Car feels strange/less responsive after coilovers

[steverife]

If you still have the previous wheels and tires, it would be really easy to see if the extra wheel/tire width (and possibly weight) has the impact that you are experiencing.

Also, easy and worth checking tire pressure.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

OP did put 18x9.5's on

True. Mystery alignment and spring rates are just my first concerns.

- Andrew

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

True. Mystery alignment and spring rates are just my first concerns.

- Andrew

I would also suggest this based on my personal experience of getting sticky tires with 18x9.5 wheels and having this floaty sensation in the corners with what felt like lateral movement, which I think I even made a thread about somewhere. Ended up being coilovers. After I firmed up the settings, the handling "symptoms" went away, although still present at high cornering speeds, which leads me to believe that it's damping, which is also supported by the fact that I have entry level coilovers. I think once I switch to a quality suspension like KW or Ohlins, it should go away. Then again, I have to go pretty damn fast in a corner to trigger that suspension reaction.

[Shizuka]

I know many on this forum like to harp on the wide wheels thing -- but in my firsthand experience on Rays 18x9.5 +38s wrapped in 255s with HKS coilovers and SPL RLCAs, the car still handles like it should and is still easily light on its feet. Definitely is a little less darty/nimble on initial turn-in compared to stock, but is by no means "sluggish". I'm also between -2.5/-3 deg camber all around so the car is still eager to turn. If I were doing trackdays every week I would swap to 17x9s Volks & RE-71rs to try and get every second back I could, but on the street there's not that much difference in feel in my opinion. Can't beat the concave look on the 18x9.5s either

With this kind of setup though, alignment is key. Out of the box the HKS coils felt very mediocre, sloppy even, but after a proper alignment and ride height adjustment it was like night & day. My bet for OP is either the suspension components were not installed properly, or whoever did the alignment did a poor job. Definitely would get a second opinion on the alignment & suspension setup from a good racing/performance shop before blaming the wheel/tire combo.

Hell, I had 18x9.5s on purely stock suspension for a couple days before my coilovers came in and it didn't feel that bad (looked hilarious though)...

[soundman98]

who's making custom coilovers anymore?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by soundman98

who's making custom coilovers anymore?

Depends on your definition of custom, if it's pretty loose than pretty much everyone not an old German company will customize for you (Bilstein/Koni/KW+Ohlins, although all except KW are easily revalvable either first or second party)
Most are certainly just spring swaps on cartridges picked from a catalog.

[86MLR]

Originally Posted by soundman98

who's making custom coilovers anymore?

https://mcasuspension.com/products

From Street ultimates down, or up.

Although all are available with different spring rates, it's the valving and dyno work that makes the big difference.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

18s aren't always boat anchors. Some are reasonably light and it's not too hard to find an 18x8 lighter than stock. But I do think too many people go to 18x9.5s on this car (may not be the issue here).

Either way for this case, you've got to get your alignment numbers and should know your spring rates as well. Hard to help without that.

- Andrew

While I agree in theory to everything you said, by making them 18's you just handicap everything. Sure you can try and make them lighter, they are still so massive they are going to be heavy.

Of course for the street I see no reason to run anything other than 16's, but that limit's tire selection drastically because 17's have become standard for so long. I really wish hub swapping was a thing so I could switch to 4x100.

Originally Posted by 86MLR

https://mcasuspension.com/products

From Street ultimates down, or up.

Although all are available with different spring rates, it's the valving and dyno work that makes the big difference.

Yes, for lots of cash many companies will make anything you want. Sort of odd to not know that. What were the MCA's on dirtfish rally? $5k or so? Hey that's cheaper than Penske's.

[soundman98]

i didn't think custom solutions could be had for under $10k. nice to know now.

[csol]

Originally Posted by soundman98

who's making custom coilovers anymore?

Tunehouse racing
https://tunehouse.com.au/thr-insight...-86-subaru-brz

I'll get my specs soon

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by why?

While I agree in theory to everything you said, by making them 18's you just handicap everything. Sure you can try and make them lighter, they are still so massive they are going to be heavy.

Of course for the street I see no reason to run anything other than 16's, but that limit's tire selection drastically because 17's have become standard for so long. I really wish hub swapping was a thing so I could switch to 4x100.

True that an equivalent 17 will be lighter than an 18. Also true that after all the preaching I do about big heavy wheels (which is a lot), we ran an 18x8 on our first BRZ shop car and it was almost entirely for looks . But they were relatively light BBS wheels that looked really good.

I also ran 16x7 Enkei RPF1s on our 2nd BRZ which were awesome (also I'm now selling them if anyone is interested).

Originally Posted by why?

Yes, for lots of cash many companies will make anything you want. Sort of odd to not know that. What were the MCA's on dirtfish rally? $5k or so? Hey that's cheaper than Penske's.

Dirtfish uses Reiger and I think a custom Bilstein for the rear. Nameless used MCA on their rallycar. It looks like MCA is pretty popular with the rally peoples over here.

Originally Posted by soundman98

i didn't think custom solutions could be had for under $10k. nice to know now.

Lots of possibilities for custom and/or built to order for this car, at a wide variety of price points. Custom can mean different things to different people, but we can have your Ohlins, Bilstein, JRZ, etc. built to order and custom valved if you like.

Fully custom isn't always better...it depends on the quality of components used to build the shock and the expertise of the person designing and building everything. You can reshim a crap coilover for a custom valving profile, but if you're still using crap shock fluid and a crap piston and crap adjuster/shaft, it's only gonna be (maybe) slightly better crap. But a good custom shock can give you what you need especially at the higher end of the scale IF you know what you're asking or are working with someone who does.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

- Andrew

[Milhouse86]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

True that an equivalent 17 will be lighter than an 18. Also true that after all the preaching I do about big heavy wheels (which is a lot), we ran an 18x8 on our first BRZ shop car and it was almost entirely for looks . But they were relatively light BBS wheels that looked really good.



I also ran 16x7 Enkei RPF1s on our 2nd BRZ which were awesome (also I'm now selling them if anyone is interested).







Dirtfish uses Reiger and I think a custom Bilstein for the rear. Nameless used MCA on their rallycar. It looks like MCA is pretty popular with the rally peoples over here.







Lots of possibilities for custom and/or built to order for this car, at a wide variety of price points. Custom can mean different things to different people, but we can have your Ohlins, Bilstein, JRZ, etc. built to order and custom valved if you like.



Fully custom isn't always better...it depends on the quality of components used to build the shock and the expertise of the person designing and building everything. You can reshim a crap coilover for a custom valving profile, but if you're still using crap shock fluid and a crap piston and crap adjuster/shaft, it's only gonna be (maybe) slightly better crap. But a good custom shock can give you what you need especially at the higher end of the scale IF you know what you're asking or are working with someone who does.



Happy Thanksgiving y'all.



- Andrew

How much HP was your shop car putting out? Is there certain power levels? Areo levels? Or what to justify wider wheels?

Better question may be...What am I really looking for the car to feel like, to know whether a wider would be beneficial or detrimental?

Sorry new to track days. I have some Tarmec 2's sitting on my shelf waiting to go in this winter. I plan to keep running stock wheels with Hankook RS4 225 for now but after FI I was thinking 17x9. I liked what I have read on the Maxxis VR1 and was thinking probably in a 255 after the SC. (Built engine with 10.1 this winter) I'm going to lose a few horse by staying naturally aspirated this summer but I need to work on my line more than anything anyway.

Sorry to hijack but I though the similar question could help OP.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Milhouse86

How much HP was your shop car putting out? Is there certain power levels? Areo levels? Or what to justify wider wheels?

Better question may be...What am I really looking for the car to feel like, to know whether a wider would be beneficial or detrimental?

Sorry new to track days. I have some Tarmec 2's sitting on my shelf waiting to go in this winter. I plan to keep running stock wheels with Hankook RS4 225 for now but after FI I was thinking 17x9. I liked what I have read on the Maxxis VR1 and was thinking probably in a 255 after the SC. (Built engine with 10.1 this winter) I'm going to lose a few horse by staying naturally aspirated this summer but I need to work on my line more than anything anyway.

Sorry to hijack but I though the similar question could help OP.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

NA tire 225 is a good size. I started out at 245 and have gone to 235's and am much happier. Now I am looking for a set of 17X8's to run 225's.

The RS4 is a good learner tire but I find Hankook's tire compound to have an abrupt breakaway.

[Milhouse86]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

NA tire 225 is a good size. I started out at 245 and have gone to 235's and am much happier. Now I am looking for a set of 17X8's to run 225's.



The RS4 is a good learner tire but I find Hankook's tire compound to have an abrupt breakaway.

O man I have 0 issues with the RS4. I have almost 7 hours on track with this set. I love how they break dry. Not so much wet, still working that one out. A forum member recommended the 225 as widest NA.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk