The Suspension Discussion Thread

[dukest 0]

ah, cheers Karl :D i guess for £20 extra its probably still worth getting the stainless.. what do you reckon? (not saying I've got the cash at the moment mind!)

[The_Dude 0]

The KW website now additionally lists a KW V1 "Basic" version which is galvanised rather than the stainless steel inox finish on the original 3 models. You'd assume that this is similar to the construction of the Weitec coilovers which are also made by KW i believe?

 

Given Kev's reports that the inox finish is not necessarily any better than any of the other brands it would be interesting to see if the "better" damping qualities of the KWs but available cheaper in this Basic version is a worthwhile trade off and a good value mid-point between the Weitecs and standard V1s??

 

I've tried finding them on the usual suppliers websites and no-one seems to list them so far but I guess RRP would be somewhere around £575, so maybe the best deal might be down to about £500? Anyone seen a price for them?

 

John

 

What the hell is an inox finish? What advantages does it give over stainless (which i always thought didn't rust?)

And how much 'better' are the KWs compared to the weitecs? (bit of stupid question i know, please be kind!) I was gonna buy the latter but my budget could now stretch to the former. This thread is way too long for me to glean any information from it. The 3 second memory strikes again. :?

[W3RKD 0]

Kw should not be stocking the KW non inox units in the UK as there are Exactlly the same as the weitec Hicon Gt's for more money. I had a meeting with KW over the new year and we decided it wasn't worth bring the non Inox parts into the UK.

 

Also there should be only 5% discount across all the dealers on KW products as they take a disliking to price wars between suppilers. We offer the weitec gt kits at £470 delivered and KW V1's at £599 delivered these prices include VAT but you can remove 5% from that price as forum members

 

Kev, if your platforms locked to the strut i would sugesst it wasn't corrosion but debris in between the strut and the spring plate. If you need any spring plates let me know and ill arrange some for you FOC (Even though you didn't purchase the kit from us if need be).

[dukest 0]

Cheers for the info Darren! I'd thought there might at least be some difference in the damping between the brands but if you say not then that makes it a much more straight forward comparison - Stainless or Galvanised. 8)

What the hell is an inox finish? What advantages does it give over stainless (which i always thought didn't rust?)

Just KW marketing for the stainless stuff, was just less typing to refer to that! :D

[The_Dude 0]

What the hell is an inox finish? What advantages does it give over stainless (which i always thought didn't rust?)

Just KW marketing for the stainless stuff, was just less typing to refer to that! :D

 

Oops, I meant galvanised vs stainless inox. Was watching footy at the time. :?

[Neil VR6 0]

The KW website now additionally lists a KW V1 "Basic" version which is galvanised rather than the stainless steel inox finish on the original 3 models. You'd assume that this is similar to the construction of the Weitec coilovers which are also made by KW i believe?

 

Given Kev's reports that the inox finish is not necessarily any better than any of the other brands it would be interesting to see if the "better" damping qualities of the KWs but available cheaper in this Basic version is a worthwhile trade off and a good value mid-point between the Weitecs and standard V1s??

 

I've tried finding them on the usual suppliers websites and no-one seems to list them so far but I guess RRP would be somewhere around £575, so maybe the best deal might be down to about £500? Anyone seen a price for them?

 

John

 

What the hell is an inox finish? What advantages does it give over stainless (which i always thought didn't rust?)

And how much 'better' are the KWs compared to the weitecs? (bit of stupid question i know, please be kind!) I was gonna buy the latter but my budget could now stretch to the former. This thread is way too long for me to glean any information from it. The 3 second memory strikes again. :?

 

You're welcome to come and try out mine - I'm only in Kent

[Storm Warning 0]

Well, I had to make a choice and purchase so I called G-Werks yesterday and after a quick consultation I've gone for the KW V1s...and a 19row cooler 8)

[Goldie 2]

Well, I had to make a choice and purchase so I called G-Werks yesterday and after a quick consultation I've gone for the KW V1s...and a 19row cooler 8)

 

Youll not be disappointed, i had mine fitted there and they are brilliant..

[daves16v 1]

Well, I had to make a choice and purchase so I called G-Werks yesterday and after a quick consultation I've gone for the KW V1s...and a 19row cooler 8)

 

Youll not be disappointed, i had mine fitted there and they are brilliant..

 

That's just what I wanted to hear. I couldn't make my mind up either but was drawn to the KW's.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Kev, if your platforms locked to the strut i would sugesst it wasn't corrosion but debris in between the strut and the spring plate. If you need any spring plates let me know and ill arrange some for you FOC (Even though you didn't purchase the kit from us if need be).

 

That's good service! Thanks for the offer, but our mutual friend from BalanceMotorsport has already sorted me out with a new spring perch.

 

And yes, just to clarify, by seized I don't mean the dampers themselves have corroded, but rather the perch has seized to the threads and can't be turned. I did wire brush out the threads as best I could first (as per KW's instruction) but it's no use, the perches just won't budge. Someone needs to invent an alternative way to adjust ride height!

I tried the Waxoyl or chain wax method on previous kits but I found that just attracted even more dirt and made matters worse.

 

Duct tape round the clean threads works, but you can't clean the threads above the perch because the spring is in the way, which is a problem if you want to raise the ride height.

 

In answer to some other questions:-

 

I do 20-25K miles a year, come rain, sleet, snow, Ice or shine.

 

Nope, the bump and rebound adjusters haven't seized, they're fine.

 

As for the performance of the KW V3s, I'm still experimenting with various damper and spring rates.....but they are very good overall 8) Can recommend them if you want to try and get the ride and handling balance as perfect as possible.....just make sure you cake them in WD40 every 10 minutes!

[W3RKD 0]

Kev.. I assume your not on the bottom of the thread.. we allways tape below the pearch then if you want to adjust move it down first then clean any make your upwards adjustments (Im sure you did that anyway.) Also worth noting is the 2nm torque setting of the 2mm grub screw, Glad Julian got it sorted promptly for you though. Speak soon

[Storm Warning 0]

Kev.. I assume your not on the bottom of the thread.. we allways tape below the pearch then if you want to adjust move it down first then clean any make your upwards adjustments (Im sure you did that anyway.) Also worth noting is the 2nm torque setting of the 2mm grub screw, Glad Julian got it sorted promptly for you though. Speak soon

 

Any particular type of tape?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah, that's what I do Darren, and yep, it's easy to strip out the grub screw thread!

I'll be putting my MED top mounts on again soon, so I'll try and sort this out then. I went back to the OE mounts again but found those bearings don't last much longer than the MED bearings! Plus I miss the more direct steering and extra castor.

 

Storm Warning, try cloth tape. I believe it's called "Duck Tape" in B&Q. I also considered PTFE tape too as it can get right into the threads. Not sure what happens to it when it gets wet though.

[Storm Warning 0]

ah, duck tape, it has a light side and a dark side and binds the universe together... or am I thinking of the force? :lol:

[VR-OOM 0]

Can anyone recommend or suggest where or who I can get uprated top mounts from?

 

Also are the Bonrath ones any good with coilovers?

 

Cheers James

[Supercharged 2]

Storm Warning, try cloth tape. I believe it's called "Duck Tape" in B&Q. I also considered PTFE tape too as it can get right into the threads. Not sure what happens to it when it gets wet though.

 

Elephant tape is the stuff to use dudes...

[coolrado 0]

Cant you get those neoprene jackets that wrap around coilovers to keep the crap out?

[n3p 3]

Hi,

 

I'm sorry it seems lazy, but I got bored of trawling through the previous pages for answers. I'm at work, and limited to secret CF browsing ;)

 

Looking for a set of Coilovers for my 91' 1.8, Looked at Koni ones on venommotorsport, but says that its only for 1992 corrado's onwards, which is rather crap for me :D I've only heard good things about the koni's so it's a shame. So, what are the best ones to get for my C? Any recommendations? Pref Ride & Damp. adjustable..cheers!

 

[W3RKD 0]

Hi,

 

I'm sorry it seems lazy, but I got bored of trawling through the previous pages for answers. I'm at work, and limited to secret CF browsing ;)

 

Looking for a set of Coilovers for my 91' 1.8, Looked at Koni ones on venommotorsport, but says that its only for 1992 corrado's onwards, which is rather crap for me :D I've only heard good things about the koni's so it's a shame. So, what are the best ones to get for my C? Any recommendations? Pref Ride & Damp. adjustable..cheers!

 

 

We have various options on our site for you to take a look at, We cover your model year with no problems. We would recomend Weitec/Kw

[W3RKD 0]

Cant you get those neoprene jackets that wrap around coilovers to keep the crap out?

 

Yes you can. but at around £30 seem a little excessive.

[W3RKD 0]

Can anyone recommend or suggest where or who I can get uprated top mounts from?

 

Also are the Bonrath ones any good with coilovers?

 

Cheers James

 

Unless your going MED (Means drilling into the strut tops) i would not bother.

[coolrado 0]

Cant you get those neoprene jackets that wrap around coilovers to keep the crap out?

 

Yes you can. but at around £30 seem a little excessive.

hmm ..... i have a couple of old neoprene drysuits in the garage, they might be legless soon :lol:

 

another option for tape on the threads is marine grade self amalgamating tape, it sticks to itself when stretched and then moulds itself together and wont leave any residue when removed, it should also be watertight.

[Jules 0]

I managed to find some spare time to read through the full thread as the time has come to buy a set of coilovers.

 

I am swaying towards the Weitech Gt kit which seem to be getting good reviews, however the other make I had in mind was AVO's ....but no-one has said too much about them. Anyone got them on their car, or had any past experience with them?

 

I have recently stuck a set of 17's on the car, and there is slight rubbing on the rear arches. The way it sits just now, it wont take much to fix. I just hope with the new suspension doesnt make it worse.

 

I also love the height its sitting at and just hope I can manage to get it looking the way it does just now with the new suspension :)

[Guest]

Dunno what other people experiences are with AVO coilovers? but i had some on my Rallye for about 6 months, and can honestly say................It was the harshest, crashiest, neanderthal suspension i have EVER had on any of my cars!

 

that was in 1999 so maybe? AVO have come along a bit since then? i spoke to geoff (phatvalver) at Ultimate dubs and he was not that complementry about the AVO`s he had on his C either, I replaced my AVO`s with a H&R kit which could not even be compared, it was awesome and made my Rallye what it was supposed to be!

 

Suspension is next on my shopping list, i am finding it a minefield too, i know what i want/need but every time i read a thread it puts doubts in! FK`s are good for their money, but with all the stories of seizing up etc it puts me off, mind you the Highsports i had on my golf VR6 were fine even after 4 years use, I then starting considering springs and shock combo, but im running 9j Borbets all round and dont want clearance problems, even though my rear arches are rolled.

 

So as soon as my moneys in place :norty: im either going for Koni coilovers or some H&R`s again, as from my experiences its worth doing the suspension once and getting it right! and it seems paying a few hundred quid more for a set up really is worth it, its not about "scene" or branding, its about quality

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I remember AVOs being all the rage back in 1995 :lol: They are much better now, but early products were prone to leaking.