This is owner knowledge from forum threads, not a parts catalogue, and owners differ in places (see the front lengths). Confirm with the supplier or the Lotus parts catalogue before you buy, and don't treat any measurement here as a build specification.
What fits what
| Position | What owners said (2010 and 2019) |
|---|---|
| Front, all | The VX has Elise S1 wishbone geometry at the front. S2 front wishbones are all the same, and one owner says S1 are 7 mm shorter. Another says S2 top wishbones are about 8 mm longer each side. Owners differ by a millimetre, so treat it as 7 to 8 mm. |
| Rear, NA (2.2) | One owner says the NA rears are the same as the K-series S2 Elise. K-series S2 dimensions match but the arms are not as strong (his words). |
| Rear, Turbo | The same owner says the Turbo rears match the Toyota-powered S2 Elise (111R). Another notes extra bracing underneath the rear lower wishbones on turbo-spec cars, and some odd mismatched pairs on NAs. |
| Rear upper | One owner ordered a rear upper from Elise Parts in 2009 by sending a photo so they could confirm the right type; he understood it was from the 111R. |
| General | "Anything from an S2 fits, but S1s have different lengths" (one owner, who said he was pretty sure). Toyota S2 uppers were suggested for owners on sticky tyres who bend their standard ones. |
The thread didn't settle whether the NA originally had S1 or S2 Elise wishbones, and doesn't answer whether Turbo wishbones fit an NA. One owner was asked the second question and replied that it had all been answered above, which points to the table. We have not seen a definitive answer.
Front wishbone lengths
Measured centre of bush to centre of ball joint, as posted in 2019 (one owner's measurement for his Speedster, so no tolerance is given):
| Wishbone | Speedster | Elise S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Front lower | 378 mm | 386 mm |
| Front upper | 230 mm | 238 mm (his guess) |
- The 8 mm difference matches the S2 top wishbone being about 8 mm longer, as above.
- The Exige V6 is said to be about 15 mm longer, but the owner was unsure. Another says the V6 top wishbone has reinforcements from Lotus for the extra length.
- Elise Parts arms are said to give about one degree extra camber ("as I understand it").
- Reconditioned arms are available from some owners.
Longer uppers: one owner's build
Some owners fit longer front wishbones to reduce kingpin inclination (KPI), cut bump steer and recover negative camber. Two owners discussed it in 2019; only one had actually built a set, so this is an account rather than a recipe:
- His upper wishbones are 20 mm longer, for about 5° of KPI. He made them from tube of the same specification but 22 mm outside diameter, up from the standard 19 mm, because he expected the extra weight of the car and the extra length to need it.
- He also machined his uprights and/or steering arms, to get the negative camber back. Another owner in the thread, who was planning about 22 mm extra length and about 6° KPI, was told he would need to machine the hub carriers by around 16 mm in total for 6° on a standard car, and that the gains came from changing the KPI as well as the length.
- A third owner asked whether the bump steer had been measured and said several cheaper fixes exist if it is excessive.
Altering the length of suspension arms changes bump steer, camber gain and loads. Nothing in the threads shows testing or approval of a modified set, so don't copy this without the engineering to back it. See Wheel alignment for the geometry basics.
For fitting, bushes and joints see Wishbone ball joints and bushes and Front wishbone removal.
Help wanted
We would like measured rear wishbone lengths, confirmed NA versus Turbo part numbers, and whether Elise or Exige wishbones fit as the owners describe. If you have measured yours, please tell us how.