What coilovers for track car?

[Plane]

Hi,

I have a 172 that is only used for track days, it is completely stripped inside and caged
I am improving the car and looking to fit a full race set of coilovers

At the moment I have the GAZ GHA coilover in it with heavier springs. But my question is what are people running in their race cars?

I have looked at the GAZ gold, £812 and bump and rebound adjustable, good spec for the money I thought, BUT what are other people using? I've no expereience in this and need the advice.

Also where is a good place to purchase?

Thanks,

Paul

edit: I used the search function before posting, lots on info on the GAZ stuff but not on the ''GOL'' ones.

 

[Gray]

AST seems to be the best on the market currently... but your looking at £1100 for the kit iirc?

http://www.astsuspension.co.uk/

 

[Fletcher]

Leda's AST's.

 

[vincent]

Bilstein B16? cup racer setup

 

[n0rm]

gmax.....

 

[Adey.]

im on asts and cant fault them, all those who have driven my car have wanted a set, i think if you get them through powerstation they should all be sold with the 400 and 450lb springs now rather than the softer versions, make sure when you order they put in the springs you want/need tho

 

[Gray]

gmax.....

LOL.... now now Norman!

 

[Plane]

First of all thank you for the replys.

Fletcher there said Leda's AST's. Are AST's basicallt leda rebranded?

@ Adyspec Racing; are you running one of AST's competition kit? The clio does not seem to be on the list of what they do. Kits for other cars are around the 2.5k mark.

Gaz are advertising themselves as ''very similiar to Leda'' here http://www.balancemotorsport.co.uk/products.asp?recnumber=79026

The car is track only and I hope to have it racing at the mid / end of next year.

Here is my car at its last outing.

 

[y0z2a]

Don't go for anything apart from Bilstein B14 front and Clio Cup Racer Rears if it is track only. (my opinion)

/y0z

 

[Plane]

Do you put heavier springs on the B14's?

Clio cup racer rears, do you guys sell them?

Yep it's track only. Car is trailored to and from the track.

 

[y0z2a]

If I told you I would have to kill you...

Go with them as they are to start with... Just make sure you have a good strut brace instead of worrying about the spring poundage.

Cup Rear Dampers - yes.

I have a couple of sets floating about - 2nd hand dampers - but everything else completely brand new - springs, spherical bearings etc... I will work out what I want for them.

/y0z

 

[ianeire]

Paul,

Your current coilovers, the GAZ GHA, are they suited to road use at all? Did you damage them that day in Kirkistown or are you just sick of them??

What lb spring have you fitted and what lb spring could people recommend as a substitute for occasional trackday (about once every 2 months) fast road setup..?

Hit me with a pm on here/octane ...

Ian172

 

[ForceIndia]

im on asts and cant fault them, all those who have driven my car have wanted a set, i think if you get them through powerstation they should all be sold with the 400 and 450lb springs now rather than the softer versions, make sure when you order they put in the springs you want/need tho

I'm getting the softer springs fitted on Thurs. The set-up above is just way too stiff for me, on your average B-road it's all over the place unless the roads perfectly smooth. All subjective, but the ride with the stiffer springs is worse than a Gallardo's!
If you're going track only, get the stiffer springs.

 

[Plane]

Well Ian,

it not that I am sick of them, it's just that I want something better, I plan to get the suspension up to scratch before I go into any more engine work. They wern't damaged no. For the short term I think I am going to try some softer springs. currently when I hit a kerb it really throws the car about, mondello is not too bad as the kerbs are not overly high but kirkistown they are higher and you kinda want to hit them.

As for bilstein, I am planning on changing the current setup so I can have more adjusment. The B14's are non adjustable so I dont see an advantage with them, I want to be able to adjust the setup and try settings for improvment etc, B14's will not allow that.

I rang AST this morning and have to say the guy I was speaking to was excellent, very helpful and very forthcoming with info. The competition kit that they do is 4 way adjustable. Height like any coilover, rebound and bump is 2 way adjustable, one for fast and one for slow bump (ie hitting a kerb vs heavy breaking and small bump in road)
The sportline II kit is similiar to the GAZ gold where they are bump and rebound adjustable but from 1 knob and one is a ratio to the other rather than independant.

Think I am going to hold off and get the competition kit, will be after christmas though, currently paying for a wedding and it's killing my car infactuation!!!

@yozza, please send me a price on those too. Do you do any more adjustable suspension kits?

 

[ForceIndia]

Probably spoke to Curtis, decent guy to deal with

 

[Plane]

It was Curtis yes. Have to say very helpful. Even ran through a few options on top mounts.

 

[ianeire]

Thought I might be in line for some second hand coils at a reasonable rate there for a minute

 

[Plane]

To be honest Ian you could never drive the car on the road with the setup, would rattle your fillings out, you've been in it, when flat out on any corner there is hardly any body roll.

I have driven it on back roads and it's painful, maybe with softer spring it might improve but not the way they are.

 

[Plane]

Actually after speaking to AST

2450 + vat and they are yours!!

 

[ForceIndia]

Damping on the AST's is spot on, pretty sure the springs should sort my issues.

 

[ianeire]

Actually after speaking to AST

2450 + vat and they are yours!!

Wow sounds like a bargain!!

 

[drhowser]

also worth thinking about are the kw competition setup, built to your axle weights and usage, the high speed bump is set, but the rebound and low speed bump are adjustable.

i think they are about £13/1400 as i remember.

 

[Fred@BTM]

what yoz said, you don't need adjustment, trust me!

 

[Plane]

I have thought about the KW setup alright I looked at the V3's, the roadgoing damp and rebound adjustable. I had V2's on a MKIV Golf before and found them good.

You say KW competition setup, any idea where I would get info on them or is it the Varient 3's you are talking about?

 

[ForceIndia]

Don't discount what Fred and Yoz are saying, they do know what they are talking about. From what I know, the set-up will be more important than having adjustable rates. No offence, but how many people could get the best out of the fully adjustable systems? The track time required would make the cost prohibitive surely? Rather have a setup that someone else has spent the time sorting, rather than waste track time playing about.

 

[drhowser]

the competition stuff is from a different department, so no, not the v3's. i got mine through sg motorsports. but try phoning kw direct?

 

[172bagss2]

the competition stuff is from a different department, so no, not the v3's. i got mine through sg motorsports. but try phoning kw direct?

IIRC KW don't sell kits or full components direct - they will just supply spare parts. They'll happily signpost you to a number of their dealers though...

 

[Vince35fr]

Hi everyone !

I just bought for my 172 mk2 an AST Sportline 2 suspension kit with solid topmounts !

Unfortunately, I have a problem with one of the front coilovers', because the bracket for camber adjustment seem to have been damaged during transport (I leave in France), but I'm confident Curtis will help me solving this problem.

Although, the coilovers look very impressive ! Very good finish, monstruous size damper, WoW !

I post on the forum my opinion about this kit as soon as I can test it !

Bye

Vincent

 

[Bazzon]

AST's with Harder springs (FMP's old ones) is where its at tbh

 

[ForceIndia]

AST's with Harder springs (FMP's old ones) is where its at tbh

IIRC they were re-valved as well. Not the standard AST kit. If it's purely for track, the full cup set up is the way to go. The AST's are good, but (I think) FMP had his made to be as close to the cup set up as possible.