Stance Vs Kw3 vs Fortune Autos?

[dabocx]

KW3s are obviously going to be the best but the price is much higher.

FA seems to depend on who ask, some people praise them and some people just hate them.

[seven]

FA can't be TOO bad if FT-86 speed factory is damn near STIs with KWs on them....

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22096


After driving in HPDE as an enthusiast and instructor for years now - FA, KW, and GC are on my list.... Why?


FA I had on my S13 SR car, and after proper adjustment this old ass car that'd have expected to be creaky, rode better than my E46 M3 did (on stock suspension). Had a lot of adjustment and seems to be of good quality. I had no issues, nor complaints.

GC I had on my E36 M3 and LOVED. Easy company to deal with too. The also come with camber plates AND the strut bar for about $2200 IIRC, slightly more expensive than KW but you get a little more too.

KW because they were one of the few companies first to market and did REAL research, not just slapped on Impreza based stuff and called it good. However I've NEVER owned coilovers from them previously.


At the end of the day FA looks like the best deal. I like the idea of bang for buck. More importantly, I'll be tracking the car 6-10 times a year but I know I'm not and never will be a race driver, so I probably will never note the difference between them and KW/GC, and therefore I'll feel like I'd have wasted money.
If you're an EXCELLENT driver, you might notice a difference... And even then... you'll have to decide if its worth 2x the cost.

I have no opnion on BC, Stance, K-Sport, Megan as I've never used them before - I have nothing against them but I prefer to never speak about products with which I do not have personal experiences with (something I wish many more would do).

[SubieNate]

Originally Posted by jumbaco

I'm assuming that most of what you've read was from the internet. And the internet is not exactly a reliable source of information.

None of the competitive drivers I know in person would touch stance stuff.

Show me a shock dyno for stance coilovers that shows that the shock was properly valved and I'll reconsider. Until then, in my book they're just fancy BC's.

Nathan

[jamal]

Originally Posted by RRnold

I was actually pinging folks here for coilovers for my Supra. Though 2K for some KW V3's seems fair, I can't justify it since I won't be tracking my Supra.

I hear this so often and I have to say it really bugs me. For a track car, sometimes it's just important for the suspension to be stiff because it will make the car more responsive and prevent excessive roll to keep a good contact patch. In this case having pillowballs that clunk and an uncomfortable ride on the street aren't as important. Until you are really serious about it and want to get every last second out of the car $3-5k worth of dampers might not do you a lot of good, especially if you have a bunch of adjustments you don't know how to setup.

Then you have your mostly DD car. IMO this is where it's worth it to spend a little more money on something like the KWs. Otherwise it's not going to be long before you get tired of the harsh ride and clunks.

The KW V3 isn't even made to be a pure track/racing coilover. The clubsport is a better choice for the track which comes with stiffer springs and a little bit different valving, and then there's real motorsports stuff above that.

For me the categories go like this:
-Cheap stuff (megan, stance, bc, etc)
-Good stuff (KW Variant x, AST4100, JRZ RS1, Bilstein, HR, Koni, GC...)
-Motorsports stuff

[RRnold]

Originally Posted by jamal

I hear this so often and I have to say it really bugs me. For a track car, sometimes it's just important for the suspension to be stiff because it will make the car more responsive and prevent excessive roll to keep a good contact patch. In this case having pillowballs that clunk and an uncomfortable ride on the street aren't as important. Until you are really serious about it and want to get every last second out of the car $3-5k worth of dampers might not do you a lot of good, especially if you have a bunch of adjustments you don't know how to setup.

Then you have your mostly DD car. IMO this is where it's worth it to spend a little more money on something like the KWs. Otherwise it's not going to be long before you get tired of the harsh ride and clunks.

The KW V3 isn't even made to be a pure track/racing coilover. The clubsport is a better choice for the track which comes with stiffer springs and a little bit different valving, and then there's real motorsports stuff above that.

For me the categories go like this:
-Cheap stuff (megan, stance, bc, etc)
-Good stuff (KW Variant x, AST4100, JRZ RS1, Bilstein, HR, Koni, GC...)
-Motorsports stuff

My reasoning is a corner case. My MKIV is completely OEM and just looked like it rolled off the assembly line. As of Sunday, it only has 55,461 original miles since I have been taking it out for a little spin on the weekends. I bought it b/c of the rare factor and often second guessing even putting wheels on it.

I had R6 with Ohlins TTX and 25mm cartridges and a 6RR in full race trim with a Penske triple clicker rear shock. So I don't really see the effort of putting mid tier suspension on a car that will see less than 30% of the track.

Car are nice to have and boot around but are kind of boring once you ride a moto; especially on the track.

[ill roller]

Originally Posted by TylerLieberman

KWs are the shit.

Stance is pretty damn good, but not as good as KWs-nor, would I expect them to be at half the price.

Fortune Auto IS shit. Dampening adjustability sucks, camber adjustability sucks. In short, they suck.

This is spot on... and lets not forget Stance's customer service.

The only good things I've heard about fortune autos are with the broadway coilovers that they supply the dampeners for. And those have such high spring rates that they're really not good for anything but slamming your car to the ground with minimal rubbing.

[seven]

Originally Posted by TylerLieberman

KWs are the shit.

Stance is pretty damn good, but not as good as KWs-nor, would I expect them to be at half the price.

Fortune Auto IS shit. Dampening adjustability sucks, camber adjustability sucks. In short, they suck.

Originally Posted by ill roller

This is spot on... and lets not forget Stance's customer service.

The only good things I've heard about fortune autos are with the broadway coilovers that they supply the dampeners for. And those have such high spring rates that they're really not good for anything but slamming your car to the ground with minimal rubbing.

You guys have put FAs an FR-S/BRZ already? Or any of the coilovers for that matter?

[JoeBoxer]

Originally Posted by RRnold

My reasoning is a corner case. My MKIV is completely OEM and just looked like it rolled off the assembly line. As of Sunday, it only has 55,461 original miles since I have been taking it out for a little spin on the weekends. I bought it b/c of the rare factor and often second guessing even putting wheels on it.

I had R6 with Ohlins TTX and 25mm cartridges and a 6RR in full race trim with a Penske triple clicker rear shock. So I don't really see the effort of putting mid tier suspension on a car that will see less than 30% of the track.

Car are nice to have and boot around but are kind of boring once you ride a moto; especially on the track.

Are you opposed to a nice spring/strut combo for any reason? A set of Koni's and nice springs might work out well. I would also look at the HKS coilovers, i just did a little quick research and they are recommended pretty often.

[robispec]

What I don't get is the KW V3's are DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE...non of the other suspensions mentioned have independent rebound and compression control this is very important for both ride quality (aka don't need a kidney belt to DD your ride) and increased traction (kick alla u friends buts when you go to the track day)..I own a chassis/ suspension shop and if you don't have the adjustability you cant find the sweet spot that fixes the problem you are addressing.

[Grimlock]

Originally Posted by JoeBoxer

Are you opposed to a nice spring/strut combo for any reason? A set of Koni's and nice springs might work out well. I would also look at the HKS coilovers, i just did a little quick research and they are recommended pretty often.

One problem is that there aren't any good struts for sale. When the Konis do come out, the fronts will be inserts at first.

[JoeBoxer]

Originally Posted by Grimlock

One problem is that there aren't any good struts for sale. When the Konis do come out, the fronts will be inserts at first.

He is looking for a MK IV Supra also...

[RRnold]

Originally Posted by JoeBoxer

Are you opposed to a nice spring/strut combo for any reason? A set of Koni's and nice springs might work out well. I would also look at the HKS coilovers, i just did a little quick research and they are recommended pretty often.

Eibach and KYB AGX's are what most folks run. I'm not opposed to any aftermarket suspension. I know that a suspension upgrade would include a lot of testing and tuning before it handles well.

Since this car is "unmolested", I feel more compelled not to do anything aftermarket. It had the original ND spark plugs even though Nippondenso changed their name back in the late 90's. If it was a BPU, then I wouldn't hesitate.

The Hipermax III and KW V3's are great suspensions. The only drawback with HKS is that it's more difficult to find a shop to service them. Ever since they bailed out of the US, most owners were left sending them back to HKS Japan or going with a different setup.

[Evasive Motorsports]

Originally Posted by RRnold

Eibach and KYB AGX's are what most folks run. I'm not opposed to any aftermarket suspension. I know that a suspension upgrade would include a lot of testing and tuning before it handles well.

Since this car is "unmolested", I feel more compelled not to do anything aftermarket. It had the original ND spark plugs even though Nippondenso changed their name back in the late 90's. If it was a BPU, then I wouldn't hesitate.

The Hipermax III and KW V3's are great suspensions. The only drawback with HKS is that it's more difficult to find a shop to service them. Ever since they bailed out of the US, most owners were left sending them back to HKS Japan or going with a different setup.

I agree the Hipermax III are great but if you need a rebuild or warranty the car might be down for a while 3-4 months wait. KW V3, Eibach, and JR-Z are all great to deal with because they are here in the states.

[Vonsamhain]

Most of these people seem to be spitting nonsense and heresay based on gossip.
While I have run many coilover setup s on many cars (including FA, and kw) I can only comment on fA's on the FR-s. that being said I'd put money that most of these people couldn't tell the difference between them. Furthermore those
That could I believe would feel the FA's are A Much better buy but not quite as good as te KWs for street. They are indeed a decent coilover. Have any of these people who say "FA is crap" actually rode on a tuned set of these? I'm guessing that's a noooo.