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Hotbits with external reservoir
- Thread starter grocery_getter
- Start date
iLLeffeKt vr-4
Well-known member
It doesn't matter what color they are because you can't see them unless you don't have rims and tires and you drive on your brake rotors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
turbowop
Well-known member
That second pic makes it look like the brake line connects to the external reservoir. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
Quoting iLLeffeKt vr-4:
It doesn't matter what color they are because you can't see them unless you don't have rims and tires and you drive on your brake rotors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
but the blue jack stand looks great against the black background
It doesn't matter what color they are because you can't see them unless you don't have rims and tires and you drive on your brake rotors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
but the blue jack stand looks great against the black background
Dialcaliper
Well-known member
Having brightly colored suspension components is like wearing rocket ship underpants...The only people to see them will be you, your significant other, and a bunch of random people on the internet...wait a minute... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif
Quoting iLLeffeKt vr-4:
It doesn't matter what color they are because you can't see them unless you don't have rims and tires and you drive on your brake rotors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The hotbits actually have a fairly thick damper shaft compared to most normal shocks (stock, Koni, etc). Coilovers need thicker shafts because they don't use offset spring perches like the stock setup (the shock actually takes a lot more bending loads) The "thick" shaft that is almost the size of the shock body is only found on "inverted" shocks. It's not actually the damper shaft, it's the shock body. The lower portion that mounts to the hub is a separate sleeve with a bushing that gives the shock additional strength.
On an inverted design, The fluid damper is actually inside the upper sleeve. If you were to look inside the lower body, you will see the same "small" shaft that goes into the bottom of the damper and actuates the piston that's up in the top section. The shock is literally installed in an "inverted" position. The bumpstop is also inside the bottom section instead of inside the spring. An inverted shock is slightly heavier than a "normal" one, but it is typically stronger, and most of the weight (the shock body, spring and fluid) move with the "sprung" body of the car instead of the unsprung wheel/hub portion. Also, the external reservoir can be mounted in a less vulnerable location inside the car instead of out on the hub.
The disadvantage of the inverted design is that friction is higher because of the sleeve and bushing, which makes the shock slightly less responsive in low-speed damping (the function that controls body roll, and roadholding on smooth roads). You can't win everything. Both designs have advantages and disadvantages. Inverted struts are most beneficial in applications like rally, since the shock is stronger and less vulnerable, and the damper sees high loads and is using a lot of "high piston speed" damping to absorb bumps and chatters, which makes friction and binding less of an issue. On a smooth track, it's more of a tossup (unsprung weight vs damper response) - properly dialing in damper settings is more important than the shock design.
Hotbits now offers an "RSI" inverted model as well as their normal design "DT1" and "DT2".
Larry, have you had a chance to put a set of the inverted hotbits on your dyno yet to see if they perform the same as the originals?
Quoting bazeng:
A quick question while we are on topic (suspension/coilovers)
What is the difference apart from strength with having a larger / thicker rod/shaft (is that what you call it?) vs a thinner one.
The hotbits seem to have a thin rod/shaft whereas bilsteins and DMS have much thicker ones.
Yet piston sizes are similar.
Would this be a negative with the hotbits?
Quoting iLLeffeKt vr-4:
It doesn't matter what color they are because you can't see them unless you don't have rims and tires and you drive on your brake rotors /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The hotbits actually have a fairly thick damper shaft compared to most normal shocks (stock, Koni, etc). Coilovers need thicker shafts because they don't use offset spring perches like the stock setup (the shock actually takes a lot more bending loads) The "thick" shaft that is almost the size of the shock body is only found on "inverted" shocks. It's not actually the damper shaft, it's the shock body. The lower portion that mounts to the hub is a separate sleeve with a bushing that gives the shock additional strength.
On an inverted design, The fluid damper is actually inside the upper sleeve. If you were to look inside the lower body, you will see the same "small" shaft that goes into the bottom of the damper and actuates the piston that's up in the top section. The shock is literally installed in an "inverted" position. The bumpstop is also inside the bottom section instead of inside the spring. An inverted shock is slightly heavier than a "normal" one, but it is typically stronger, and most of the weight (the shock body, spring and fluid) move with the "sprung" body of the car instead of the unsprung wheel/hub portion. Also, the external reservoir can be mounted in a less vulnerable location inside the car instead of out on the hub.
The disadvantage of the inverted design is that friction is higher because of the sleeve and bushing, which makes the shock slightly less responsive in low-speed damping (the function that controls body roll, and roadholding on smooth roads). You can't win everything. Both designs have advantages and disadvantages. Inverted struts are most beneficial in applications like rally, since the shock is stronger and less vulnerable, and the damper sees high loads and is using a lot of "high piston speed" damping to absorb bumps and chatters, which makes friction and binding less of an issue. On a smooth track, it's more of a tossup (unsprung weight vs damper response) - properly dialing in damper settings is more important than the shock design.
Hotbits now offers an "RSI" inverted model as well as their normal design "DT1" and "DT2".
Larry, have you had a chance to put a set of the inverted hotbits on your dyno yet to see if they perform the same as the originals?
Quoting bazeng:
A quick question while we are on topic (suspension/coilovers)
What is the difference apart from strength with having a larger / thicker rod/shaft (is that what you call it?) vs a thinner one.
The hotbits seem to have a thin rod/shaft whereas bilsteins and DMS have much thicker ones.
Yet piston sizes are similar.
Would this be a negative with the hotbits?
Last edited:
