VX220 track preparation and shck absorber question

[isee]

A mate bought a VX220 for tracking (2.2 NA).
He has been to a few palmer sports days and CAT driver training in Milbrook.
Wants to get it track prepped and one of the rear shocks is leaky so needs replacing the pair (quoted £150 for parts).
Anyone knows how much upgraded ones (and what are they) will cost?

Also anyone with the knowhow ontrack rpeparation in Watford area?

thanks

[PAULJA]

Have a look here - they are in MK

http://www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk/tuning/vauxhall...

[Herman Toothrot]

Nitron or Quantum are all i'd bother changing to, could put Exige bilsteins on for a cheap upgrade along with lowering brackets up front, else it will be higher than stock.

[Torquey]

Nitron or GAZ if i remeber from reading www.vx220.org.uk

Have a look on there - its the only place for vx220 knowhow.

[Herman Toothrot]

Torquey said:

Nitron or GAZ if i remeber from reading www.vx220.org.uk

Have a look on there - its the only place fror vx220 knowhow.

I'd not recommend gaz, they get a lot more negative feedback on the forums than any other make. Seems they do great customer service but a 2nd rate product.

[grahamn]

Herman Toothrot said:

Torquey said:

Nitron or GAZ if i remeber from reading www.vx220.org.uk

Have a look on there - its the only place fror vx220 knowhow.

I'd not recommend gaz, they get a lot more negative feedback on the forums than any other make. Seems they do great customer service but a 2nd rate product.

Not so sure I'd agree with that, I have Gaz on my Cerbera and have no complaints. Not much that will pass me on track so they must be doing the job.

[DC]

grahamn said:

Herman Toothrot said:

Torquey said:

Nitron or GAZ if i remeber from reading www.vx220.org.uk

Have a look on there - its the only place fror vx220 knowhow.

I'd not recommend gaz, they get a lot more negative feedback on the forums than any other make. Seems they do great customer service but a 2nd rate product.

Not so sure I'd agree with that, I have Gaz on my Cerbera and have no complaints. Not much that will pass me on track so they must be doing the job.

Been running Gaz's on my VX220T as do many and they are perfectly adequate. I would recommend them and a good Geometry setup to get the ride spot on (try Back on Track or Hoffman's) and a set of hi-carbon pads such as Mintex 1144 or 1155. Have been running grooved disks on mine and they shudder a lot to be honest. Standard disks are so cheap they are almost disposable. Other than that for track days a rear tow eye would be recommended and decent tyres, but they are obviously built to handle out the box. I have used Steffen and the team at Back On Track in Guildford for mine and cannot speak highly enough of their knowledge and service.

[isee]

Thanks for the input so far guys
What about the seats? any cheap but decent seats you can recommend?

[Herman Toothrot]

isee said:

Thanks for the input so far guys
What about the seats? any cheap but decent seats you can recommend?

Best track mod will be 16" front wheels then you have a much improved choice of tyres.

I stick to road tyres for track as they are much, much cheaper than the likes of R888's and don't grip as well meaning you have the car moving about more so its more rewarding. I use KU31's on my VX as does a friend with a Honda Exige, they wear well and slide progressively. R888's etc in dry conditions give the cars so, so much grip its just silly they allow really dodgy lines and inputs. They are something to move to only when you have become a really very good driver in my opinion. If you really want huge grip so fit them anyway to feel like a driving god regardless of ability do upgrade the rear toelinks at the same time.

Seats, I use the standard ones with sector111 harness gromits fitted and scroth Elise specific harnesses. If I had money to burn I'd put a higher sided Cobra or similar seat in but its quite far down the list.

A very useful modification that I'm doing before the new years trackdays will be a 48ltr baffled fuel tank. My na VX220 does 13mpg on track and from full that means only 50/55miles before on long fast left handers the cars spluttering with fuel starvation (must be horiffic on track tyres).

Brakes, most people say disable the ABS and fit mintex pads & standard discs, however I disagree. I put AP 295mm alloy belled discs on with Pagid RS4-2 pads and an Exige ABS ecu and braking is great in all conditions. The ABS only ever comes on on track if i've messed up.

Finally a gearbox breather tube is essential if you don't want to empty your gearbox oil all over the left rear wheel.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Friday 17th December 17:48

[darronwall]

Herman Toothrot said:

isee said:

Thanks for the input so far guys
What about the seats? any cheap but decent seats you can recommend?

Best track mod will be 16" front wheels then you have a much improved choice of tyres.

I stick to road tyres for track as they are much, much cheaper than the likes of R888's and don't grip as well meaning you have the car moving about more so its more rewarding. I use KU31's on my VX as does a friend with a Honda Exige, they wear well and slide progressively. R888's etc in dry conditions give the cars so, so much grip its just silly they allow really dodgy lines and inputs. They are something to move to only when you have become a really very good driver in my opinion. If you really want huge grip so fit them anyway to feel like a driving god regardless of ability do upgrade the rear toelinks at the same time.

Seats, I use the standard ones with sector111 harness gromits fitted and scroth Elise specific harnesses. If I had money to burn I'd put a higher sided Cobra or similar seat in but its quite far down the list.

A very useful modification that I'm doing before the new years trackdays will be a 48ltr baffled fuel tank. My na VX220 does 13mpg on track and from full that means only 50/55miles before on long fast left handers the cars spluttering with fuel starvation (must be horiffic on track tyres).

Brakes, most people say disable the ABS and fit mintex pads & standard discs, however I disagree. I put AP 295mm alloy belled discs on with Pagid RS4-2 pads and an Exige ABS ecu and braking is great in all conditions. The ABS only ever comes on on track if i've messed up.

Finally a gearbox breather tube is essential if you don't want to empty your gearbox oil all over the left rear wheel.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Friday 17th December 17:48

disable the abs!! its awful! if its never hindered you on track,you simply arn't trying hard enough,standard discs are fine just put some good pads and fluid in,experiment with tyre pressure too.
gaz shocks are good to along with some heavy springs,i run 475f 575r and find it fine

[Herman Toothrot]

VX 2 channel poorly calibrated Abs is st, 4 channel Exige Abs isn't a hinderance at all.

[muckymotor]

I fitted a set of standard S2 Exige suspension to my VX220, used but had covered less than 400 miles. It transformed the car with much less body roll plus less diving under hard braking. A full set can usually be picked up for £200-£300.

I also fitted an ABS cut off switch due to the absolute crapness of the standard system.

[MaDFreeBiRD]

I have had GAZ's on my car for about 2 years and never had any problems. TD's 16/17 combo on Falkens is fantastic and i have disconnected my ABS.

As for shocks, it honestly depends how much you want to spend. GAZ's come in at about £400 and you can go all the way up to something like 2 way nitrons.

[MaDFreeBiRD]

I also just remembered i have got a total of 6 standard bilsteins in the garage. 2 front and 4 rear. In various conditions. As one of my shocks went pop soon after buying my car, so i bought a secondhand pair off of someone from the VX forum.