Track day suspension options....

[DCELEC 182]

Hi all,
Very new to the clio world having always owned ford rs's, still own a mk1 focus rs but decided to buy myself a dedicated track car and a clio ticks all the boxes.
Recently bought a 182 with cup packs so the 60mm hub spacing and looking for some suitable coilovers....car will be road worthy but not important how compliant it is on the road as it will be mainly driving to and from trackdays.
Have had a good read/search on the forum for advice/options but can't find anything rated that isn't AST (which is a bit outside what I'd like to spend at least to start with)
Surely there must be a set of coilovers this side of 1k that will do a pretty good job and can handle stiffer springs perhaps??!!
Bilsteins are what I'm thinking as the best of a bad bunch for the money with the quality but read that they're too soft, but some people saying different.....minefield or what!!
Any opinions gratefully received, I'm looking for coilovers not shocks/springs route though.
Cheers, Dave.

 

[imprezaworks]

Like anyone who asks me. I rate my bilsteins. I find them a nice compromise over spending a fortune and buying crap. Hope that helps

 

[DCELEC 182]

Thanks for the reply, I'd rather not buy crap hence thinking the bilsteins but the car will be driven fairly hard on trackday tyres so if they really aren't up to it I guess I don't want to buy twice too quicky....how do you find them I.e being too soft due to the non adjustable damping?

 

[MarkX]

I'm on standard cup dampers and cooksports, really interested in B14s to have control over the ride height, but like you worried they're too soft.

 

[imprezaworks]

I think if you are dedicated track whore save up and buy the more expensive stuff. But for what they are the b14's are great

 

[Carbonraider]

B14's are going on my ph1 to replace the vmaxx that are on it at present although a road car it will be used on track when the cup is poorly, can't afford 2 sets of Ast

 

[MarkX]

I think if you are dedicated track whore save up and buy the more expensive stuff. But for what they are the b14's are great

Can't see me putting ASTs into a car that cost considerably less than they'd cost! Do you think B14s are a step up from Cooksports? A little firmer and adjustable ride height and I'd be happy.

 

[bloke]

Can't see me putting ASTs into a car that cost considerably less than they'd cost! Do you think B14s are a step up from Cooksports? A little firmer and adjustable ride height and I'd be happy.

a dog turd is a step up from cooksports, i've got a 172 that i'm running at the mo with them on and they are the most over rated spring ever!!

 

[MarkX]

a dog turd is a step up from cooksports, i've got a 172 that i'm running at the mo with them on and they are the most over rated spring ever!!

lmao do you have the spring rate of a dog turd, 'spose it depends on the dog oo:

 

[rams_clio]

I've got the reworked gaz gha's the ones with spring over shock at the rear. They get mixed reviews on here but I can't fault them. Each to their own I suppose but they work for me!

 

[imprezaworks]

I've had cooksports and thought they were great. The bilsteins are a big step up. Should be really, they cost a fair whack more.

 

[bloke]

I've had cooksports and thought they were great. The bilsteins are a big step up. Should be really, they cost a fair whack more.

if i've got the wife's car next time you're up at mine you'll have to have a drive of it, running h&r springs.

 

[imprezaworks]

it's a date

 

[NorthloopCup]

I'd consider BC's over the bilsteins personally. They're adjustable damping, readily available and cheap. Better quality than the likes of Gaz as well. You can spec different spring rates and from what I've seen they do the bizzo.
A solid allround performer I'd say.

 

[MicKPM]

The BC's also employ a 3rd locking ring specifically for adjusting ride height rather than adjusting pre-load.

The thing I also like about them is they can be rebuilt by places like BG motorsport... But as the inserts are pretty cheap new, why bother rebuilding.

 

[imprezaworks]

How much are the bc's?

 

[MicKPM]

We do them for £576.75+VAT (£692.10) either fitted or shipped.

Mick

 

[Cub.]

If it is for track work, and you don't want to go into AST territory then another vote for the BC's. Custom springrates allow you to get a pretty good set up for not huge money imo. Both Mick's and TEG's cars seem to go very well on track with them fitted.

If it is more road, with a few track days thrown in, then the B14s. The B14s that have been on mine have been faultless in this road vs track balance.

Problem is, mine has now gone too far towards track and so I'm going down the AST route. Stiffy McStifferson.

It is worth saying though, that my car wasn't exactly "slow" with the bilsteins on track. It kept up with most stuff and was great fun. But as you can see, there was a fair amount of compression;

 

[DCELEC 182]

We do them for £576.75+VAT (£692.10) either fitted or shipped.

Mick

The bc's do sound like a good alternative actually, I like the fact they've got adjustable damping and spring rates can be specced.....
I notice they do an 'ra' version for £150 odd more, any advice on whether that's worthwhile over the others?
Do they run a seperate rear coilover or is it still a spring/damper effort?

 

[bozothenutter]

where did you see the RA version...not on their application list:

http://www.bcec.com.tw/products_all/PQRS.htm

 

[DCELEC 182]

where did you see the RA version...not on their application list:

http://www.bcec.com.tw/products_all/PQRS.htm

http://www.kamracing.co.uk/car-tuni...ries-coilover-type-ra-2-0-16v-rs-182-cup.html

 

[bozothenutter]

cool!....wish the dis MA /MH aswell....much thicker shafts!

those spring rates look a bit low though......lower than B14's!

 

[DCELEC 182]

They do look a better product on paper at least for the little extra cost....spring rates don't seem overly hard but says you can spec your own.
Guessing there must be some thought behond their spec though!?

 

[bozothenutter]

have a look at the AST stuff on the same page on the second tab it spec's the spring rates for them.
even the highest BC rate (50N/mm) is the same AST's 'road' rate
@MicKPM if yiu spec higher rates, will the be revalved?

 

[DCELEC 182]

That's kind of what I was getting at, no good just putting much heavier springs on if they're not valved to suit....you'd expect them to be!
Would copying AST spring rates work?

 

[bozothenutter]

as I understand it, a damper has about 15% leeway for higher springrates.
if revalving is done there would be no problem in copying AST rates....most of the serious trackdayers are running AST's at the trackday (80Nmm) rate

 

[Sam@NP]

One thing to consider when stiffening dampers is the piston diameter. The last thing you want to do is start bending the piston rods.

 

[MicKPM]

RA-07/RA-08 markings refer to the application part number "X65 with a non-Cup/Cup bolt fitment" and I think the above site has it a bit wrong. These are still "BR" Series and not "RA" spec units i'm afraid and it is confusing.

As Sam mentions above, you really don't want to go full mental with the spring rates but thankfully BC will custom make you a setup if you don't mind waiting for them to be designed and built in China... They will also cost a bit more. They really do work well though and do have a large single piston, similar to that of the Ohlins and AST's. Don't assume that stiffer is automatically faster though as it isn't always the case. A softer but properly tuned setup with well chosen tyre compound/pressures will always be fast in the right hands.

The standard Fast road setup that they supply is pretty great for everyday road use and occasional track beating. I run a custom setup with slightly higher spring rate, finer control over damping and the rebound has been altered to match. They're brilliant on track but can feel like the Trophy Sachs on the roads running 195/50/15's.

 

[JoeMarano]

I've seen a video of a Clio at Blyton and the guy had just got stiffer suspension and the car was suffering by being bumped around.

My fav example is that the r26r had softer springs than thr r26 due to the weight loss. Most track dayers will have done this also.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

I was told by F0xy to look at GAZ Gold's.

 

[JoeMarano]

Gaz gha seem a good price. Rear coilovers and also damping and height adjustable...

 

[StuOwen86]

I'm running the BC for my track car and find them pretty good, I need too have the ride height adjusted I think as my rear seems a little low at the back compared too the front and I'm sure the clio's are supposed too have a little bit of rake on them.

@MicKPM do you know the best place to get replacement spanners for adjustment not sure what size I would need or what specific model they are (were on the car when I bought it)

 

[JoeMarano]

I can't think of a fwd car in existence that doednt work better with the ass in the air a bit.

 

[MicKPM]

Face down, ass up - It's a winner for cars and ladies alike

BC will sell you a replacement set if you need them. There's x3 different sizes

 

[StuOwen86]

Thanks @MicKPM is that 3 different sizes for the same unit they just are used for different adjustments or are they model specific so if I find out what model i had and go from there to see what size i would need.

 

[MicKPM]

The triple lock rings are all slightly different. The double uppers use the larger of the two where the third collar is the smallest.