Who's using Gaz GHA coilovers? What damping are you using?

[R055i]

Hi guys!

As the title suggests...

I've had the GHA's fitted for 6 months now and I can't really fault them so far! I've got the newer coilover all round design. I heard people moan about adjustment on them and state that they are either hard or ROCK HARD! I find that on the lowest setting possible they are really soft and floppy but with a little bit of a tweak seem to have found a good feel on the road for every day use. I've also got PMS top mounts fitted and the ride is pretty good!

On the road i'm running 2.5 turns from soft on the front / 5 clicks on the back

I did a track day the other day and upped them to 3.5 front and 7 clicks on the back but the front did nose dive a little.

The spring rates are standard ( 225 front / 125 rear i believe). Just wondering what kind of damping / spring rates other people are using on the road/track?

Cheers, Ross

 

[boorek]

Hi! I've bought clio with gaz coilovers on it and looking forward to do couple sesions on Lydden hill in april, but don't really know how to set them up? They quite high I would say, but rubbing on standard cup wheels, even on slowish corners... Did you have same problem? Also when I gonna know that I'm hardest setting? Would knob stop turning? Does anyone can help me set them up properly, I don't really mind if they will be rock hard or maybe I need to change antirollbar for stiffer one? TIA!

 

[R055i]

On standard Cup offset Turini's mine rubbed on even the slightest fast roundabouts! I'm now running OZ F1's with no rubbing issues.

From the front you will need to turn the adjuster in the top of shock clockwise to stiffen. The rears will have a knob on the side of the shock which can be turned clockwise to stiffen. These coilovers do go VERY hard when turned all the way up! I've now started running 3.5 front and 7 clicks on the back on the road. I think Ideally I would go stiffer spring rates if I was going to do another track day.

Ross

 

[boorek]

Have you got 16 or 15 inch? What is difference in ofsets?

Also will knob stop turning on stiffest/softest setting?

 

[R055i]

Knob will stop turning when it reaches the softest/stiffest settings. Have a play and see what you like. I'm running 15" OZ F1's with 195/50/15 tyres. The offset is much closer to the wheel than the Turini's and it doesnn't really rub any more now.

Ross

 

[c.oneill91]

Mine are running 350 front 300 rear, ride is harsh but bareable.

Are anyone else's noisy from the rears? Mine make many many sounds!

 

[R055i]

The rears have rattled and clanged about since i've fitted. I think its just the rear coilover spring constantly twisting around. Never really bothered me as i know they're fitted properly!

 

[SamHowell]

I took the helper springs out the rear.. it stopped the rattling / clanging.

Looking to order new spring rates tonight. Does anyone know the front and rear spring sizes on the Gaz GHA's?? Was going to remove the springs tonight and measure them but plans have changed !

 

[R055i]

My standard spring rates from factory state they're tested at 225 front and 140 rear. Hope that helps!

 

[Sonic Boom]

On GHA's
Fronts are 2.25" Diameter & 9" in Length
Rears are 1.9" Diameter & 10" in Length
Max turns on Front Dampers = 5
Max clicks on the Rear Damper = 20
Max spring rate Front = 500lb
Max spring rate Rear = 650lb
While damper settings are quite a personal thing depending on how you drive but you need to make sure the damping is set hard enough for the spring rate fitted otherwise it'll just bounce on the springs and the dampers will be ineffective.
I run the max spring rates I can as above 500lb front and 650lb rear and the dampers need too be set as hard as they'll go.
If I was to do it all again I'd spend the extra cash on the Golds as they have much more damping available.

Also worth noting DO NOT remove the helper springs, only the rears come as standard but it's definitely worth fitting a set to the front too (which I've done)
If you jack the car up and there is a gap between the spring and the top of the body you need a helper spring (when checking the front remember you'll need both wheels off the ground as the ARB will act on the coilover and close the gap)

Rich

 

[bristolnate]

On GHA's
Fronts are 2.25" Diameter & 9" in Length
Rears are 1.9" Diameter & 10" in Length
Max turns on Front Dampers = 5
Max clicks on the Rear Damper = 20
Max spring rate Front = 500lb
Max spring rate Rear = 650lb
While damper settings are quite a personal thing depending on how you drive but you need to make sure the damping is set hard enough for the spring rate fitted otherwise it'll just bounce on the springs and the dampers will be ineffective.
I run the max spring rates I can as above 500lb front and 650lb rear and the dampers need too be set as hard as they'll go.
If I was to do it all again I'd spend the extra cash on the Golds as they have much more damping available.

Also worth noting DO NOT remove the helper springs, only the rears come as standard but it's definitely worth fitting a set to the front too (which I've done)
If you jack the car up and there is a gap between the spring and the top of the body you need a helper spring (when checking the front remember you'll need both wheels off the ground as the ARB will act on the coilover and close the gap)

Rich

Thanks for that, I am fitting mine this weekend and this info is very useful. Looks like I will be needing some harder springs on order tho!!

 

[bozothenutter]

won't a springrate chamge of more than 10% require revalving?
always wondered what would happen if you didn't, under/over damping obviously....but will it make my car explode?

 

[Sonic Boom]

won't a springrate chamge of more than 10% require revalving?
always wondered what would happen if you didn't, under/over damping obviously....but will it make my car explode?

No not at all, Dampers will be set with a max spring rate in mind.
If it came fitted with 300lb all round for instance then you could only go up to a 330lb spring rate all round which would be madness, I'm not convinced a proper racing driver would notice a 30lb spring rate difference.
When buying a set of coilovers its worth asking the manufacturer what the max spring rate the damper will cope with.
In an ideal world we'd all be fitting AST 5300's but we can't all (myself included) afford 5k's worth of coilovers, I have found GAZ very helpful and always supply the information you require.
Rich

 

[Jekyll]

The spring rates are standard ( 225 front / 125 rear i believe).

Standard spring rates on these are 325 fronts/ 225 rears.

 

[ripp]

ok, so what about the settings? I run the same kit from gaz and am curious how people adjust them for track days

 

[Jekyll]

It's down to personally preference buddy. Some like it harder than others. I would just have a play about until you find the right damping setting that suits you.