Freestyle Motorsport - Still in business?

[Ross_328i_sport]

Hi,

My car has freestyle shocks and anti-roll bars however on a recent track day the rear appeared to be very bouncy. I would therefore like to have the shocks refurbished.

I tried searching through Google for contact details but the website is no longer available is the company still operating?

Thanks

Ross

[Shaun_E]

I'm afraid Freestyle no longer exists. Are the dampers AVO? If so they can be sent to AVO to have them refurbished.

[Aeroscreens]

If they are AVO then contact them direct. They refurbished my 4 dampers in 2010 for just £15 each plus P&P

[Ross_328i_sport]

Indeed the shocks are AVO.

For my own information did freestyle re-valve these shocks or are they standard off the shelf AVO items?

When I bought the car it also came with the old Bilstein shocks which would you consider to be the better dampers?

Further to the above regarding the freestyle products how can I tell if the car has freestyle anti roll bars is there any visual difference to the Caterham anti-roll bar?
Regarding the Caterham anti-roll bars am I right in assuming the thicker the bar the stiffer it is?

[sfaulds]

Our normal upgrade path for AVO dampers involves a bin. Stick the Bilsteins back on with a sensible spring rate and enjoy decent handling rather than 'I've upgraded so it must be better' handling.

The freestyle ARB's are adjustable at one end, via a blade. The front can be useful if you can get the right one and stop it loosening, but the rear is no better than the standard caterham one. The Caterham one are stiffer the thicker you go, from 1/2" to 20mm

[BertBert]

I'd agree re AVOs, my freestyle/avo caterham dampers were horrid

[rubystone]

sfaulds said:

Our normal upgrade path for AVO dampers involves a bin.

[one eyed mick]

Are AVO's really that bad?

[Ult-Jim]

I have Avo's installed from when the car was purchased along with Freestyle springs (front & back green - does anyone know what spring rate that is?) and front and rear adjustable roll bars. I have never experienced any leakage or malfunction in the dampers. On track and on French mountain roads / hill climbs which are smooth roads with every sort of corner going where the car has been used the most they have been good for me, although I have no experience of other makes, something I may explore in the next year or so. Don't underestimate the quality of South France hill roads some of which I am more comfortable on when pushing it then track days! If I keep the car in the UK then I need a softer ride as the road surface is awful and unless I have a very soft setting then I am jumping all over the place. The settings go from soft ish, firm, hard, harder and then just track use for any other setting higher. Saying that my car is currently set up especially for mountain road / hill climb French blats so the front has ample toe out for encouraging turn in 15mmm rake, 0.5 degress camber front and -2 degress rear and diff is 3.91, tyres (Avon cr500's) set mostly at 18 all round if hot day then 17 / 17.5, and roll bar soft front and harder rear and Avo dampers setting mostly 2 to 4 front and 6 to 10 rear depending on state of roads type of blat or track - all to reduce understeer. At the end of the day the more you spend on shocks the better they will be and unless you are experienced on track / pushing it then you don't have any real idea of when to upgrade - imho.