GAZ Coilovers

[donsrno1]

I posted this over on williamsclio first but thought I might as well see if you guys can help as well.

I'm thinking of getting some of these from a few sets I've seen for sale but had a few quiestions. I think I'm right in saying these are the coilovers that dent the bonnet, if so can this be prevented and how do you go about sorting it?

Also, I've hear mixed opinions on GAZ coilovers some say they are very good some say not that great - opinions would be welcome (compared to a 16v on koni shocks at standard height btw).

Is it possible to send them back to GAZ to be refurbished and if so how much would that be likely to cost?

Last question, what is required in terms of setting them up once fitted? I would be fitting them myself but do you need to take them somewhere to set them up properly once fitted? (not sure if camber is adjustable on them?) and if so how much would that be likely to cost?

Thanks.

 

[donsrno1]

Btw, the ones I was thinking of getting are the same set mentioned HERE. What would cause them to sit like that? anything to be worried about?

 

[Chris H]

coilovers are possibly the biggest waste of money since the millenium dome.

Buy them if the cars only going to be trailered to and from the track.

 

[colm]

coilovers are possibly the biggest waste of money since the millenium dome.

Buy them if the cars only going to be trailered to and from the track.

I'll second that, I have them on the MR2 and it makes it very hard to throw around on country roads. If I could swap back to the standard setup I would.

 

[donsrno1]

coilovers are possibly the biggest waste of money since the millenium dome.

Buy them if the cars only going to be trailered to and from the track.

What would you suggest as a better setup?

I still think I might give them a go so that I can see what they are like though. But do you have any ideas about them hitting the bonnet and the way they are sitting in the thread I linked to on WC?

 

[Chris H]

you need to get new top mount kit at the same time and space things out with washers, its a total bodge job.

Standards always best, thing is peopel disagree cos they are driving around on 90k speedbump rattled 15 year old dampers that are fecked.

With new standard gear there is almost no body roll, in fact its almost uncomfortable on new stock gear on todays roads. Its pretty solid.

 

[colm]

I'm pretty sure coilovers caused the roof on the Clios to kink, Winston over on RSC had that problem more than once iirc.

 

[donsrno1]

I'm pretty sure coilovers caused the roof on the Clios to kink, Winston over on RSC had that problem more than once iirc.

I think it seems to be when you have a strut brace that it happens, you get dimples in the roof either side of the sunroof.

I'll have a think about it, I want to lower the car a bit (not too much) so thought coilovers would be the way to go. The handling is pretty good on the koni's I have now, but as I say its standard height and I'd like to lower it a little.

 

[Huw]

sorry to go slightly off topic, but I have been wondering about replacing the shocks on my 03 plate lag with some new standard ones. The car has done 90k though which is the magic number just mentioned. Worth it or not? Was also thinking or doing the bottom arms too.

 

[Chris H]

I dunno how you could drive it lowered I really don't. My 19's scraped every speed bump or multi strorey car park going

going into petrol stations etc normally get the the inside rear wheel off the ground especially the chamade

do you think it needs it huw?

 

[MicKPM]

I'd check the rear arm bushes Huw... Apparently the Lag II's are buggers for these.

 

[u33db]

I'll have a think about it, I want to lower the car a bit (not too much) so thought coilovers would be the way to go. The handling is pretty good on the koni's I have now, but as I say its standard height and I'd like to lower it a little.

35quid for springs then surely?

 

[bbracer16valver]

i aint reading this thread GAZ are shite and are well known for all there faults

there are many other options

 

[david3533]

I think it seems to be when you have a strut brace that it happens, you get dimples in the roof either side of the sunroof.

.

Really who told you that? I have never seen or heard of a strut brace causing the roof to dimple!!! if a strut brace is causing that then there is something else more fundamentaly wrong with the car causing this problem.

 

[mals]

Girlfriends High Heels?

 

[donsrno1]

35quid for springs then surely?

Thats another option, probably the most likely tbh but I was just considering the coilovers as they came up for sale at a reasonable price.

Really who told you that? I have never seen or heard of a strut brace causing the roof to dimple!!! if a strut brace is causing that then there is something else more fundamentaly wrong with the car causing this problem.

It seems to be fairly common on clios to get the slight dimples in the roof. It seems to be agreed that its caused by the strut brace and I've been to see a couple of clios that were lowered with a strut brace and both had the dimples.

 

[Chris H]

the clios floppy and pish, they dimple as standard, the strut brace and lowering just makes them a lot bigger

 

[sparky33]

Dampers should be changed at 50k, but they rarely are, folk only change dampers if they fail an MOT, but they rarely leak anymore so hence rarely fail, ergo rarely get changed.

My Coupé still has Renault dampers on so you can all but guarantee they are the originals.

 

[Chris H]

it really depends ona lot of things

my chamade, it has the original front dampers and its solid, the rears are fecked, theres feck all damping compared to the red cars rears, it was the speed bumps that took out my chammy's rear damaper.

 

[sparky33]

Feckin speed bumps, "sleeping police men" should lie real ones down so we at least get some satisfaction runnin over the feckers...got a parkin ticket yesterday..coonts