What coilover company should I go with?
 

What coilover company should I go with? I am currently the weekend warrior/ track driver and I would like to find a coilover system I could put to some good use. Keep in mind, this will be my DD vehicle. Let me know, guys!:happyanim:

Thanks!

May help if you indicate your budget since there are so many options out there.

From what I hear KW V3's are great for comfort and performance, if you budget will allow. They also wont rust away as they are stainless.

If you're DD'ing the car why not just get springs & top mounts? RCE yellows put the OEM struts in the 65% critically damped sweet spot and offer great balance and response on the track without being too low for the street as a DD.

I have no desire for less ride height or more adjustability with my car yet as a DD and HPDE car running RCE Yellows, RCE Sways, and Whiteline Com-C top mounts for camber & caster in the front.

In the distant future (no more DD) when I want the suspension to be lower and stiffer and have double adjustability for primarily track but still some street driving, I will likely go with the Racecomp Tarmac 2 coilovers

http://www.rcephotos.com/photos/var/...g?m=1350676061

Based on the KW V3, but

What kind and what size tires do you run?

What's your budget?

Do you have any other suspension mods?

-andy

Thanks for the replies, guys! My budget is somewhere between not being too redic about it. I just want something thats worth the money im putting down.

Thanks.

there are a lot more variables we need details with.

DO you have a rocket bunny frs?

bone stock, not really a budget, im going all out with the suspension...
but I would like advice on wheels + tires// what I should go with ect.

All the fitment advice you need can be found in this thread.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7535

Do you want something double adjustable? Single? 3 way? 4?

I'd suggest any of the following for a budget track coilover:
RC Tarmac 2
KW Clubsport
Eibach R2
Tein SRC

Above that you have Penske, etc.

Thanks, bro.

Whatever is best for the track, weekend warrior driving.

No, but thats somewhat my plan.

Eibach R1/R2 or RaceComp Tarmac 2's would be my suggestions, ground control makes a nice kit too.

Very nice. Thanks. I'll look into these coilovers today..

If you have any questions, feel free to call and talk, or PM.

We do much more than just sell our own coilovers...we sell and have experience with a ton of brands. Ohlins, KW, AST, Eibach, JRZ, Bilstein, etc.

- andy

I'd like to piggyback this thread... I'm in a similar situation. I plan to do some AutoX and also as a DD.

Preferably, I'd like a softer suspension (ie more comfortable) but be able to stiffen it up in AutoX, is that possible? I'm hoping to spend around $1k-1.5k, however I can to around $2k if it's really worth it. If i'm stuck with stiffer suspension, that's not a big deal.

KW V3s are a bit expensive for my tastes, anything else? How about BC Racing or Fortun Auto V4 500? (I'm looking at ft86speedfactory's selection)

BC's go low and lots of people use them but they are gonna be stiffer than stock. I've heard good things about the Fortunes but no personal experience with them although FT86SF runs them with good results.

Maybe Eibach Pro Street or Ground Control street system would be worth a look?

since the OP mentioned track...

look at how overbuilt the rsm, and the raised top hats are on the GC vs the rest of the market, that was a huge factor since I primarily track this car, other BRZ is a DD that remains mostly stock, and will never need a coilover. The eibach coils are a high quality coil, and the Koni http://www.koniracing.com/rrtuningguide.cfm tune up great
GC over builds and over welds like they are building the thing for deployment to a war zone, so I am impressed with the contruction

I am always a fan of over built. Take the usual 3/8" or 1/2" plate and look at the 1.25" GC thickness, the integrated strut bar-love a fully integrated approach-, the ability to order customize springs right off the bat, and the ability for them to sell that custom solution based on your intended use, you want a drifty setup, you got that, Adam will do that for you...you want glue? ask Adam for my setup, DA front and SA rears. if you set it up keeping the rear LCA parallel to the ground, and set the front up taller than the back, it seems to do the trick for me, really well.

I cant speak highly enough of their race kit for your application, its what I run, I can DD the car fine, its not soft with the dampers I run, but combined with the adjustable Perrin Sways, I dont mind admitting my handling is really proving itself in my track testing. No they arent cheap but you will get what you pay for.

I been tracking it and passing everything under the sun in the corners, so I am clearly biased here and the performance is just plain good.Read reviews from folks who have driven and tracked with me in my build thread before you commit to a cheaper solution in a hurry. When compared to a set of KWs, the GC with strutbar and camber plate was a better value in my eyes. And i got mine in blue anno since i HAD to pick a color. Unfortunately, we have members with kw's in az, but non who road course track, yet. I am working on that too...

$2k would just get you in on the RCE Tarmac 2 clubsport preorder....(based on KW clubsports)

Good springs + Konis + bushings would be a great option as well. The Konis have a pretty wide range of damper adjustment and are a great shock. With good springs (cough RCE Yellows cough), a few toppings, maybe swaybars, you'd have a great set-up just over $1k.


- andy

I think I spent about $2500 for my Koni Race Dampers /GC setup with strutbar, rsm and camber plates..

I'm planning on going all out with the suspension. I might be buying 90% of what FT86SF sells. No bs! LOL! It's a lot but I'm prepared for it all.

All out? We can get you a very nice Penske or JRZ setup :)

http://counterspacegarage.com/media/...pers_jrz_1.jpg

Crap I can't believe I forgot GC.

Penske.

End search.

If you have the money to spend anyways. :)

Lol. We'll see! Haha.

If you're free on Saturday, come out to Autobahn. We should be running the car with NASA this weekend in TTD. Bring a helmet and I'll give you a ride in our car on KW Clubsports. We've also got a set of Ohlins DFV here at the shop you're welcome to come by and check out.

I'll be putting some of the first production AST 4150s on our car as well. They are slated to come in in the next few weeks. Can't wait for those.

Good looking out, bro. I'll see what what's going on. Thanks! :)

STANCE SUPER SPORTS any good? LOL

I thought you were looking into going all out on suspension...

Oh I am! Just asking questions. Not changing my mind about the route I'm taking. All out on suspension, no doubts. :happyanim:

It's important to be realistic with your goals. "All out" and daily driver mean different things to different people. A motorsport level 4 way race damper with hydraulic bumpstops can be "all out" but might be overkill for a daily driver. You could end up with something that requires more maintenance then you like, or rides too firm, or is really confusing to set up properly. And you could spend 10 grand more than you need to.

Something that has great build quality, durable, great valving that shines on the street and track (good valving does both well), and good support in the USA might be the right fit for you. It doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive damper or the shiniest. It won't be super cheap either though. IMO all out means something that checks all the boxes for your needs and fits your usage. There is no "best" for everyone. :)

- Andy

Very true, I appreciate this response a lot, bro. Thank you. After reading this, it actually made me think hard about the setup I'd like to go with.

No offense, but I think your money would be better spent on some tires, pads, seat time and coaching. Figure out how the car drives and what you want it to do. I skimmed the thread and didn't see you state this.

Like tuning an ECU, you need to "tune" your suspension as it's a moving target. Different tracks, tires, alignment will require different adjustments. It's not a set it and forget it type of deal like some people think (not saying this is you, btw :) ) An improperly set up suspension will probably be slower than stock.

Just some friendly advice as I've been down that road. Fist full of cash but no knowledge. It may end up saving you A LOT of money in the end!

as realistic as the guy wanting coilovers for street and being suggested ohlins,LOL
or as realistic as everyone wanting 400whp trackable turbos for $5k?
One thing I always can count on with RCE's post is the sobering reality I can really appreciate vs the whiz bang BS that seems all more prevalent around here these days.
Not every grocery getter needs race coilovers! Not everyone who buys race coilovers needs a set of massive spring rate coils to show they are hardcore. I wish we had a bigger DOSE of reality around here, seems we have all gotten lost in the graphs and charts, specs and rantable numbers, and the essence of engineering ART which has everything to do with BALANCE seems like a ship thats left the harbor. There is such a thing as too much, to loud, to sudden, too firm, too harsh, too tall an order and too much tech. Suddenly we have too many chiefs..

^well said.

I have a set of Fortune auto 510s on my car and i am very happy with them. I mainly autocross the car and the events i have done they feel amazing. I am going to be doing a track day on them shortly.

I chose the fortune autos over the than KW V3 because of the cost ride height is adjusted separate from spring preload can have custom spring rates.

the ride over small bumps and undulations is better than stock. the only time i realize i have coilovers is when i go over bigger/ sharp bumps.

had a friend go down to the shop in VA and they dynoed his Ohlins and the 510s and they were the same. Most of the guts in them are Ohlins so no real surprise.

Well that's not true at all.

- Andrew

just wow