Hi, Anybody used Gaz Coilovers on their Escort? Im thinking about buying a set of 4 and wondered what people thought about them in general!


cheers.

 

I'm in the process of fitting mine right now (Gaz Golds) but wont be road testing them for a few months yet
So far all i can report is that the fronts dont seem to have very long inserts? i.e. with them bolted up and the wheel on, the wheel doesnt hang as low in the arch as it does with a standard mcpherson strut on. This concerns me slightly.
I have also been advised by Tony (Nuts) that the spring rates arent ideal. I told Gaz it will be used for trackdays and they specced 350lb front, 500lb rear... It'll all come out in the wash when i eventually get the damn thing up and running

 

I have Gaz Golds too, but mine are still in the box, where they have been for abour 6 months.

Remember that Coilovers aren't a direct bolt-on fit to a Mk3/4 Escort.

 

i thought the gaz ones was bolt on

 

In theory yes, but the rear end of the Mk3/4 isn't strong enough, so needs bracing and/or seam welding.

 

If they were mine, I woudn't like to have them as long as the std. ones. Remember when the mk3/mk4 escort was designed, what were the roads like, wheel sizes, ground clearance, power output, speeds, etc....

 

I was in a RST 2 weeks ago owned by a friend of Ollie's in NMS.The ride felt quite comfy to me and the owner,Danny reckons its the best thing he ever fitted to his car.Regards,Micky

 

I do feel Coilovers are worth fitting to an escort over koni's/spax ETC, A friend has coilovers on his Escort and the difference in ride quality alone is great!

I was going to get the lower spec top adjustable coilovers, not the gold...I didnt price them, anyone know how much more they are? I was informed I didnt really need the Gold for road and the odd track day use?

Marc, I think the strut wont be as long as std macpherson as it will need to take into account for being lowered?

Christian - I am thinking about modifying the rear turrets so they are adjustable for camber and strengthening/bracing the turrets also, and while im at it, thinking about getting the MEF style rear adjustable setup to replace wishbones and trailing arms with the adjustable bars/rose joints etc

So how much extra do the Golds cost, and what would benefit me by getting the gold? would I notice the difference in adjustment (bound/rebound?)

 

more info pls,i get mine Gaz coilovers tomorrow.
Do you have pics?

 

ive got gaz coilovers on the front, ive still to fit the rears but its transformed it over the standard shockers

 

which ones did you go for Smit? gold or just the top adjustable ones?

 

LOL find post by RSTDAVE on here Regarding gaz golds..

the front ones dont fit.. they rear ones dont fit..
sent them back, gaz did something to them. and returned them.. they rear ones are still too short by about 60mm or somethign stupid....

and that was dealing with GAZ direct

 

Hmmm, ive yet to fit the rears
The car is on axle stands so the fronts are hanging. The top of the tyre cant be much more than 3 inches off the arch. Ive jacked the wheel up and it compresses about half an inch before it starts to lift the car off the stands. I'm bothered that when i get it off the axle stands and drop the engine/box in, the sumps gonna hit the floor Front end is turreteted however, but i'm sure the height of the top of the shock is right (Compared to standard location).

 

The rear shocker mount is not designed to take the weight of the vehicle as the mk 3/4 escort did not have McPherson type suspension at the rear. If you look under the rear end of your car you will see the spring is between the suspension arm and and chassis and not round the shock absorber. Therefore it is where the upper spring seat is that takes the load/weight of a standard vehicle.

By fitting coilovers you are putting the weight of the vehicle on the upper shocker mount which will require strengthning.

 

i asked gaz what you need to do to the rear and thay said a strut brace will do

but i would say strengthen it to be safe

 

We told them something along the lines of that ages ago...

 

jesus i wouldnt want to drive that anywhere it will be useless on track.
tim

 

just top adjustible ones

 

i just fitted mine 2day when on no problems at all in fitting them

 

my mate has gaz coliovers on his s1 ... they been on 6 months and are knackered ... its done very little miles in the time..

 

Why Tim,are the spring rates too hard,too soft or what?????Regards,Micky

 

Mate, springs are the least of my worries at the moment they're just something that keeps the floorpan off the ground for now
Thats what Gaz specced, all i can do is try them... I do know in all probability i will have to soften them up when i get things rolling.

Incidentally if you're clued up on suspension, why do race cars use hard springs? (Much harder than the ones Gaz specced for me?) It would seem that harder springs dont suit RS turbo's? Is that right?
Just curious, i'm just learning

 

Anyone got a price for the Gaz coilovers ?

 

Ł500 ish for the standard ones, Ł800 ish for gold.

 

To be matched with damping rates used on the inserts.

Race cars very rarely get to use over 2" of travel on the damper so a spring rate suited to that is required. Race circuits are smooth flat surfaces remember.

Now lets take your average speed bump going into Tesco's or round maccy d's with your road going RST - that will require over double the amount of travel in the damper to negotiate itself over it, so the spring has to be softer in dampening terms for it to equal things out.

Any clearer ?

 

Yes thats simple enough thank you Tony, but track RS Turbo's that never see tesco's seem to use relatively soft springs too?

 

i paid Ł475 and free delivery

 

Relative in terms of what ?

It's related to the damper and the weight of the car.

The back end of a hatchback is all air and weighs next to nothing if you put it on a set of corner weight gauges to even things up it all becomes clear.

 

275 fronts 225 MAX on the rears i had 300 rears on at the pod and they lift a wheel at a slight turn as tony says travel is very important otherwise the dampers do nothing any buy eck you can tell lol
tim

 

ive got them on my combi van the cheaper ones never had any problems with them
running a rear strut brace and a bit of seam welding on the rear turrets as sugested by gaz

handels mint not to hard either running themm on abbout 10 clicks on the adjuster

 

I believe i have simmilar springrates under my s2. Got them in 2003 through burton power. They fit like a glove. I only use the car for trackdays tough.
And welded in a pipe between the struts. After all those years ( only 9 trackdays with this car) i can't find visual deformation or crackes around the struts, so i´m (not yet) bothered to weld those struts up some more.

 

don't forget that spring rates on the strut need to be reduced in comparison to the std inboard location.