Rear Track Brace

[rogersla]

Quick question which I've found conflicting info on...

Did the 2006 Elise Sport come equipped with the Rear Track Brack from the factory?

My TrackPack did, but I'm changing shocks and switching to the Sport Springs. In order to stay SS legal, I need to know if the rear track brace needs to come off since I'll essentially be "downgrading" the car to a Sport with the Springs change.

And, I'll have to set my ride height at 130 front and rear.

My co-driver and I have decided to try the Sport springs for a few events. then, we'll decide if the 2 stage Trackpack springs are worth putting back on for the ride height adjustments.

[sleepe]

yes, the sport elise came with the toe-link brace....same as track pack

[Ryno]

If you want to be 100% legal I've been told you have to change out the roll cage as well. (different steel)

[rogersla]

Thanks for the reply on the track brace.

Roll cage. Are you referring to the structure inside the area rear of the tonneau cover. No, that is not changing. Someone is going to have to protest me on that one I guess. What would be the basis? Weight? Stiffness?

This may all become moot, cause even though the conventional wisdom is that the sport springs are better, I'm still not convinced that the softer first stage of the Track springs won't be better for dealing with corner entry push. We should be able to tell rather quickly. Our first event of the year is in about 3 weeks.

[mtcossie]

The 2006 Sport package does not have the toe link brace. If they did I better call Lotus because mine 06 Sport Package doesn't have one. The Yellow Elise Sport wasn't eligable for SS

Hope to see the white Lotus at Helena this year!

[Ryno]

Originally Posted by rogersla

Thanks for the reply on the track brace.

Roll cage. Are you referring to the structure inside the area rear of the tonneau cover. No, that is not changing. Someone is going to have to protest me on that one I guess. What would be the basis? Weight? Stiffness?

This may all become moot, cause even though the conventional wisdom is that the sport springs are better, I'm still not convinced that the softer first stage of the Track springs won't be better for dealing with corner entry push. We should be able to tell rather quickly. Our first event of the year is in about 3 weeks.

No real basis other than it's the way they come.

[AZReason]

Unless the SCCA rules have changed...

The brace is a FACTORY installed option not a DEALER installed option, so, it is legal on any version (LTS,LSS [sport pack],TP)

Also, I think the OP is confusing us. There was a "Sport Elise" that came with Ohlins, a harness bar (sometimes), special paint, wheels etc., then there is a Sport Pack that came as an option (different wheels, shocks, springs and an extra oil cooler). I assume you want to use the sports pack springs on your track pack shocks since you are trying to match the sport pack ride height. Seems legal to me.

I think sleepe and mtcossie comments are directed at the Sport Elise that is illegal in SS, not a Track Pack or Sport Pack equiped Elise.

[rogersla]

Ah yes, my mistake in being unclear.

I have installed the springs from the Sport Pack Elise. Mounted on Ohlins double adjustable shocks.

I need to set my ride height at the Sport Pack height, and I think I will be in compliance for SS.

And, MTCOSSIE, my tally says I've been to your site twice now and you've not been to mine at all. You've got to come this way sometime. Maybe we should meet in Spokane for an event. They have a great club going there now and a really nice site.

[Ryno]

Originally Posted by AZReason

Unless the SCCA rules have changed...

The brace is a FACTORY installed option not a DEALER installed option, so, it is legal on any version (LTS,LSS [sport pack],TP)

Also, I think the OP is confusing us. There was a "Sport Elise" that came with Ohlins, a harness bar (sometimes), special paint, wheels etc., then there is a Sport Pack that came as an option (different wheels, shocks, springs and an extra oil cooler). I assume you want to use the sports pack springs on your track pack shocks since you are trying to match the sport pack ride height. Seems legal to me.

I think sleepe and mtcossie comments are directed at the Sport Elise that is illegal in SS, not a Track Pack or Sport Pack equiped Elise.

The problem is the brace came as part of a package, to add or remove you have to include all options that came in the package.

[AZReason]

Oh, I thought the brace could be ordered independently. Ryno is most likely correct. Sorry for the confusion. I ordered my car in 2004. Make sure you use the Lotus recomended ballast for the ride height setup.

[BTC]

Originally Posted by rogersla

I need to set my ride height at the Sport Pack height, and I think I will be in compliance for SS.

This won't put you in compliance. The SCCA shock rule dictates the distance from the mount to the spring bearing surface. You have to match the OEM distances. There is no wiggle room on that measurement (other than part tolerances) and it will dictate ride height along with the nitrogen pressures. Ride height isn't actually a compliance issue in stock.

Here is part of the rule;

3. Adjustable spring perches are allowed, but the spring loadbearing
surface must be in the same location relative to the
shock mounting points as on the standard part. Shims may
be used to achieve compliance.

When you switched to the LSS spring your mounting distances are dictated by the two positions on the LSS shock.

[John Stimson]

You're going to confuse yourselves if you don't use the proper names for the cars.

The yellow/grey limited edition that with upgrades from Lotus Sport is called the Lotus Sport Elise. That's (Lotus Sport) Elise, because the in-house tuning group that created the package is called Lotus Sport.

Then there are Lotus Elises with the Sport Pack or Sport Suspension. You might want to call it a Lotus (Sport Elise) but that sounds and reads just like (Lotus Sport) Elise, so you're going to get into disagreements for no good reason if you do that.

[plastique999]

Originally Posted by rogersla

Ah yes, my mistake in being unclear.

I have installed the springs from the Sport Pack Elise. Mounted on Ohlins double adjustable shocks.

I need to set my ride height at the Sport Pack height, and I think I will be in compliance for SS.

And, MTCOSSIE, my tally says I've been to your site twice now and you've not been to mine at all. You've got to come this way sometime. Maybe we should meet in Spokane for an event. They have a great club going there now and a really nice site.

Off topic, but curious what your settings are on the Ohlins DA?

[codingparadox]

rogersla:

Are you codriving with Mitch this year? =D

[rogersla]

Originally Posted by codingparadox

rogersla:

Are you codriving with Mitch this year? =D

Yeah, Mitch, I, and my GF are a team. Our car, his tires. We'll be at Packwood as much as possible. Looking forward to comparing times with you as we tune our settings.

[codingparadox]

Cool! Did you switch back to the sport pack based on what I told Mitch?

Are you just having him buy tires for the whole year? I'm trying to figure out what to charge my codriver for the year. "Tires for the whole year" was my current thoughts, esp since I'm bringing a set of 80-run and a set of 40-run tires with me to start the season.

Ever gonna make it out to Bremerton or is that just too far?

[PedalFaster]

Originally Posted by codingparadox

I'm trying to figure out what to charge my codriver for the year. "Tires for the whole year" was my current thoughts, esp since I'm bringing a set of 80-run and a set of 40-run tires with me to start the season.

I hear that the latest in thing is to let codrivers drive for free... I read it on the internet, so it must be true.