Comfort Performance KW v3 vs HKS Hypermax IV GT

[Stang70Fastback]

Hello! I have the KW V3s. I've had them for 1.5 years now. My goals were similar to yours. My car is a year-round DD, and I wanted comfortable coilovers (for miserable Chicago roads) that would cope with the occasional autocross, and also survive the winter months. I'm quite happy with them. They're a bit too soft for proper autocrossing, but that hasn't stopped me from winning my class last year, and winning all six events I've attended this year too

Let me know if you have any additional questions. Mine have been pummeled on Chicago roads, stressed at autocross, covered in salt in the winter, etc...

[sachu]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

Hello! I have the KW V3s. I've had them for 1.5 years now. My goals were similar to yours. My car is a year-round DD, and I wanted comfortable coilovers (for miserable Chicago roads) that would cope with the occasional autocross, and also survive the winter months. I'm quite happy with them. They're a bit too soft for proper autocrossing, but that hasn't stopped me from winning my class last year, and winning all six events I've attended this year too

Let me know if you have any additional questions. Mine have been pummeled on Chicago roads, stressed at autocross, covered in salt in the winter, etc...

How often do you need to get them rebuilt? any idea on cost of rebuild?

[Tedderple]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

Hello! I have the KW V3s. I've had them for 1.5 years now. My goals were similar to yours. My car is a year-round DD, and I wanted comfortable coilovers (for miserable Chicago roads) that would cope with the occasional autocross, and also survive the winter months. I'm quite happy with them. They're a bit too soft for proper autocrossing, but that hasn't stopped me from winning my class last year, and winning all six events I've attended this year too

Let me know if you have any additional questions. Mine have been pummeled on Chicago roads, stressed at autocross, covered in salt in the winter, etc...

When you mention comfortable, would you be able to describe stock and KW v3 on a scale of 1-10 when compared to stock? (10-like a lexus, 1-go cart)

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by Tedderple

When you mention comfortable, would you be able to describe stock and KW v3 on a scale of 1-10 when compared to stock? (10-like a lexus, 1-go cart)

My apologies for the delayed response to your questions. When you started talking about a scale compared to stock, I thought about it, and realized that I wouldn't be able to give you a very good answer as I hadn't driven a stock car in a very long time. So last night I arranged for a quick test drive of a stock, 2014 BRZ with my local dealership (36,000 miles on it) so that I could have a good benchmark for comparison.

It's important to keep in mind that my car is on 18x9 wheels, with 255/35 Michelin Pilot Super Sports. This means a much thinner sidewall, and a much stiffer tire compared to stock, and that alone will significantly increase ride harshness.

Having said that, I was genuinely surprised when driving the stock BRZ. My car is MUCH more planted, and changes direction much more willingly, and with much more precision than the stock car, and yet I was blown away by how similar the overall ride comfort was. My car is a bit more "harsh" over bumps due to the thinner, stiffer tires on bigger wheels, which cannot absorb sharp impacts as well, but the overall ride was eerily similar, which was pretty cool to me. It doesn't have the floaty feeling you get with the stock suspension (which is FINE on its own, until you compare it with a car like mine), and it will follow bumps and curves in the road more aggressively, and it won't lean as much in corners, but even with my thinner tires, the ride quality was surprisingly similar.

If I had the OEM wheels and tires on the car, I'm not sure you could really say one was noticeably more comfortable than the other, but even with my skinny tires, it was close enough that if you're fine with the OEM ride quality, you wouldn't be complaining

On a scale of 1 to 10, (10 being Lexus, and 1 being Go-Kart), and with OEM being a 5, I'd honestly rank my current ride quality, even with my wheels and tires, at maybe a 4 at the WORST, but probably more like a 4.5.

Also worth noting that this is with my compression and rebound at recommended "intermediate" settings. They can be made softer than my current setup, and also stiffer, which is what I do for autocross.

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by sachu

How often do you need to get them rebuilt? any idea on cost of rebuild?

I honestly don't know the answers to these questions. I was just going to play it by ear. Someone the other day said 25k mile intervals, but that would mean a yearly rebuild which I think is ridiculous. Hopefully more like 60k miles, which would be every three years in my case.

[Racecomp Engineering]

KW V3s can be very comfortable.

- Andrew

[Tedderple]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

My apologies for the delayed response to your questions. When you started talking about a scale compared to stock, I thought about it, and realized that I wouldn't be able to give you a very good answer as I hadn't driven a stock car in a very long time. So last night I arranged for a quick test drive of a stock, 2014 BRZ with my local dealership (36,000 miles on it) so that I could have a good benchmark for comparison.
......

Wow, thanks for the very detailed comparison and even going out of your way to drive a stock FR-S. This definitely helps with the perspective of comfort when comparing to stock suspension.
I run 225/40/18, so I'm guessing the sidewall height should be similar to yours, and the tire composition will be the determining factor in sidewall stiffness.
Thank you so so much for contributing your time to help my decision.

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

KW V3s can be very comfortable.

- Andrew

Based on the huge comment experience above, yeah. That may have set my mind in going for the KW v3.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tedderple

Wow, thanks for the very detailed comparison and even going out of your way to drive a stock FR-S. This definitely helps with the perspective of comfort when comparing to stock suspension.
I run 225/40/18, so I'm guessing the sidewall height should be similar to yours, and the tire composition will be the determining factor in sidewall stiffness.
Thank you so so much for contributing your time to help my decision.





Based on the huge comment experience above, yeah. That may have set my mind in going for the KW v3.

We do carry them and have a lot of experience with setting them up, but it looks like you're in Canada so you might get a better deal locally.

- Andrew

[Tedderple]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

We do carry them and have a lot of experience with setting them up, but it looks like you're in Canada so you might get a better deal locally.

- Andrew

Well, doesn't hurt to ask about your pricing. I send you a PM.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by sachu

Am in the same boat and considering the same coils, Ohlins Road and track, Flex Z, Flex A (CSG spec), Racecomp T2s.

WOuld love to hear more about the Ohlins and the Flex A CSG spec.

FWIW, I'm replacing my T2s with Swift Sport springs and B6s. T2s are stiffer than what I want on the street. Also, for that much spring my personal preference is much more damping.
Adjustable damping is a nice feature, but honestly it's not as important as I thought it would be before owning T2s. Keep in mind my experience with T2s is my first experience owning adjustable dampers, so I am far from an authority. But to me it's MUCH more important to have the proper spring rate and matched damping than have adjustability. IMO once the damping is properly matched to the spring rate there shouldn't be much need to adjust it anyway. Especially if you're going to the track once or twice a year. I get in about a dozen days per year on tracks.

[tian105]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

KW V3s can be very comfortable.

- Andrew

Would you mind sharing the rebound/compression settings that you find is most comfortable for the KW v3 with new rates on an otherwise stock BRZ?

[smg1138]

Originally Posted by Pat

FWIW, I'm replacing my T2s with Swift Sport springs and B6s. T2s are stiffer than what I want on the street. Also, for that much spring my personal preference is much more damping.
Adjustable damping is a nice feature, but honestly it's not as important as I thought it would be before owning T2s. Keep in mind my experience with T2s is my first experience owning adjustable dampers, so I am far from an authority. But to me it's MUCH more important to have the proper spring rate and matched damping than have adjustability. IMO once the damping is properly matched to the spring rate there shouldn't be much need to adjust it anyway. Especially if you're going to the track once or twice a year. I get in about a dozen days per year on tracks.

Did you try running the T2's near full soft? I've found them to be reasonably comfortable doing that with the stock springs. For me double adjustability is nice, but being able to change ride height is more important. Don't think I could go back to shocks and springs simply because of that.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by tian105

Would you mind sharing the rebound/compression settings that you find is most comfortable for the KW v3 with new rates on an otherwise stock BRZ?

For ultimate ride comfort, go just 2 clicks from full soft front and rear for rebound and compression. Add compression until it feels good (meaning not bouncy OR crashy). A couple clicks should be good. Leave rebound super soft.

- Andrew

[Pat]

Originally Posted by smg1138

Did you try running the T2's near full soft? I've found them to be reasonably comfortable doing that with the stock springs. For me double adjustability is nice, but being able to change ride height is more important. Don't think I could go back to shocks and springs simply because of that.

Yes, I did try running them at full soft. In my opinion they need way more damping than that to keep up with the springs. There's just not much one can do to compensate for springs that are stiffer than what they really want.

[Tedderple]

The KWv3 was shipped quickly, and I just picked it up recently from my box across the border.

Once installed, I'll try to get back to this and post what I find.

It'll be stock strut with eibach prokit vs Kwv3 (stock tophats)