Where to find Customized Shock Absorbers
 

I think the consensus is that the OEM spring rate is generally fine, but the OEM shock absorbers are too tight for the OEM springs.

I am looking to improve the ride quality, because my FT-86 is a daily driver.

I heard that Bilstein B6 HD offers decent ride quality, but it could be better still if the valving can be relaxed further, for a better match with the OEM springs.

Some after-market makes offer adjustable shocks, but even at the softest setting, they are generally still stiffer than OEM shocks.

Is there anywhere I can find customized shock absorbers to get them set softer than OEM shocks?

Thank you for any help.

[1] There is no consensus as there has not been a large owner survey done.The opinion of some knowledgeable people on this forum is the car is over damped but most people wouldn't know the difference.
[2] What is it about the ride quality you don't like?
[3] "Heard"? Who told you that?
[4] Conversely some after market dampers have a wide range of adjustment. And I don't mean 52 click adjusters. All depends at what price point you are referring to. The cheap stuff is just that. The expensive stuff is expensive for a reason. You have not given a budget.
[5] Of course you can have what ever valving you want. Are you willing to pay thousands for the testing and labour costs? Or you could get some quality dampers that already have a large adjustment range in their damping.

You bought this car but want the dampers softer than stock? Okay...

I'm sure the Bilsteins can be re-valved to your liking but do you know what damping rate you want? If you tell the technician to just make it softer, how soft if enough for you? Be prepared to spend abit on this process till you're satisfied.

Contact MCA, Ohlins or Penske they will custom make you something to your needs, expect a big ol' dollar sign attached to your bill though.

Koni shocks/struts can be re-valved. Another way to soften the ride harshness is to downsize to 16" wheels, for a taller tire sidewall.

Try running a 16 inch wheel with a soft sidewall. Like a non performance tire? Even the OEM Michelin have a pretty hard sidewall.

I do know KW does make comfort coilovers, maybe they'll make one for this car. Only way to find out is to contact them.

MCA don't have have overseas agents/distributors.

Penske, JRZ, Ohlins, MCS, Moton will all do custom spring rates and valving when you order, if you can afford to play in the big leagues.

Bilstein shocks are revalvable. 110 bucks for each front strut and 100 for the each rear shock through Bilstein USA. Start with Bilstein B6.

- Andy

What do you tell people when trying to get them to custom-valve a shock for you anyway? Like, "I have an xxxxxx with yyyyyyy on it," or "Can it be 40% softer than this," or do you just hand them a dyno chart and say "This."

"What do you tell people when trying to get them to custom-valve a shock for you anyway? Like, "I have an xxxxxx with yyyyyyy on it," or "Can it be 40% softer than this," or do you just hand them a dyno chart and say "This."


I have no idea. Sometimes, damping force of a damper is expressed as:

Front: 1,250N at max extension and 540N at max compression;

Rear: 1,120N at max extension and 400N at max compression.

See: http://www.trdparts.jp/release/2014_...uspension.html

The above setting is curious, because the rear springs (of TRD Rally Suspension) are stiffer than the front, so one may expect the rear dampers be stiffer than the front. Of course, matching of dampers and springs should also take into account of the unsprung weight and not just the spring rate. And the unsprung weight is much heavier up front than the rear.

In my case, my 16-inch wheels are each 10lb lighter than the OEM 17-inch wheel, and my 2-piece front brake rotors are each 5lb lighter. The front dampers should probably be softer by 10%+ just to take into account of the lower unsprung weight.

Let's see what Bilstein has to say. I will probably ask them to re-valve the dampers at 25% lower damping force and see if that is feasible. Fortunately, customised valving is not that expensive, compared with getting coil-overs. I could get two sets of dampers with different customised valving and try them out for a fraction of the price of a set of coil-overs.

The fact that you have stated this leads me to believe that you should not be playing around with custom valving. The acting spring rates are lower at the rear despite those numbers.

You still haven't said what it is you don't like about your current suspension.

Yea....ok. Doesn't a set of B6 cost ~$800? So two sets of those would be at least $1500. Plus $440 to revalve four struts, and $400 to revalve 4 shocks. Total of about $2300 and assuming you're satisfied with the revalved rates the first time.

The set for 4 is $875. The revalve is $420 ($220 for the front $200 for the back) + $375 swift springs and reuse OEM tophats...camber bolts? $20-40 thats roughly $1600-1700 at the most

This all day. If you dont already understand the wheel rates of the car than custom valving is a waste of your money. You wont know the difference between stock valving and the custom valving.

Get a set of bilstein shocks, and a set of RCE yellow, Swifts, or RCE tarmac springs and youll be fine.

Depends on who you're talking to mostly.

With Bilstein you at least give them your spring rates and they can work from there. You can give more info, like how you use your car (auto-x, track, daily driver) and any other tidbits like you want a lot of rear grip coming out of slow corners. You can also tell them you want X lbs of rebound at 2 inches per second or you want your main springs to be 70% critically damped in rebound at that piston velocity. You can be a little more general and say you want a controlled ride with a good amount of digressive compression and hope they'll try to make you happy.

- Andy

Interesting. I pretty much get how motion ratios effect spring rate, but does it not work the same way for shocks?

Really? Everything I've read has it going the other way. The OEM struts are great, but the springs aren't a good match. That's why RCE, Swift, Eibach, Hotchkis, etc... all make slightly stiffer springs that better match the OEM struts.

Cheaper, too. $300 for a set of springs vs. $900 for struts and another $400 for revalving.

those are the BIG names


there are plenty of companies that custom valve their shocks in their own shops for race teams


they're usually off the beaten path though, and for whatever reason have very poor marketing.

The OEM struts are not great. They are properly functioning.


By upgrading to a lowering spring on OEM shocks you get to enjoy some of the benefits of lowering the car along with increased roll resistance and response improvement, but the control of the car remains the same... ie, the characteristic of the shock.


but a custom shock with an alternative approach to rebound/compression @ high/low speeds is an entirely different animal.

The OP said he could get 2 sets of dampers for the price of a coilover...hence my calculation for purchasing and revalving 8 pieces. He also said he wanted to use the OEM springs.

Two sets?? Oh hell no. KWV3 or RCE T2 at that price range...

I'm sure JRi can build whatever you want.

http://www.jrishocks.com/

I like their hydraulic ride height setup, too bad no 86 option.