does my 172 need coilovers?!

[Martin_172]

for 2 years ive had my 1.2 16v clio, spent loads and loads on it and always drive it to the limit every time i drive it. and ive never once got bored of it (just always wanted more power, but always enjoyed driving it)

a week and a half ago i got my mk2 172 in iceberg silver, I love the way it looks, love the interior and extra torque is brilliant around town. but i have one problem with it thats making me not enjoy it, and already im bored of driving it and took my 1.2 tonight to my girfriends house as its fast roads all the way there and had brilliant fun!

the problem is its not very planted to the road, it has loads of grip round a roundabout etc but on the road its all over the road, i put this down to torque steer but surely not in 3rd and 4th gear?

ive had a couple of ideas of what it could be but just need some help to figure out the problem.

• could it be due to the 16" wheels? keeping in mind i hated them on my 1.2 as i got a similar problem to this, and thats why i have 15" wheels on it
• Does it need the tracking done? none of the wheels are kerbed, so it doesnt appear to have had any hard dunts and its only done 24k miles so wouldnt think the tracking would be out to much, but possible?
• does it need slammed on a set of coilovers like my 1.2 or even just a set of stiffer springs?
• could the dampers have worn to such a level that it would be noticeable in 3yrs/24k?! (it is a renault!! lol)

My 1.2 has FK Silverline X Coilovers with adjustable damping, its lowered about 70mm, has front and rear strut braces and polly bushes.

 

[Fletcher]

I'd get the tracking looked at, my mk2 172 is now on over 72k and on standard suspension, and handles very well.

 

[C.slicker]

Its free to get the tracking checked and even if it is out it will only cost a 25 quid to correct.

Why not swap the wheels over for a while as well?

Sam

 

[Martin_172]

not for lazer tracking its not ^

it wont look half as good on the 15" dynamique wheels, but will swap them over to give it a go to see how it goes

 

[Has]

You do get this feeling in them!

Everytime i get in my 1.2 i feel its a new car.
Mainly because its low and you get the "road hugging" effect.

I know exactly where you are coming from when you drive a 172/182.... but i never found it that bad?

Maybe your tracking/camber is out?

 

[Day]

Spent 3 years on standard shocks and a variety of different springs, Eibach Pro's, Apex and back to Pro's again. Was starting to become very used to the handling of the car to point where it was almost boring.

However fitted a set of H&R coilovers last week and it's like having a new car and they are still yet to be set up correctly!!

 

[Martin_172]

it just doesnt feel planted on the road, feels like it weighs about 850kg lol wasnt sure if it was due to a heavyer front end giving me this feeling? its a weird feeling but HAS seems to understand it.

it just doesnt give me any fun, just raced an STi uk impreza and kept up well with it but for some reason didnt have fun because the car felt like it was floating on air! it doesnt give you the slammed planted feeling the 1.2 does as you weave in and out of cars!

 

[C.slicker]

Laser tracking costs 23.44 inc VAT a time around here.

 

[Alan]

To be honest mate i'd try some eibach sportlines for a bit, if your not happy with the sportlines change to H&R's...

Fubar is selling them for £100 to be picked up at FCS, i'd pick them up for you, an hour fits them, your laughin.

Alan.

 

[JD]

gettin the tracking and camber checked, they do it for free round here. then as sam says, i paid 35 quid flat for it to be setup correctly, using gordans tyres, all laser tracked and cambered up.

if that doesnt solve it, tyre pressure, dodgey wheel (could have a flat spot?), and poss the fact that you owned a car that YOU decided on how it would handle, rather than renault (ie a 1.2l with lowered suspension, presumably setup correctly! and to your height, handling etc)

the latter will always make other cars, however new and improved, feel wrong.

jamie

 

[Rob's172]

sounds like a set of sportlines made a big diffrence for me, in a very good way

 

[edde]

You have a been a bit spolit by the 1.2 So IMo get soem money spent on a decient set of H and R's coilovers for it.

 

[ChrisR]

As Edde says, you've come from a car with Coilovers so going to a normal setup, albeit a "sport" orientated one, you are going to notice a big difference.

 

[S22 JGS]

aye, just sounds like as suggested above, maybe tracking, but also ure used to a car which is slammed on coilys, the 172 is going to feel soft and rolly in comparison

 

[Martin_172]

right thats me got a list of stuff to check and try now lol. tyre preassures first, then lazer aligned then if its still a problem, Sportlines, if not then back to coilovers lol.

really didnt want to mod this car eather!!!

 

[Josh@Renparts]

Laser tracking costs 23.44 inc VAT a time around here.

same here too...... its not like you can adjust the back martin.... they will just align the fronts to the back..... i don't know anywhere that doesn't use laser alignment...

 

[nathanH]

Imho, a standard 172 on britans roads is much more fun to drive than a 172 on coilovers. learn to drive the 172 as it is for a while before spending loads of cash on suspension, standard 172's are very balanced cars, i think you have got used to the stiff setup on your 1.2.
I went from mk1 1.2 on adjustables and I though it handled really well, no body roll and pretty stiff, but since getting my 172 its such a better car to drive not just because of its power but I could take corners loads faster than i could in the 1.2 as it would just be hopping out going over evry little bump and was very twitchy.

nathan

 

[Ali]

Fk's are b****cks mate! Don't get them.

buy sportlines or pro's.

 

[Alan]

The bear knows ^

 

[Fred@BTM]

^nothing?

 

[Turkish]

However fitted a set of H&R coilovers last week and it's like having a new car and they are still yet to be set up correctly!!

I take it you have a daily commuter now and the 172 is purely for track seeing as coilovers are for track cars ?

 

[Ali]

^nothing?

Frederic your beginin to wind me up! I'm going to unleash the fury soon!

 

[Fred@BTM]

good good! i love it when you're angry

 

[Alan]

^nothing?

Lol the boy wont be happy...

 

[christurbo]

Fk's are b****cks mate! Don't get them.

buy sportlines or pro's.

I cant disagree more.

 

[Martin_172]

well im VERY impressed with the FK's on the 1.2, there the adjustable damping ones and got them set quite hard and on most roads its perfect it has zero body roll! down a backroad it feels much more fun than the 172 but thats possibly the race car feel you get from the 1.2 lol sparks flying out the back as the cat catches the ground!!! catch a dip on the road and its on 2 wheels! plus the 172 lacks the poping and banging from the de-cat'd powerflow the 1.2 has but thats just the way i like the car, just dont want to spend money on mods on the 172!!!

going to try a set of sportlines to see how it goes