Best suspensions setup?

[Gardus]

I'm looking around to find out what is the best setup for my 172.

By now I have the standard setup, non-cup, with eibach front camber bolts.
I'm running 1,5° camber front, -2mm toe out, less than 1° camber rear and 0 toe.

Car is ok, a bit camber sensitive at high speed but nice turn in and not too tail happy.

I don't think it's perfect though. I'd like it a bit stiffer, with less pitch under acceleration, with better steering feel and less understeer. And if possible, better wheel movement control on potholes and rugged tarmac.

I like the Gaz coilovers, but I think the chep ones aren't the way to go, no extension adjustmen, and not sure about the quality. What do you think, better to go with the more expensive ones or for KW var 2?

I'm thinking to put on a Whiteline rear antiroll bar and a front strut brace, are they worth the price in handling results?

 

[Gardus]

I don't want a car too stiff, i've had lower back problem. The Mini Cooper on eibach is too harsh, the clio is better, i don't want to ruin the ride!

I'm thinking to put on top mounts too.

 

[fil_b]

rob just had the bilsteins and they are very nice ride

stiff when cornering but nice to drive

 

[Bluebeard]

I've only ever driven a three modified 172's.

Standard, Lowered on Apex Springs and KW V2's. KW V2's are absolutely amazing. Out of this world!!

 

[Gardus]

The KW v2 are a bit expensive, to spend 1300 euro on a car that costs 6000...
Bilstein is nice too but no compression-extension adjustment for that price seems a bit too much.
The Gaz's are available with different springs, I'd go for the soft ones.

If i don't go for coilovers what dampers and springs are best matched?

 

[Bluebeard]

I've got Gaz on my Mk1 Clio 16v and they are useless. I'd rather use straws and glue.

 

[mike1pow]

Vmaxx coilovers. great for the road, adjustable front camber and cheap too

 

[ForceIndia]

You get what you pay for. I'm running kw v2's and a whiteline arb. Without the arb I was hassling 911's on track (the r888's helped as well!). Dan, was it howsers car you tried with kw's?

 

[Gardus]

How is the KW V2 on poor tarmac, how did you set it up? I do a lot of country roads to go to my girlfriend...
Warren did the car changed a lot with the arb?
KW is reccomended by ready4track too, and they say to avoid Gaz.

Daniel which version do you have of the gaz?

 

[ForceIndia]

Rough b roads are fine with the kw's feels similar to the trophy set up, slightly softer. For track firm it up and it's great. I've covered less than 100 miles since fitting the arb, but happy so far. Just feels more precise with no ride penalty.

 

[Gardus]

We'll i guess we have a winner...pricey though, it'll take some time cause i want to do it altoghether with the arb, top mounts (aren't they included with the coilover?) and a few other things.

 

[drhowser]

I've only ever driven a three modified 172's.

Standard, Lowered on Apex Springs and KW V2's. KW V2's are absolutely amazing. Out of this world!!

they aren't v2's

warren, it was mine. dan had my car for a few months..

 

[theduck]

For what you have said you want I would go with Koni Yellow Shocks and Eibach Sportline springs.

 

[ForceIndia]

they aren't v2's

warren, it was mine. dan had my car for a few months..

Didn't think they were V2's, wee bit more special!!

 

[ForceIndia]

We'll i guess we have a winner...pricey though, it'll take some time cause i want to do it altoghether with the arb, top mounts (aren't they included with the coilover?) and a few other things.

I'm just using standard topmounts. The ride quality is very good, perfectly useable day to day. But if you do get any track time, stiffen them up and you have a very good track set-up.

 

[Gardus]

So V2? The V1 is not good? What about what theduck said?

I'd really like to be able to stiff them up for track work.

 

[Gardus]

Anyone have experience of the Weitec or the FK (both adjustable and not versione) kits?

I've just sent a mail to k-tec, let's see what they suggest!

I've been offered used H&R springs with koni yellow dampers...what is the max mileage acceptable?

 

[ForceIndia]

The koni's are not really a track based setup, meant to be good for road use. I'd speak to fred @ btm rather than ktec. He has experience of pretty much every kit going. May be able to supply as well.

 

[ForceIndia]

The v1's aren't a bad bit of kit, but I'd rather have h&r's or the bilsteins than the v1 kit.

 

[Gardus]

Warren can you be a bit explicit, what is BTM?

 

[Bluebeard]

they aren't v2's

warren, it was mine. dan had my car for a few months..

Really?!! Oh ffs. I've just ordered some they were so bloody good!

 

[ForceIndia]

Fred's company! He supplied, fitted, setup my v2's. Contact details are in the traders section on here. Uber helpful and knows his stuff when it comes to suspension. Used to be part of yozzasport.

 

[ForceIndia]

Really?!! Oh ffs. I've just ordered some they were so bloody good!

You won't be unhappy, mine are v2's. Howsers are competition spec kw's. I told you how my laptimes tumbled just from playing with the damping, they'll be great.

 

[Gardus]

I've just sent an email to fred too, thanks warren. Let's see.

 

[drhowser]

Really?!! Oh ffs. I've just ordered some they were so bloody good!

don't worry, listen to warren

they will still be very good!

 

[Fred@BTM]

Really?!! Oh ffs. I've just ordered some they were so bloody good!

dougs are not bad, needs a setup badly as it all over the shop at the moment

 

[Fletcher]

H&R's are good.

 

[theduck]

The koni's are not really a track based setup, meant to be good for road use. I'd speak to fred @ btm rather than ktec. He has experience of pretty much every kit going. May be able to supply as well.

I suggested the Eibach/Koni setup mainly because of the below statement

I don't want a car too stiff, i've had lower back problem. The Mini Cooper on eibach is too harsh, the clio is better, i don't want to ruin the ride!

I'm thinking to put on top mounts too.

 

[ForceIndia]

The kw v2's are no stiffer than a 182trophy when set to soft. Rides better than a cooper s with the sports suspension option.

 

[ForceIndia]

H&R's are good.

Yep. V2's are better for me, but pricier.

 

[bradharding24]

Unless you pay 3k + for a set of proper suspension (with set up), i dont see the point to upgrading the standard stuff.

The bilstein group n stuff is good as its tried and tested on rally cars and you can get it second hand for the price of most 'kits'. Apart from that my personal opinion is that most aftermarket suspension is cheap 'chinese' tat that is for looks and not racing.

 

[ForceIndia]

Unless you pay 3k + for a set of proper suspension (with set up), i dont see the point to upgrading the standard stuff.

The bilstein group n stuff is good as its tried and tested on rally cars and you can get it second hand for the price of most 'kits'. Apart from that my personal opinion is that most aftermarket suspension is cheap 'chinese' tat that is for looks and not racing.

Nonsense. But then I'd expect nothing else

 

[Gardus]

I think i'll go budget, joker (you can see his post just close to mine) could sell me H&R springs + Koni yellow. 20.000 km, is that much?

 

[ForceIndia]

Whatever you do, don't bother with a front strut brace. If you want to help eliminate understeer, just get the rear arb.

 

[shiyan]

Whatever you do, don't bother with a front strut brace. If you want to help eliminate understeer, just get the rear arb.

car not too oversteery for track use afterwards then?

 

[drhowser]

dougs are not bad, needs a setup badly as it all over the shop at the moment

that's probably got something to do with what daniel was doing to it at combe

 

[Gardus]

So you think the H&R+Koni and the whiteline could be enough?

 

[ForceIndia]

So you think the H&R+Koni and the whiteline could be enough?

For road use, I'd imagine so, but obviuously they are fixed height.

 

[Gardus]

Yes, so I can't set them up with the scales... I hope the H&R aren't too rough on potholes etc...

 

[theduck]

If the h+rs are too tough swap for eibachs