Williams Coilovers/Adjustables

[riplash]

I know its probably been asked a hundred times, but I want to hear from Williams owners whove changed their suspension..

What kit do you have? How much was it? Where from?

What do you love about it?

What annoys you?

What ride height/damping are you running compared with standard?

Any regrets?


Spose Im mainly talking to 2live and MartinS (cant think of anyone else with a coilovered Willy on here)

 

[Martin]

Quote: Originally posted by riplash on 17 March 2004


I know its probably been asked a hundred times, but I want to hear from Williams owners whove changed their suspension..

What kit do you have? KTR Gaz Coilovers How much was it? Around 380 pounds Where from? K-Tec

What do you love about it? Much more stable through high speed corners, less lean, height and damping adjustable and virtually no understeer.

What annoys you? Bone jarring ride on bumpy roads, rumble strips etc.

What ride height/damping are you running compared with standard? -40mm on front standard at back, damping is set just on the hard side of middle setting.

Any regrets? No, just wish I could compare the set up Ive got now with a fresh standard setup as I think mine was very tired when I got it.

 

[riplash]

What are your daily roads like?
I noticed your thread a week or so ago about some country lane frolicking that left you wishing for softer damping!!




Basically Im going to be buying 4 new shocks and springs from Renault, and it works out about the same to get coilovers.. I can see myself running them quite soft and high (i.e. standard ride height) to emulate the original Willy setup tho, makes me wonder if its worth getting them..

 

[BenR]

std rear height?

 

[Martin]

Most of the time I drive on fast/sweeping A & B roads and the suspension Im running at the moment is VERY good, I have embarassed everyone whos had a go inc a 330ci. On bumpy / poor surfaces the car is obviously a lot less settled, this is because of the hard setting though. I could soften it but it is perfect for my daily roads. I think if your keeping the rest of your car standard you should go for the OE parts if not you can buy coilovers and adjust them to your own liking.

 

[riplash]

Quote: Originally posted by MartinS on 17 March 2004

I think if your keeping the rest of your car standard you should go for the OE parts if not you can buy coilovers and adjust them to your own liking.

This isnt for a Williams.


I do drive on my fair share of wider/sweeping roads, but many of my journies involve little country lane "rat runs", twisty and quite slow in places, with often pretty crappy surfaces!!

 

[riplash]

Martin do you experience any tyre catching/scrubbage at -40mm?

 

[Ben H]

Dont want to spoil the Riplash surprise, but it does involve and old car of mine

 

[BenR]

that old shed!!!!

 

[Rajk]

Neil mines been lowered on the standard willy setup and i think its perfect, but alot of peeps think the OE setup is the best on a willy, which is valid but there is always room for improvement, next time we meet i will take you for a spin(providing its not raining), my mechanic took me out in my car after doing some bearing work, bearing in mind my mechanic Rallys a turbo 2 in group B, he took me around this sharp bend off the North Circular and we virtually slid ound the corner and it was mental, i have never been in anything that held so well. BIG SMILE MOMENT

 

[2 live]

What kit do you have? How much was it? Where from?

i have avo ..got them from venom motorsport.....bout £400


What do you love about it?

again the stability round the high speed corners,and teh adjustability of the ride

What annoys you?

errrrrrrrrr. they can be a little too hard on the back roads round here...but most of them are like farm tracks lol

What ride height/damping are you running compared with standard?

standard rear an about 15mm lower at the front, back 2 clicks from softest and fronts about 1/4 turn from softest.....changes a bit tho cos i do like to experiment lol

Any regrets?

only that i dint get em sooner

Spose Im mainly talking to 2live and MartinS (cant think of anyone else with a coilovered Willy on here)

 

[crono33]

if you have understeer with the willy IMO i suppose u have something wrong.


understeer is something i have never experienced in my williams, unless i had crappy tires at the front, wrong tyre press or i got the corner totally wrong

Quote: Originally posted by MartinS on 17 March 2004
Quote: Originally posted by riplash on 17 March 2004What do you love about it? Much more stable through high speed corners, less lean, height and damping adjustable and virtually no understeer.[/QUOTE]

 

[riplash]

Martin does say his old shocks were probably shot though, might have been a contributory factor.

Cheers for the replies guys

 

[Martin]

Only get understeer if Im trying to get power down in 2nd on tight corners, more of a wheel spin out of a corner which can cause the front to go a bit wide. I think it takes a very good driver to find the handling limits of a Williams I know Ive come close a couple of times, not on purpose though.

 

[2 live]

hehe.....i know it goes sideways round the double 90 corners at brunters lol

spesh wen ur doin bout 90 in the wet with shox on hardest settings.(mistake) lol

 

[Mark@Ritchspeed]

Unless you intend taking it on track regularly then go for a standard type set-up . Go too stiff or too low and you lose all the main advantages of the chassis , the adjustability , traction etc.

I have adjustable Avo dampers all round and custom made Avo springs for the front which still run at standard height , but are stronger poundage. I tried lowering it and took all the lowering kit off after 1 days use. It was absolute sh*te on b roads and back roads where it spent most of its time . Bottoming out and rubbing etc .

The Renault engineers got the suspension absolutely right when developing the car and to this day not many cars can match its back road abilities .

Mine was only uprated for track use and I will be using this set-up when I go rallying .