Suspension decisions.

[Stefan.]

I'm still searching for the best coilover for my track car, would like AST's but really finding it hard to justify the price tag. Very tempted by the AVO's but there doesn't seem to be many people running them to give any feedback.

Best and big price tag usually go together....

Buy cheap buy twice, do it right first time

 

[Mash.]

Best and big price tag usually go together....

Buy cheap buy twice, do it right first time

Golds are nearly £900, so I wouldn't call them a cheap coilover by all means.

What do you run?

 

[Toomer89]

I know AST's are the muts nuts and you get what you pay for, but for me it's about finding a happy medium I'm not chasing tenths just a bit of fun on track days but still want a decent set up!

 

[Stefan.]

Golds are nearly £900, so I wouldn't call them a cheap coilover by all means.

What do you run?

A golf r32 lol

Just saying my opinion, ast are highly well reguarded, customer service bit iffy, gaz not heard great things apart from the customer service...

Everyones budget is different, but to spend a grand on coilovers to then be disapointed would make me feel sick

 

[Mash.]

I know AST's are the muts nuts and you get what you pay for, but for me it's about finding a happy medium I'm not chasing tenths just a bit of fun on track days but still want a decent set up!

Well put, which is why golds suit the bill for myself - although people are still using them in the Tricolour are finishing top 5 pretty continuously which doesn't say shite suspension to me.

It will be trackdays for me to but also getting race ready and I think I can quite happily say I'd be happy with the golds, if not I'll just push a bit harder... haha

If you do d

 

[Mash.]

A golf r32 lol

Just saying my opinion, ast are highly well reguarded, customer service bit iffy, gaz not heard great things apart from the customer service...

Everyones budget is different, but to spend a grand on coilovers to then be disapointed would make me feel sick

I seee
so you're just going on what you've heard, gotcha


and Gaz are well off a grand for me - which means I can sort the rear beam out, passenger side seats and harnesses, lifeline QR to replace the ebay s**t on there and still have money left over for Xmas really [emoji3]

 

[bloke]

That looks mad, is that the gtx kit that pms sell?

gtx are only damping adjustable, these are 3 way adjustable mono tube.

How do you remove the shocks without loosing oil?!

dry break connector in the middle of the line, just need to re gas them.

 

[Mash.]

gtx are only damping adjustable, these are 3 way adjustable mono tube.



dry break connector in the middle of the line, just need to re gas them.

They look the s**t, I dread to ask how much you paid haha.


ahh ok thanks, was unsure

 

[bloke]

They look the s**t, I dread to ask how much you paid haha.

didn't cost me a penny...fitted them to a customers car:wink:

off the top of my head they were around £1,200, that's just for the fronts.

 

[Toomer89]

Well put, which is why golds suit the bill for myself - although people are still using them in the Tricolour are finishing top 5 pretty continuously which doesn't say shite suspension to me.

It will be trackdays for me to but also getting race ready and I think I can quite happily say I'd be happy with the golds, if not I'll just push a bit harder... haha

If you do d

It's all down to preference and budget but like you said if people are running the GAZ in the tricolour and finishing high up that would tell me that there suspension set up must be doing something right, you could go and spend thousands on AST's and it won't make you any faster than someone who's running something a lot cheaper a lot of it comes down to talent not how deep your pockets are

 

[Stefan.]

I seee
so you're just going on what you've heard, gotcha


and Gaz are well off a grand for me - which means I can sort the rear beam out, passenger side seats and harnesses, lifeline QR to replace the ebay s**t on there and still have money left over for Xmas really [emoji3]

Ah you not doing the same by asking opinions??

Ive had 4 renaultsport clios..

You seem set on the gaz gold lol

 

[Mash.]

Yeah but im not providing responses im asking for advice... but hey moving on


I pretty sure I am, for the price and the situation im in, I think so.

obviously I appreciated everyone's relevant opinion etc but yeah

 

[seanconnolly]

Them avo's tho :hearteyes::hearteyes::hearteyes:

 

[Dan@SJM]

Golds are nearly £900, yet for a couple of hundred more you can have far superior suspension.

That's like going to Glasgow for a holiday because it was a couple of hundred quid cheaper than a holiday in somewhere like the south of France!

 

[Mash.]

Golds are nearly £900, yet for a couple of hundred more you can have far superior suspension.

That's like going to Glasgow for a holiday because it was a couple of hundred quid cheaper than a holiday in somewhere like the south of France!

Yeah obviously to everyone else it seems pretty stupid, but if I wait till next month I probably won't have the money to spent at all...

If I go for asts it means I'd have to sell my 4 pots, not be able to finish my build till at least febuary, which will be cutting it short for bedford, as much as I know how good asts are.. well from feedback anyway I just can't justify it.

 

[NorthloopCup]

It's all down to preference and budget but like you said if people are running the GAZ in the tricolour and finishing high up that would tell me that there suspension set up must be doing something right, you could go and spend thousands on AST's and it won't make you any faster than someone who's running something a lot cheaper a lot of it comes down to talent not how deep your pockets are

You can buy the car but you can't buy the driver? Yep, said it a lot of times myself. I run the Ast 5100's/sportline 2's. They are filled with awesome sauce. Lol

 

[Mash.]

Yeah exactly some times that is true, I'm pretttttty confident in my own ability, so we will see.

You cant argue with everyone saying they're awesome can you, one day maybe haha

Thanks everyone though, nice to other opinions of some technically competent people, ta

 

[masekwm]

I've been in two cars fitted with ASTs, they were both amazing through corners, that's where my money would be going

 

[Mash.]

I've been in two cars fitted with ASTs, they were both amazing through corners, that's where my money would be going

Yeah that's fair enough, was that with roll centre /bump steer hubs too?

but yeah I've just ordered golds, I really cant imagine I'd find them bad, as from what I've had previously, this will be paired with roll centre hubs, so I'm excited anyway.

Got change out of £750 compared to say £1200 for asts with the springs that I want, so that means I can book an earlier trackday than bedford in Feb, and have a good Christmas.

There's no point buying fancy suspension if you can't afford to use then on track.

Also means I can set up the geo, sorry if it seems naive that I have ignored a lot of information, I don't intend to be it's just the situation im in.

Thanks all

 

[Fletcher]

I've been in two cars fitted with ASTs, they were both amazing through corners, that's where my money would be going

This ^^^ I plan on upgrading my H&R coilovers with some AST 5100 next.

 

[masekwm]

@Mash. Is that £1200 +VAT? If not, where from?

 

[Mash.]

@Mash. Is that £1200 +VAT? If not, where from?

2nd hand matey, what I would of end of paying in comparison.

 

[sam JFM]

You really have to just go with the best you can afford within your budget mate. (I think you have made a good choice)
Generally speaking, the more you pay the better the suspension. This means better fluid cooling (mono vs twin tube, although not quite that straight forward) better fluid control (valving) and better adjustment.

As you say £1000 a set isn't cheap , but you look at going for three way adjustable dampers and you are talking £1800 EACH

 

[Mash.]

You really have to just go with the best you can afford within your budget mate. (I think you have made a good choice)
Generally speaking, the more you pay the better the suspension. This means better fluid cooling (mono vs twin tube, although not quite that straight forward) better fluid control (valving) and better adjustment.

As you say £1000 a set isn't cheap , but you look at going for three way adjustable dampers and you are talking £1800 EACH

Well that's refreshing to hear haha.


Yep serious money that is! Everything is poly bushed including spherical bearings for wishbones and rear axle, rear axle will also be strengthen with the PMS kit next month.

Roll centre hubs etc, I means it not gonna be a bad car by all means.

And the biggest reason maybe it's a level of self confidence prpbably cockyness as it will come across but I've had quite a few days round track where I was pushing clios that have asts/diffs and a lot of money spent while I was just starting out on cooksports and apex springs.. With decent pads and tyres basically (I'm not saying I'm gods gift or anything here boys)
- so yeah we will see how it goes, I'm just happy driving it and the build process has been awesome learning curve.

 

[Mash.]

Anyway thread closed, Golds have been ordered for £720 new

 

[g60jaime]

I like the Gaz Golds fitted on mine. I've got the roll centre hubs and a gripper diff and the grip it produces is very impressive.

The Gaz's offer great value and they're not overly complicated which is all you need for a track car. Reasonable servicing costs I hear too, when the time arises.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your purchase.

 

[Mash.]

I like the Gaz Golds fitted on mine. I've got the roll centre hubs and a gripper diff and the grip it produces is very impressive.

The Gaz's offer great value and they're not overly complicated which is all you need for a track car. Reasonable servicing costs I hear too, when the time arises.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your purchase.

Yep that sounds awesome, thats the spec mine will eventually be after next year!
Yes the service/turn around time/cost was very good when i had my GHAs referred.

Thanks bud! 2-3 weeks wait on these though unfortunately hey ho, merry christmas to ME ha

 

[bloke]

As you say £1000 a set isn't cheap , but you look at going for three way adjustable dampers and you are talking £1800 EACH

the avo i posted up were around £1,200 for the pair and they are 3 way.

 

[DCELEC 182]

Aren't AST 5100's like £1,700 so a LOT more than Gaz golds. Unless they're available lots cheaper direct (just looked on Kam racing website)?!

 

[Mash.]

Aren't AST 5100's like £1,700 so a LOT more than Gaz golds. Unless they're available lots cheaper direct (just looked on Kam racing website)?!

I'm looking at second hand sets which I have inquired about

 

[RS Charlie]

The only reason I don't like GAZ is the fact my mate had a rear shock snap and its the first I've heard off,

just kind of put me off for life if I'm honest

I have never heard that about Gaz but I have heard that secondhand about KWs oddly enough! However, I do really rate the KW stuff and would buy it again but cry as well!

Nick is on gaz as well, but he would be alot quicker with decent suspension. Nick does have a big power advantage over the others.

I do respect your opinion seeing what you do etc . However, in the Porsche 944 circles alot of the competitive cars on Gaz Golds run rings around other cars. I remember when a motorsport company I know of and a friend I know with 944 Turbo S on Gaz Golds was very quick on track even with R888s in the Future Classics C&SC series, where a certain 928 on Nitrons got shown a very clean pair of a heels and a run for the money! The 944 Turbo S did very well in that series. The same driver was not much faster on the pricier stuff it seemed to be honest but he was dealing with a different firm at that point.

I shall admit that Gaz do build them for the motorsport team's spec and they did have separate canisters for the oil etc. IIRC they were around £1.1k vs. £900 for the Golds.

Slight OT @Dan@SJM, if you had a choice between genuine 172 suspension, Cooksports/Cup Dampers and the Bilstein B14s on a daily occasionally seeing a track what would it be? I am swaying between the former and the latter, as the 172s has surprised as to how quick it is on track for a stock hatch.

Back on topic, Gaz stuff is not the most sturdy at times but they are a great bunch of people to deal with. They serviced the Ledas on my RS Turbo and did a great job on those..

I was going to suggest the Bilstein B14 Coilovers as an alternative to the Golds and potentially save some cash.

 

[Mash.]

I have never heard that about Gaz but I have heard that secondhand about KWs oddly enough! However, I do really rate the KW stuff and would buy it again but cry as well!



I do respect your opinion seeing what you do etc . However, in the Porsche 944 circles alot of the competitive cars on Gaz Golds run rings around other cars. I remember when a motorsport company I know of and a friend I know with 944 Turbo S on Gaz Golds was very quick on track even with R888s in the Future Classics C&SC series, where a certain 928 on Nitrons got shown a very clean pair of a heels and a run for the money! The 944 Turbo S did very well in that series. The same driver was not much faster on the pricier stuff it seemed to be honest but he was dealing with a different firm at that point.

I shall admit that Gaz do build them for the motorsport team's spec and they did have separate canisters for the oil etc. IIRC they were around £1.1k vs. £900 for the Golds.

Slight OT @Dan@SJM, if you had a choice between genuine 172 suspension, Cooksports/Cup Dampers and the Bilstein B14s on a daily occasionally seeing a track what would it be? I am swaying between the former and the latter, as the 172s has surprised as to how quick it is on track for a stock hatch.

Back on topic, Gaz stuff is not the most sturdy at times but they are a great bunch of people to deal with. They serviced the Ledas on my RS Turbo and did a great job on those..

I was going to suggest the Bilstein B14 Coilovers as an alternative to the Golds and potentially save some cash.

Thanks for your input, wouldn't go near b14s for hard track use mate, for a daily yes for sure.

They're really not suitable for hard track use though, way to soft unfortunately.

Yeah as sad as I am not to be getting asts, I am happy with the alternative. No regretzzzz

 

[masekwm]

I've now got B14s, I'm replacing new standard suspension with them to see what they are like. If they are as poor as people say, I'll keep an eye out for ASTs and swap over.

 

[sam JFM]

the avo i posted up were around £1,200 for the pair and they are 3 way.

Yeah, I was going towards proflex end of the market I suppose

 

[Mini182]

I've now got B14s, I'm replacing new standard suspension with them to see what they are like. If they are as poor as people say, I'll keep an eye out for ASTs and swap over.

B14's are a great setup for road use, but they are not really up to the job of proper track use.

 

[M.C..]

£720 is a bargain, where is that from?

 

[Mash.]

Gaz - Through a contact I know

 

[Mash.]

£720 is a bargain, where is that from?

I can get you in contact with him if you're keen, unless it was more of a shock on price rather than I'm Interested

 

[Mash.]

Where do people get their springs from for their ASTs...

?

 

[NorthloopCup]

Where do people get their springs from for their ASTs...

?

Either eibach or....................Curtis at Ast. Depends on if your after fronts or rears and what setup you've got on the rears as eibach springs for the rear aren't long enough and require a spacer.