Which sub <$1,500 coilover?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by fooddude

No; I want a firm setup specifically for the track and autox (in other words: daily street car usage is not my primary concern)

I'd really recommend you increase your budget, if that's truly your goal. You're still going to be needing supporting mods (rear LCA, possibly sways) to reduce operating cost (tires), and really get the most out of your setup.

[fooddude]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I'd really recommend you increase your budget, if that's truly your goal. You're still going to be needing supporting mods (rear LCA, possibly sways) to reduce operating cost (tires), and really get the most out of your setup.

Yes, I know, thanks. I just said that to the extreme, relatively speaking, to be more understood...since people aren't reading the full thread and keep assuming and mistaking I want a Coilover intended for a cush comfy 100% DD/Street use. Idk why people keep automatically thinking that when they haven't read the thread.

[solidONE]

Good job on doing research before buying, dude. If all of us were like this then manufactures will be forced to produce better product.

I just wanted to add that just because it's made in china does not automatically mean it's crap. Although it may be more likely crap. Depending on which factory, china made stuff are sometimes pretty damn good. In the case of fortune auto, the parts are produced in china but they do some QC and assembly in the states by a company that seems to care a lot about their reputation and they back it up with warranty. Not saying you should get them. Just saying you shouldn't write it off simply because it's made in china. I've heard from industry insiders that many well established Japanese companies have some of their product made in Chinese factories... Cough 'Greedy' cough 'HK_'... Just throwing that out there.

[Jenson May]

Originally Posted by CSG David

If you are offered Swift springs as an upgrade option to existing "customized" coilover kits at the sub $2000 level, it already means it is compensating for something. As we all know, springs do not absolutely change quality of ride.

Swift springs are amazing, but at the level of damper quality and valving, it masks deficiencies that are not easily identified on the surface level. Good luck with your decision. We've tested many setups that are available on the market (plus secret stuff). This isn't magic.

I work at Fortune Auto as a shock technician and was directed here. Thought I would interject some input into this thread. I also like to tell it how it is and not add any marketing fluff or hype that companies tend to do. I will be the first to admit that even the company I work for is guilty of this at times.

CSG David you are absolutely correct Fortune Auto is compensating for a average to sub par standard spring that is made in Taiwan.....not the damper. The problem is that to fit in the $1200 entry level market, the coilovers are stripped of premium springs and average springs are used. If you take our entry level 500 series coilover and add the radial bearing and Swift upgrade they are now $1640. That is more then a lot of people are willing to spend for a solid entry level setup.

Fortune Auto also offers Hyperco springs but pushes the Swift brand because of they alloy they use. For the most part a premium spring offers advantages such as matched rates and more stroke. However most springs are constructed of a silicone chrome alloy. According to Swift their springs are constructed of a magnetic steel alloy that is faster reacting. This translates to a more compliant spring. I believe this to be true because I have experienced this in 2 instances on my personal vehicles. Going from a Hyperco to a Swift spring in the same day and I realized a difference. Problem is that its hard to quantify the more compliant feel on paper.

Now taking a standard Fortune Auto spring and comparing it to a Swift spring is night and day.

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Track use and "valved stiff" are not mutually exclusive. The valving is there to damp the motion of the springs; they don't serve any other purpose on low end coilovers.

A badly damped, low spring rate coilover will ride far worse than a well damped, high spring rate coilover.

This is where the big cost difference comes in. Larger budgets allow for something more than generic, commercially available damping components that anyone can buy from overseas. It also allows for better QC, which leads to longer damper life and consistency between dampers.

A over-valved damper that goes well beyond critical damping is very common in the low end to entry level coilover sector unfortunately. Couple that with a real linear damper curve and you have a very poor riding damper in most conditions. Not only are the internals of the shocks often inferior but so is the R&D. Heck a lot of entry level shocks even have the same valving profile no matter the vehicle or spring rate.

That being said, nowadays a vast majority of things are manufactured over seas. Just look at companies like Apple for example. The majority of their components in their products are foreign made, but they are high quality because Apple has complete control over design, R&D, assembly and quality control. I think discounting where something is made is really not accurate. One should look at how its designed, QC'd etc. Fortune dampers are constructed of Taiwanese, Japanese, American & Swedish components. Does that make it less reliable or inferior to something constructed in Europe..I do not think so. Is Fortune Auto the best damper manufacturer in the world? Obviously not. I guess what I am trying to say is that a 500 series is no comparison to a...lets say Ohlins Road & Track. Obviously there is rather large price discrepancy between both products. However that does not mean that one of those products are crap and the other is made of unicorn and fairy dust

[solidONE]

See? They DO care about their reputation, and are more than willing to back it up. Good stuff @Jenson May. Any relation to James May?

[Jenson May]

Originally Posted by solidONE

See? They DO care about their reputation, and are more than willing to back it up. Good stuff @Jenson May. Any relation to James May?

No, but I get that all the time

[CSG David]

Everything has compromises. The larger range of use, the higher the costs in developing a damper that can suit those particular parameters. Track setup does not mean an uncomfortable ride, it's actually quite the opposite. Spring quality does not dictate quality of ride (that's all valving).

[fooddude]

Originally Posted by solidONE

Just saying you shouldn't write it off simply because it's made in china. I've heard from industry insiders that many well established Japanese companies have some of their product made in Chinese factories... Cough 'Greedy' cough 'HK_'... Just throwing that out there.

Very true.. I shouldn't be so quick to judge/assume ..and, I can defo see China being able to make some very high quality stuff too.

Heck..if you think about it, macbook pros and iphones are made in China and are pretty darn high quality with their very very tight and straight aluminum body tolerances and fitments (ie: like the micro-millimeter aluminum bodylines on a macbook pro that seem other-wordly tightly precise).

And, yes, makes total sense.. ..I wouldn't be that surprised at all if 95% of the "higher end" and more-known Japanese company's products were made in China... it's all money, business and marketing afterall ..and what's a better ingredient to a successful business, than having a famous name easily marketed (ie: hks, trust, apexi, etc., etc.) teamed with lower cost production and manufacturing (ie: china, korea)?

[fooddude]

Wish there was more reviews on the Feals.

I read they are similar to FA (parts from taiwan and built in the states by good companies and good intentions for quality...and also made to order with rates/damping of your choice)..the Feals come with Swift standard

[fooddude]

Originally Posted by Jenson May

I also like to tell it how it is and not add any marketing fluff or hype that companies tend to do. I will be the first to admit that even the company I work for is guilty of this at times.

However that does not mean that one of those products are crap and the other is made of unicorn and fairy dust

Real talk!

I appreciate the insight and honest comments.


Drats! ...No unicorns and fairy dust? ..haha

I prefer coilovers made out of puppies and kittens anywho

[EAGLE5]

You gonna run the tires to go with stiff springs? If not, you can end up slower. You gonna lower a lot? Then you need other suspension parts to fix your roll center or you'll have to really go stiff on the springs. Doing this all with stock bushings?

Every time I look at modding suspension, it's like starting into the abyss. Everything is compromised and stock is damn good. I think I just need a bit more camber on stock suspension.

Oh, and tell me why my front tires are wearing faster than my rears, huh?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

You gonna run the tires to go with stiff springs? If not, you can end up slower. You gonna lower a lot? Then you need other suspension parts to fix your roll center or you'll have to really go stiff on the springs. Doing this all with stock bushings?

Every time I look at modding suspension, it's like starting into the abyss. Everything is compromised and stock is damn good. I think I just need a bit more camber on stock suspension.

Oh, and tell me why my front tires are wearing faster than my rears, huh?

I think we run the highest spring rates of anyone here, and we still run street tires

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I think we run the highest spring rates of anyone here, and we still run street tires

Would you say that slightly lower spring rates with all else equal (RS3 tires) will be more "forgiving?"

[fooddude]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I think we run the highest spring rates of anyone here, and we still run street tires

What rates are you running on your SRC's for the track btw?