Nova Coilovers, Experiences Wanted

[elgan nova]

could anyone with nova coilovers upfront, share any experiences


ive got a sat of them cheap ones that pvd were clearing out, height adjustable on front only, not ride.


just wandered if anyone has anything usefull to say about them, something that mite help in fitting and adjusting them up etc


cheers

[NovaNeil]

What make are they? I have a set of AVO coilovers on my GSi

[elgan nova]

supersport


their on , and wen u press down on the frotn it doesnt settle immediatley

and the buggers didnt supply me with a key/spanner to adjust the platforms. :twisted:

[_Ben_]

I've got an Avo kit on mine. Tho mine are adjustable for height and ride (only ride at the rear). I think the kit is now part of Avo's evolution series - about 500 quid front and rear. Am currently saving for a set of Bilstein coilovers..

The kit on my car has lasted a good 5 or so years, which isn't bad going really.

[Jim]

Speaking of coilovers, does anyone know a Kit that allows you to adjust the ride height at the back as well? I'm after a set of Coilovers and idealy id like them to have adjustable ride height all round, not just at the front.

Thx in advance,

Jim

[_Ben_]

Yep, the Bilstein PSS9 kit is the one you're after - ?850 from most UK outlets.

It retains the separate spring and damper at the back. Has an adjustable platform which sits between the spring and beam (I think)

[Rick Draper]

Avo do one as well but the less said about it the better! Also BAT have a kit in that big steve x has i believe thet has height and damping adjustment all round i believe, i am on the lookout for some new to replace my avo setup i think!. Rick

[YellowTurbo]

I am toying with the idea of coilovers what is the main improvment over standard dampers? is the ride alot more comfortable?

[Rick Draper]

The ride is as hard or as soft as you want it as you just get different springs with different rates and then set the damping soft or stiff. Rick

[scott5]

anyone know what the spaz coilovers are like? they're about the same price as the avos so which are the better ones to get?

[Jim]

Yep, the Bilstein PSS9 kit is the one you're after - ?850 from most UK outlets.

Ouch!!!

I was hoping to pay a little less than that :|

With the spax coilovers, you might want to check that the have rear height adjustment. Alot of the coilover suspension kits for Novas dont have rear height adjutment, which is annoying, but I suppose thats why there so much more expensive :?

Jim

[tonydry]

i have aset ov the avo's there only hight ajustable at the front but the rear does drop alot with the springs provided dont no the mm

[scott5]

everyone i've spoke to about coilovers on the rear of a nova have said that they are crap because the dampers are too long and therefore there isnt enough travel on them so the ride is crap.
the avo kits come with -80mm springs for the rear i think, thats plenty low enough!

[Austin_Nova16]

I've just fitted some coilovers on the back of mine. Lowered the mounting for the suspension onto the rear beam by about and inch and a half.

Sits on the deck now :)

[mikeoxford]

I've just fitted some coilovers on the back of mine. Lowered the mounting for the suspension onto the rear beam by about and inch and a half.

Sits on the deck now :)

sweet

any pics?

[Jim]

I've just fitted some coilovers on the back of mine. Lowered the mounting for the suspension onto the rear beam by about and inch and a half.

Sits on the deck now :)

Cool. I went the easy way to lower my car by getting some custom springs made. The only trouble is, the springs are so low that the ride height at the back is far too hard. It's like I'm running on the bumpstops of the shocks rather than the springs. Do you have any travel in the suspension now that you've dropped it?

Thats the main reason I wanted coilovers. You can set the suspension for all types of occasions. Soft for normal day travel, hard for track days, and then lower it as much as possible for shows.

One other thing about coilovers. When you adjust it at the front, won't you have to get your camber adjusted aswell, or do coilovers compensate for this?

Jim

[NovaNeil]

If you drop the ride height a considerable amount at the front the tracking will be affected and the camber will most certainly be out. Be warned though, I have AVO coilovers all round and I preformed the Camber Mob as described on this website and unfortunely the front spring platforms rub on the inside of the tyres so I've had to put 1mm wheel spacers on. (Im running 16's by the way) The car is now lowered 70mm at the front (with correct camber) and around 90mm at the back with no Scrubbing, And dispite what everyone tends to say about rear coilovers I think there great. I can take 5 people in my car, and just by turning a knob on the rear coilovers to set it to hard I get no Scrubbige. Then when I going to be driving on rough roads I just soften them all up. It takes about 2 mins to alter all 4 and about 10mins to alter the ride height on all 4! There by far the best suspension i've owned!!! Plus at track days, I put it on fully hard and its like gokart!!! :D The back end pops out on every corner! Hardly any understeer! Come to the CCC Action day Castle Combe on the 26th April and you'll see this for yourself.

[scott5]

did you need to fit spacers on the back or do the coilovers fit between the body and the wheel ok?
what offset wheels are you using, 49mm or something different?

[NovaNeil]

I've got Speedlines ET49. No wheels spacers on the back theres about 2mm clearance between the coilover and tyre. I just had to trim the outer arches a bit and hammer the inner arch to make clearance for the coilover, not much work really.

[scott5]

I've got 17s with a 45mm offset so i would probably need spacers cos my wheels will be 2mm closer than yours to the damper.
my wheel already catches on the passenger side rear damper a bit so would i have enough clearence for the coilover with a spacer, i could probably use 3-4mm spacers max?
How much did the avos cost?

[CP]

If you fit Avo's (fully adjustable coilovers alround) you have got to be prepared to feck about with them cos basically they are a bit of a bodge:
1. The front assembly utilises the std Nova top mountings at the front that means you cant slam the front down cos about 2" is wasted at the top of the struts.
2. If you have larger/wider wheels than std they rub on the springs at the front if you try to lower it right down.
3. Theres sod all clearance with the back ones.
4. The rear springs dont have any proper re- inforced platforms to bear on cos they press against the arch around the damper mounting which hasnt been designed for them.
5. If you fit them to valvers they may leak at the front.

They are basically the budget end of the job

[Lee H]

What CP says is very true i'm afraid. I bought this kit and had to get shorter front springs made to clear the wheels and get it low. Took them off at weekend to inspect them as valver lump is out and they don't look perfect anymore (only 10 months old). Not leaking yet but not at there best by the looks of it.

The rears were on my car for a day before I removed them. They went straight on no problems but after winding them down to approx 60mm they were on there bumpstops and back end was bouncing all over the place. Took them off and noticed the actual damper body is longer than a standard damper body therefore not allowing a decent drop on the back (90mm is b0llocks). I sent the rears back and went back to seperate spring and damper.

All in all avoid the Avo's at all cost from my personal experience.

I'm sure Rick Draper will back me up on this one.

Lee

[NovaNeil]

The rear wheels are right up in the arches!!! Believe me its 90mm at least! I measured the distance from the arch to the edge of the rim with normal 60mm springs on and it was just over 30mm. Now the rim is level with the arch!!! Leegsi16v heres the maths for you. 60 + 30 equals 90mm. I'll have the pics back soon, so i'll put them on the site and you can tell me how low it looks! I had it even lower for a day, but it did bounce all over the place and chewed through my tyre because of all the scrabbing on the outer arch.

[Lee H]

Strange my 70mm rear springs have the edge of the 16" rim slightly in the arch as well as the tyre as you can see on my car feature under 2.0 16v section, its Lee Haslam's black GSi. You can't tell me you are 20mm lower than that !! :lol:

Plus my car is now lower with the 70mm springs on than it was with the Avos coilovers resting on their bumpstops!!

Why do so many people chat shit about how low their car is??

[_Ben_]

http://www.btinternet.com/~jones_b/low.jpg

Thats a picture of the wheel rim against the arch on my Nova. The suspension I use is AVO GTZ 700/701 this kit has separate dampers and springs at the back. (The rims are 16s with 195 tyres)

I was told by one Motorsport company that rear coilovers on Novas should have strengthening inserts welded into the damper turrets to make it a load bearing surface.

The car is too low really, so am going for the PSS9 Bilstein kit when funds permit.

Cheers.

[CP]

Yep yur right about the damper turrets. I seem to be surviving OK but mine is stripped right out so there is little weight on them