Ohlins Road & Track for FRS/BRZ suspension install/review thread

[Racecomp Engineering]

It's really different markets and preferences + different road conditions as mav and Orbital said.

There have often been different suspension tuning philosophies when it comes to Japan, Europe, and now US based suspension companies. Part of it is based on each of our roads and tracks, not because one is the "best" way. For what it's worth, in the past I've questioned the spring rate choices of a lot of the JDM coilovers because of inconsistencies across different cars and their motion ratios (like GD and GR Impreza having similar spring rates but very different rear motion ratios). Some of them have picked up on this but not all.

- Andy

[Sookainian]

I also notice the Japan Ohlins offer two specs. One is rear pillow ball type and another is rear rubber bush type.


Any idea what's the difference ?


The US Ohlins rear is which type, rubber bush or pillow ball ?

[Racecomp Engineering]

Rubber bushing is softer and more compliant than pillowball (metal). Not a huge difference though to be felt in the rear.

US Ohlins are pillowball.

- Andy

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by mav1178

I have no idea... but FWIW, my US-spec 6kg/6kg works perfectly fine and I wouldn't trade this setup for any stiffer setup.

In the end, just depends on what you want to do. If you want to have the car lower and also prevent bottoming out, go stiffer and valve the shocks accordingly.

-alex

I can't imagine higher spring rates on these dampers, they are already on the max side of comfortably firm for street.

Running the 9k springs would really hurt the street manners.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

I can't imagine higher spring rates on these dampers, they are already on the max side of comfortably firm for street.

Running the 9k springs would really hurt the street manners.

That, mine work great on street and track

[Sookainian]

Originally Posted by dp1

That, mine work great on street and track

Care to share what spring rate are you running ?

I believe you're also on ohlins coils


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[subielife]

He is running the stock Ohlins setup.

[Racecomp Engineering]

We bumped our Ohlins up to 8k/8k and it was fantastic.

- Andy

[Sookainian]

Anyone tried 9k/7k setup or anything close to this on ohlins before ?

What effect will it have if the front spring rate is higher then rear ?


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[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Sookainian

Anyone tried 9k/7k setup or anything close to this on ohlins before ?

What effect will it have if the front spring rate is higher then rear ?


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It will be more likely to understeer with those rates.

- Andy

[fooddude]

Originally Posted by Sookainian

I understand the Japan Ohlins spring rate is 9/7 and US Olin's spring rate 6/6

Anyone know if the Japan and US models have/share the same exact valving, or are they valved to their different rates?

So I am assuming the Ohlins can easily handle greater spring rates of 7k-9k?

7k or 8k all around sounds nice.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Anyone know if the Japan and US models have/share the same exact valving, or are they valved to their different rates?

keep in mind that any high end manufacturer will match the shock to the spring in an absolute sense, otherwise they wouldn't be high end...


but the niche question is what application is the packaged valved and whether you actually use the car as per the application or you only think you do... and even more importantly what does the manufacturer assume the application is given its name.


Ie, Ohlins says they have a "street" setup but maybe their ideas of street are smooth road and gentle driving? I don't know.

I think for many north American cities the japenese/European understanding of "street" needs to be tuned down a notch... or four. The reality is that our roads are shit and what we would all benefit from is rally-focused suspension.

[Dezoris]

@dp1 @Racecomp Engineering @mav1178

Do you guys remember the TQ value for tightening the 5mm allen heads on camber plate bolts?

[fooddude]

I think all the comparing of US roads to European or Japanese roads isn't a good argument.

You can't really pigeon hole the entire US into one category of having rough sht roads. Same for Asia and Europe as having all 100% smooth roads. They are all big vast lands with different infrastructures per city/state/county/town.

There are some parts in Los Angeles which are rough in east, south and north LA, other parts which are "glass smooth" in west LA and Santa Monica. Drive an hour south to OC and SD and it is also different - there's some sht roads in Santa Ana and Anaheim, where as Irvine and south OC has "glass smooth" roads. Go to the east coast and it is the same - both smooth roads and really old dilapidated roads. Europe is the same, if not even more diverse (since we're talking multiple countries that have an even older history). I've seen plenty of sht roads, cobblestone roads, around Italy and Rome, London, Paris, Spain.. while some highways are "glass smooth." Japan would be no different.