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HANDLING - coilovered 172 vs std cup



This discussion is why I'm thinking about going for a suspension set up that's easy to set up, lol. As someone who doesn't go on track I'm not in a position to contribute much to the above, but I am following it with interest as I'm after a set up that will be well suited to my driving style on roads only... Quite what that is I don't know!
 
  The Jinx
Ally said:
This discussion is why I'm thinking about going for a suspension set up that's easy to set up, lol. As someone who doesn't go on track I'm not in a position to contribute much to the above, but I am following it with interest as I'm after a set up that will be well suited to my driving style on roads only... Quite what that is I don't know!

On the road I'd stick with a relatively std setup. If you've only got a normal 172 then maybe think about upgrading to Cup bits? Don't know enough about how each variant drives to be able to tell you though.

Too many think that they can drive fast on the road with a much stiffer setup, but on a traditional bumpy b-road (the Clio's territory) you'll make much better and safer progress with a slightly softer setup. Obviously something like coilovers will allow you to tailor it to somewhere between the two though.
 

Iain C

ClioSport Club Member
I have just had H&Rs fitted to my cup and it was set up by mark fish.
Im no racing driver and ive only had em on a week but ive noticed the cars feel on the road is nothing like it was before.
I can push the car harder and feel safe its not gonna bite.
The biggest thing for me is the car is more fun and i really enjoy driving it again (i was getting a bit bored of it) .
So id say the handling is better.
Might answer your question not sure really
Not been on track yet but have been in a H&Rd car at brands and it cornered better than my stock example
 
  Turbos.
I think Cliosport does a disservice to the 172/182 really. They are genuinely good little track day cars out of the box and i bet most members get to their limits opposed to the car's limits when swapping the suspension for stiffer stuff.

Personally i think people should spend money on driver tuition first and they'll realise how good their cars actually are.
 
  Turbos.
Iain C said:
I have just had H&Rs fitted to my cup and it was set up by mark fish.
Im no racing driver and ive only had em on a week but ive noticed the cars feel on the road is nothing like it was before.
I can push the car harder and feel safe its not gonna bite.
The biggest thing for me is the car is more fun and i really enjoy driving it again (i was getting a bit bored of it) .
So id say the handling is better.
Might answer your question not sure really

But then could you agree that the car has so much grip now you cannot breach it on the road? A stiffer set up is harder to deal with by default. I presume Mark Fish would of made your car more aggressive, so i doubt it is any friendlier on the limit...
 
  The Jinx
cliobuyer said:
I think Cliosport does a disservice to the 172/182 really. They are genuinely good little track day cars out of the box and i bet most members get to their limits opposed to the car's limits when swapping the suspension for stiffer stuff.

Personally i think people should spend money on driver tuition first and they'll realise how good their cars actually are.

Hear, hear.
 

Iain C

ClioSport Club Member
cb.... Yeah i do wonder if the grip is any better but i can only comment from the feel of the car. The car feels more planted with a less nervous backend.
As far as the set up goes, i wanted to keep the car as road friendly as poss because after all its a road car.
Its early days at the mo tho as i have to get to grip with the car again.
Agree with you about the limit thing too....The cars limits are far greater than mine!
 
Iain C said:
cb.... Yeah i do wonder if the grip is any better but i can only comment from the feel of the car. The car feels more planted with a less nervous backend.

This is as far as most people, including me, will get in terms of suspension setup. It will be an 'it feels better' type of response. If you track your car you can push the limits but you would be an idiot to get close to the cars limit on the road, unless you are a very skilled driver.

MarkCup, EvoGone and Swervin have all stated that they like a certain type of handling. As far as I know you all run suspension that is standard or I think in EVOs case has minimal adjustment.

Surely for people like you a set of highly adjustable coilovers would be a real benefit as you 'understand' exactly how you want the car to feel and are skillful enough to push the limit.

MarkCup said:
I've started trail braking fairly deep at times into bends which means the whole car steers from the back and rotates. Also, inducing understeer on purpose in faster turns knowing that a very slight left-foot drag on the brakes mid-turn keeps the nose in.

That's the way I drive, so a standard "friendly" set-up works for me.

Stick me in something set up for someone like EVOgone, and I doubt I'd get out of it what he's able to...the technical merits of a standard set-up suit my style...but don't suit EVOgone's as he said above.

The driver is as much of a variable in this as anything else...and is totally relevant to a question like this.

Not being funny but was it by pure luck that your driving style perfectly suits standard suspension and that EVO, who has an out of the box spring damper upgrade, managed to get a setup that suits him?

Spring rates, damper settings, ride height, toe and camber. Combinations of these front and rear will setup the feel of the car. As far as I can see you do not have the option to set any of these to acheive 'your' perfect setup.
 
  Snotter's
you have explained what i meant much better than me :) if you like the stock setup then great if you dont then your stuck unless you go aftermarket so you can adjust it thus making the car better.In terms of people saying "it doesnt handle better it just gives more confidence" thats a good thing,if your confident in the car you can push further and hopefully drive faster
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
MarkM said:
Not being funny but was it by pure luck that your driving style perfectly suits standard suspension and that EVO, who has an out of the box spring damper upgrade, managed to get a setup that suits him?

Spring rates, damper settings, ride height, toe and camber. Combinations of these front and rear will setup the feel of the car. As far as I can see you do not have the option to set any of these to acheive 'your' perfect setup.

'tis a very good point Mark...

But I do like my car to be loose at the back...and I tend to run pressures 2-3 PSI higher at the back rather than the front which for me keeps it set just how I like it.

Not very technical I know - and out of the crate I do find that, even running sticky tyres on standard suspension, it's got more than enough feedback/feel for me.
 

EVOgone

ClioSport Club Member
  Pink Cup Racer
MarkCup said:
'tis a very good point Mark...

But I do like my car to be loose at the back...and I tend to run pressures 2-3 PSI higher at the back rather than the front which for me keeps it set just how I like it.

Not very technical I know - and out of the crate I do find that, even running sticky tyres on standard suspension, it's got more than enough feedback/feel for me.

Mark TBH how do you know you prefer std vs modded suspension when you havent had the suspsension modded on the cup..?

I have had a couple of different set up and know which i prefer...Im sure if you fitted H&R's / KW's ? Billies /Ledas you would not go back to std...

As i have said in a previous post there are more options that i may enjoy even better....Billies will probably be the next try (fixed damping and hight adjustable).
 

EVOgone

ClioSport Club Member
  Pink Cup Racer
haitch said:
what did you prefer from your 'freebies' on the germany trip EVOgone?

Not got them yet but wll probably be getting the billies....

They are monotube an if you look at KW and other top brands race stuff they are all monotube.

I know people criticise them for this but it must be a better design as all the top kit go this way....
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
I guess I've just never got round to it...never seen the point when I can push past most things on track under extreme load without to much trouble. That and the fact that I cover 30k miles per year means for me it's never needed anything else.

Having said that, I do need to retire my Cup from road use by the end of this year...that's when the proper fun begins :D
 
  clio v6
MarkCup said:
Ultimately I guess what I'm trying to say is what's been said before...money on suspension is a waste of time if you can't drive.

whats your excuse then mark......lol


















































joke!!!
 
  Inferno 182 w/ Recaros ;)
lagerlout1 said:
Provided it's set up correctly and not just lowered as far as it will go.

SOHROB said:
IMO the only way the cup would be better is if as you say it was stupidly low


He actually said NOT lowered as far as it will go. If you did that there are very likely chances it would bottom out all the time.
 
MarkCup said:
Ultimately I guess what I'm trying to say is what's been said before...money on suspension is a waste of time if you can't drive.

I totally disagree!

Even if you just want the car to look better (lower) you have benefited from coilovers whether you can drive or not.

Most of the people in this discussion own a performance orientated car. They like to drive cars whether they push to 99% of there cars limit or not. I personally owned a 205gti back in the day and after that a 306xsi. I liked the way these cars 'felt', very planted and sharp. IMO the 182 in standard cupped trim did not 'feel' as good it grips but felt a bit soft compared to the pugs.

I get quite a few hire cars in the job I do and driving a soft wallowy 307 diesel, for example, really highlights to me how well my 182 handles and in the same way how my coilovered 182 handled better then when it was standard. I do not believe I have wasted my money as I now have a car that 'feels' like it handles better.

You spend your money on trackdays I spend mine on modifying my car. Each to there own I say. But I will stand by my original answer a coilovered 172 will handle better then a standard one.
 

EVOgone

ClioSport Club Member
  Pink Cup Racer
MarkCup said:
Ultimately I guess what I'm trying to say is what's been said before...money on suspension is a waste of time if you can't drive.

Mark totally disagree..you could say the same about track tyres / brakes / r-sport and you have upgraded them....

Personnally i think you would love and benifit from new suspension, i think its a case your not bothered or dont want the cost rather than its not a benifit/waste fo time..

Im a person who loves driving but suspension and brakes are my only mods i do to any car and give vast improvements...i think you theory fits for engine mods (000's of £) but not for suspension..

Again back to the origional question a coilovered 172/182 will handle best and go faster on road and track than the std set-up.
 
  Weeman sucks ****
I can see this thread has been looked into far too deeply, as they all do in CS.

Surely any money spent on a car is a waste if you can't drive, not only suspension...

riddles!
 

EVOgone

ClioSport Club Member
  Pink Cup Racer
MarkCup said:
OK, I'm beaten...I'll go buy some coil-overs ;)

Before you do wait there may be some very special offers available soon...!

Watch this space..

Plus i love it when some ones asks how much HP has it got at trackdays and i say its std mate....PMSL...lift bonnet and boggo...! Mr Supercharged CTR with 305hp slicks and suspension and brakes upgraded was the last long face at Donny..!
 


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