Suspension Advice Please?

[Torroni]

I would like to get some advice about the suspension set-up on my Vauxhall Nova GTE. The car is currently fitted with Spax -35mm springs and Spax nitrogen gas shocks. The ride is 'harsh' to say the least but does perform quite well on smooth roads and obviously improves handling on the bends and at speed.

Due to a change in circumstances I now drive the car regularly and would like to achieve a more comfortable ride without compromising looks too much. I have seen many adjustable coilover kits, but do they give adjustability in the range where I would find more comfort?

The ideal solution would be some sort of adjustable set-up that would allow spring/shock adjustment from 0 to -35mm but I don't know if this actually exists?

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

In a word, no. You won't get better comfort from coilovers. I think your best solution would be to go back to standard with uprated anti-roll bar bushes.

[Torroni]

I thought this might be the case, although I don't want the car to sit any higher on a permanent basis. I really would just like to soften the annoying 'bang' every time I drive over a minor bump in the road. :-)

[Welsh Dan]

Is the car just really sensitive to bumps, or does something actually bang?

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Think you may have other problems if you're getting a prominent "bang" from minor bumps in the road.

[BIGS]

Ive heard spax are known for a hard right. as my gte is lowerd 35mm and it is far from a harsh ride.

[Torroni]

Well I'd say the source of the 'bang' is probably more coming from the dashboard rather than the suspension, but it's the stiffness of the suspension which is allowing this force to transfer into the car, generating a 'bang'. It's enough that unknowing passengers do comment on the hardness of the ride and uncomfortable banging sounds. Lol.

Tiny bumps are ok, but groves, bumps and holes deeper than say about 2 inches do feedback into the car, giving what I would say is a 'harsh' ride.

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

I've run Avo's & Bilstein and both gave a comfortable and quiet ride considering. Using Avo coilovers just now and although the ride is harsh, it's not loud by any means.

[MyNovaSr]

Well I'd say the source of the 'bang' is probably more coming from the dashboard rather than the suspension, but it's the stiffness of the suspension which is allowing this force to transfer into the car, generating a 'bang'. It's enough that unknowing passengers do comment on the hardness of the ride and uncomfortable banging sounds. Lol.

Tiny bumps are ok, but groves, bumps and holes deeper than say about 2 inches do feedback into the car, giving what I would say is a 'harsh' ride.

Mine is lowered around 60 on the front and 80 on the rear.

Mine "bangs", but the bang is the contents of the car jumping up, its really annoying but handles well and looks good imo.

I have been thinking about getting coilovers, but what everyone is saying is that you can't have a low ride and suspension that soaks up the bumps rather than being uber solid?? :confused:

[Welsh Dan]

I have been thinking about getting coilovers, but what everyone is saying is that you can't have a low ride and suspension that soaks up the bumps rather than being uber solid?? :confused:

You can, but you need to create space for the suspension to travel, and buy suitable suspension to fit it. For the rear you'd have to raise the top of the shock turrets, and probably widen them so that you can use a long-ish coilover set to soft, with a suitable length/poundage of spring so that you get full travel just before the rear beam fouls on the car/exhaust or the wheels foul the arches. On the front its not really possible to raise the top of the turrets so its all down to which strut/spring you choose.

[mowgli]

I thought this might be the case, although I don't want the car to sit any higher on a permanent basis. I really would just like to soften the annoying 'bang' every time I drive over a minor bump in the road. :-)

my spax does that too. the noise is quite pronounced. I thinnk you would have to put softer springs on it to have any effect.