Looks like Ste guessed it
Out with the KW V3 that have served me so well for the last 5 years.
In with these!
Gaz Golds - Custom built to my specified spring rates, and valved accordingly
2 sets of springs, to allow a bit of experiementation and some mixing and matching front and rear:
a set at 550lb all round:
And a set at 650lb all round:
Rates were decided upon after lots of deliberation and input from various people tracking and racing the same chassis in various places on various tyres.
From some hardcore VW racers telling me I wanted 800 minimum on the rear and 700 on the front if using slicks, to Tony and Rich in Combe Saloons running 450/450 in a lighter car on road tyres. I decided I liked the idea of square rates front and rear. This should give a reasonably tail happy car, which suits my driving style and dials out all the understeer. I'm hoping it'll compliment the plate diff nicely too.
I've got the option of running 650lb front and 550lb rear if I find square rates too tail happy, and I've got the option of 550 fronts and 650 rears if I find the square rates understeer. replacement springs are very cheap if I decide to go softer all round, or further at just one end.
I have of course also got the option of going stiffer / softer, or completely removing an ARB at either end too in my quest to tailor it to my needs. With such stiffer rates the springs themselves should largely take care of body roll now. There is a school of thought that does away with the front arb all together to 'decouple' the front axle and allow the inside tyre to drop and get more grip.
There are those who will shun the purchase and say my KWs were better, and in terms of outright quality, I'm sure that's true, but regardless of quality, my V3's have become unsuitable for my needs running aero and slicks, and KW were absolutely not interested in revalving, only in selling me a complete motorsport kit for 3x what the Gaz cost.
What I've got here is a kit that's custom built and valved / sprung to my exact requirements, and also easily and cheaply rebuild or revalved in the UK.
It's potentially a slight dip in quality, and I'll be taking measures to protect them to keep them in top condition for as long as possible, but I'm really excited to be trying a new setup with some more suitable rates, after tracking the car for so long on the stock rates KW supply for a sporty road car setup.
Now, if only I had an engine to be able to go and test them