YCW Engineering Reference Series Coilovers
 

YCW/MFactory Suspension is in the development process of a new coilover system for the twins and has given me the opportunity to review them for the community. I will be documenting initial mock-up, design revisions, production schedule, and track testing in both autocross and time trial disciplines. If you have any questions or comments on the development of these coilovers, please feel free to post them in this thread. FT86Club has a rare opportunity to have input on the design of a coilover setup! Let me know what you think and what you want to see! The test mock-up system is due in 2-3 weeks so subscribe to this thread to keep updated.

A full system spec list can be found here: http://www.ycwsuspension.com/catalog/ycw/reference

Why choose YCW Suspension? http://www.ycwsuspension.com/why

Are you sponsored?
What is the other suspension that you will be comparing it to?
What other suspension parts will you have that are not stock?

Yes, I am sponsored by YCW/MFactory Suspension. In exchange for the coilovers I will be reviewing and testing them.

I currently have Hotchkis springs with stock struts on FRS. I have been racing/tracking cars for over 15 years and I have driven on everything from Racelands to Ohlins.

My current suspension parts are:
- Hotchkis Springs - soon to be replaced with the YCW Engineering coilovers
- Velox Front Camber Plates - soon to be replaced with the YCW Engineering top plates.
- Megan Racing toe links - soon to be replaced with the velox toe links.
- Cusco Lower Arm Brace

Check out my build thread for more information and let me know if you have any other questions.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70247

Welcome to the team :)

Are those rear tops up-side down in the picture, or were they specifically designed to remove as much bump travel as possible?

The image is of our Focus ST fitment, not the GT86 (which we will be developing with Takumi788) :)

YCW just confirmed that they will be shipping the prototypes next week! As soon as they arrive I will install them to check for any fitment issues. I will post my findings here for the community to comment on.

FT86club has a great opportunity to help develop a competitive coilover system specific to our chassis. So please comment and relay your thoughts in this thread to allow YCW Engineering to make the best system possible.

The YCW Engineering prototypes are here and they look amazing! The top hat is a prototype version and will be updated after fitment is confirmed. I will install them asap and report back with pictures and fitment results asap.

What do you think? What would you like to see? What spring rates would you like these to be available with? Let me know and I will see if the team at Mfactory/YCW Engineering can make it happen!

What is their end goal? Track focused? Autox? Daily driver?

Our current development (YCW Reference Series) are our street-level coilovers, but can be used occasionally on track.

Once these are finished development and have some long-term testing behind them, we will start developing our track-level coilovers which will be 2-way adjustable.

Then I would request spring rates around 300, max 350. Use stock front and rear mounts. Slot the holes in the front to gain camber there. Use a rear shock that allows as much stroke as possible.

While I like the business concept of up-market "commodity" suspension components (and gratuitous engineering jargon)... the discerning customer might notice that the "Western-educated engineers" learned much from their travels.

Penske make excellent suspension components, and they're also a supporter of our community (with R&D and forum discussion). That a resized version of their piston design. They also use Silkolene RSF. Plenty of materials are similar between your designs, too.

The differences are interesting too. I like the durability choices of Viton (FKM) o-rings and ceramic piston rings. As long as your machining tolerances are tight, these can both work well. Even with that Kashifuji 6-axis CNC, it's not easy to get it right. If your engineers haven't read the Parker Seals Handbook, it's got excellent design guidelines for o-rings.

I also like the spring rate strategy, which is just stiffer than the TRD springs. Travel may limited, if the shock bodies are similar to BC Racing's. We shall see.

As a side note, 250 hours of ASTM B 117 is a nice marketing strategy... but that's overkill. It's a good QC check for pinholes, but sacrificial coatings (like ZnCrO4) are best evaluated with a cyclic salt fog tests. Either way, congrats on passing it!

I have no idea what you just said, but I have a strong desire to buy you a beer!

Beer accepted!

That's an engineer dancing around the sadness that Penske might lose a few sales... yet happy that their technology may reach the mainstream user in "street form."

Obviously, the devil is in the details (and it's hard to get those right). Things like choosing quality shims, surface finishes, coatings, etc. Also, it's tough to develop a manufacturing process that is robust enough to guarantee quality. It seems like this is a new company with some prior industry experience... so it will be interesting to watch them grow and react.

Thank you for the input. I tend to be very track oriented in everything so having another's opinion on a street setup is very beneficial.

Thank you for the input. You clearly have a great understanding of a coilover system which far succeeds mine. I haven't been working with YCW Engineering for too long, but one thing I can tell right away is that YCW is all about giving the consumer best product possible and are very concerned about the quality of their products.

best & quality .. unfortunately rarely comes in hand with budget. Compromises have to be made, question being which and to what extent.

I have not discussed cost with YCW Engineering but as for quality they aren't looking to cut corners. These will be competitive with the coilover systems currently on the market.

I've been following this thread from the beginning and am I interested to see how this goes.

Any detail updates on this coils?

I'll be honest, I know very lil about YCW coils but looking at the site and reading some info, it caught my attention for sure. Very interested to see how this coil will come out to be.

Not sure you can say much detail info/specs on street lvl & track lvl coils at the moment, but do you have any info?

Unfortunately at this time I cannot say much. YCW Engineering and I have been going back and forth about some small details to better the product.

I can tell you that I have installed the street inspired prototypes and everything went as smooth as anyone could ask.

Sorry I don't have more to report but here is a pic of my car with the coilovers installed. I will update as soon as I can.

https://i.imgsafe.org/c0894a175a.jpg

Gotcha. Can I get simple info though... like level of drop (high to low), which spring rate did you get, pillowball setup or is that still embargo?

Feel free to ask any questions :)

Height Adjustability: Stock to around 2.5"

Spring Rates: We only used generic springs on the prototypes (as these were just for fitment testing primarily), but the rates are the same as what we will be offering on the production sets: 5K/6K. Obviously these will be different from what Takumi788 will eventually be running as his is a track car

Top Mounts: Again, we only used a generic set of top mounts on the prototypes for fitment testing, but these do have spherical joints. The products sets will also be spherical.

Thanks for the info. I'll be interested to hear Takumi's feedback & final production

Alright. I know this thread has kind of died but that is my fault.

However, YCW and I have been going back and forth with info for the past few months with great success. I have put these coilovers through more than they are meant for (street coilover system on race tracks/autox) and they have performed exceptionally well in every aspect.

Here are my findings and full detailed review of YCW's Reference Series coilovers.

Let me start off with a little about myself. My name is Josh Herbert and I drive the YCW Engineering sponsored GT86. I bought my GT86 new in March 2013 with intentions of attending a few track days while keeping the car comfortable on the street. Since then the track life has gotten the better of me and it has turned into a street legal track car aimed at competing in time trials.

I was in the market for coilovers when I got involved with YCW Engineering, but I was not 100% sold on any particular setup. When I saw that YCW had started a thread on a GT86 forum looking for drivers to test a new product, I jumped on the opportunity. Naturally, I was a little nervous that I was going to be installing a street biased prototype setup on a car that regularly sees a punishing track environment. But from the second I opened the box, it’s been bliss.

Even in prototype form, the coilovers looked amazing. The black zinc-plated coating not only looks great, but has been salt tested to maintain that great look for years to come. The rest of the components are forged 6061-T6 hard anodized aluminum which keeps them light, strong, and corrosion resistant. When it comes to the springs, YCW went with the best in the business. YCW has partnered with Swift Springs for their Reference Series coilovers. This partnership has opened the door for YCW to be able to supply customers with well balanced spring rates due to Swift’s massive inventory of springs. Having Swift on board adds huge performance and value for the money.

The installation wasn’t any more challenging than most other coilover systems. The GT86 platform is known for ease and readiness of modifications and I was able to install the prototype coilovers without modifying the car or the coilovers at all. The hard anodized, camber adjustable top hat makes adjusting camber a breeze. With the camber plates maxed out I was able to achieve -3.8 degrees of camber! My previous setup had only allowed -2.8 degrees. YCW thoughtfully maintained the ABS sensor and brake hose mounting points on the bottom knuckle mount to keep everything looking clean and secure. YCW also supplied adjustable front sway bar links, spanner wrenches and all the hardware required for install and adjustment.

Since installing the coilovers, I have attended a few track events and driven over 2,500 street miles. I have really been able to dial in the YCW coilovers to my liking by playing with the 7 levels of rebound adjustment. Even though the Reference Series coilovers are designed for the street, they work very well on the track. They have drastically lowered lap times by giving me the confidence a driver needs to make that perfect lap. And on the street they remain as comfortable, or more comfortable, as my lowering spring/oem strut combo that was installed prior.

My car isn’t a trailer queen by any means. Not only does it get pushed hard at the track, but it also gets driven to and from the track while towing a tire trailer. The coilovers have taken every bit of abuse I can throw at them with the same poise and grace as a much higher priced option. This is all thanks to YCW’s tendency to over-engineer their products. The Reference Series coilovers are loaded with goodies. The upper mount has an oversized PTFE-lined japanese spherical bushing to increase shock articulation and prevent annoying coil-bowing. The internals include a proprietary forged SAE 4140 chromoly piston rod (a common weak point on budget coilovers), ceramic piston rod guide (to minimize shaft play over time) and double digressive blow off piston (DBO). The DBO maintains a higher damping force while cornering, offering increased responsiveness and stability, while enabling a lower damping force for comfort while at higher shock speeds when hitting bumps.

In the event that something does happen to the coilovers, YCW Engineering prides themself on their post-purchase service and warranty. They provide a lifetime warranty on the hard parts and even a 1 year limited warranty on the wear items! And when it comes time for servicing or a more aggressive spring rate, YCW has local servicing/re-valving locations in North America, Europe and Asia-pacific.

The real deal is that YCW pushed hard to supply an over-engineered coilover system for an affordable price. And by my books they nailed it.

Check out my build thread to see what I put these coilovers through over the past few months. Also feel free to ask any questions.

The coilovers are available for pre-order. MSRP is $1699.95 + shipping. PM me for more details.

Thank you for your time.

Any photos of them?

gud ad copy, have matt farah read it before one takes instead of ball powder, rake in monies

Unfortunately I am still rocking the prototypes so the pictures I have to show you will not be accurate. However, since you asked. Below is a pic of the prototypes.

https://image.ibb.co/khvVqQ/20170320_121907.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/cWfVqQ/20170320_121926.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/jThkqQ/20170508_173904.jpg

Please note:

The top hats shown are not what is included in the kit. They will be a machined piece like these YCW Focus ST coilovers.

https://image.ibb.co/nLnoc5/Capture.jpg

Not sure what color the springs are going to be.

Top hats and lower mount will be black.

I'm curious as to why the manufacturer can't even put up correct photos of the product on their site?

By the way it's posted you would think they have actual specific product photos already, but they don't.

We are getting there and its in the works. I will update the thread when the pics are available. Shouldn'e be too much longer now. We trying gauge interest at the moment.

Are you guys tested for road use? Interested to read reviews

Yes. I tested these mainly on the road for road use bc that is what this system (the YCW Reference Series) is designed for. The only reason I tracked them is to prove durability....and I love track driving.

Here is a clip from my review where I talk about street driving.
Since installing the coilovers, I have attended a few track events and driven over 2,500 street miles. I have really been able to dial in the YCW coilovers to my liking by playing with the 7 levels of rebound adjustment. Even though the Reference Series coilovers are designed for the street, they work very well on the track. They have drastically lowered lap times by giving me the confidence a driver needs to make that perfect lap. And on the street they remain as comfortable, or more comfortable, as my lowering spring/oem strut combo that was installed prior.

My car isn’t a trailer queen by any means. Not only does it get pushed hard at the track, but it also gets driven to and from the track while towing a tire trailer. The coilovers have taken every bit of abuse I can throw at them with the same poise and grace as a much higher priced option. This is all thanks to YCW’s tendency to over-engineer their products. The Reference Series coilovers are loaded with goodies. The upper mount has an oversized PTFE-lined japanese spherical bushing to increase shock articulation and prevent annoying coil-bowing. The internals include a proprietary forged SAE 4140 chromoly piston rod (a common weak point on budget coilovers), ceramic piston rod guide (to minimize shaft play over time) and double digressive blow off piston (DBO). The DBO maintains a higher damping force while cornering, offering increased responsiveness and stability, while enabling a lower damping force for comfort while at higher shock speeds when hitting bumps.

We have, and do.

If you are specifically referring to the GT86 fitments, then we don't because they have not been produced yet as we've only just finished testing (which is what this thread is all about)

So you're selling something on your site that isn't produced yet? Perhaps this should be disclosed given that the sell link makes it look like it's already produced?

http://www.ycwsuspension.com/catalog...o/YCW-REF-GT86

The sell link clearly shows a check mark next to the word "Stock". A reasonable buyer would assume these are in stock, ready to ship.

My apologies for the error. For some reason, it was showing up as 1pc in stock in our database (hence the tick). I have had this rectified

Comfortable street driving even with a tire trailer!

https://image.ibb.co/eNH4rv/21231825...78820243_n.jpg

I participated in a NASA HPDE event at Lime Rock Park last week. It was my first time at Lime Rock with the YCW Reference Series coilovers. After adjusting the damper settings to where I felt comfortable I managed a 1:04.3. That's 1.2 seconds faster than my best time last year and there is definitely plenty left in the car. Very solid feel and lap time for a street biased coilover system.

Off to Watkins Glen soon.

Here are some pics. Enjoy.
https://image.ibb.co/ggXDEF/NASA_NE_...1960384_wm.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/bHtaTa/NASA_NE_...1960382_wm.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/dovYEF/NASA_NE_...1960383_wm.jpg

Hi everyone. I Just wanted to check in as the HPDE season has drawn to a close. The Reference series coilovers held up all year in extreme conditions and I broke my personal best lap time at every track I went to. I credit a large majority of that to these coilovers. The adjust-ability is phenomenal and allows me to dial the car in at the track and have a super comfortable ride home. I highly recommend the Reference series to the person that occasionally goes to the track and still wants a comfortable ride on the street. The 2017 season has been awesome and if you have any questions on the coilovers please feel free to post here or PM myself or YCW.

Here is my fast lap at my first day ever at NJMP Lightning. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/8786Q8bmyzs

Thank you for taking the time to help develop more options for the community and give your input and feedback :thanks:

Hey fellas. It has been a minute but I just wanted to let you know that YCW has a updated their website and has the Reference Series coil overs in stock.

Just a quick review, the Reference Series is what I have been testing on my car for the past year and a half. My prototype set has been abused through 40+ track days and many road trips while carrying a tire trailer without a single issue. YCW has been very responsive with any concerns or questions I had.

Don't forget, these coilovers come with Swift Springs and are available with a your choice of spring rate! I went with 7k/8k (392lb/448lb) a track specific rate. I recommend 5k/5k (280lb/280lb) rear for a more street friendly rate. Ask about custom valving and their shock dyno. Check out their new site and Facebook below.

http://www.ycwsuspension.com/catalog...ference/Toyota

www.facebook.com/ycwsuspension/

https://i.imgur.com/Lhxm1HR.jpg