P1 and a Jap import scooby) and numerous cars being towed out of the potato field.

One thing that perhaps people don't realise is that in these conditions there is much less grip on track than on the road due to the smoothness of the tarmac - driving to and from the petrol station I had good grip, but as soon as I drove onto the track it changed completely.

As you know, I have a healthy disrespect for my own ability, I would never compare myself to Schumacher. I have also done rather more than one trackday, for all the good it has done


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## PhilJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Kev

I can sympathise with your concerns as pushing a powerful rear wheel drive car on track when you have no driver aids is a whole lot more intimidating than a car with ABS, 4 wheel drive and ESP etc.

Castle Coombe also not the most forgiving of circuits if it goes wrong.

I did a training day at North Weald with Car Limits http://www.carlimits.com before I ventured on track. Loads of run-off space and expert tuition from Andy Walsh. Gives you a feel for what happens on the limit, and even more fun in the wet.

Have a look at this video for an idea.

http://ceres.croydon.ac.uk/test77/spin.wmv

Cheers

Phil


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## TVR_Man (May 21, 2002)

So there's a TVRCC day just announced on a Sunday in early December at Snetterton. Might be worth a gamble.

To be honest, I've been really lucky this year, the one track day I chose not to do was Castle Combe, in June - on the day it rained and thundered the hardest it has all year. I'm glad I didn't go. If I was there I would probably not have gone out on track if there was serious standing water and rain. Cars like a TVR (or VX220) aquaplane easily. CC is a fast circuit = ouch. Cadwell would have been a different matter. Quite often after a few minutes a windy airfield stylee circuit starts to get a drying line - so you can get out without killing youself.

So what I'm saying Kevin is that it can pi55 down and be just as bad weather wise in the summer as in the winter.


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