Quote:
Originally Posted by was385
My plan was to write an autocross-specific review quite a bit earlier but I didn't feel it would be a fair review after my first even with them a couple of weeks ago. Despite feeling better, my times were just a bit off the pace of the guys I normally go head-to-head with and I just didn't have the grip that I was used to or expected. I drove away from the event hoping that the Bilsteins breaking in some more would give me the performance I had hoped for.
Today I was finally able to get that second event in with the Bilsteins/Tarmacs and I can absolutely say that the Bilsteins need to break in before you see anything close to their full potential. After finishing 4th out of 4 in STX the first time (0.5 seconds from 3rd and 33rd in PAX), I took 1st in STX by almost 0.5 seconds and a top ten PAX finish (still waiting on the official PAX standings). The suspension is quite a bit softer now and really allowed the tires to work, resulting in far more grip than the first time. I'm a fairly aggressive driver and the higher front spring rates were able to respond when I threw the car into corners. With RCE camber plates (-3 degrees) and a strano front sway, the car has become incredibly neutral with the ability to rotate the car exactly as much as I want with very small throttle inputs while cornering.
It took some patience but the Bilsteins/Tarmacs are exactly what I hoped for when I bought them. They're a great autox/street setup for the money and miles ahead of the low-end coilover options I've ridden on in the same price range. If this experience has taught me anything, it's that stiff doesn't mean fast, which IMO is generally how these cheaper options are judged by people who buy them. At just north of $1000, you're going to have to make some pretty big sacrifices on any suspension setup. I decided to forego adjustability (height and damping) for performance and quality. Anyone who says you can get everything at that price point is probably trying to sell you something or doesn't really know what they're talking about. And as a bonus to everything, now that they've broken in they're a little bit softer around town (though still not as comfortable as stock or RCE yellows), but much more comfortable on the highway. There's a pretty substantial bump on my way home from work, where I used to have to slow down to 40 mph for and still winced before going over and now I can go over at 60 fairly comfortably. The damping on high speed bumps and ruts is miles ahead of everything else I've had on the car.
If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to try to answer them.
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Awesome to read this! Glad the springs are working well for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ubersuber
Actually, the B6 (HD) Bilsteins transform the handling of the stock springs and roll bars. Unless you just have to lower the car just get a set of Bilstein B6 (HD in America) and the car is just about perfect.
The stock rear bump stops are too long. I cut mine down by 1/2 inch but I'm looking into getting a pair of TRD rear bump stops they supply with their lowering springs. Hard to tell from photos but they look about perfect to eliminate (or at least reduce) that pogo effect from the rear springs.
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The Bilsteins are quite good and do transform the car. However, for a user that is competing in STX class auto-x with stickier than stock tires, stiffer springs are a necessity.
We include replacement bumpstops with all of our springs. Our RCE Tarmac springs are very much "performance first" with a mild drop, included replacement bumpstops, and a sizable increase in spring rate. Still not as firm as most coilovers, but a good easy solution when paired with Bilsteins.
Our RCE Yellows are similar, but a small step softer.
- Andy