What do you use your car for and how important is suspension to you?

[Captain Snooze]

One can't utilise all of the power all of the time on public roads but regardless of how fast one is going the suspension is working all of the time. Going 20 km/h? The suspension is working. 110km/h on the freeway? Suspension is working. At the track? Same. I feel the car every moment of driving. This is why I think suspension upgrades are good value.

[fstlane]

In addition to being my daily driver, I also ran a full autocross season and 2 track days this past year in my BRZ. The car is enjoyable to drive on the street and has performed amazingly well in both autox and HPDE settings. I finished the LVRSCCA season 1st in STX and 2nd in PAX despite being my first full autocross season and running a minimally equipped budget setup. I utilize RCE Yellow springs on oem dampers with a hollow 22mm front bar and HTV camber plates. This combination is also pleasant to daily drive on as it provides a firmer but compliant ride, adequate suspension travel and a nice visual ride height appearance. It's a nice mix of form + function!

[Koa]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

One can't utilise all of the power all of the time on public roads but regardless of how fast one is going the suspension is working all of the time. Going 20 km/h? The suspension is working. 110km/h on the freeway? Suspension is working. At the track? Same. I feel the car every moment of driving. This is why I think suspension upgrades are good value.

We also feel the powerband/tune through the entire operation of the vehicle.. every moment of open loop/WOT, down to the in-town putting and closed loop accelerations, all have a certain felt and interacted-with characteristics of power over time and how power is generated in the system. This has shifted the paradigm of peak power to looking at the mountain holistically, focusing on the 'area under the curve' instead of the top of it all. Powerband upgrades (specifically tune and major areas of improvement) are also good value

But I agree with you.. It applies a little more to turbo platforms, but at NASIOC one of the mantras are (aside from 'driver mods', track days, education courses, etc): dollar for dollar, suspension mods are the most fulfilling. Thanks Unabomber for embodying that perspective to the community over there

--

back on topic.. As another DD and minority track use, I seek that happy medium. Currently on $140 sportlines (got 'em for a deal) and Bilstein B8s w/ racerx LCA's and suite of whiteline bushings with a -1.5f/-1.3r camber | slightly toe out fr/slightly toe in r alignment. Love it but always looking for ways to refine and better match driving style to the system

[CatDaddysBBQ]

I DD mine (about 18k miles annually), autoX monthly during the non-winter season and occasionally see light track duty, but only 1-2 times a year max.

Because I really enjoy autoX, I keep my suspension stock to not bounce out of the street/stock class. Plus, driving a lowered car year long in Chicago area is a bad idea that I already did once with my previous car.

If this car ever ends up being not my DD, i'll likely get some nice adjustable suspension setup, but for now I enjoy the comfort and clearance of the stock suspension.

[Strife26]

Driving too much. That's how I use it. Up to nearly 12k miles and I got mine Sept 11 2014. And that's with me trying to take it easy. Its so fun to drive and its so sexy especially since its the series blue. Working on exhaust and eventually brakes and suspension...with the shops help cause I know nothing about suspension

[redlined600]

I chose track and autox, although I generally don't care how my car rides on the street as I don't daily drive it. That said I have found that quality suspension will ride acceptably(to me) on the street anyway.

[TylerLieberman]

Lowered mine a little more than necessary but I dig the look. I have it just to where the top of the tire meets the fender. It would perform a little bit at a higher ride height but then I don't think the look I want would be there.

On the flip side, I've done 5 events with a shit ton of seat time with 2 cross country trips and lots of hard miles through awful weather and the car has never had an issue or left me stranded.

The car also performs much much better compared to stock for what's intentions are with the car.

[Panman]

I'm at the track at least once a month, HPDE, Regularity etc, as well as skidpan/drift and my 86 is my daily.


B6 with STI Pink Springs
LCAs
Raceseng Camber tops
STD Sways
17x8 with Nitto Invo for the road
17x9 with Hankook RS-3 for the track.


I love the way this car handled from new, and the ride/handling compromise is just right for me as it is now. Good out of the box, but can be made more suitable for your specific requirements.

[Talus1]

I voted "daily driver, suspension work primarily for better handling" because you didn't give an option for "daily driver, desiring suspension work primarily for improved ride, with side benefit of improved wheel control". My '13 BRZ is still stock because I can't decide whether to dump $$ into lighter wheels and tires, springs and dampers, FI, etc, or to just buy a used Cayman S. The BRZ is just practical enough to be my DD since we're DINKs with a Golf wagon as 2nd car. But it is also a frustrating " almost" car, as in almost perfect. Superb steering but just a bit too rough ride on the crappy streets where we live, fantastically adjustable handling but a bit too little torque to really make use of it, shifter very direct but a bit too notchy, incredibly bad Pioneer HU, etc. All fixable I guess, but...

I have a year or so yet on the lease before I have to decide whether to buy it out or give it back. I think the ride part is what concerns me the most. I think I'd be willing to put some $$ into springs and dampers, wheels and tires if I really thought I could improve the ride significantly, especially the rear suspension. Does the Ohlins DFV setup really work? Is there something else out there?

[Grip Ronin]

i havent autox this car yet and ive had it since late 2012. but it has many road course events under its belt

[dem00n]

Daily with auto x and track duty.

Going to install B8 Bilstein struts and Spec R springs along with SPL LCA, toe arms and camber bolts once the weather isn't winter anymore.

I'd like to do bushings one day but i was always advised to stay away from them when it comes to a daily driver.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Talus1

I voted "daily driver, suspension work primarily for better handling" because you didn't give an option for "daily driver, desiring suspension work primarily for improved ride, with side benefit of improved wheel control". My '13 BRZ is still stock because I can't decide whether to dump $$ into lighter wheels and tires, springs and dampers, FI, etc, or to just buy a used Cayman S. The BRZ is just practical enough to be my DD since we're DINKs with a Golf wagon as 2nd car. But it is also a frustrating " almost" car, as in almost perfect. Superb steering but just a bit too rough ride on the crappy streets where we live, fantastically adjustable handling but a bit too little torque to really make use of it, shifter very direct but a bit too notchy, incredibly bad Pioneer HU, etc. All fixable I guess, but...

I have a year or so yet on the lease before I have to decide whether to buy it out or give it back. I think the ride part is what concerns me the most. I think I'd be willing to put some $$ into springs and dampers, wheels and tires if I really thought I could improve the ride significantly, especially the rear suspension. Does the Ohlins DFV setup really work? Is there something else out there?

Ohlins are great, but on the cheaper side ride quality will improve slightly with just a set of Bilstein B6 shocks. Maybe add some RCE Yellows if you want a mild 20mm drop...

- Andy

[Racecomp Engineering]

Thanks so much for the responses guys. It's really cool to see how many of you are into enjoying these cars like we do (including those who just want a better suspension for the street). A lot more suspension people than I thought!

- Andy

[JimmyMac]

My FRS is my DD. I do have back up in case something happens. The trusty old 83 Toyota pick up. Anyways, initially I wanted to get rid of the horrible wheel gap. But I didn't want something slammed down. Since this is my DD, being too slammed (and stiff) would limit my access to certain areas. However, I'm also into the twisties so handling is something I care about as well. I won't say I made the smartest spring choice a few years back (Tein STech) but it did do wonders to the aesthetics of the car. At least for me. (Plus the purchase was a hurry up and wait and see game for the market at under $200). What I think was biggest improvement for handling were the tires. That was switching from stock to the ZII Star Spec. (And keeping stock size.)

Now that the market is more mature, I can make a wiser spring choice for something more neutral. So my next suspension upgrade will be a new spring set matched up with some B8s. More than likely the Swift springs. Though I haven't decided between the Sports or Spec-R. I'm also considering the Cusco shocks instead of the B8s since they are adjustable, but I also like the no nonsense of the B8. I would consider the Racecomp springs, but going back to aesthetics, the drop needs to be just a hair more.

Anyways, overall. I want something fun to drive like the Miata's I've had, yet more practical with trunk space. The FRS did it for me. Now I'm just guiding it into the looks and handling that I prefer.