Gaz or BC coilovers

[Raceface_13]

as title says,
Looking at coilovers and the Gaz GHA coilover are very well priced and iv heard a good few things about them but how do they match/compare to the BC’s? Also the GAZ rears are a coilover/McPhearson design rarther than spring/shock. Does this work well or is it abit of a bodge compared to higher priced versions?

 

[imprezaworks]

Never had either but bc’s Have high praise

 

[Clio_fool]

Having not looked into coilovers personally from what I have seen I can't say I've seen anyone fit the Gaz ones on here? I know the lower spec Gaz ones lose in popularity to b14's, but how the dearer ones compare I can't recall anyone saying. The BC's look pure p**n to me and would get my money unless the performance was outclassed by a rival.
Are you looking for road use or track? What is the price difference and will that be a deciding factor in your purchase?

 

[Clio_fool]

@Niall bc review?

 

[Niall]

Can't comment on the Gaz ones.

I bought the BCs (DR version, digressive valves for better ride and performance) because of my fast road/track setup. B14s were too soft for my needs and aren't damping adjustable (adjustability a big point of coilovers in the first place), and then I could still retain some comfort and road usability over something like ASTs or Gaz Golds. The design of them is better than all of the above too as I mention below.

The big pluses of the BCs are the free custom spring rates, from 4/8kg to 10/8kg (mine are 8/8kg), optional adjustable solid top mounts the same as the AST ones with camber/caster adjustment, 30 damper settings (with soft being comfortable and full hard being full on track stiffness), adjusters being at the top of the dampers so very convenient to change, preload adjustment, height adjustment via bottom collar to retain the full damper travel, well made and no horror stories from anybody who has owned them. The list goes on, just a really good design and good options.

My spring rates (8/8kg) means that when the dampers are on soft it's comfortable and totally dailyable but then on full hard it feels like the wheels are square on the road over little bumps it's that stiff, which on track is magic with sticky tyres, really works the rubber and eliminates a lot of the rolly sloppiness of softer setups with grippy tyres. So I'm really happy with the extremes of my setup. It's all personal, but of course you can adjust how extreme you want your setup with the spring rates and whether you choose solid top mounts.

Quality of them is brilliant, coated mine in ACF-50 when I got them, cleaned them up a few weeks back and they looked as good as new.

The description on Kam's site tells you everything you need to know really - Link



Overall, just no complaints whatsoever. Let me know if you have any specific questions, just offering a general overview from my experiences with them so far on road and track.

 

[JB21]

Gaz GHA are gash, BC's 100% but go with the DR's with their solid top mounts.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

GAZ Gold's are spot on (couldn't tell you about GHA's), I have them fitted to my track car. Yeah they cost me £800, then I had to go about getting top mounts but they're brilliant. So currently running GAZ Gold and Compbrake fully adjustable top mounts (exactly the same as AST).

 

[Lozza-p]

I've got gaz gha's fitted to my car. Done two track days with them fitted, they have made the car handle really well. I liked the fact the rears were coil over too.

 

[Raceface_13]

looks like the BC DR's are a good buy (done some research on them since the review above)
anyone else running different spring rates to the 8/8's? from your review the 8/8 sounds perfect just curious.

 

[JB21]

looks like the BC DR's are a good buy (done some research on them since the review above)
anyone else running different spring rates to the 8/8's? from your review the 8/8 sounds perfect just curious.

Is the car a daily as well? If so defo 8/8 if its just a track car then go 10/8.

 

[Raceface_13]

I use the car a couple times a week but no major journeys or commute at the moment (work 2 miles away so I bike) it is my sole car though so any journey I do have will be in it.
will have to drive to the ring on occasion also so 8/8 sounds bang on.
would you guys say to have the BC top mounts over PMS?.

 

[Niall]

Definitely go BC Mounts. Can't see a reason why not, same as the AST and KAM ones. Only £66 as an option too.

Here's mine when they were first fitted (ignore where they are camber/caster wise, since been changed).

BG 182 by Niall97, on Flickr

 

[Niall]

Also worth noting. Make sure you're 100% on the spring rate before you order. The valving is done to match the spring rates and so you can't change the springs if you decide you want stiffer without changing the valving.

 

[JB21]

I use the car a couple times a week but no major journeys or commute at the moment (work 2 miles away so I bike) it is my sole car though so any journey I do have will be in it.
will have to drive to the ring on occasion also so 8/8 sounds bang on.
would you guys say to have the BC top mounts over PMS?.

Defo BC top mounts over PMS as the former are camber/caster adjustable. Good call on spring rate choice as well, I run 9/11 and it's fuckin horrendous!

 

[davo172]

Mate has BC coilovers on his scooby they are a great set up . General ride very good too been in a few cars with coilovers and the ride comfort is like getting in an asda trolley and being pushed down a big hill !

 

[Raceface_13]

Mate has BC coilovers on his scooby they are a great set up . General ride very good too been in a few cars with coilovers and the ride comfort is like getting in an asda trolley and being pushed down a big hill !

I actually had them on my impreza and they are a great setup. I didn't get much of a chance to play around with setting it up for track though as only managed to get afew laps in at Silverstone before it got cancelled for a fatal crash :coldsweat:

 

[Usr117063]

What other coilovers from bc sort of level/price and up have the rebound adjustment on top?

 

[M.C..]

I was undecided between BC and Gaz Golds but in the end went for the golds off @Mash.
Cheaper than the BC’s and with custom spring rates.
The point that swayed me was the coilover rear unit makes changing spring rates if needed a lot easier and cheaper.
I have yet to use them on the track but from just driving a few miles with them they feel good.

 

[Alex__]

BCs are top of my shopping list currently. Read a lot of good things about them, and as other have said, big plus points are the dampening adjust, spring rate options and very well priced!

I had planned to go for 9kg springs on the front, but wondering if its worth going 10kg with it being track only and trailered everywhere?

 

[Sam Linssner]

Will be selling my bc's end of January/start of Feb. With the solid top mounts and 60mm spacing

 

[Raceface_13]

Will be selling my bc's end of January/start of Feb. With the solid top mounts and 60mm spacing

Any idea on prices? Pm me if you want :wink:

 

[Fletcher]

I have just had some BC DR coilovers (8kg/8kg) and BC top mounts fitted to my 172, only done around 200 miles with them fitted and no track time yet, but they seem pretty good coupled with my LSD.

 

[Sam Linssner]

Any idea on prices? Pm me if you want :wink:

I bought them new from kam racing in '16 and they are no more than 15 track days old. I'll check but I paid just over £800 for the coils and mounts. So probably sell them for £500-600?

Only selling as I've just got my hands on some AST's

 

[markfishy]

Hello to you all, not been on here for ages. this thread caught my eye, interesting feed back. If i get a chance in 2018 i will get the GAZ gold, BC, and AST, all dyno tested back to back, because i would REALLY like to know how well they all perform.
I am a dealer now for GAZ and AST and have an account with BC.
I have fitted all of them to various cars over the last few years. ( and of course other makes of dampers)
I think at the moment, (before they are all dyno ed compared, )
i would say that for full on race and track days consider the GAZ gold with the inverted fronts,
which stops the flex in the damper, and the ASTs if your budget will allow.
It does make it easier to corner weight more accurately when you have coil overs all round, also the spring choice is easier ref straight springs.
The choice out there is extensive which is good. But doesnt really make it any easier for us all.
Regards Mark Fish

 

[JB21]

BCs are top of my shopping list currently. Read a lot of good things about them, and as other have said, big plus points are the dampening adjust, spring rate options and very well priced!

I had planned to go for 9kg springs on the front, but wondering if its worth going 10kg with it being track only and trailered everywhere?

Go 10kg mate as I know yours is a dedicated track car.

 

[JB21]

Will be selling my bc's end of January/start of Feb. With the solid top mounts and 60mm spacing

What spring rates did they come with mate?

 

[Sam Linssner]

What spring rates did they come with mate?

Standard which I think is 4kg/8kg. I ordered them before I bought a the car as the plan was to drive to track days and around in it. Never knew I would get so into it and now I'm looking at racing next season and need something a little bit of a step up. It's a seriously nice kit and for the money possibly the best.

 

[Sam Linssner]

Also worth noting on the Kam racing website you can order replacement front springs for the kit for £60 I think

 

[JB21]

Standard which I think is 4kg/8kg. I ordered them before I bought a the car as the plan was to drive to track days and around in it. Never knew I would get so into it and now I'm looking at racing next season and need something a little bit of a step up. It's a seriously nice kit and for the money possibly the best.

Defo best kit out there for under a grand IMO. And replacement front springs wouldn't be much for the prospective buyer as you say. I was dead set on them until a used set of AST's came up at a price I just couldn't let go, so now have the 4100's with 9kg front and 11kg rear springs, great on track horrid on the road, lol. Also got a new set of spare AST springs 4kg front/5kg rear for road but not sure I'll ever use them if you're interested for wet racing days...

 

[Simon@ASTUK]

Defo best kit out there for under a grand IMO. And replacement front springs wouldn't be much for the prospective buyer as you say. I was dead set on them until a used set of AST's came up at a price I just couldn't let go, so now have the 4100's with 9kg front and 11kg rear springs, great on track horrid on the road, lol. Also got a new set of spare AST springs 4kg front/5kg rear for road but not sure I'll ever use them if you're interested for wet racing days...

Glad you like the AST's. Setup is a subjective thing, thats quite stiff on the rear. But if you like it..... Great! If you are looking for something a little less stiff on the rear, an 80N front, 80N rear, works well. As you mention thats a track spring setup, we regularly supply road setups for people with the appropriate damping and spring rates.

Simon @ AST Suspension UK

 

[JB21]

Glad you like the AST's. Setup is a subjective thing, thats quite stiff on the rear. But if you like it..... Great! If you are looking for something a little less stiff on the rear, an 80N front, 80N rear, works well. As you mention thats a track spring setup, we regularly supply road setups for people with the appropriate damping and spring rates.

Simon @ AST Suspension UK

Just out of interest Simon how come you guys supply your kits for the Clio 172/182 with a stiffer rear spring? Whereas all other manufacturers go with the fronts a bit stiffer than the rears? Also do your kits come valved to suit the spring choice on purchase or are they a set valving to suit any spring rate?

 

[Simon@ASTUK]

Definitely go BC Mounts. Can't see a reason why not, same as the AST and KAM ones. Only £66 as an option too.

Here's mine when they were first fitted (ignore where they are camber/caster wise, since been changed).
View attachment 1349026
BG 182 by Niall97, on Flickr

It's important to stress here, that while a component may look the same, or fit in the same position there may be significant differences. In the case of top mounts, a £3 bearing and a £100 bearing can look the same, and fit in the same position, they are however not the same. Their material, coatings and performance would be very different indeed.

Simon @ AST Suspension UK

 

[Niall]

It's important to stress here, that while a component may look the same, or fit in the same position there may be significant differences. In the case of top mounts, a £3 bearing and a £100 bearing can look the same, and fit in the same position, they are however not the same. Their material, coatings and performance would be very different indeed.

Simon @ AST Suspension UK

Fair enough. No problems reported of these just yet though! Nothing but praise so far.

 

[Simon@ASTUK]

Just out of interest Simon how come you guys supply your kits for the Clio 172/182 with a stiffer rear spring? Whereas all other manufacturers go with the fronts a bit stiffer than the rears? Also do your kits come valved to suit the spring choice on purchase or are they a set valving to suit any spring rate?

While spring rates are a good marker, they are not necessarily directly transferable across manufacturers. The damping will be different across manufacturers too.

When buying used, it's also difficult to assess on the face of it, the settings that have been specified when new. We can take requirements for customers that may be different from the norm. With our high end kit we even ask people what tyres they are running to get the setup right. So in this case it could have been a custom spring rate that was ordered, it may have been that they were changed over time in order to suit the driving style of the owner etc. I would suggest that they have been changed by someone who liked oversteer. We sometimes see very stiff rears on cars that don't naturally turn well in race trim, so they make the rear very stiff to help the car pivot better, something not usually associated with the Clio.

For a new order in road trim we would fit a 70N front spring and a 40N rear spring. For track 80N front and rear.

Simon @ AST Suspension UK

 

[JB21]

Mine has a RARB as well. Oversteer central, lol.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Jekyll]

BC over Gaz GHA anyday. Regardless of the gaz's being coilover rear.

The BCs are made well and are a better kit. Worth the extra £300 or so extra.

I can't comment on Gaz Golds or the DR BC kit as I had GHAs and the BR kit but going off the OP, I'd go with BCs.

 

[Stu172cup]

Are the BC TÜV approved

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Hello to you all, not been on here for ages. this thread caught my eye, interesting feed back. If i get a chance in 2018 i will get the GAZ gold, BC, and AST, all dyno tested back to back, because i would REALLY like to know how well they all perform.
I am a dealer now for GAZ and AST and have an account with BC.
I have fitted all of them to various cars over the last few years. ( and of course other makes of dampers)
I think at the moment, (before they are all dyno ed compared, )
i would say that for full on race and track days consider the GAZ gold with the inverted fronts,
which stops the flex in the damper, and the ASTs if your budget will allow.
It does make it easier to corner weight more accurately when you have coil overs all round, also the spring choice is easier ref straight springs.
The choice out there is extensive which is good. But doesnt really make it any easier for us all.
Regards Mark Fish

I'm surprised more people haven't commented on this, given Mark's experience. I'd certainly like to know the results of the testing too. An awful lot of BS around when it comes to springs and dampers, so would be nice to see some data as it's an area that people often overlook.

I can't comment on BC myself but it is worth noting that Gaz are very versatile. While if you buy them through a third party supplier, you may just get an "off-the-shelf" solution, if you go direct, they will do any spring/damping rates you want and I've found them to be very helpful, even offering very custom stuff for a reasonable price. When I was looking for something for my Escort, they offered to modify it for different top mount designs etc and it wouldn't have cost much more than the standard kit for the car.

 

[Sonic Boom]

I have to say I've been very impressed with Gaz Golds I have fitted on my Ph1, the only downside is the rears just aren't up to damping high poundage rear springs (650lb upwards) the valving has been set to highest setting and even at full damping adjustment they still bounce on the spring to a degree.
That said for most applications where people aren't running silly rear poundage I'd say they are ideal, plus if you go direct you can have them spec'd as you like plus they come in a damn sight cheaper than the RRP.
I'm just changing my rears over to a pair of AST 5100's (they came up at a very reasonable price) and I'll be having the valving changed to accommodate 800lb springs the GAZ Gold fronts will be going off to have the valving up'd for some 650lb springs too.
Rich

 

[JamesBryan]

800lb rear springs! Why?