KW v1 basic's

K

ken182

im looking to fit either eibach springs, possibly a used cup suspension set up or possibly even go further and fit kw's v1 kit.

are the v1 basic (galanized) the same as the INOX ones other than the material used on the strut? they seem to be around £150 cheaper.

also is 4 wheel alignment required when fitting coilovers or even lowering springs for that matter?

is the cup suspension geometry different to non-cup and if so is it worth/can it be done on my car if i fit either springs or full coilovers?

i will be fitting these myself but would need a specialist to correct the alignment etc.

could anyone send me the fitting instructions for the kw's?

cheers
 
Lol fitting instructions on kw are very vague they have a few pictures and 1 sentance after each ill scan them for you tomorrow. Do u have a spring compressing tool for the fronts? It is esential u have 1 cus u have re-use the topmounts.
 
I think the inox and the standard are the same, just that the inox ones have an anti corrosion coating.

Yes you'll need 4 wheel alignment after fitting coilovers or springs as you're changing the ride height. I would guess the cup setup is slightly different to account for the lowered ride height but nothing significant
 
i have spring compressors. i have fitted replacement struts etc many times before but never coilovers.

i see the inox thing as a bit of a gimick really. the standard struts on road cars are cheap mild steel painted and they last no problem. its the internals which would degrade due to damaged or worn seals way before corrosion made the strut un-usbale or damaged.

i spoke to kw and they said there is no difference in the 2 but the inox ones look better and would last longer.

im leaning towards the kw's anyway.

they were a bit vague as to whether the 'basic' type is still available for the 197 anyway.
 
Just 1 problem how do u paint the adjustment thread........

See thread about kw's that ben w posted i posted a picture of the leading brands vs kw inox
 
i dont see what your getting at there.?

as i said its OE components that i come painted - not ones with adjutment threads. my point is they last as long as required as they will damage seals or have damaged pistons etc long before the strut body itself is corroded.

if you mean how do you galvanise a thread, well its done all the time. i work on a 35 year old oil rig and most of the bolts are galvanised and its still in one peice.



dont get me wrong the stainless ones will look prettier after 3 years use and im sure they are more resistant to salt. but day in day out driving the lifespan will be no longer than a galvanised strut.

also the bolts used on the hub upright/strut are carbon steel which reacts with stainless and speeds up corrosion of stainless so theyre not totally impurvious
 
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Once you've fannied around setting the ride height, you're not going to change it again anyway.

Get some marine grade inhibitor such as "corrosion block", you'll have no problems.
 
I change it all time 18's on road 17's on track.

Marine grade inhibitor how much is that lol
 
Don't bother with springs mate. get the v1s IMO.

Yes they will last, yes if you fit these you will have to get alignment done other wise you will be driving about with your tracking a mile out and wearing the inside or outside of your tyres on the front.

I hope this helps
 
Woody said:
I change it all time 18's on road 17's on track.

Marine grade inhibitor how much is that lol
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You change the ride height for each set of wheels? That's dedication - although I'm assuming you've had it cornerweighted on both and marked the struts, so you don't lose your settings??

£10-15 and very clever stuff. Link
 
i think my mind is pretty much made up and im going to go for a set of kw's - either the basic galvo type or inox depending on what i can get the best deal with.


once i have the ride height set i wont be altering it unless it is causing issues with handling. i dont want a dramatic drop as it needs to be useable every day (i.e speed bumps and multi-storey carparks) and if its not too uncomfortable it would be nice too.

ive had a look around and all seem to be the same price though a dealer near me will set alignment etc if i buy them there. amd have a deal where the fitting is only £100 extra but thats the other end of the country which is a shame.


when setting the ride height is the old tape measure on each wheelarch method good enough or is the cornerweight method much better?

are the places with this sort of eqpment comon?
 
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Yeah dedicated mike :wink: corner weighted and front struts have pvc tape marking different positions :smile: yes.

Oh and as for the measuring ..... Yes its okay but will never be 100% accurate
 
Corner weighting is fine for a dedicated track car, but if your taking passengers out then its going to completely throw it out anyway.

I'd just measure centre from each wheel to the wheel arch and do it that way. Check again in a couple of weeks once alls bedded in :smile:
 
RichW said:
Corner weighting is fine for a dedicated track car, but if your taking passengers out then its going to completely throw it out anyway.

I'd just measure centre from each wheel to the wheel arch and do it that way. Check again in a couple of weeks once alls bedded in :smile:
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Well Ideally it depends if you do trackdays or hit the mountains and B-roads from time to time, if so it is worth getting it set up properly for those occasions since taking passengers around will not make a difference since you are just at road speeds. Wouldn't adversely affect tyre wear either. But the whole point of coilovers is for performance at the limit, so you really need to get them set up for those conditions imo.
 
i agree that measuring to the wheel centre rather than the ground is more accurate as tyre pressure and tread will be different on each side so could make it miles out if one tyre is worn more or slightly softer.



im used to setting sag and ride height on my race bikes and always measure to the wheel spindle not the ground. when i fit a new rear tyre to my bike the rear ride height increases by 5-10mm


im sure measuring the ride height as opposed to corner weighing would be ample for what i want from the car. like you say passangers and a variying petrol tank will affect the weight so it seems a little pointless for an everyday day. if i can find somewhere locally that does it i would get it set though just for peace of mind.
 
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