Diy Coilovers And Suggested Spring Rate/length

[Anthony 1,000]

As part of the winter upgrade and overhaul my 205's getting, I'm planning on doing a DIY coilover conversion to the Bilstein Challenge dampers that I've bought and getting some stiffer springs to match the uprated torsion bars that I'll also be fitting. It's primarily a road car (although no longer used for the daily-commute) that also gets used for a few trackdays and the odd trip over to the 'Ring.

1. There's a few different companies that sell these DIY coilover conversion kits - I assume that they're all basically the same thing and the same size/fitment? I was planning on getting the Rally Design ones, unless someone knows of a cheaper/better source?
   .
   
2. What spring rate and length would people suggest to compliment the 22mm torsion bars on a 309 width beam and giving a ride height around 10-20mm lower than standard (obviously it can be fine tuned by adjusting the platforms). Does around 200lb and 10" long sound about in the right ballpark?
   

Thanks in advance for the comments/suggestions

[ifcho 0]

What exactly are these DIY coilover kits?

Do you happen to have a pic?

 

edit:

Actually it is just what I though it would be, a sleeve you put on the damper (with the spring pan cut away) and a custom spring?

Am I correct?

They look pretty cheap on rallydesign, but I guess they can easily be made on a lathe machine as well.

Edited November 30, 2007 by ifcho

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

^ yes, that's it .

[ifcho 0]

Thanks , sorry for topic steal

[AdamP 0]

I would think 200lbs would be a bit soft tbh! I've ordered a pair of 225lb 8" springs with a conversion kit to go on my super-low Mk2 Polo road car, but I would say 250lbs 10" for a trackday GTi.

 

It is very much down to personal preference though really, and that's the joy of coilovers, you can change the spring rate so easily.

[Sandy 189]

200lb I would say for the road.

Edited December 1, 2007 by sandy309

[Longfield 0]

Std springs that i originally had on my Spax RSX coilovers on the front were 9" in length and 275lb. And according to Spax their RSX kit is designed for the road to give sporty handling. I've used them and would agree with their assessment. So i'd definitely suggest 275lb for the front with 9" length. On my 205 which is not a road car and is a track car only I found these too soft for really nailing it. But when my car was on the road i found the suspension to be very good. I hope this helps you.

Longfield.

[jonnie205 1]

275 seems very hard, i would go 200, it would laos be worth fitting strut top plates too as the std turret top plate will domw very quickly with stiff springs, 9 or 10 spring length will be fine

[philfingers 5]

205 tarmac ones are (correct me if i'm wrong anyone!) 225lbs. I'd say they're not far away. You want to be fairly stiff to complement 22mm on the back. My 205 rally car uses Tar fronts and 21mm bars. I'd tell you how great it is but I've only done a mile through town in it!

[jonnie205 1]

yes, tarmac rally is mega hard as it needs to withsatnd jumps, massive potholes etc etc. as i said 200 max will be best

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

You'll need some top mounts to accept the spring to the std bearing and rubber as I don;t think the std Billie shafts are long enough for a rose jointed bearing

 

Spring start at 200lb ans go from there, at least they are nice and cheap

[tom_m 0]

200lbs sounds like a good starting point, but just to muddy the waters some you might want to think about a lower rate tender spring, some thing like a 2in 90-100lbs spring to smooth the ride out a little. the tender takes the little bumps, but once closed the main spring does its job.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

How you getting on with this then?

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

I've got some fixed platform Bilstein narrow strut bodies that I'm going to use 225lb springs on for my car which will be pretty much the same beam spec & usage as you said Anthony.

 

I've yet to decide on the length but I was thinking either 9" or 10" to give a similar ride height to what my car has now.

 

Graham.

[Dan Ingram 1]

Does anyone know what size kit is needed for the 205? There seems to be a 57mm kit and a 50mm one.

[Anthony 1,000]

Has anyone actually fitted one of these kits to a set of Bilstein damper bodies?

 

I only ask because I measured my Challenge damper bodies, which I assume are basically identical to the Sport/Sprint bodies, and they're 52mm diameter.... which I can foresee being a bit of an issue when all the kits I can find are labelled as for 2"/50mm diameter struts

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Just a point of note, there are some mixed dimensions here. 2 inches is equal to 50.8mm.

[Sandy 189]

Colin Satchell could supply you the bits to fit if need be, he makes his own.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Colin Satchell could supply you the bits to fit if need be, he makes his own.

 

Do they fit Bilstein strut body's?

[Sandy 189]

PM him (eeyore), he'll make them to any size that's practical.