Coilover reviews? Hks, Tein, Tanabe?

[Trmx2]

I'm looking to get a set of coil overs in the 1700-2000 range. I DO NOT want to get KW V3.

I've narrowed it down to:

HKS MAX IV GT
HKS MAX IV SP
TEIN MONOSPORT
TANABE SUSTEC Pro Z40

Has anyone reviewed these or owned these or know anything? All the videos I've seen have been japanese Japanese (I speak it) but I'm looking for some unbiased stateside opinions.

Any help would be great. I only want advice on what I posted please.

[Trmx2]

Anyone at all? Idk why no one is reviewing these.

[Mad1723]

Ok, honest question: Why not the V3s? I have them and I don't regret any of it.

Is it just for the sake of being different? Because if so, you're missing out just to be different

[Trmx2]

Originally Posted by Mad1723

Ok, honest question: Why not the V3s? I have them and I don't regret any of it.

Is it just for the sake of being different? Because if so, you're missing out just to be different

1. To be different, yes.
2. I don't want a 2-way coil.
3. I don't like how you need top hats and camber plates withe V3.
4. I'd rather get a top of the line 1-way rather than an entry level 2-way.
5. They're a bit out of my price range (from what I've seen)
6. I like Japanese products.

Nothing wrong with KW, I just know there are products out there just as good that need to get out there.

[CSG David]

What is your goal? Those kits mentioned above are tailored more towards the performance driving spectrum so street comfort will need to be compromised a bit to stay within their intended price range.

With that said, the Ohlins R&T is higher up the food chain which provides better street comfort, but they are designed to be extremely safe. RS*R Sport-i is designed for more street performance in mind hence their 'on track' performance is not as good as the Ohlins R&T, but has similar street comfort. Everything is a balancing act.

[Trmx2]

Originally Posted by CSG David

What is your goal? Those kits mentioned above are tailored more towards the performance driving spectrum so street comfort will need to be compromised a bit to stay within their intended price range.

With that said, the Ohlins R&T is higher up the food chain which provides better street comfort, but they are designed to be extremely safe. RS*R Sport-i is designed for more street performance in mind hence their 'on track' performance is not as good as the Ohlins R&T, but has similar street comfort. Everything is a balancing act.

Hey David,

Thanks for the response. I guess I want something performance oriented from a strong reputable company with good dampers. I do a lot of street driving but don't want to sacrifice performance to get a better ride on the street. Id rather sacrifice comfort for the increase of performance.

I chose those brands and it's been a whirlwind of research for me because it's difficult to find good quality reviews for these specific sets.

I looked into the sports-i they would be a "last resort" for me.

I want something that can perform really well but still have a decent ride. I guess a healthy balance.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by Trmx2

Hey David,

Thanks for the response. I guess I want something performance oriented from a strong reputable company with good dampers. I do a lot of street driving but don't want to sacrifice performance to get a better ride on the street. Id rather sacrifice comfort for the increase of performance.

I chose those brands and it's been a whirlwind of research for me because it's difficult to find good quality reviews for these specific sets.

I looked into the sports-i they would be a "last resort" for me.

I want something that can perform really well but still have a decent ride. I guess a healthy balance.

Here's the thing. Suspension is literally a "you get what you paid for" type of deal. There are people who try to mess with that, but hey, we've tested a lot of kits out and can tell you honestly, there are no shortcuts. This car was designed to be extremely modular/tuner friendly. In other words, many things were compromised with the idea that the aftermarket realm would help improve upon the base vehicle. Unfortunately, not everybody is offering good solutions.

With that said, good ride quality does not mean poor performance...in fact, high end suspension requires good ride quality to maintain an even higher level of performance. Remember, performance means keeping those tires planted on the road in every condition. That's grip.

Everything listed below are all 1-way setups. Most KW V3 and RCE T2 owners don't know how to dial in their suspension hence, their ride quality and performance are severely compromised. 1-way is definitely a nice method to move towards, but you're really stuck to one spring rate with very little flexibility. Once you hit critical damping, comfort settings are only a couple clicks on the softer side. Those are the two settings you'll stick to all the time.

~1-2k Category
TEIN Street Flex
RS*R Sport-i

~2k- 3.5k Category
TEIN Monosport
RS*R Club Racer
Ohlins R&T
Bilstein B16

$4k+ Category
Penske
Bilstein
Ohlins
Sachs
etc.

[Trmx2]

Originally Posted by CSG David

Here's the thing. Suspension is literally a "you get what you paid for" type of deal. There are people who try to mess with that, but hey, we've tested a lot of kits out and can tell you honestly, there are no shortcuts. This car was designed to be extremely modular/tuner friendly. In other words, many things were compromised with the idea that the aftermarket realm would help improve upon the base vehicle. Unfortunately, not everybody is offering good solutions.

With that said, good ride quality does not mean poor performance...in fact, high end suspension requires good ride quality to maintain an even higher level of performance. Remember, performance means keeping those tires planted on the road in every condition. That's grip.

Everything listed below are all 1-way setups. Most KW V3 and RCE T2 owners don't know how to dial in their suspension hence, their ride quality and performance are severely compromised. 1-way is definitely a nice method to move towards, but you're really stuck to one spring rate with very little flexibility. Once you hit critical damping, comfort settings are only a couple clicks on the softer side. Those are the two settings you'll stick to all the time.

~1-2k Category
TEIN Street Flex
RS*R Sport-i

~2k- 3.5k Category
TEIN Monosport
RS*R Club Racer
Ohlins R&T
Bilstein B16

$4k+ Category
Penske
Bilstein
Ohlins
Sachs
etc.

So since my range is about 1700-1800.

What do you think of the HKS SP vs Tein Mono sport (the new ones, not the monoflex)

I definitely understand that you get what you pay for.

How would you rate the Tanabe? I've had two MAJOR vendors tell me not to get them but they can never tell me why or they tell me "I think they are rebranded cheap stuff"

However I did my research and those coils are built by KYB Japan a very reputable damper/shock company.

Do you have any experience with the coils I listed?

The Tanabe are the only twin tube model in my list, so I wonder how that makes things different.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by CSG David

Most KW V3 and RCE T2 owners don't know how to dial in their suspension hence, their ride quality and performance are severely compromised.

Excuse me? Please don't speak for our RCE T2 customers. If you have something to say please feel free to give me or Myles a call and we can talk. I'd much prefer that to you making things up on here and in PMs to people. And don't ever insult our customers.

To the OP, there isn't always a need for camber plates with KWs or our RCE T2s. You can get a good amount of camber without them, more than enough for a street car, and the OEM top mounts will stay silent for a long time. We include recommended settings with our T2s so you'll never be lost with the settings and we're always a phone call, PM, or email away.

That said, a 1 way can definitely have an appeal especially for a primarily street car. Of the one's you listed, I don't have any experience with any save for the HKS. They were okay...the GT were pretty soft and comfortable but far from aggressive. The SP were a little on the firm side but I didn't have much time with them.

- Andy

[Trmx2]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Excuse me? Please don't speak for our RCE T2 customers. If you have something to say please feel free to give me or Myles a call and we can talk. I'd much prefer that to you making things up on here and in PMs to people. And don't ever insult our customers.

To the OP, there isn't always a need for camber plates with KWs or our RCE T2s. You can get a good amount of camber without them, more than enough for a street car, and the OEM top mounts will stay silent for a long time. We include recommended settings with our T2s so you'll never be lost with the settings and we're always a phone call, PM, or email away.

That said, a 1 way can definitely have an appeal especially for a primarily street car. Of the one's you listed, I don't have any experience with any save for the HKS. They were okay...the GT were pretty soft and comfortable but far from aggressive. The SP were a little on the firm side but I didn't have much time with them.

- Andy

Well, I'm looking to buy only what was listed in the starting post.

I like camber plates and using the stock top mount is not something I'm fond of.

So for the upper price range in the 1 way category, would you say the HKS makes a good handling/riding system?

What can you compare it to? I understand being RCE you will recommend that, but I'm looking for as unbiased of a recommendation as possible. I'm about drop almlst 2k on a suspension so it's something I really feel I should know a good amount about before purchasing.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Trmx2

Well, I'm looking to buy only what was listed in the starting post.

I like camber plates and using the stock top mount is not something I'm fond of.

So for the upper price range in the 1 way category, would you say the HKS makes a good handling/riding system?

What can you compare it to? I understand being RCE you will recommend that, but I'm looking for as unbiased of a recommendation as possible. I'm about drop almlst 2k on a suspension so it's something I really feel I should know a good amount about before purchasing.

Of the 4 you listed my first thought is that the HKS GT would be a decent match for you. They're street oriented and come with everything you want. Soft though and I'm not a huge fan of the spring rates.

Something worth considering is whether or not they can be serviced in the USA. I know TEIN can be rebulit stateside and although they generally aren't my first choice, that's a pretty big plus.

I can't really compare to anything else. We generally stick with german/dutch/swedish coilovers these days and have moved away from carrying a lot of the JDM stuff. It's a very different feel. And our RCE T2s honestly wouldn't be my #1 recommendation for you...something like Bilstein PSS10 would work well but they do not come with camber plates. Ohlins at a higher cost but you can't lower them much.

Hope that helps.

- Andy

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Excuse me? Please don't speak for our RCE T2 customers. If you have something to say please feel free to give me or Myles a call and we can talk. I'd much prefer that to you making things up on here and in PMs to people. And don't ever insult our customers.

- Andy

The RCE and KW are similar 2-way setups with slightly different valving and spring rates. Without proper experience and knowledge in dialing the settings, I'm merely stating that it's quite easy to make the suspension setup rough and unforgiving. This is just merely sitting in cars with both setups while instructing these students at the track. I don't know who these guys are, but I will have them contact you in the future to refine their settings a bit more.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by Trmx2

So since my range is about 1700-1800.

What do you think of the HKS SP vs Tein Mono sport (the new ones, not the monoflex)

I definitely understand that you get what you pay for.

How would you rate the Tanabe? I've had two MAJOR vendors tell me not to get them but they can never tell me why or they tell me "I think they are rebranded cheap stuff"

However I did my research and those coils are built by KYB Japan a very reputable damper/shock company.

Do you have any experience with the coils I listed?

The Tanabe are the only twin tube model in my list, so I wonder how that makes things different.

HKS SP and TEIN Mono Sport are a bit more unrefined. Their price point sacrifices a bit on the standard street comfort for more aggressive valving that will manifest itself on track. Both setups are not the best track setups, but they will take care of certain track sections better than the more street oriented setups.

TEIN has certainly done their best to revamp their suspension lineups with higher quality of manufacturing and valving. They have a bad rep from the 90s, but their current stuff is good. HKS was successful in the S2000 realm but ride quality sucked. It was considered the fast cheap setup.

No comment on Tanabe. I sat in their early model stuff on previous cars and it's not exactly great. While KYB is a great company, it doesn't mean the valving is good. It just means the build quality might be good.

KW and RCE are good entry level 2-way setups. They will be vastly better than the current offerings listed above. With proper rebound and compression settings, they will be much better than your standard 1-way setups. As noted, you'll get dedicated support from RCE if you have any problems.

[10Stars]

Originally Posted by CSG David

HKS SP and TEIN Mono Sport are a bit more unrefined. Their price point sacrifices a bit on the standard street comfort for more aggressive valving that will manifest itself on track. Both setups are not the best track setups, but they will take care of certain track sections better than the more street oriented setups.

TEIN has certainly done their best to revamp their suspension lineups with higher quality of manufacturing and valving. They have a bad rep from the 90s, but their current stuff is good. HKS was successful in the S2000 realm but ride quality sucked. It was considered the fast cheap setup.

No comment on Tanabe. I sat in their early model stuff on previous cars and it's not exactly great. While KYB is a great company, it doesn't mean the valving is good. It just means the build quality might be good.

KW and RCE are good entry level 2-way setups. They will be vastly better than the current offerings listed above. With proper rebound and compression settings, they will be much better than your standard 1-way setups. As noted, you'll get dedicated support from RCE if you have any problems.

I too am looking at either the HKS Hipermax IV GT/SP and the Tein Mono Sport. Mainly I am looking for comfort but also occasional spirited driving, and maaaaybe some track days.

What would you choose between the two for me? BTW any other suggestions and I'm all ears