Bilstein B8 (yellow) or B14 2.0 suspension

[Clean 2.0 nova]

I am wanting to purchase some new suspension for my 2.0 nova (second time round - original set going back).

I have come to the decision of having either the yellow bilstein kit B8, but fear I will then have to pay to have uprated front springs, or buy their fully adjustable kit B14 PSS.

I have found a price of ?615 for the B14's, but I haven't found a price for the yellow billies which are quite well rated. I fear that if the springs have to be modified in anyway at the front then I may as well buy the coilover kit. The reason why I don't want Avo's or other makes is because I don't want rear coilovers.

Anyone got any experience of the yellow billies on their supplied springs on a 2.0litre, and if they will fit with 16" speedlines?

Thanks in advance, Iain

[R1CH]

Get in touch with Courtenay, mates just got the (big piston) Bilstein kit with specific 16v springs, can't mind off hand what he paid but it wasn't un-resonable.

Rich

[Clean 2.0 nova]

^^^Any pictures of cars with this setup as I've been told its quite high.
http://www.courtenaysport.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=92
courtney setup is ?470 so it would have to be right height for me without modding, anyone got any pictures of the said setup?

[scott.parker]

If your not affter rear coilovers mate then why not look at the Spax RSX kit, its got front coilovers but normal spring/shock rear, think there arround ?350 and the just get some 300lbs front springs from rally design ?50 p&p

Scott

[Clean 2.0 nova]

sounds a good option above, just looked at some of the comments about them and they seem pretty well rated

[Clean 2.0 nova]

Right i've found two variations from spax

Firstly is the PSX kit at ?325 which are adjustable stiffness only.
Secondly is the RSX543 at ?425 which is stiffness and front coilover adjustment.

So would the second option be adequate without uprated springs, or do front coilovers still need to be uprated in poundage? From my simple theory adjusting the height at which the suspension works would not increase their ability to support extra load (same for all coilover kits).

Could someone clear this up please?

[scott.parker]

Right i've found two variations from spax

Firstly is the PSX kit at ?325 which are adjustable stiffness only.
Secondly is the RSX543 at ?425 which is stiffness and front coilover adjustment.

So would the second option be adequate without uprated springs, or do front coilovers still need to be uprated in poundage? From my simple theory adjusting the height at which the suspension works would not increase their ability to support extra load (same for all coilover kits).

Could someone clear this up please?

Well all coilover kits (unless stated)top of the line will be made to sute a nova gsi/gte, so really if your looking for the correct set up (use on track etc) then the uprated springs are the best step forward, but not essential for fast road IMO.

Scott

PS: i used to run the RSX coilovers/shocks rear on my Silk violet one, but later opted for AVO's for more adjustment and stiffnes, the spax worked really well, but i wanted more for track use.

[womble sri]

here is mine with billies and courtenat 16v specific springs

http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/3388big.jpg
http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/3388big6.jpg

http://www.pngclub.com/images/car_images/3388big7.jpg

in my opinion is sits to high as you can see the shocks walking up to the car. i am considering having some custom springs made at my local spring place. but i also think the ride is to soft i.e. too much roll although i dont have an a.r.b but its still to soft i used to have the apex xlow kit on my sri and that was rock solid and was by far the best syuspension i have had on my novas. the billie kit is ideal for everday use but for the price i would go for some AVO coilovers although i believe they require some modification to get the rears to fit.

[Mazz]

I seen fitted Courtenay 2.0 springs and imo they do sit too high, but they were designed for normal road use iirc, a happy medium between height, stifness, comfort etc etc - they spent quite a lot of moey researching it aswell..

[Clean 2.0 nova]

so many options to go for

1. spax psx + uprated springs around ?390 inc deliv
2. spax rsx ?440 inc deliv, these have adjustment, springs o.k. for road use, but need to uprate for track use (car wont be going on track)
3. bilstein adjustable kit B14's at ?615 but have same problem as above

I have discounted the courtney kit as being too high and the Bilstein B8's because they are pretty much same as spax psx but will be dearer (haven't found realistic price yet).

Think it will have to be option 1 - the 'safe' option, I assume these will be fine with 16" allesios - All agree?
Don't want to order another set of **** suspension (first ones were cobra at ?450 but werent designed for 49mm offset and hence standard wheels rubbed - how crazy is that)

[womble sri]

id go for the spax rsx kit some places will supply them with the required 300lb springs like chris astley. they also come up quite a lot in new or used condition on bgay. ive seen new sets go for 300 quid

[Clean 2.0 nova]

id go for the spax rsx kit some places will supply them with the required 300lb springs like chris astley. they also come up quite a lot in new or used condition on bgay. ive seen new sets go for 300 quid

Just looked on chris astley's website but no price for any spax - do you know how much they are roughly?

[scott.parker]

Grrrr...lol

Dude go for the Spax RSX kit i use to have them on mine...

There on it in these pics.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/4993/picture727kg1.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1381/picture730wq3.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/733/picture738smallho6.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8082/picture744smallyl1.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/9522/picture748smallcj9.jpg

All of they above photos were when i ran it on SPAX RSX Coilovers front, RSX shocks rear with 60mm springs and an XE in it.

Scott

[Clean 2.0 nova]

I shall call chris astley's in the morning, if they are a reasonable price with uprated springs than I will go for them.

[craig green]

heres my opinion. It sounds like you want the Bilstein big piston (yellow) B8 shocks, but from my own experience, I know the XE spec Courtenay springs sit too high. Either buy a front end setup from Courtenay & send the springs away to be recoiled 30mm lower or just buy the dampers & have some springs made by coilsprings89 to your spec.

SPAX coilovers use a smaller dia spring (IIRC) than AVO's etc, so arent as easily played with.

[Saloony]

I have them exact suspension set up, and yeah Craig is right, if youve seen pics of my saloon most comments and views will show that the front, on gay courtenay springs, looks ready for take off. But will say this, its a damn comfortable ride. Ive just purchased AVO coilovers so my set will be up for sale soon.

[craig green]

If you ever speak to Courtenay, they always preach that they're stuff is for fast road usage & not race cars. Slammed 100mm coilovers used for track day & compromised road use doesnt fit their bill I guess?

As I may have posted earlier, my mates Courtenay premium XE springs had 2 coils chopped out & was far better.

[womble sri]

isny chopping springs a bit dodgy? i always thought that was a bit if dangerous mod or is it ok with decent dampners?

i dont think chris list them but can defo get them and he has the option of 300lb springs on the avos so i only assume its the same for the spax

[Clean 2.0 nova]

I have today ordered the spax RSX kit with uprated springs ?510 inc delivery. I could of had AVO for extra ?40 ish but would then run into rear strengthening problems although otherwise would have chosen them.

Thanks for help everyone, will post an update once fitted. It seems there are so many options around this price range - this thread pretty much covers the pros and cons of them all.

[Clean 2.0 nova]

Well I ordered the RSX kit through Chris astley with uprated springs and paid ?510. Chris was on holiday the week I should of recieved the kit but it didn't turn up. I phoned Chris when he came back to be informed the uprated springs were now to be approx ?50 more:mad: . I cancelled this and ordered a set from POTN which was ?490 including front uprated springs and delivery:D . Some parts were out of stock for the kit so had to wait a week which then ended up been 2 weeks (always the case). Then finally on friday 2/11/07, I recieved the suspension - what an ordeal.

so off with the 'not-so-old'
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x198/iaingra/IM002129.jpg

And on with the new
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x198/iaingra/IM002155.jpg

First things I noticed when unpacking was that the rear springs are not adjustable for height even though sales literature stated 'full height and damping adjustment'. I rung Spax and POTN but nobody seemed interested in this 'mis-representing'. Anyway fitted it hoping rear height will be about right. As for front struts I noticed there was no slotted hole for camber adjustment, so again I fit it all hoping camber will be right.

Everything went together well and I set the springs on the front struts to be as low as possible without the coils becoming loose. I fitted the front wheels and was pleased to say that camber seemed spot on for the purpose of tyre to coil clearance (about 3mm gap). When lowered off the jacks I still felt it was too high with a wheel centre to arch distance of 295mm instead of literature min height of 245mm. I feel that the strut open length is too long to ascertain the published lowering figures. As for the rear wheel centre to arch distance I got 257mm which was in the middle of the published figures (full interior fitted).

I've not had chance to set the damping up yet as the vehicle is off the road for winter so cannot comment on handling, but I'm sure I won't have too many concerns given I've opted for the uprated springs.

Hope this is of help to anyone else considering suspension for a big block nova.

Iain

[Adam]

Hmm, you said you avoided avo so you didn't have to strengthen the beam, but then said you wanted rear height adjustable?(like Avo, with the spring on the damper)
Most coilover kits are only front adjustable height.

New kits looks cool and shiny :) What drop are the rear springs? 60?

[Clean 2.0 nova]

Rear springs are 50mm drop, The suspension I took off, like some other kits use an adjustable spacer type thing that packs out the rear coil and hence not needing coilovers (see bottom right bits in the picture of suspension removed). I assumed the new kit would be like this, I know of 3 other makes that use this system.

[Ash]

No one seem to mention GAZ coilovers, which you can order with standard shock/spring instead of rear coilover. Don't understand how you wanted the rear height adjustable without coilovers tho...

[Welsh Dan]

Don't understand how you wanted the rear height adjustable without coilovers tho...

Some setups have adjustable spring platforms for the rear.

[craig green]

So what was wrong with the 1st coil overs?

[Clean 2.0 nova]

So what was wrong with the 1st coil overs?

Never mentioned about those in this thread, the problem was standard wheels / tyres wouldn't fit on - never mind wider alloy's. I had to frig them about a bit to get the wheels on. After getting in touch with cobra (manufacturers) I was told they were designed for the wrong offset wheel (et40).