Booked in for Racing red suspension

[da_murphster]

Finally got round to my suspension upgrade and decided to take the plunge into the unknown of Racing Red. I'm no driving expert but having spent alot of time geeking and talking to people. Here, IMHO, is what I have gleemed about the various choices:

Racing Red - high spec, new, will probably be improved on in time as valving etc develops. Faster response due to spec so good for pot holed roads etc. Will need overhaul at about 24k prolly about £60 a corner. Only bad thing people say about it is that its new and will probably develop more over time.

Protech - 3 year warranty, robust, very well rated by some, not by others, will need over haul after 3 years but prolly only £20 a corner.

Gaz Gold - same as protech ref overhaul, again liked by some but not by others. Loads sold and hence is currently pretty highly developed in terms of valving etc.

So my choice was performance (RR) but at a cost of maintainance, value (3 year warrenty hard to beat and cheaper maint) or the 'safe' option of the crowds favorite.

Gone for RR as I do a lot of driving on poor roads and it might help, also I thought I could wait forever for fully formed opinions on RR or go for it with the view that if it develops significantly I could get them overhauled early.

Will report back on my opinion - I have a feeling I'm going to kick myself for not having done this earlier.

Next I need a trackday (first in TVR)!!

[D14 AYS]

da_murphster said:

Finally got round to my suspension upgrade and decided to take the plunge into the unknown of Racing Red. I'm no driving expert but having spent alot of time geeking and talking to people. Here, IMHO, is what I have gleemed about the various choices:

Racing Red - high spec, new, will probably be improved on in time as valving etc develops. Faster response due to spec so good for pot holed roads etc. Will need overhaul at about 24k prolly about £60 a corner. Only bad thing people say about it is that its new and will probably develop more over time.

Protech - 3 year warranty, robust, very well rated by some, not by others, will need over haul after 3 years but prolly only £20 a corner.

Gaz Gold - same as protech ref overhaul, again liked by some but not by others. Loads sold and hence is currently pretty highly developed in terms of valving etc.

So my choice was performance (RR) but at a cost of maintainance, value (3 year warrenty hard to beat and cheaper maint) or the 'safe' option of the crowds favorite.

Gone for RR as I do a lot of driving on poor roads and it might help, also I thought I could wait forever for fully formed opinions on RR or go for it with the view that if it develops significantly I could get them overhauled early.

Will report back on my opinion - I have a feeling I'm going to kick myself for not having done this earlier.

Next I need a trackday (first in TVR)!!

My Tuscan was the first car to have RR fitted,really transformed the handling of the car,I have done one trackday since they were fitted and handled brilliantly (Thanks to Derek of AS)No problems what so ever and been fitted approx 8 months and 5000 miles.

If you get them fitted soon sign up for this trackday if you can 105db drive by A few Tvr's going

http://www.circuit-days.co.uk/attendees.php?venue_...

[da_murphster]

Thats the day before they are fitted - otherwise prolly would have gone for it!

I've decided to get mine fitted by Topcats - lured in by talk of corner weighting and their race experience.

Cannot wait to see how much difference it will make as never really felt comfortable cornering in the Tuscan....still enjoying straight line fun though.

[Philr]

I had some RR fitted to my Chimaera after one of the rear shocks came through the rear parcel shelf at me !
Totally transformed the handling of the car and am now able to nnegociate speed bumps without scraping slitter or exhaust.
Much sharper handling and turn in. It took a little to get used to the car not drifting round a corner. Now it just goes where you point it.

I did have one of the front RR fail but this was replaced and fitted with no quibbles. Apparently only the 2nd one to have an issue to date.

Deffinitely a recommended upgrade.

Phil

[Daston]

My tuscan is going in at the end of the month for RR's (suspension is very crashy at the mo) plus a 12k service (wallet cries). I have been advised to go for RR's over Gaz and Nitrons

[nawarne]

OK - good to hear someones taking the plunge! Keep us posted. Thinking of new dampers & springs and full geo set-up myself next year.

Your summary of available 'stuff' very concise and whilst I realise it can be very subjective, the average punter needs feedback on the equipment available.

Nick.

[bigdods]

Daston said:

My tuscan is going in at the end of the month for RR's (suspension is very crashy at the mo) plus a 12k service (wallet cries). I have been advised to go for RR's over Gaz and Nitrons

For my chim I've been advised the opposite. I dont do track days so Nitrons were not worth the extra money. Came down to RR or Gaz Gold and I have been advised by my favourite indie to go with the Golds rather than the RRs. Booked into have them fitted in October

[cube]

Racing Reds fitted on my Tuscan, very happy with the cars ride and handling, now that Derek has set it up for me.

[trackcar]

bigdods said:

Daston said:

My tuscan is going in at the end of the month for RR's (suspension is very crashy at the mo) plus a 12k service (wallet cries). I have been advised to go for RR's over Gaz and Nitrons

For my chim I've been advised the opposite. I dont do track days so Nitrons were not worth the extra money. Came down to RR or Gaz Gold and I have been advised by my favourite indie to go with the Golds rather than the RRs. Booked into have them fitted in October

this sounds fine though, hopefully you were both given advice based on your current use and expected future use of your cars and both got the advice and product you required. It sounds a bit like a contradiction in your two posts, but if you both got good sound advice then each route should be right for you respectively, so that's good

[chim666]

Philr said:

I did have one of the front RR fail but this was replaced and fitted with no quibbles. Apparently only the 2nd one to have an issue to date.

I had RRs fitted to my Chim a couple of months ago by Neil Garner - only to have one fail (leak) before he'd even finished working on my car!

So far, very pleased with handling....but have fingers crossed that they'll last as long as the original dampers.

[da_murphster]

bigdods said:

For my chim I've been advised the opposite. I dont do track days so Nitrons were not worth the extra money. Came down to RR or Gaz Gold and I have been advised by my favourite indie to go with the Golds rather than the RRs. Booked into have them fitted in October

I was actually advised the same (possibly same people?!) but because they are so well down the line development wise. I've never been one to follow the masses and the background to RR is strong and apart from their newness no garage I have spoken to has a bad word to say.

If they were to go wrong after a year am I to assume that they could be rebuilt to rectify any faults at the roughly £60 cost?

[bigdods]

da_murphster said:

bigdods said:

For my chim I've been advised the opposite. I dont do track days so Nitrons were not worth the extra money. Came down to RR or Gaz Gold and I have been advised by my favourite indie to go with the Golds rather than the RRs. Booked into have them fitted in October

I was actually advised the same (possibly same people?!) but because they are so well down the line development wise. I've never been one to follow the masses and the background to RR is strong and apart from their newness no garage I have spoken to has a bad word to say.

If they were to go wrong after a year am I to assume that they could be rebuilt to rectify any faults at the roughly £60 cost?

For me the advice is sound - as far as possible I want to fit and forget so the well developed Gaz Golds suit my needs. The advice wasnt that there was anything wrong with RR's but they are still a bit of a work in progress on the development front thats all