Only Want To Lower Front Slightly (20mm)

[Higgy 0]

Hi,

 

I want to lower the front but only slightly (-20mm springs) then with GrN rubbers it will be about 15mm altogether.

 

JAMEX & GMAX sell -20mm lowering springs, has anyone experience with these?

 

The price between them is nothing, so who is the better manufacturer?

 

What I really like about the 205 is that I can nail it about, without worring about the road. With the kit car I had, I was constantly scanning the road looking out for bumps that would make the suspension crash etc. It really detracted from the driving experience.

 

Higgy.

[pug_ham 245 3 Cars]

I removed some Jamex springs from my car last weekend & they were matched with standard spec Bilstein front shocks.

 

They were fine on the road imo & suitable for track use if not a little to soft for track.

 

Not sure who is the better make of the two but Jamex is a longer standing name imo & I thought that they were the same company bar a name change in the mid 90's.

 

Graham.

[Guest andyfitz]

I have used Gmax springs on my MK2 golf, they were great springs and gave good performance, also they come with a 3 year warrenty should anything go wrong, but everyone I know who's used them has had good words to say about them.

 

Jamex springs I have had on my cavalier, they worked fine on the 1.6 my mate had them on but on my 2.0 16V they were awfull, if you hit a bump the car would jump in the air and you would have no steering for a second or so, we put this down the the difference in weight in the 2 cars, the 16v is alot heavyer than the 1.6, also they were extremely stiff on both cars and highly uncomfortable.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

My 205 runs Jamex springs and has since 1996. They were supposed to be 20mm lowering too but its more like 30/35mm in reality.

 

I've tried Eibach and some cheaper Ventura 40mm lowering springs and all 3 springs were the same ride height.

 

The ride is OK, can be a bit bouncy but the ride is mainly dictated by the damper anyway.

[Higgy 0]

  C_W said:

My 205 runs Jamex springs and has since 1996. They were supposed to be 20mm lowering too but its more like 30/35mm in reality.

 

See thats what I dont want. If it says 20mm thats what i want (-+5mm).

 

What I want to know is if you by -40mm springs are they then in reality -60mm? Maybe shops etc are not selling the correct product? Its quite difficult to tell if you have the right springs if there is nought to compare it against.

 

The motor factor around the corner from me sells the GMAX springs so it looks as if i'll go with those.

 

I take it that if I measure them against my original ones they should be 20mm shorter, or is that expecting too much

 

Higgy.

[pug_ham 245 3 Cars]

  Higgy said:

I take it that if I measure them against my original ones they should be 20mm shorter, or is that expecting too much

I measured the Jamex springs off the car & the free length was 280mm iirc which is 50mm shorter than standard springs but they didn't lower it that much, I'd say 30mm max.

 

When it was all fitted (with group N rubbers) it didn't look particularly lowered. The springs I've fitted now were 255mm free length & have lowered the car about another 20mm from the jamex & it now sits at a height I prefer, you can tell its been lowered.

Graham.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

  Higgy said:

See thats what I dont want. If it says 20mm thats what i want (-+5mm).

 

What I want to know is if you by -40mm springs are they then in reality -60mm? Maybe shops etc are not selling the correct product? Its quite difficult to tell if you have the right springs if there is nought to compare it against.

 

The motor factor around the corner from me sells the GMAX springs so it looks as if i'll go with those.

 

I take it that if I measure them against my original ones they should be 20mm shorter, or is that expecting too much

 

Higgy.

 

A standard ride hieght on a 205gti looks like a beach buggy IMO, especially compared to modern performace cars, so 25/30mm is fine without being too low.

 

The Jamex were supposed to be 20mm, Eibach 30mm and Ventura 40mm but all were about the same rideheight.

[Higgy 0]

  C_W said:

A standard ride hieght on a 205gti looks like a beach buggy IMO, especially compared to modern performace cars, so 25/30mm is fine without being too low.

 

I agree. Its just that I had a kit car which gripped the road like glue, but the problem is the road surface. I spent more time looking(and worrying) at the road surface than actually enjoying driving the thing.

 

I went to Wales on my motorbike last weekend and the road surface was glass smooth, I just spent the whole time enjoying myself. Here in Oxfordshire the roads are cr*p.

 

Its a pain really, I dont want to spend £55 on springs then find I am too low.

 

My options are JAMEX -25mm & GMAX -20mm both for around £55. My current opinion now is to go for the JAMEX -25mm springs.

 

Higgy.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

As said above the ride is mostly dictated by the damping rather than the ride height (to a certain extent). I remember a REVS article when it first came out and was sort of useful reading, they did a test on springs and found the Jamex were very soft (which meant they didn't like them) but I find them ok.

 

I've heard other stories of lowering springs not actually being stiffer than standard springs but rely on the reduced ride height to "improve" the handling.

[Higgy 0]

I've got myself a set (front & back) of GAZ adjustables so hopefully that will be a great improvement over the current 16yro standard shocks

 

Fitted rear shocks this evening, but got to buy front top strut bearings before I can change the front dampers

 

I am going to fit the new dampers with the standard springs. Then once I get hold of Grp N rubbers (come on Baker Bushes!!) I'll stick some lowering springs on at the same time.

 

Higgy.