What springs and shocks for an AW11 race car?

[Kender]

Hi all

I need to upgrade the springs and shocks in my '84 AW11 race car very shortly. I plan to use it on the track and for sealed street events like hillclimbs and sprints.

What sort of shocks and springs have people tried, and what were the results? Which spring rates work? Is it worth changing from the narrow '84 legs to the later '86 onwards legs? Has anyone tried seriously stiff springs with a relatively standard shock like the Monroe GT?

Cheers
kender

[vvega]

im using sw20 tien's in mine
works bloddy well

though in saying that...
ae-92 front struts will bolt in the back with a little effort
the front are short as so its hard to fina a cheap bolt in part


there is a alinement guide in here too ill bump it for you

v

[ChaosAD]

First off. Get rid of the munroe shocks. Thatll be half the problem.

[85AW20v]

I've got Koni adjustables all round in mine with coil overs. Front cartridges are standard AW, rears are front AE101 as are the strut cases. Was told by George Stocks that the valving was better and had the 101 bits in the shed. Springs are 65mm, with 200lb on the front and 350lb on the rear. Ride height can be adjusted about 80mm from top to bottom. Nolathane all round as well. I've fitted a swaybar to the rear from a Honduh Prelude that was at the dump which has helped a lot with understeer. With the sticky Dunlops(ex Targa tyres) and 20v I'm getting down to high 47's around Taupo. If it was only sealed stuff you're doing, you could probably go a bit harder in the springs but need to keep the spring rate ratio from front to back right. Mine seems OK although at the last TS trackday at Taupo it was a bit tail happy but that could have been tyre pressures not right or braking too late as they aren't a happy camper when you do that!!

[vvega]

I've got Koni adjustables all round in mine with coil overs. Front cartridges are standard AW, rears are front AE101 as are the strut cases. Was told by George Stocks that the valving was better and had the 101 bits in the shed. Springs are 65mm, with 200lb on the front and 350lb on the rear. Ride height can be adjusted about 80mm from top to bottom. Nolathane all round as well. I've fitted a swaybar to the rear from a Honduh Prelude that was at the dump which has helped a lot with understeer. With the sticky Dunlops(ex Targa tyres) and 20v I'm getting down to high 47's around Taupo. If it was only sealed stuff you're doing, you could probably go a bit harder in the springs but need to keep the spring rate ratio from front to back right. Mine seems OK although at the last TS trackday at Taupo it was a bit tail happy but that could have been tyre pressures not right or braking too late as they aren't a happy camper when you do that!!

lol you need more rear toe out simon thats ya trouble

[Kender]

Simon85MR220v

- are the inserts fitted into the narrow '84 or the wider 86 on front struts?

- what're the benefits of coilovers apart from height adjustment? (and how often do you play with that?)

- how do you convert a standard shock to a coilover and is it pricy?

cheers
kender

[MR2boy]

ive got some sort of koni adjustable inserts in the front in the 84 shocks but they were in when i bought the car so couldnt tell u exactly what model they are

[85AW20v]

The front inserts are in the standard 85 AW struts. I only changed the rears because the Koni inserts wouldn't fit into the std rears as the diameter was slightly too big about 65mm up from the bottom of the cartridge.

I don't play with the height adjustment at all at the moment but may try dropping it a bit this season. Main reason for the coilovers is the range of race springs you can get - lengths and lbs.

The coil over bits aren't that expensive but to do that you have to go to the 65mm springs as well. You can't do one without the other. I think George Stocks said about $45 a corner to change them over.

[TrouserFxGt]

main reason for adjustable height coil overs is to set up the corner weights of the car as evenly as possible so your handling is as similar in each direction.