Fortune Auto Dreadnaught Pro Gen5 - anyone tried it on the track with feedbacks?

[Dezoris]

When it comes to brands and product everyone has their loyalties. I have had up and back with plenty of people about suspensions, dampers spring rates, bars, bushings. All the BS that one can stuff into a car.

I agree a huge part with Racecomp about there are always gonna be exceptions to these rules. We have all seen it, or been through it. It does not matter if you have 15k in custom built dampers from Jesus, if you can't drive or don't understand how to setup a car, you will get owned by some guy in a 90s Miata with a junk yard turbo setup or his buddys ice cream truck.

The race shop next to my buddy Turbowskis place runs custom Penske dampers on all of their spec race cars, their rep and builder come in every season to rebuild etc. To talk to these guys with 20 years plus experience it just gives you a headache.

After spending a day at Ohlins and seeing engineering diagrams of the absurd tech in their motoGP dampers and F1 dampers right down to TTX motorsport dampers there is one thing I will add here that has not been said.

Racing Pedigree, and extensive motorsports history is something that cannot be replaced. The technology that has to be developed to compete at those levels is something you maybe able to steal and reverse engineer but the tools and experience needed to build and support them can't be replaced.

If you have the money, a race car and want a motorsport damper you go with a builder and brand that has racing pedigree and support, like JRZ, Penske, Ohlins.
Companies you can hire for track side support and engineering to re-valved, rebuild and test right from their on track trailer.

But, <1% of the FRS/BRZ owners on this planet will ever compete at a level even remotely close to professional. The most you will ever see is the 1-2% running time trials at a very competitive level. But how many of them are even using custom motorsport dampers? I can bet close to none. Is there even anyone on the forums who has entered the car into a wheel to wheel series?

I'd like to see Fortune donate some of their better quality dampers to guys like CSG or Racecomp or guys who compete to test them. Its the easiest way to get quality marketing feedback.

I have seen more guys running them now and I always hear that their support is great, and rebuilding service fast, now they just need more motorsports credibility.

[fooddude]

Bilsteins (although mild/soft) are starting to sound better and better for me, vs FA and my other choice, Tein...especially from a reputation, an experience and a quality viewpoint. I think I've finally locked down my decision on which affordable setup I will go with - B8, B14.

[EAGLE5]

This thread is why I think power upgrades are better than anything with suspension. Because all FI setups are straightforward, easy to choose, and cannot be screwed up.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

This thread is why I think power upgrades are better than anything with suspension. Because all FI setups are straightforward, easy to choose, and cannot be screwed up.

Anything is possible given the right circumstances.

[RehabJeff86]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

rehabjeff, if I were you, I'd be asking to test drive company cars or end-user cars at the track. Have you driven the BRZ suspension in anger? I'd also be wary of lowering the car, unless you no longer want to drive Palomares Road.

Ya i would love FA to sponsor me a set of Dreadnaught Pro Gen5 to test and share real track data

Yes im driving stock suspension pretty hard, now with stickier tires, LSD, and final drive, definitely worrying if stock suspension can keep up

I hv few other cars for DD, my FRS can be solely for track use only

Here is video of my recent track with stock suspension at Thunderhill

[ame]http://youtu.be/3X-Q_uNbicg[/ame]


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkfQ

[Shankenstein]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

The race shop next to my buddy Turbowskis place

*light bulb* Just realized you're SavageGeese.

For those who haven't seen his YouTube content, check it out. These guys are pretty hilarious and give some down-to-earth feedback about the FR-S. They're a bit more serious than MightyCarMods, with a reasonable budget and some actual track time.

Keep up the good work!

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by RehabJeff86

Here is video of my recent track with stock suspension at Thunderhill

Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkfQ

I really like your telemetry overlay. Makes it easy to see what you're doing with throttle and brake inputs. I noticed you are getting on the throttle fairly aggressively coming out of corners, but it looks like your rear end is sticking pretty well (judging by your steering). How close would you say you are to the rear end coming around?

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Bilsteins (although mild/soft) are starting to sound better and better for me...

The best driver in my local TT club runs in a street car class on a set of $1700 Bilsteins. There's nothing fancy about his setup - it's all about the nut behind the wheel (speaking competitively).

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

I really like your telemetry overlay. Makes it easy to see what you're doing with throttle and brake inputs. I noticed you are getting on the throttle fairly aggressively coming out of corners, but it looks like your rear end is sticking pretty well (judging by your steering). How close would you say you are to the rear end coming around?

From my chair, my take is that the driver is conservative going to full throttle (e.g., he's not going flat at the apexes), and based upon what he's doing with his hands, his rear-end is nowhere near loose.

[EAGLE5]

No, I mean that you should ask to drive other people's cars. Maybe swap for a session. BRZ suspension has a different balance than FRS suspension. Play with adjustable sway bars and alignment. Do all that before jumping into a coilover.

Originally Posted by RehabJeff86

Ya i would love FA to sponsor me a set of Dreadnaught Pro Gen5 to test and share real track data

Yes im driving stock suspension pretty hard, now with stickier tires, LSD, and final drive, definitely worrying if stock suspension can keep up

I hv few other cars for DD, my FRS can be solely for track use only

Here is video of my recent track with stock suspension at Thunderhill

Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkfQ

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

No, I mean that you should ask to drive other people's cars. Maybe swap for a session. BRZ suspension has a different balance than FRS suspension. Play with adjustable sway bars and alignment. Do all that before jumping into a coilover.

I wouldn't play with sway bars...those are essentially fine tuning items. I still think he can extract more speed with stock suspension.

[xwd]

Originally Posted by CSG David

Mostly interests that kind of got out of line and stupid politics that came from it.

How are your MCS? Lex wants us to test their stuff so we are in discussion to test their recommended setup and go from there. The setup so far seems interesting and we're not quite convinced yet. When we have a set to test, a better assessment can be made and proper valving can be developed.

I have the 2-way remotes which came out initially for the car and I was using them for stock autocross class. They are more old-school in terms of components so if you are using their newer 1-way or 2-way non-remote stuff it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison. The 2-way remotes are run by many race teams in the US and abroad on a variety of cars and the ones for the 86 aren't much different other than packaging.

The components last I knew of were all designed and machined in Germany, the quality is great. They have held up 100% after 10K miles and 16 months so far.

They have a large range of adjustment, meaning it's very noticeable from soft to stiff. There are 14 clicks and they all mean something, unlike something with 24-30-40 "clicks" of adjustment. We run on a fairly bumpy autocross lot, more so large ridges running through some spots and dips. Worse than I've ever seen on a track, we also have a portion of our lot which is cobblestone and they have worked well. Full stiff is really stiff, if you are on a smooth track maybe it would work well.

The base valving of them is generally digressive compression and linear rebound, but they can certainly be re-valved. They aren't going to have all the fancy valving options of a Penske or Bilstein Motorsport shock though.

Max Hayter (blkwrxwag on here) is running their 2-way non-remotes on his STX car now and has had good results. He's a national champ autocrosser and might have some feedback.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by dwx

I have the 2-way remotes which came out initially for the car and I was using them for stock autocross class. They are more old-school in terms of components so if you are using their newer 1-way or 2-way non-remote stuff it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison. The 2-way remotes are run by many race teams in the US and abroad on a variety of cars and the ones for the 86 aren't much different other than packaging.

The components last I knew of were all designed and machined in Germany, the quality is great. They have held up 100% after 10K miles and 16 months so far.

They have a large range of adjustment, meaning it's very noticeable from soft to stiff. There are 14 clicks and they all mean something, unlike something with 24-30-40 "clicks" of adjustment. We run on a fairly bumpy autocross lot, more so large ridges running through some spots and dips. Worse than I've ever seen on a track, we also have a portion of our lot which is cobblestone and they have worked well. Full stiff is really stiff, if you are on a smooth track maybe it would work well.

The base valving of them is generally digressive compression and linear rebound, but they can certainly be re-valved. They aren't going to have all the fancy valving options of a Penske or Bilstein Motorsport shock though.

Max Hayter (blkwrxwag on here) is running their 2-way non-remotes on his STX car now and has had good results. He's a national champ autocrosser and might have some feedback.

I've had a few conversations with Lex and we're trying to set something up. If he can ship over a few kits for us to test out and give some feedback, then that would be great. Buttonwillow is such a narly track so it demands a lot out of suspension. I'd say it's like the Sebring of the West.

On a side note, I've had a former Penske engineer ride shotgun in my car at Buttonwillow. He has traveled to all the tracks in the US helping to develop suspension setups for Champ cars. He was very surprised at the track's surface stating that it looks A LOT smoother in video than in real life. He even pointed out some certain berms that he noticed many suspension systems lack the ability to plow through, yet our setups seem to maintain grip.

[celica73]

Originally Posted by CSG David

I've had a few conversations with Lex and we're trying to set something up. If he can ship over a few kits for us to test out and give some feedback, then that would be great. Buttonwillow is such a narly track so it demands a lot out of suspension. I'd say it's like the Sebring of the West.

Yeah, and I'd be happy to test a kit and make comments too, if only they would give me something for nothing!

[RehabJeff86]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

I really like your telemetry overlay. Makes it easy to see what you're doing with throttle and brake inputs. I noticed you are getting on the throttle fairly aggressively coming out of corners, but it looks like your rear end is sticking pretty well (judging by your steering). How close would you say you are to the rear end coming around?

Yes, i noticed the same as more I track I get on the throttle earlier and earlier naturally and unconsciously lol

I am close to rear end coming out but definitely not on the edge as you can tell I'm not constantly fighting my steering, Im not advance driver more like intermediate, and hoping more tracking can allow me to drive closer and closer to the edge

Originally Posted by dradernh

From my chair, my take is that the driver is conservative going to full throttle (e.g., he's not going flat at the apexes), and based upon what he's doing with his hands, his rear-end is nowhere near loose.

yes you r absolutely correct, I'm more of a conservative driver and take it faster little by little each time Safety is always my number one thing, I'm not competing for money or fame so no point of risking anything lol

I tend to test upgrades to a certain point not full maximum allowing room for error and safety then I add another new mod knowing I'm likely to be faster next time around - conservative

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

No, I mean that you should ask to drive other people's cars. Maybe swap for a session. BRZ suspension has a different balance than FRS suspension. Play with adjustable sway bars and alignment. Do all that before jumping into a coilover.

haha ya i get it now, i literally forgot BRZ has different spring rate than FRS, yes I did have a chance to take a BRZ out once and seriously speaking I didn't notice any dramatically difference..... but that was only for like 5-6 laps

Originally Posted by CSG David

I wouldn't play with sway bars...those are essentially fine tuning items. I still think he can extract more speed with stock suspension.

I totally agreed, I have rear SPL adjustable sway bar links and tried all 3 different setting - with the hardest setting, FRS became super oversteering and so hard to drive, ended up going with the softest setting, this just told me how well balanced the OEM suspension set up is lol now I'm scared to upgrade to stiffer sway bars...