Gaz Coilovers - Spring very loose on full droop!

[r8byb]

Hey guys, fitted my GAZ coilovers which i had to wait 20 days for.

BMW E36 328i

i wasn't impressed with gaz on a friends car but there the only company i could find where you can specify spring rates.

Now after fitting them after the wait for them to come, on droop ( no load ) The spring can move i'd say just over an inch and a half..

I think ok, that's not right but i took it for a drive and all i can hear is the spring moving around all over the place.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I wish i'd stayed clear of them now

[sniff diesel]

I've got them on my track car, as they don't have helper springs they all do that, but mine don't rattle when driving. Are you sure the springs are seated correctly?

[breagh]

Surely the adjustable platform should be wound up so that the spring is engaged and not loose even on full droop?

[r8byb]

breagh said:

Surely the adjustable platform should be wound up so that the spring is engaged and not loose even on full droop?

If i do this, surely this means the coilover will raise 1.5" or so as the piston won't be able to compress. Also defeating the point of the coilover unit?

[sniff diesel]

r8byb said:

How low is yours? mines about an inch from tyre to arch and i wanted it a little lower in relation to the rear too.

Optimal ride height for an E36:

320mm front and 305mm rear from centre of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch.

[r8byb]

sniff diesel said:

I've got them on my track car, as they don't have helper springs they all do that, but mine don't rattle when driving. Are you sure the springs are seated correctly?

How low is yours? mines about an inch from tyre to arch and i wanted it a little lower in relation to the rear too.

I don't see how they couldn't seat correctly, there sitting on the upper and lower perch correctly?

When fitting i took the OEM top mount and placed that over the top of the perch provided then put the big nut over the top of it all.

[r8byb]

sniff diesel said:

r8byb said:

How low is yours? mines about an inch from tyre to arch and i wanted it a little lower in relation to the rear too.

Optimal ride height for an E36:

320mm front and 305mm rear from centre of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch.

from centre of wheel to arch lip?

Do you have a picture of your ride height so i can set mine simlarly.

I have nothing in my car except one bucket too.

[sniff diesel]

r8byb said:

sniff diesel said:

r8byb said:

How low is yours? mines about an inch from tyre to arch and i wanted it a little lower in relation to the rear too.

Optimal ride height for an E36:

320mm front and 305mm rear from centre of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch.

from centre of wheel to arch lip?

Do you have a picture of your ride height so i can set mine simlarly.

I have nothing in my car except one bucket too.

That's it, centre of wheel to edge of arch lip.

A few pics of mine here:

[r8byb]

Looks ace, i'm at Bedford next Monday so really need to sort this, do your's really move as much as mine on droop ? 1.5" ish.

I've got 580lb springs. Litrally if i jack the car up so the wheel hasn't even remotely left the ground i can move the spring up and down :S.

Thanks for help so far!

[Arj256]

I had a problem sometime ago from another coilover company, which was similar to this.
I specified different spring poundages and they supplied different springs but 2" shorter than normal.
This gave me all manner of problems.

Could be worth checking you have the correct length spring?
If not, could be worth getting a helper spring.

[r8byb]

Arj256 said:

I had a problem sometime ago from another coilover company, which was similar to this.
I specified different spring poundages and they supplied different springs but 2" shorter than normal.
This gave me all manner of problems.

Could be worth checking you have the correct length spring?
If not, could be worth getting a helper spring.

yeah, the simpliest way to fix this is helper springs, but for the seats and the springs thats another 60 odd pounds which i dont really want to have to pay.

Thing with longer springs is surely that will extend the piston meaning the coilover will be monster truck height ?

Edited by r8byb on Sunday 10th October 23:00

[sniff diesel]

r8byb said:

Looks ace, i'm at Bedford next Monday so really need to sort this,

I'll be at Bedford next monday also for the first time so come and say hi. Do they have any sort of garages or pit buildings at bedford?

[FamilyGuy]

Relevant?

[sniff diesel]

FamilyGuy said:

Relevant?

Not really, as the design on the BMW ones is different due to the way they mount to the hubs and car.

[PhillipM]

You've simply got springs too hard to be used without helper springs given the length of the coilover unit and the ride height you want, buy some helper springs and dividers.

[Mr2Mike]

r8byb said:

Hey guys, fitted my GAZ coilovers which i had to wait 20 days for.

BMW E36 328i

i wasn't impressed with gaz on a friends car but there the only company i could find where you can specify spring rates.

There are three reasons to fit "coil over" struts:
1) You get adjustable spring platforms to set ride height and corner weights.
2) The suspension units use standard size springs which can be bought cheaply from numerous places in virtually any length and rate you require.
3) Adjustable / high quality dampers. This doesn't apply in your case as you bought GAZ products - the dampers will probably be leaking and shot in 6 months months time.