Gmax suspension on a VR

[Rpmayne 0]

I bought a complete Gmax suspension kit for the VR because it despirately needed doing and I didn't have the money for anything better, koni top adjustables would have been my choice as the coilovers are abit stiff for my liking.

 

Anyhow, has anyone else got this kit and what do you think? Finding mine abit soft at the front. A crawl over a speed bump and I can feel the difference between the front and back damping.

 

The back seems to start sliding abit prematurely, as if the fronts giving too much and taking weight off the opposite rear. Good fun around round abouts, just doesn't sound right when alot of people are saying its near impossible to loose the rear end, if anything slight understeer at the limit.

 

Had a gmax kit on a mk2 golf and it felt alot sharper and more even front to back.

 

Would this be down to the shocks or springs? And is there a cheaper way of correcting it other than a new suspension kit? Or am I imagining this? Ta.

[pablo_vr6 0]

i have bilsteins and they seem a lot softer at the front than the rear too.

[Si B 0]

Mmmm....interesting. I have a G-max set up on my G60 having had a similar set up on my old 16v C. I think it is great for the money. Obviously TAs would be great but the G-max kit was £200. Mine is noticably firmer than std but not uncomfortably so and in my humble opinion an excellent compromise. I haven't noticed any funny handling traits since fitting it.

 

I did a number of track days in the 16v with the G-Max set up and it was great. It could have been a bit firmer for the track but then I wouldn't have wanted to drive it home afterwards. Both my Cs have been very neutral and will break into understeer if you barrel on the power too early or come in to fast but would also oversteer nicely with a bit of trail braking/left foot braking, if you drive nice and smooth though they stay very neutral.

 

What sort of condition are all your bushes in? I had some shot rear bushes on the 16v which gave some interesting rear end breakaway characteristcs.

 

What tyre pressures do you run. If your backs are too hard then they will skit around and break away sooner than the fronts and vice versa. Tyre pressure are often overlooked but make a big difference to grip and handling.

[Rpmayne 0]

Haven't checked the pressures recently but last done it was 36psi front and 32psi rear. What do you run? Not sure about the condition of the bushes, is there any easy way to tell whether they're shot? No knocking so assume they are still there. :roll:

[Storm 0]

I lost the back end of my old VR big style, worked out to be tyre pressure, it was down quite bad.

[Si B 0]

I think the mannual says something like 40psi all round which is stupidly high and probably reduces the width of each tyres contact patch by about 50%.

 

I run about 33 at the front and 31 at the back. which seems to do the trick. They do require checking regularly though as temperature has an effect on the pressures. If you set the pressures in the middle of winter then they will increase as the weather warms up.....although not much chance of that at the moment :(

 

You also want to make sure you set them with the tyres cold. If you set them when hot (i.e. after a decent blast) the air in them contracts as they cool and the pressures drop. I usually see about a 4-6 psi increase between cold tyres and track day hot tyres, thus you always need to let some air out to compensate.......and then remember to put it back in before you drive sedately home.

[stevemac 0]

I think the mannual says something like 40psi all round which is stupidly high and probably reduces the width of each tyres contact patch by about 50%.

 

You know better than the designers ehh :lol:

 

I'd stick with what's in the manual if you want to maintain good handling & tyre wear !! :wink:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Haven't checked the pressures recently but last done it was 36psi front and 32psi rear. What do you run?

 

That's what I run, otherwise I get uneven wear.

 

If the car is understeery, the dampers are knackered or the camber/tracking are out.

[stevemac 0]

I have 205/40WR17's on at the mo & get even wear & good grip with 42psi in the front & 36psi in the back !!

[daves16v 1]

Haven't checked the pressures recently but last done it was 36psi front and 32psi rear. What do you run?

 

Same here on 195 x 45 x 16"