suspension good fast road setup?

[SCHWARTZ]

Im looking at setting up my suspension a bit so it handles a little better on the road and on the odd track day. Is there a set up for the 5 that is known to work well on the ****e roads here?
I have lowered the rear torsion bar so the arch sits just covering the top of the tyre on a 15" wheel with a 45 profile, TD pro race 1.2's with new t1r's, koni dampers on the rear and adjustable avo coilovers on the front. I also have a set of koni's (not adjustable ride hight) for the front with red springs which i will put on if they will be better (sorry i dont know the spring poundage for both atm but will find out when i strip them).
The front sits 5" off the ground measured to the sill which seems ok over speed bumps.
I know this is all very vague but just looking at a good tried and tested starting point.
Also i have a b18ft so its a little heavier up front than standard but its the back that seems to let go first

[Alex]

Konis are always a great starting point I use mine on the road and track and I'm reluctant to try anything different as I like the handling that much.

[jesus in the seat of a 5]

Konis are always a great starting point I use mine on the road and track and I'm reluctant to try anything different as I like the handling that much.

..agree with trucking Hank from wirral, konis all the way, tried most others too..

[SCHWARTZ]

Cheers chaps.
Yeah it felt good with the koni's and there's nothing wrong with them but a set of adj ride avo's came up cheap so I went for them. Think il go back to the koni's then.
What sort of spring poundage should I be looking for? Bearing in mind the extra weight of the b18ft.

[Matt Cole]

What Koni's are you chaps on about? Coil overs?

[SCHWARTZ]

Yep well there coilovers but not ones with adj height and has the large springs like 4" diameter or somet.

[Matt Cole]

Yep well there coilovers but not ones with adj height and has the large springs like 4" diameter or somet.

[tiff_lee]

Do the AVO's (coilovers) have adjustable damping? if so why not just get a different pair of springs for track use and adjust the damping to suit.

[Alastair]

Do the AVO's (coilovers) have adjustable damping? if so why not just get a different pair of springs for track use and adjust the damping to suit.

Thats what i do, 175 lb for broken ground up to 275 lb for track. Although the dampers could be better matched and have better slow and high speed control, i don't get overtaken often on track If your prepared to pay a bit more then you can get some very very good kit custom made... but with twins on the way my R&D has had to stop!

[Coops]

all modern macpherson strut type suspension are coilover, the coil goes over the outside of the piston

but in this case, they arent what you're reffering to as coilovers in the strictest, modern sense of the word, they are just shocks and springs

[SCHWARTZ]

im on a very tight budget so it will be either of the two going back on. both have adjustable dampening by turning a nut on the top of the shock all though i didnt realise the konis did until i took them off. I refer to both sets as coilovers as (like said) the coils go over the dampers but, yes the avo's are coilovers with adj height and dampening and the koni's are standard with adj dampening and fixed height.
I dont know what the dampening was set at on the koni's before i took them off but i have the avo's as stiff as they will go but they still feel like they need to be stiffer so looks lke they need stiffer springs.
the rears are also adjustable bu removing them and twisting them.
I will find out what the springs are on the koni's in a sec.

[SCHWARTZ]

Right I can't find anything stamped on the spring so all I know is that they are big, red, have 5 coils and measure 260mm. Would anyone like to hazard a guess how high the car will sit as I really can't remember.

[philr5t]

If there the Gsf ones they were 35mm lowering springs mate

[SCHWARTZ]

No idea if there gsf or not matey, were on the car when I got it. I assumed they would have just came with the shocks. what is the standard height of a gtt? 35mm lower dosnt sound low enough.

[Rob@Backyardracing]

Thats what i do, 175 lb for broken ground up to 275 lb for track. Although the dampers could be better matched and have better slow and high speed control, i don't get overtaken often on track If your prepared to pay a bit more then you can get some very very good kit custom made... but with twins on the way my R&D has had to stop!

275 seems vey soft to me for a track spring.. you guys still lifting the rear wheel with these? still running stock ARB?

[SCHWARTZ]

with 275lbs springs does it mean it would take 275lbs to fully compress the spring?

[philr5t]

A few years back now I bought a set of standard front shocks and chose the 35 mm lowering springs which are red think they still sell them mate

[Matt Cole]

all modern macpherson strut type suspension are coilover, the coil goes over the outside of the piston

but in this case, they arent what you're reffering to as coilovers in the strictest, modern sense of the word, they are just shocks and springs

Ah right, I get ya. A bit of sarcasm we have here.

[SCHWARTZ]

is it poss to get a good guess of the poundage of the spring by measuring the thickness of it? If so anyone know how thick i should be looking for, for a 200lbs spring for example? or are different materials used?

[TrixNFlix]

275 seems vey soft to me for a track spring.. you guys still lifting the rear wheel with these? still running stock ARB?

What would you recommend for track then rob on standard arb? Was just about to order some 300lb springs!

[SCHWARTZ]

Ah right, I get ya. A bit of sarcasm we have here.

no sarcasm ment in the slightest matey.

[SCHWARTZ]

forgot to mention the whole front end is pollybushed all be it the cheaper ebay jobbies

[olidaviesuk]

You're well along the right lines with what you've got mate, any further and you'll be far too track focused and it wont be a nice drive on the road

Rear camber is a nice addition to a fast road setup on the five, but nigh on impossible to get without spending money or a 'cup' rear end... Which has had the trailing arms bent....

forgot to mention the whole front end is pollybushed all be it the cheaper ebay jobbies

[Rob@Backyardracing]

What would you recommend for track then rob on standard arb? Was just about to order some 300lb springs!

i really couldnt say, depends how much the car understeers and how much damper travel you have at your selected ride height... Porsche boxters can suffer from understeer once messed with on a track, apart from dialing in damper settings and drop link/arb settings etc id go softer on the spring, 550-450front is what would work ok as an all rounder, also id increase rear toe out to help the car have more oversteer which will cancel out the underteer with a good driver.. on a much heavier car up front eg a 968 id fit 800`s all round or a balance of 1000/800... On a car like a R5 id have to play with to see what works, ive never tracked a front wheel drive and there is more peeps on here with more fwd knowledge than me... I really should have a play with my clio 16v i have up for sale in classifieds...

[SCHWARTZ]

.. I really should have a play with my clio 16v i have up for sale in classifieds...

quality bit of plugging there fella.

[TrixNFlix]

i really couldnt say, depends how much the car understeers and how much damper travel you have at your selected ride height... Porsche boxters can suffer from understeer once messed with on a track, apart from dialing in damper settings and drop link/arb settings etc id go softer on the spring, 550-450front is what would work ok as an all rounder, also id increase rear toe out to help the car have more oversteer which will cancel out the underteer with a good driver.. on a much heavier car up front eg a 968 id fit 800`s all round or a balance of 1000/800... On a car like a R5 id have to play with to see what works, ive never tracked a front wheel drive and there is more peeps on here with more fwd knowledge than me... I really should have a play with my clio 16v i have up for sale in classifieds...

Cheers rob, Gonna try 450 I think and see how it feels, and work from there.

[Brigsy]

Id personally say stick with the avo's and play around with the spring ratings, as you have a heavier engine up front. Couple them up with a good set of tyres and your onto a winner.

[tiff_lee]

IMO to have a one size fits all setup will result in compromising somewhere, now whether that be driveability on UK roads or handling on a track day will obviously be down to the final setup.

I appreciate you're on a budget but new coil springs are like £15 from rallydesign (other retailers are available), get a set for road use and a set for track use then you can have the best of both worlds?

Edit: springs for the coilovers as easy to swap out.

[SCHWARTZ]

I'm not looking at going on a lot of track days if I was is save and have another 5. But id like to get it as good on the road as I can but also holds its own on track. Like said earlier id like to just be able to stiffen up the dampening for track.

[RussellT]

This is left field but for a cheap suspension mod that does make a big difference to road holding is this;

If your rear shocks have a nice big soft bump stop, place a solid rubber door stop around the rod of the shocker. The car will run onthe bump stop and it gives a rising rate to the rear suspension mimicing a ARB.

Drill a 1/2 inch hole in the door stop cut it verticaly and wrap aroundthe rod and hold in place with a strong cable tie or jubile clip.

Easy to fit and remove if you are not amazed.

[Sam Fish]

I am pretty sure the cup cars run mostly on the rear bump stops anyway. The TS's did, and don't the GT Turbo's? The UK ones are usually slammed on the rear.

I thought they ran them on the bump stops on purpose because they couldn't get them stiff enough on the rear within the regs....

Not sure I would want to use it on the road like that though.

[RussellT]

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...DY&view=videos

See what you think. I have run on the road every day like this for 10 years. If its wet the back end can step out but its progressive and shouldnt be a problem for a young man with goos reactions.

Add in leda dampers 300lb/inch springs a reinforced front ARB and a gripper LSD and youhave the full package. But that costs rather more than a couple of door stops!

[SCHWARTZ]

Il have a look but don't think my shocks have big bump stops, if any