GAZ shocks settings help

[tony g]

Ive fitted GAZ adjustable shocks to my sprint and lowered approx 1" from standard. Ive used the original springs for now. The damper adjusters have loads of clicks on them and initially i have them set at 10 clicks from the softest. The car seems too soft so the question is : What is a good base number to start with? I dont want it harsh just nicely damped. If I have to use aftermarket springs, what poundage will I need for a road car?

Cheers

Tony

[Jon Tilson]

Standard is 140 lb per inch. I like a soft ride myself so wouldnt go above 180lb at either end.
I had 180 std height at the front of one dolly for a while....didnt like it.
Some track folks go a lot harder than that though. Its mostly down to taste.

Bounce test of max one and a half oscillations per corner. Keep clicking til you get that...
If you are finding it under-damped I suspect its taking more than one and a half.

Jonners

[Carledo]

I have these on the Carledo and, whilst my settings will not be any use to you since my weight and balance are well different, I am running the front 8 clicks off full hard and the rear 7 clicks off full soft. This is with stock Sprint front springs and stock Toledo rears. The car is about 1.5" down on stock ride height and corners pretty flat but without rear end skip.
I would however recommend (after many years of setting up RWD cars) that you run the front hard and the rear middling soft. Try the front at about 5 down from the top and the rear 10-12 from the bottom



The car behind mine is a proper classic touring car racer with 220bhp and doesn't have much less roll than mine!

Steve

[tony g]

Brilliant thanks guys


Tony

[trackerjack]

Can I say I agree totally with (Carledo) Steve.

Mine was fine on the road too.
The only thing, I would urge you not to go too low with it because it makes it slower on our grotty roads that we have to use now.

[tony g]

Thanks Jon, would you have a ride height in mind? Ive not got any reference for the rears atm

Cheers

Tony

[Carledo]

A 1" drop is about right for road work, especially if you are sticking with 13" wheels. Mine was more complicated because of clearance issues with the 15" MGF rims but I sorted it in the end and am very pleased with the stance and the handling.
Be aware that the springs and shox will settle with use and will probably need raising a couple of times to maintain height. Mine dropped so badly a couple of weeks after first install that I nearly took my sump plug out on a steeply inclined driveway!
TBH I don't have any actual figures for original ride height, mine is based on rough measurement of a standard car that I have here (project satin black) and that's a Toledo, which I think sits higher than a Sprint anyway!
Basically, I subscribe to the old engineers theory, "If it LOOKS right, it IS right!"

Steve

[Jon Tilson]

Do TJ and Carledo know what spring rates they were using.

TJ's was a proper sprint. The carledo may be different in a few respects. I suspect the carlton engine weighs a bit more
than a Toledo one and the rear body has a bit less mass about it than a Sprint.

Some track guys go as high as 400lb in at the front....but like I said 180 was a tad firm for my road tastes so I went back to std.

Jonners

[Carledo]

Dunno bout Jon but I know what my spring rates are, but as you say Jonners, my car is miles away from a Sprint in weights over each end. And surprisingly, the Vauxhall engine is marginally LIGHTER than a 1300 and MUCH lighter than a Sprint. The gearbox is also much lighter than a Sprint OD box and the 2 door body saves another few kilos from the back end. So I made my recommendations based on experience and educated guesswork rather than my own figures!

Steve

[sprint95m]

Ive fitted GAZ adjustable shocks to my sprint and lowered approx 1" from standard. Ive used the original springs for now. The damper adjusters have loads of clicks on them and initially i have them set at 10 clicks from the softest. The car seems too soft so the question is : What is a good base number to start with? I dont want it harsh just nicely damped. If I have to use aftermarket springs, what poundage will I need for a road car?

Cheers

Tony

This thread seems to have meandered somewhat......

What Spax say is, start at the softest first, then try increasing the rate 4 clicks at a time until it becomes too harsh, then decrease by one click at a time until you are happy.
In other words it is trial and error . I am thinking the same principle will apply to Gaz shocks too.

Rimmers sell aftermarket springs, having a variety of options available. Since you have ride height adjustable shocks I suggest their HD standard height is the best option for a road car.
I have just recently fitted these, along with Spax shocks to my car. First impressions are good. I have set the shocks at 8 clicks front and 4 clicks on the back. Next month after using the car a bit,
I should be able to offer further comment.


Ian.

[sprint95m]

Dunno bout Jon but I know what my spring rates are, but as you say Jonners, my car is miles away from a Sprint in weights over each end. And surprisingly, the Vauxhall engine is marginally LIGHTER than a 1300 and MUCH lighter than a Sprint. The gearbox is also much lighter than a Sprint OD box and the 2 door body saves another few kilos from the back end. So I made my recommendations based on experience and educated guesswork rather than my own figures!

Steve

How heavy is the Vauxhall gearbox?
Were you weighing the engines complete or minus ancillaries?

A 1300 single rail gearbox is very light. I could comfortably carry one holding it by the flange, so I am thinking it is around 30 - 35 kg.
(That was wearing gloves by the way.)

A Sprint gearbox must be about 45 kg I guess, an 1850 o/d is 42kg.



thanks,
Ian.

[Carledo]

The engines were weighed complete with all ancillaries, the difference was about 1.5 lbs! I didn't weigh the Vauxhall box but its tiny, has an all alloy case and no tailshaft or housing. I'm not especially strong but I can lift it one handed! I would guess its close to the weight of the non OD 1300 box.
I was initially confused when I built the car, thinking that one 2ltr iron block, alloy head engine would be much like another, so I fitted Sprint coilovers all round. Just standard springs and shox, the result is shown in the pic below.



Not a good look! And the roadholding was so awful I almost gave up!
But with a lot of perseverance and not a little cash I got it right and I'm happy to be adding a few more horses now i'm sure the chassis will stand it!

Steve

[Jon Tilson]

The ohv box is no lightweight...cast iron case AND cast iron bell housing.
At least dolly vitesse and gt6 versions have an alloy bell housing.
The Sprint/T2000/TR6 box is all alloy with integral bell housing and weighs much the
same as the smaller box with ally bell housing.

The SD1 5 speed box is heavier than a Sprint box with o-d

Jonners.

[Flyfisherman]

My GAZ shocks (FRONT) are set at 15 clicks from soft - spring platform height is 160mm: centre of the damper mounting hole to the underside of the first locknut which is giving me about 1 1/2" clearence between the top of the wheel to the underside of the arch, I am still getting a lot of bounce from the front end - found the problem - tyre walls are flexing giving me extra bounce, std tyres fiited 175/70/13running std pressures.

Paul.

[tony g]

Thanks Paul, are you using Gaz rears too? My tyres will be 185/60/13 so maybe less squidgy

Cheers

Tony