Spring and damper set up?
Spring and damper set up?
Author
Discussion

que1

Original Poster:

94 posts

284 months

Wednesday 22nd December 2004
quotequote all
Hi all
Just wanted to know if anyone on here has had the Gaz shocks and spring set up on there chimaera or griff and how they have found it on the road,i've been told the springs are 300lb front and 350lb rear is this true??
Cheers Q1

joospeed

4,473 posts

307 months

Wednesday 22nd December 2004
quotequote all
Those spring rates sounds exactly the wrong way around, and Gaz dampers are amongst my least favourite dampers .. that just about covers it

Ballistic Banana

14,706 posts

296 months

Wednesday 22nd December 2004
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Que, I think k77-widow maker Has them on his Griff so you could mail him if no one pips up
Also shpub and GreenV8s know about these and not sure but may have them on there motors.

If still no answers try calling Tower View Services www.t-v-r-services.co.uk/ they supply them so should know.

BB

GreenV8S

31,014 posts

313 months

Wednesday 22nd December 2004
quotequote all
I used some of the early development versions on the V8S a few years ago. They were a good damper, similar performance to AVO and (at the time) slightly cheaper. I hesitate to recommend any budget dampers because they're a real let down after you've got used to really good performance dampers, but I appreciate that not everyone is willing to spend a grand on a set of dampers!

Oh and I agree with Joolz, those springs are back to front. Stiffer springs go at the front please!

que1

Original Poster:

94 posts

284 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice, i'll mail K77 to see how it gets on with the set up,nice 1 BB. I know your an EVO man from previous threads jools but i already have the Gaz dampers so i'm just looking for a springs set to match
Green v8, I understand that the nitrons are the way to go but i still have to purchase wheels and tyres to finish the car so may be next year. Besides the car wont be seeing a track ......just crusin
Thanks again Q1

joospeed

4,473 posts

307 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
It wasn't just the fact that on the dyno they used to test less consistently than the AVO dampers, but of the ( i think) 4 sets i sold 3 failed and leaked. This was some years ago now and presumably the new generations of GAZ dampers are significantly improved, but then so will everyone else's offerings too .. certainly updated (black) AVOs are streets ahead of the earlier (red) versions

shpub

8,507 posts

301 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
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Been using Gaz on the 520 for about the last 4 years. Really pleased with them with no problems and I am extremely hard on the car!

Roy C

4,213 posts

313 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
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I've had GAZ dampers all round for 3 years. The front units are fine, but the O/S Rear has been replaced twice and the N/S Rear three times (all under warranty). I think they need better quality control.

>> Edited by Roy C on Thursday 23 December 11:20

k77-widow maker

910 posts

288 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
It's true i do have them on K77, however the springs had to be changed as they came with 10.5" springs, which made the nose sit right up in the air, i got a new set of springs from merlin 9" if i recall and about 350 lb'ers.

I've got the car set up so the ride is probably a bit too firm, but i like it!!

I've had all the geometry set up by a tyre firm in Farnham, and will be getting the corner weighting done too. I'm satisifed with the gaz units, but there were a few probs with the bushes on the front top mounts splitting. Tower View did swap them foc, which was damn good.

I'd like to get out in a car with nitrons just to compare my shocks to them, but the one thing i will say in Gaz's defence is that several instructors have commented on the way K77 handles, i.e it does very well, so they can't be that bad!




>> Edited by k77-widow maker on Friday 24th December 15:44

joospeed

4,473 posts

307 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
Indeed .. if you happen to get a set that's evenly matched and don't leak then you could have a decent handling car

I don't know how much they are now but weren't Tower View selling Gaz kits for the same price as Nitron kits near enough? In the real world there's no comparison.

GreenV8S

31,014 posts

313 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
How much do the black AVOs cost, Joolz?

wintrading

190 posts

309 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
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I have Intrax shocks and have the car set up properly. The thing that i noticed was the amazing difference in handling after i rose jointed my dampers.Perhaps a suggestion. Perhaps bit harder but who cares.

k77-widow maker

910 posts

288 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
quotequote all
joospeed said:
Indeed .. if you happen to get a set that's evenly matched and don't leak then you could have a decent handling car

I don't know how much they are now but weren't Tower View selling Gaz kits for the same price as Nitron kits near enough? In the real world there's no comparison.



Mine are fine so far, i paid about £1k for the set, so i guess nitrons could have been bought... if i knew about them... i was new to TVR then, and my knowledge was pants in those days, BUT i'm grateful for your advice on spring rates, as what the factory told me was Ballox..,.. i.e they thought that the front springs were 600Lb'ers!!!

perhaps when the gaz shocks go, then nitrons will follow???

>> Edited by k77-widow maker on Thursday 23 December 21:45

pantani201

386 posts

286 months

Thursday 23rd December 2004
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I got a set of Gaz Sshocks and springs for my S2 from Rally Design for £370 last sept and they have been superb for normal road use.

que1

Original Poster:

94 posts

284 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replys on this, just one last question...does anybody know if progresive coil springs change the cars performance.
Thanks again,Q1

GreenV8S

31,014 posts

313 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
quotequote all
que1 said:
Thanks for all the replys on this, just one last question...does anybody know if progresive coil springs change the cars performance.
Thanks again,Q1


Progressive rate springs have a significant affect on the car's handling. There are various pros and cons, some handling purists hate them, but one advantage is the potential to reduce grounding for a given level of ride comfort.

deeen

6,398 posts

274 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
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Chims and Griffs have dual rate rear springs as standard, I think. I changed mine for single rate with AVOs and prefer the handling. One less variable for an amatuer like myself to contend with, IMHO!

sparkythecat

8,097 posts

284 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
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At 33k my dampers are probably past there best, so I had a look on Joospeeds website and came across this

"Joospeed has added a new damper to it's performance range, available now!!

The damper is an alloy bodied design and will be pitched between the existing AVO and NITRON dampers currently available from Joospeed.

The new damper is built to Joospeed specs and won't be available in this spec from any other outlet, hence it being marketed under the Joospeed name. A performance-biased damper at an attractive price, we're sure the Joospeed damper kit is going to be a big hit."




Care to tell us more Jools?

joospeed

4,473 posts

307 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
quotequote all
sparkythecat said:
At 33k my dampers are probably past there best, so I had a look on Joospeeds website and came across this

"Joospeed has added a new damper to it's performance range, available now!!

The damper is an alloy bodied design and will be pitched between the existing AVO and NITRON dampers currently available from Joospeed.

The new damper is built to Joospeed specs and won't be available in this spec from any other outlet, hence it being marketed under the Joospeed name. A performance-biased damper at an attractive price, we're sure the Joospeed damper kit is going to be a big hit."




Care to tell us more Jools?



erm .. that about says it all I think .. it's a mid priced package which outperforms it's pricing, based on information and settings i supplied to the manufacturer (which obviously are secret!) and marketted through Joospeed.

sparkythecat

8,097 posts

284 months

Monday 3rd January 2005
quotequote all
Quick reply Jools, cheers!

Obviously you're not going to divulge your secrets, but I wondered who your target customers are?.

Reading previous threads on the topic, the general consensus appears to be that that Nitrons are probably the best dampers.

As this kit's only around 20% down on Nitron prices, what's going to make prople prefer it ?