Coilover Options

[loggyboy]

Whats peoples opinions of the coilovers they are using.
I want fully adustable, so my options at mo are:

FK konigsports - no rear coilovers is a downer tho
GAZ - set of these on ebay for a good B-I-N price and are coilovers front and rear.
AVOs- Bit expensive new, but do have the option of front and rear coilovers.

Any others to consider?

[Lee H]

I had Avo but didn't rate them at all, seals popped and lost damping adjustment although have heard the newer ones are better.

Got Gaz ones now and have had the shorter versions so I have more suspension travel when running low, they look very well made although haven't driven the car very far.

[Will F]

Whats the budget?

Gaz are great and I think the new Avos are good too (the older versions were poop)

FK are a bit hit and miss (from what I have read) and dont really have the reputation imo...

[djbrowney]

i was going to ask the same question my self as i am now about to buy my suspension, dont spax also do a coilover set for the nova ? also is it much better than using springs and adj shocks !

[loggyboy]

Spax do a RSX kit, but ive heard its got funny springs that dont use a standard format. Its also not rear coilovers on the spax kit.

The chief advantages over fixed springs is customising the ride height to match the application, customisation of spring rates and heights, increased space for wider wheels, allowance for fitting eccentric topmounts which inturns adjust the camber.

Budget is as low as possible, but im tempted to go brand new. I know AVOs are around ?550 which is out of my current budget, the gaz kit on ebay is ?450 ish, and theres a set of new FKs up for ?400 ish on there too. both of those i could stretch to at end of month.

If i could find a bargain 2nd hand set then id risk it tho.

[djbrowney]

just spoke to my mate about the coilovers and he asked if i needed to turret the back because of of the weight would be on were the scocks would sit as standard if you catch my drift lol

[loggyboy]

Turreting is an option as space is tight to fit the 1.9" inch rear coilovers, however the standard turrets can be utilised with some modification and reinforcement (plates/washers/welding etc)

[craig green]

Why not just buy the fronts (avo or GAZ) & buy the rears when you can afford them - or vica versa?

Both companies will split them & sell you what you need.

I dealt directly with AVO & had my rears next day.

[Adam]

Go with GAZ imo.
Ive heard nothing but good things about them.

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Can I ask what wheel widths people are using with coilovers.

If any are 6" and above, what tyre width are you using and are you having to use wheel spacers?

I'm having a bit of a nightmare with mine at the mo.....

Thanks,

Shaun.

p.s. Using Avo Front and rear, but the car hasn't been driven yet.

[Adam]

Are the rear coilovers rubbing on the tyre then?
Do you have enough arch clearence to space the wheel out slightly?

[R1CH]

Running GAZ coilovers, think there spot on.

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Are the rear coilovers rubbing on the tyre then?
Do you have enough arch clearence to space the wheel out slightly?

Yeah, had tried Cav GSI wheels with 195mm tyres and had to space out 5mm, can space out another 5mm if needs be, plenty of room under saloon arches. But spacers are a pain in the ar$e.

The rims clear the coils without tyres by 4mm or so, so wondered if people were using narrower tyres.

[R1CH]

My coilovers on the rears are just on the std mounts, running 195 / 45 / 15's on a 7" rim (ET45).
The drivers side tyre clears the spring by about 3mm using a 1.5mm spacer, had to run a 5mm spacer on the passenger side for the tyre to clear the spring tho.
When the cars jacked up the tyres actually sit against the springs,

[RSTChris]

Ive never personally rated AVOs, mine have always gone rusty and blew seals

[Ste L]

Spax do a RSX kit, but ive heard its got funny springs that dont use a standard format. Its also not rear coilovers on the spax kit.



spax will sell you different poundage spring's for the front, so that's that bit sorted.. and if you want it lower on the back, just speak to coil sping's about some custom rear's etc

[loggyboy]

spax will sell you different poundage spring's for the front, so that's that bit sorted.. and if you want it lower on the back, just speak to coil sping's about some custom rear's etc

And pay the earth for them proabaly! Much easier to get off the shelf springs which means you can experiment with different rates, and then sell them when your done on easier too.

As for custom rears, im not after a low for the looks car, im after tweaking the handling to suit the venue im at, which means id like to be able to wind it up and down. The adjustsable rear platforms i have at mo wont go much lower than the 60mm standard springs I have, partially down to the lack of weight on the rear, but more down to the lack of flexiblilty with the standard style of springs.

[Ste L]

they are ?25 each from spax, not really dear?

[keelanj]

Just got back form a track day with a new set of Spax RSX's -these worked great! dug in & gripped once stiffened, got these of the bay spanking new ?205!! bargin this should suit anyones budget

[Dan]

Yeah, had tried Cav GSI wheels with 195mm tyres and had to space out 5mm, can space out another 5mm if needs be, plenty of room under saloon arches. But spacers are a pain in the ar$e.

The rims clear the coils without tyres by 4mm or so, so wondered if people were using narrower tyres.

Cav gsi wheels on a 195/45/15 eagle f1's had oodles of clearance on my nova, even when i ran 190/580/15 slicks (bigger than the road tyres). Even on track using the kerbs and flicking the car up onto 2 wheels each lap with either tyre i had no issues and you wont test suspension quite to that limit on the road lol

I ran the avo's for almost 3 years with a good dose of road use and a few track days and had no real issues. They didnt and still havent rusted (but then a quick brush of some grease should be done anyway imo, if you leave them unprotected then obv some corrosion may set in over time) The oldest trick was for people who used them on track or who ran bigger engines, was to crank the adjustment up on the shocks rather than get the correct spring rates and then wonder why they popped the seals. After which they were just classed as dog poo that went rusty and always popped seals. ( i have known such people lol )

some pics of what level i ran my car and some clearance shots in the rear arch (again they never rubbed and both sides were equal).........

Car sat in my old trackday tyres

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff163/Dan_R_album/dan3.jpg

clearance with road tyres on (obviosly more than enough room for the slicks also)

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff163/Dan_R_album/coil1.jpg

Just a quick view of the sidewall on my inters/slicks, as you can see they arent exactly small or rolled over like a road tyre

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff163/Dan_R_album/rear4.jpg

[Chris Astley]

Have supplied many sets of both AVO and gaz and to be honest i have had an problems/complaints about either, I sell AVO for ?535 will have to cehck what i can do the Gaz for if your interested loggy?

[loggyboy]

Please mate.

Price for getting fronts and rears seperately too please as that may be an option.

[Chris Astley]

If you wanted a full kit i can do them for ?460 delivered inc VAT. Will get the seperate prices for front and rear tomorrow mate.

[Chris Astley]

If you wanted a full kit i can do them for ?460 delivered inc VAT. Will get the seperate prices for front and rear tomorrow mate.

[John]

What top mounts do the gaz's/avos use at the front? can the existing rubber one be used? or do they have to run eccentric/concentric type bearing mounts? I'm also looking to buy a full set of height and damping adjustment coilovers, but mine use isn't primarily track/sport use. I'm only interested in getting it low, and handling well on the road. Loggy you have an xe yeah? what poundage springs do the avo's/gaz come supplied with?

Apologies for the thread hi-jack loggyboy.

[Chris Astley]

The AVO come with 300lb fronts and 170lb rear springs if you dont specify anything different, either kit can come with whatever poundage springs you want. Both kits can be used with standard top mounts but if you start running around 300lb front springs you find the rubber in the top mount soon goes out of shape.

Replied to your PM John H

[loggyboy]

Do the Avos and Gaz's have slotted bolt holes for camber adjustment?

[Shaun_O'Donnell]

Do the Avos and Gaz's have slotted bolt holes for camber adjustment?

The Avo's don't.

[Rick Draper]

Gaz dont.

[Adam]

Only Fk have those slotted holes iirc

[krobinson]

Chris - PM'd you on your site with regards ordering a Gaz setup.

Keith

[loggyboy]

Only Fk have those slotted holes iirc
Bummer as thats one of the key things i like about the FK highsports i have at mo.

[Count Vaux Alot]

I have J7's and 195/45/15 and they didn't touch the avos but i turreted the arches so i could go low but still have some damper movement.