bilsteins for rallying ?

[R14LYX]

hi gents, ill be ordering all the parts for my rally car build in the next few weeks , ill be doing mainly road rallys with the odd single venue thrown in , so mainly tarmac but with the odd bit of gravel and rough concrete.. i been searching for ages for what bilsteins to use ?

outpace had this kit
http://www.cliosport.net/threads/bilstein-tarmac-coilovers-rally-parts-for-172-182.529059/

but i cant seem to find that anywhere

there is the b14 kit but is this going to be upto the job and also it says it lowers the car i want to higher it a little

i cant really afford 4k for the reigers just yet though that will probably be the route i will take in the future

any help would be appreciated

thanks

Chris

 

[Pauleds]

I need to decide for my rally build too as I'm not a fan of my koni dampers and eibach springs on the lanes even though I have found them really good on the Sprint and Hillclimb tracks.
I also looked at B14 dampers but I'm not sure how they would cope on the lanes.
I've got a while before I need to get some though.
If some AST dampers turn up I think I would try them.

 

[Cub.]

Bilsteins are good (I've had b14s on the car for 3 years). But I wouldn't say they are good enough for a rally car. Largely because they aren't adjustable.

I'd look to get some adjustables, so you can change for Tarmac vs gravel etc. If budget is a problem, speak to @MicKPM regarding BC's. I'm likely to move from the Billies to BC's at some point in the near future, if I don't go for ASTs.

 

[R14LYX]

I spoken to some of the Belgium drivers and they use either proflex or bilsteins b14 Road rallys are 120+ mile so it takes a strong system.. Stuff like spax leda and of the cheaper shite overheats and becomes useless by the end of the night

So far it's
1.Bilstein
2.Kw
3.Gaz gold

Eventually I'll upgrade to reiger

 

[ashley_t]

I wouldnt call leda shite... And im sure gaz brought them anyway,

As said... Ast's are also good

 

[Pauleds]

I always used bilstein on my 205's and never had a problem, they just seem to be more track focused for the clio so I'm not sure what they would be like on the fast bumpy lanes. Belgium is a better comparison but still a lot smoother than the potholed crap we have to contend with over here.

 

[R14LYX]

My mate had a pair of adjustable ledas on a 205 he started the night on 5 ended the night on adjustment 24 they were totally fucked In one night! The b14 is definitely a track focused Strut but there is alot of cars in Belgium that run them but I'm not sure if they run the b14 or another version

 

[sam JFM]

Ive done 5 tarmac rallies on my ledas and not had a problem tbf

Not owned by gaz , small engineering outfit in Lincolnshire

B14s would probably be what I would start with

 

[MicKPM]

[QUOTE="Cub.] If budget is a problem, speak to @MicKPM regarding BC's. I'm likely to move from the Billies to BC's at some point in the near future, if I don't go for ASTs.[/QUOTE]

The BC's don't seem to get much love on here, maybe because they're so late to the game or possibly because people think they are a budget brand but believe me, they're not.

They are however ore suited to circuit work than rallying. One thing I like is they have huge scope for customisation and then there's the spares and option that comes with them: springs at many rates, adjusters, custom valving and rebound. I've just received my custom setup for my Cup and cannot wait to get them on and setup. The overall quality is brilliant to and my last set, with over 18months use never saw them leak, seize or break.

Not AST's but I have been told Corner Force rate them highly as a competition unit.

Mick

 

[R14LYX]

Thanks for everyone's input so far! I think track suspension is much more finely tuned but most of them won't stand the abuse a rally car gets unless you are willing to spend 3k+ there doesn't seem to be many options, I'll go for the billies I think buy a reiger Strut every 6 months.. Haha

 

[MicKPM]

I guess it depends on the stage conditions but I believe you want something with a fair bit of travel and maybe remote reservoirs.

 

[R14LYX]

Road rallying isn't stages.. It's not gravel or tarmac it's both in the same night without the time to adjust settings so you want a good all roudner which is pretty hard to find! Bilsteins are the norm you see as they are stiffer than normals and can take the punishment (my old man has an ae86 and the his have done over 50 events and they are still good!) it's just so easy to pay alot for a not so known maker and end up having to put them In the bin the next day

 

[MicKPM]

Well if you want to try a setup, come on over to Notts. I'm sure I can sort you out a good deal on a custom setup.

 

[R14LYX]

Thanks for the offer mick is that bcs? It will be a few months yet as the car is being stripped to a bare shell then built.. I wanted to have a big pile of bits (including suspension) and just bolt them on but I'm not to sure now! To many options!

 

[MicKPM]

Yep and I'll probably be at Bedford in Feb if you wanted to try them

 

[Dan@SJM]

"The cup is staying standard" eh Mick

 

[EVOgone]

Get B14s best value for money, they will cope with most situations for rallying.

Reigers are for when you want the last few seconds per stage so would be one of the last things on your list.

 

[Pauleds]

What events have you used B14 on @EVOgone

 

[EVOgone]

Been rallying competitive Clios for some time have track car with bilsteins and had ohlins on my old rally car and Reigers on the current one. All 230/240 bhp cars and bilsteins are the best for sub 1k.

 

[EVOgone]

 

[Pauleds]

Yes I know you've been rallying for ages, but what actual events have you actually used b14's on, as I'm sure they would be great at Wigan or the prom stages, as would the konis I already have, but would they cope with proper lanes which are a lot more bumps and yumps such as event or the Manx? As I find my konis twitchy as hell down the lanes.

 

[EVOgone]

Yes they would be fine done lots of RR on the bilsteins and there most reliable cheep set up and not too low at the back like some.

If it's twitchy it's not due to the konis it will be the setup.

 

[Pauleds]

On hard or soft it just didn't feel right, it was probably a bit better with the original standard cup suspension down the lanes, yet the konis and eibach springs have been great at Wigan, Prescot, loton park, Aintree, anglesey, Oulton and mallory which are all flat and smooth.

 

[derek182]

I used to rally a Rover 214, sounds an unlikely weapon but a very effective enduro rally/road rally car along with the similar MGZRs, most of the top cars run Gaz Gold as did mine, we had 7" springs for tarmac, 9" for smooth gravel and 11" for rough road rallies, and adjusted the damping accordingly, can't remember the spring rates but even the tarmac setup was softer than a trackday setup as most airfield single venues are far tighter and bumpier than a race track, even the Brands Hatch rally had a jump in the pits. I'm quite lazy/short of spare time so it generally stayed on the 9" springs for everything, like that it felt invincible down our bumpy country lanes.
I currently have a 182 Cup which I'm hoping to use for trackdays and local targa rallies (special tests laid out on an airfield with an average 30mph maximum but with some rough and loose sections), it's currently on Spaz RSX, which it came with, set not much lower than standard on the springs it came with, softest damper setting seems best for the bumpy country lane test but still nowhere near the Rover, think a change to longer softer springs may be next. Not convinced at all about the Spax but can't justify going to Gaz Golds.

 

[R14LYX]

You rate your gaz golds then?

 

[derek182]

Thought the Gaz Golds were excellent and Gaz were very helpful and good value when I had a pair rebuilt.
I think the key to a good rally setup is the springs, most coilovers are sold for trackdays/lowering and the springs are far too short and stiff for a bumpy road/offroad setup, the coilovers themselves have sufficient range of adjustment to work for both. I would talk to Gaz or Bilstein themselves if possible, explain what you are looking for and they should be able to come up with something suitable.