Nova Handling?

[jonnywms]

Hi, recently bought my third nova and wanted to do a lot more with it than the last ones. Fitted pi -60mm suspension kit struts, dampers and springs. Car now handles like s--t! Followed me mate home in it yesterday and the front camber looks well out:wtf:

Are the fronts camber adjustable or ???

Car otherwise is completely standard at the min.

Need to sort the handlin before i start on the rest of the car so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Its a 1.4 luxe on a h plate.

Thanks

[jonnywms]

bttt

[brainsnova]

is the wheel bearings and track rod ends in sound condition.

[jonnywms]

yeah as far as i can tell but i am about to get underneath and check em. Mate of mine said bottom arms too so gonna check them as well.

[Stoo]

you need to get your alignment checked and set up as soon as possible really

[tom_beverley]

The camber is not adjustable as standard, however there are a few of options available:

1. Carefully mark and drill two new top suspension mount holes ~10mm further out.
2. Buy a camber adjustment kit.
3. Buy some eccentric top mounts to enable full camber/castor adjustment.

Lowering your car results in excessive negative camber [you will be wearing away the inside edges of your front tyres too] which is good for handling but obviously not too good on tyre wear. And get it laser aligned afterwards!

Normally fitting a suspension kit improves the handling somewhat, I've never used PI stuff before but as with most things you normally get what you pay for.

Can you explain a bit more why/how the handling is so cr@p as it may be something else.

[Nova_Tek]

Check you allignment, do a 4 wheel laser alignment to make sure everything is ok. (should be the first thing you do after suspension change) PI stuff is afaik at the lower end of the suspension market. I've seen spring kits for around 65quid.

What shocks you using with the springs?

If all the mechanicals check out ok and the ride still hasent improved then it could be the springs.

Most of us on png have always said 'you get what you pay for' when buying performance parts. The springs will affect ride quality, i.e comfort and handling. Some springs are much harder and in effect it will feel harsher to you when driving.

[craig green]

Pi suspension will be a limiting factor in itself. The springs are next to useless & do little to help the car stay on the road.

If its dropped low (-60mm) and the geometry isnt sorted the car will understeer & generally feel like it has a complete lack of frontal grip, especially if the wheels & tyres are std width (narrow).

Camber & tracking sorted should see the grip return, though I'd be dubious of the ride quality you will get from Pi stuff tbh.

[jonnywms]

Absolutely excellent comments. thanks very much.
Have used pi springs a few times and to be fair have had no problems. Am this time using there springs and shocks. I new itd be hard but wasn't bothered, It is understeering and is on std wheels at the moment. Gonna check all bushes, joints etc and then get it straight in for allignment, tracking etc. will let you know how i get on.
Again thanks a lot

[Jack]

Just a thought. Do you have an anti roll bar fitted? Quite often find they can make handling worse on cars with very low and hard suspension.

[craig green]

Jonny. Pi may have made springs that are effecetive for 'X' car but believe me, the Nova stuff is utter poop. Perhaps you could confirm the springs are labelled 60/149 ?

Anyway, if the std 145 or whatever width tyres are on it, it will have such a narrow tyre contact patch due to the camber, its no wonder you have feck all grip.
My advice is file/elongate the upper strut mount holes outwards as Tom Beverly says, move the struts outwards slightly, then get it tracked up. When you get some proper wheels & tyres on it will feel fine.

The same issues I had on my old Luxe that I dropped with GMAX -60's.

[General Baxter]

Just a thought. Do you have an anti roll bar fitted? Quite often find they can make handling worse on cars with very low and hard suspension.

i dont kow my loon handles better with it on :)

take it off and it understeers like a nut ball lol

[vaughanmc]

After seeing this thread I'm going to get the tracking done on my Nova just to see if that makes any difference and just to be sure its done :)

[jonnywms]

Cheers for all the advice. Have taken anti roll bar off gonna change track rod ends as old ones look a bit knackered. Get it tracked then get some wider wheels with decent tyres! for it and see how it is then. Think i just panicked as ive had a few different people telling me it'll be ok with said alterations.
Will just have to see tomoz when it gets tracked......

[craig green]

The camber is the reason for the poor grip however.

[jonnywms]

The camber is the reason for the poor grip however.

What camber adjustment do u have on yours?

[craig green]

I've filed the upper strut bolts outwards, using an OMP adj strut brace to hold things in place.

The other method of using alloy eccentric top mounts is far more expensive.

[jonnywms]

I've filed the upper strut bolts outwards, using an OMP adj strut brace to hold things in place.

The other method of using alloy eccentric top mounts is far more expensive.

Yeah thats what scared me. $$$$$$

cheers

[Edwin]

This is something that i jused on my car.
http://www.hrsprings.com/products/triplec/

It's cheap and very effective. They can correct camber, up to 1.5 degr.
Got mine from "special products" but you can also order them from monroe.

[Nova_Tek]

This is something that i jused on my car.
http://www.hrsprings.com/products/triplec/

It's cheap and very effective. They can correct camber, up to 1.5 degr.
Got mine from "special products" but you can also order them from monroe.

Nice find mate, I didnt even notice this product and I bought H&R springs too lol

How much did you get them for?

[Riggy]

you can get camber bolts from anywhere , demon tweeks sell them for about £40

but iirc mk2 golf had them as std

[craig green]

Yeah VW can suplly them & Eibach actually list them for Novas at a reasonable price.

There is also a guide in a Nova Haynes manual as to how the camber can be adjusted by filing the upper hole in the bottom of the shock/knuckle mounts.

[Nova_Tek]

Fankoo people, will go invest in a set seeing as they are affordable.