Suspension Review: Hotchkis Sport Springs - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Nitro22 · 08-16-2012, 05:33 PM

Product: Hotchkis Sport Suspension Sport Springs
Front: 1.0" (rate: 3.3kg/mm)
Rear: 1.0" (rate: 4.7kg/mm)
Part No: 19445
MSRP: $220.95

Driving Impressions:
Been test driving Hotchkis Sport Springs for over 1000 miles with awesome results. The ride quality is excellent. Harshness is slightly increased due to spring rate increase, but it is hardly noticeable. I do not feel the need to avoid bumps in the road or slow down for railroad tracks. I have confidence knowing that I have plenty of suspension travel.

From driving in stock suspension configuration, I've noticed that the FR-S is fairly highly sprung to begin with given it's light weight and low center of gravity. Coupled with limited grip stock primacy tires made for easy oversteer when provoked. With the Hotchkis springs, the car feels more neutral and stable at higher cornering speeds.

Steering response has improved noticeably. You are able to change directions faster for quick transitions. I've been on the track and autocrossed with the springs and I am very happy with the results. You will start to feel the limit of the tires much quicker, which brings the need for stickier tires for competition. However, the stock tires are fine on the road with these springs. The spring rates feel great with the OE damping, so stock shocks work well with the Hotchkis springs.

I've driven a stock BRZ and really liked how stable it felt compared to the FR-S. With the Hotchkis springs, my FR-S feels closer to the BRZ as far as balance goes.

Here is some of the suspension behavior I noticed with the Hotchkis Coils:
- Steady state cornering shows neutral handling.
- Steady state cornering leading into decreasing turning radius (sudden increase in steering input while in a corner with same amount of throttle input) shows slight understeer.
- Steady state cornering leading into off throttle deceleration shows neutral handling
- Steady state cornering leading into braking deceleration shows neutral handling
- Sudden steering input while mashing on the throttle shows controllable power oversteer.
- Sudden steering input with sudden off-throttle shows slight oversteer

Before:

After:

Circuit Motorsports · 08-16-2012, 08:54 PM

Hotchkis makes some very nice products.

Car looks good

D1cker · 08-16-2012, 11:36 PM

Hotchkis is awesome! (plus I know people who work there lol), too bad I'm helping ground control develop their sleeve kit, otherwise I'd be all over these!

DarrenDriven · 08-19-2012, 03:51 PM

Great topic, thank you! I linked this from the Suspension Options List.

ultra · 08-19-2012, 04:37 PM

Great review. Short, succinct, to the point.

BadCompany235 · 09-04-2012, 09:25 AM

so are these available for shipping now?

Memphis · 09-04-2012, 09:49 AM

Who did your turn signals? Any wrinkles in them? Sorry to go off topic... Looks good.

Nitro22 · 09-05-2012, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadCompany235

so are these available for shipping now?

Production coils come in Thursday the 6th.

Nitro22 · 09-05-2012, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Memphis

Who did your turn signals? Any wrinkles in them? Sorry to go off topic... Looks good.

Thanks Memphis. They are painted, not film. Candy yellow paint followed up with PPG clear coat.

Nitro22 · 09-08-2012, 12:44 AM

Hotchkis coils are now shipping.

BadCompany235 · 09-10-2012, 09:41 AM

i know. i got my confirmation....

JoeBoxer · 09-12-2012, 01:48 PM

Do you have measurements before and after the drop?

Nitro22 · 09-12-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeBoxer

Do you have measurements before and after the drop?

(Before) Stock:
Front: 14-9/16" (14.563")
Rear: 14-3/4" (14.750")

(After) Hotchkis:
Front: 13-5/8" (13.625")
Rear: 13-3/4" (13.750")

gmookher · 09-12-2012, 03:02 PM

curious how a brz owner may feel about these

08-16-2012, 05:33 PM	#1
Nitro22 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: Scion FR-S (Hot Lava) Location: SoCal Posts: 285 Thanks: 192 Thanked 194 Times in 87 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Suspension Review: Hotchkis Sport Springs Product: Hotchkis Sport Suspension Sport Springs Front: 1.0" (rate: 3.3kg/mm) Rear: 1.0" (rate: 4.7kg/mm) Part No: 19445 MSRP: $220.95 Driving Impressions: Been test driving Hotchkis Sport Springs for over 1000 miles with awesome results. The ride quality is excellent. Harshness is slightly increased due to spring rate increase, but it is hardly noticeable. I do not feel the need to avoid bumps in the road or slow down for railroad tracks. I have confidence knowing that I have plenty of suspension travel. From driving in stock suspension configuration, I've noticed that the FR-S is fairly highly sprung to begin with given it's light weight and low center of gravity. Coupled with limited grip stock primacy tires made for easy oversteer when provoked. With the Hotchkis springs, the car feels more neutral and stable at higher cornering speeds. Steering response has improved noticeably. You are able to change directions faster for quick transitions. I've been on the track and autocrossed with the springs and I am very happy with the results. You will start to feel the limit of the tires much quicker, which brings the need for stickier tires for competition. However, the stock tires are fine on the road with these springs. The spring rates feel great with the OE damping, so stock shocks work well with the Hotchkis springs. I've driven a stock BRZ and really liked how stable it felt compared to the FR-S. With the Hotchkis springs, my FR-S feels closer to the BRZ as far as balance goes. Here is some of the suspension behavior I noticed with the Hotchkis Coils: - Steady state cornering shows neutral handling. - Steady state cornering leading into decreasing turning radius (sudden increase in steering input while in a corner with same amount of throttle input) shows slight understeer. - Steady state cornering leading into off throttle deceleration shows neutral handling - Steady state cornering leading into braking deceleration shows neutral handling - Sudden steering input while mashing on the throttle shows controllable power oversteer. - Sudden steering input with sudden off-throttle shows slight oversteer Before: After:

08-19-2012, 04:37 PM	#5
ultra Curious cat. Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 86 GT base M/T - Red Location: Dubai Posts: 775 Thanks: 840 Thanked 383 Times in 191 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Great review. Short, succinct, to the point. __________________ 2013 Toyota 86 GT M/T 2009 Renault Clio Sport R27 Team F1 Edition (sold) 1991 Mazda MX5 Miata (sold) 2007 Mitsubishi Evo 9 RS (sold) 2006 VW Golf R32 (sold)

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08-16-2012, 08:54 PM	#2
Circuit Motorsports Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,353 Thanks: 294 Thanked 495 Times in 259 Posts Mentioned: 35 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Hotchkis makes some very nice products. Car looks good

08-16-2012, 11:36 PM	#3
D1cker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: B9 S4/ND2 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 522 Thanks: 190 Thanked 182 Times in 106 Posts Mentioned: 21 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Hotchkis is awesome! (plus I know people who work there lol), too bad I'm helping ground control develop their sleeve kit, otherwise I'd be all over these!

09-04-2012, 09:49 AM	#7
Memphis Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: Scion FantasticRoad-Sex Location: Take a wild guess. Posts: 517 Thanks: 31 Thanked 126 Times in 75 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Who did your turn signals? Any wrinkles in them? Sorry to go off topic... Looks good.

09-08-2012, 12:44 AM	#10
Nitro22 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: Scion FR-S (Hot Lava) Location: SoCal Posts: 285 Thanks: 192 Thanked 194 Times in 87 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Hotchkis coils are now shipping.

09-12-2012, 01:48 PM	#12
JoeBoxer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: Whiteout FR-S Location: Arkansas Posts: 4,154 Thanks: 1,666 Thanked 1,627 Times in 997 Posts Mentioned: 72 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Do you have measurements before and after the drop?

09-12-2012, 03:02 PM	#14
gmookher Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: VortechSC,BorlaEL,Perrin,GCRace Location: HighHeatHighAltitudeAZ,USA Posts: 2,254 Thanks: 458 Thanked 669 Times in 394 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	curious how a brz owner may feel about these

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