$1500 budget coilover - what would you choose?

[orthojoe]

Food for thought. Aftermarket does not mean better:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=378

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

The real answer that nobody wants to hear:

For that budget, leave it stock. You'll save money, still have a good ride, and still be faster

Not sure about that. I know plenty of drivers who have dropped lap times by running a cheap coilover. Better control of body roll, ability to corner balance, lower center of gravity. Maybe not ideal dampening, but they were able to handle the car well at the limit.

For example, Jon Miller, a pro driver, running NASA TTD set the TTD record at Sebring on some BC coilovers; I know he wouldn't have bothered wasting valuable TT points on some cheap BC coilovers if he'd get more out of the stock suspension than that and use the TT points elsewhere. (video below)

If you know how to setup and tune suspension, and work with what you have, it makes all the difference in the world. I've seen guys loose time after dumping 4k in the suspension, simply because they have no idea how to tune the settings on their high dollar suspension.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u-5J6_nkAk"]Jon Miller: NASA TTD Lap Record, Sebring International Raceway - YouTube[/ame]

[orthojoe]

You're totally right that setting up the suspension properly is key, and the most important factor.

[mfbmike]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

If you have some data and lap times that proves you are faster, it would be appreciated. Seat of the pants and how you feel means zip.

*edit*

Woops, I just realized I'm in the autocross section of the forum. My original post was made at 4AM.

Yeah....lol.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Several things come to mind. Yeah a properly damped car is important, but also going with a vendor who help you set the car up BEYOND the initial single item you buy, and who understands the car and YOUR needs with your build etc. Also being able to reach them on weekends when you are AT the track and are not too sure of which way to go with an issue etc.

I used to tell people, " not sure who to buy from? call them on a sat or sunday afternoon with a question.. who ever answers or hell, even calls back...buy from them..".

Support of the product is almost as important as the product itself.

Myles Williams
Racecomp Engineering LLC
Since 2003

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Several things come to mind. Yeah a properly damped car is important, but also going with a vendor who help you set the car up BEYOND the initial single item you buy, and who understands the car and YOUR needs with your build etc. Also being able to reach them on weekends when you are AT the track and are not too sure of which way to go with an issue etc.

I used to tell people, " not sure who to buy from? call them on a sat or sunday afternoon with a question.. who ever answers or hell, even calls back...buy from them..".

Support of the product is almost as important as the product itself.

Myles Williams
Racecomp Engineering LLC
Since 2003

Myles, that is definitely a huge aspect of the purchase. How do you feel the Tarmac Zero will hold up on track with the pre-set damping? Or is it a more street-focused coilover?

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by Fizz

If you're doing 15-20 track days a year its better to invest in a good 2-way adjustable coilover.

One of the reasons I was thinking of looking out for a used set of the Eibach R2s that pop up every once in a while.

[Shiv@Openflash]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

The real answer that nobody wants to hear:

For that budget, leave it stock. You'll save money, still have a good ride, and still be faster

+1
I also suggest not to buy a budget suspension. The problem with budget suspensions is that they don't do many things well. And those shortcomings (like poor high freq damping) is something that you feel every second that you drive the car. Add in other issues like longevity and noise and you are left with a car that, in some ways, is less functional that it was when it had a stock suspension. When you want to upgrade the suspension, make sure it is an upgrade. Unfortunately, this means stepping up to high quality (less affordable) products from Ohlins, JRZ, etc,. You won't regret it.

Just my 2c,

Shiv

[toeout]

Ground Control has the exact thing you're looking for, under your budget. Plus Koni and Eibach are known quantities on track/autox.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by smbstyle

Myles, that is definitely a huge aspect of the purchase. How do you feel the Tarmac Zero will hold up on track with the pre-set damping? Or is it a more street-focused coilover?

It holds up well actually. Its valved and sprung to be neutral at the limit. The rest can be tuned with sway bar position and tire pressure.

Myles

[raul]

I've heard positive feedback from the following:

Feal 441
Fortune 500/510
BC BR Type
Tarmac 0

As much as you'll hear people bash BC, most of the hate is directed at the fallacy that a cheap coilover is a bad coilover. Setup matters a ton. If it means anything to you, Feal has cars doing well in Drift, Autocross and Time attack, and along with Fortune are revalvable and rebuildable in the U.S.

[utekineir]

Was pretty much set on the feal coils. which are low 14 range shipped iirc.

Then recently found a set of new kwv3 for $1760 shipped.

Figured it was worth the few hundred extra. May or may not end up being a good move. Still haven't installed.


to whoever said swifts on fortune auto coils, swifts are a $300ish upgrade on those.

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by utekineir

Was pretty much set on the feal coils. which are low 14 range shipped iirc.

Then recently found a set of new kwv3 for $1760 shipped.

Figured it was worth the few hundred extra. May or may not end up being a good move. Still haven't installed.


to whoever said swifts on fortune auto coils, swifts are a $300ish upgrade on those.

Care to share where you got those V3s for so cheap?

[utekineir]

pm sent, was a vet day coupon code