ZX Volcane Q

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DarkendViper
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ZX Volcane Q

Post by DarkendViper »

Hi all,
I have a ZX 1.9i Volcane and was wondering if anyone else had lowered the front? I was thinking of using the springs that GSF sell that say they drop it 30mm. Just seeing if anyone else has done the same?
Thanks
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VLL
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Post by VLL »

Not got any experience with the GSF lowering springs, but did fit PI lowering springs to my Volcane with standard shocks once and it was terrible, lower but still fairly soft and would hit the bump stops easily.
Now have a full GMax kit fitted with uprated shocks and 35mm lowering springs which works so much better.
It does look better with even just the front lowered a little, wouldnt want to go any lower than 30-35mm as any lower just looks a bit boy racer like.
DarkendViper
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Post by DarkendViper »

Thanks for that bit of information. Might have to look into a set of dampers and shocks then.
VisaGTi16v
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

quite a lot of bits on here http://www.needforspeed.co.uk/pages/sbv ... 1&User=NFS they are just a front end, not a direct stockist but were helpful via email before when i was ordering bits
rashmore
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Post by rashmore »

Hi VLL,
As mines' on the soft side and wolloes been looking into upgrading suspension.
The GMax kit presumably firmed the whole front up and reduced dive etc. Did you adjust the back also via the torsion bar- as that looks quite complicated or did the replacement kit sort that out anyway?
People reckon mines been lowered already - i just put it down to it being a Volcane in the first place. Need to find other stnd volcane to compare or spec sheet of some kind.
Approx how much did it cost and did you fit yourself - if so approx how long did it take to fit ?
Cheers
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VLL
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Post by VLL »

The front is dead easy to do, just whip the struts out, new shocks and springs and bung it back in, took a couple of hours max. Front is now very firm, stays very flat during cornering (downside is understeer in the wet but thats to be expected), and doesnt dive much under hard braking. The rear was done by a friend who had done a couple of Peugeots and was a real pig to do, seized screws, bolts etc but a couple of cans of WD-40 and a sunday cured that.
The Volcane is lower than a standard ZX, most noticably at the rear but if you fit a suspension kit you will most likely find your rear shocks are shorter than standard so you must lower the suspension which was the case with mine, but its worthwhile doing.
I have a few frinds with some pretty fast cars, Golf GTi 1.8Turbo(chipped to 200bhp), Audi TT Roadster(chipped to 210bhp), Clio 172 and all of them say that although my car is the slowest and oldest its a bitch to keep up with on twisty roads and thats all down to the suspension kit.
If you do decide to go for a full kit expect to pay around a £200-250, but make sure you get a good quality kit from the likes of GMax, Koni, Spax etc... as i've heard of cheaper kits breaking springs and shocks going flat.
Its a worthwhile upgrade, especially if you like to wipe the smirk of those bloody BMW drivers faces.
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Post by rashmore »

Right then, need to look into configurations and costs. Figured front would be straight swap, just concerned about the rear as read a recent thread on how to adjust and seemed quite lengthy and fiddly. Suppose easier to understand if can see what describing.
Since mine was tuned and berlingo brakes added, once moving it can keep up with a surprising amount of cars which is most amusing.
Are you running standard volcane alloys or have u swapped ?
Off price shopping this weekend then [}:)] see what castle performance have to say -won't be the cheapest but good source of info.
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VLL
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Post by VLL »

ditched the standard alloys a long time ago, this is how mine looks now.
Image
rashmore
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Post by rashmore »

Nice wheels. Spotted one locally which looked spitting image ...
Castle Performance quote of £250 for the kit, with around £100 for fitting, assuming everything goes OK. Could do the front myself no problem but it would be the rear which would be an issue, not having done that before....
Can get kit delivered for £199 tho'
Spoken to independant pug/cit specialist and he said just put new stnd kit back on, as they have had one in that has been lowered and to date it has had 4 new drive shafts ? Ouch
Not sure what to think now ? can of worms ? or just put higher rated version of what got already fresh dampers and higher pressure springs.
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Post by tomsheppard »

I'd go along with this. Standard tyres, slightly uprated dampers and only change the springs if they are weak. That will get the best out of the chassis without introducing undesireable side effects or making the car a swine to drive. Few cars take well to lowering, the idiots who design them uncannily seem to get it right most of the time. So saying, Saab 900 Turbos cornered very much better if radically lowered at the front - by 5mm.
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

lowering by only 30mm shouldnt kill the driveshafts anymore than normal, perhaps 5% less life time or something. Its normally only when people go mad and do things like 60mm drops that things get funny.
rashmore
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Post by rashmore »

Hmm
Uprated dampers - 99.50 fr
- 94.00 rr
Set of springs - 80.00 (est)
Total for parts - £243.50
Labour to fit all incl transferring tops from current shocks & wheel alignment check £120
Time to make a set of spring compressors i think and then nip to local garage for wheel alignment check...
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

or just find a zx 16v which has stiffer lower suspension to start with not to mention bigger brakes etc and they are cheap when they crop up on ebay etc but i doubt a fuel economy of 25 will appeal to you as a TD owner :)
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Post by rashmore »

The old girls recently had uprated brakes and has been tuned a little which has increased the problem with the soggy suspension....originally was low and stiff (Volcane spec), now just low - lol. Do like the 16v, had a go in a couple but they were overpriced, hence but this when spotted it. But yes u right cost me a fortune in fuel as my right foot is heavy ...
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

Its a weird car. I did a whole £39 tank (to the brim) not taking it over 3000 and pottering around and it did 330 miles hard into the empty. I then brimmed it again ~£39 and utterly cained it as per normal as my drive to work is 7 miles each way down tight twisty country lanes and by the end of the tank i still mananaged 300 miles. I know this is nothing compared to what you get but for me, for the sake of 30 miles extra economy I cant be bothered and just drive it how I want. If i wanted to stay under 3000 all the time I would have got a diesel heh
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