Suspension Options

[phoenixcsl]

So...I'm pretty decided that I want to go the coilover route on the CSL at some point in the next month or so.

My driving is obviously fast road, maximum 5-6k p/a road miles, possibly with the odd euro trip, but usually just smoking around.

The plan is to do more trackdays in the CSL than I did in my old RS or old E46 M3, so i'm planning to do around 5+ trackdays a year in the car.

The CSL is not my daily driver I have a lovely pipe and slippers beast to cruise to work in

I ran a set of KWv3's with TMS adjustable top mounts, on my old E46, and I loved them, had them on the car 2+ years, covering 20k p/a with them setup fairly stiff, however the handling of the car was dramatically improved imho.

So...I know this is the age old question, which suspension to go for, I don't have a massive budget, and stupidly like a complete plonker I forgot to check my PM's this week so i've missed out on the Clubsports Shim was selling.

Budget is around the 2k mark maximum, however if a decent 2nd hand set came up i'd be more interested in those as I could use the change to put towards some AP's!

My shortlist is as follows:

1/ Nitron NTR Sport+ Alex (Karbon Kid) recommended me these.
2/ KW Clubsports
3/ AST (I know s.mac runs these and loves them and he's recommended before)
4/ Intrax 1k2

5/ What about the KW Competitions Radders is selling, would these be a step too far for road use?


Any ideas or suggestions?

Ta

[DazBlackCSL]

From Personal experience, having run KW V3's , and then Clubsports, and now on a hand built set of KW Race & Clubsport mix, for road and track work these I find perfect for what I need, a little too stiff for daily, I also ran KW full race kit on my CSL Cup car, and would not want those on the road, so unless you only intend on running it on track would either go clubsport or V3 as you seemed happy with that.

The key with ANY make is the set up, sounds obvious but unless your a suspension expert, you can have the best kit out there, if it is set up wrong or not to your preference it will be the worst kit, took me ages to get my set up right on mine, and I have friends in KW who were helping me, tried different spring rates, settings, bump and rebound, etc etc, and different tracks, which for me, I do less UK tracks now, and mainly the the ring, the year I raced, I was using my road car on each track the day before testing in the race car, to get a feel for the track, and as I was running near on the same set up as the race car, it helped me get a feel for how it would sit, so was heavy track work for that year.

TBH for what I use the car for now, the V3 kit would probably be the best option for me, as it's more suited to fast road, occasional track, opposed to the Clubsports which is occasional road, as mine is my daily, and use it mainly for occasional track, and the ring.

I know Alex / Shim etc are happy with there intrax also, but have no experience of those so could'nt comment.

[phoenixcsl]

Interesting points on both accounts.

I'm still inclined to go go for something different, even though I take on board Gorilla's comments.

Does anyone know how AST Sportline I's compare to KW V3's? I've been offered a new set of AST's for a ridiculously cheap price.

Originally Posted by DazBlackCSL

TBH for what I use the car for now, the V3 kit would probably be the best option for me, as it's more suited to fast road, occasional track, opposed to the Clubsports which is occasional road, as mine is my daily, and use it mainly for occasional track, and the ring.

V3's are great for a daily / occasional track drive, I wish i'd kept mine now!

[shimmy]

And with KW you get a whole load of tools to adjust them with, great!

[s.mac]

I agree with what ever you go for the set up needs to be right!
I also agree with Gorilla BUT I for one like to try out different parts, to see if there is a difference, be it good or bad. You can always revert back.

I think once you make the changes, you adapt to the new settings and get used to the car, even getting in to another CSL and driving on track or road feels so different, if that makes any sense

[phoenixcsl]

Originally Posted by shimmy

And with KW you get a whole load of tools to adjust them with, great!

Yeah true enough, I had to use a makeshift adjuster to set the rebound on my v3's when I lost one of the tools...I ended up using a drill bit!

Originally Posted by s.mac

I agree with what ever you go for the set up needs to be right!
I also agree with Gorilla BUT I for one like to try out different parts, to see if there is a difference, be it good or bad. You can always revert back.

I think once you make the changes, you adapt to the new settings and get used to the car, even getting in to another CSL and driving on track or road feels so different, if that makes any sense

You still running AST's on yours fella? can't remember which ones you have / had, even though you told me a few times, memory like a sieve in my old age!

[DazBlackCSL]

Originally Posted by shimmy

And with KW you get a whole load of tools to adjust them with, great!

New ones have the simpleton screw adjusters on, which I also need

[The Gorilla]

Hi,

If your plan is 5/6k road miles
I would stick with standard CSL
Dampers, you may want to play around
with front spring rates, personally
for UK road there about on the money,
fit front adjustable top mounts,
fit adjustable rear camber arms,
make sure all the bushes and rear
RTAB are nice and tight, RTAB Limiters
are also good, and fit a set
of rear rims to the front with 265's.

If you want a bit more bar than some H&R
or Eibach ARB's, with shore 75/80 bushes,
and adjustable front drop links.

On normal uk road surfaces that will be as
good as anything you have suggested.

On the Track it might be 1/2 sec slower but
not sure when Qualifying is on Track Days.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

[bigfoot]

I’ve had the Nitron NTR sport for the last year and can recommend them. The after sales support is also very good.

Very nicely engineered kit.