Best Track Coilovers Sub $2000

[LavaLife]

Actually, I know if you want the "best" coilover package for track it may run you more then $2000.
But I've running the "Scale" suspension setup formally known as "Standard or STD" I'm running their R3 set of coilovers and I'm absolutely blown away by its handling and track performance I've been able to get out of them so far.
For $1300 CAD and custom spring rates they are absolutely perfect for occasional track use.

[Tokay444]

Originally Posted by LavaLife

Actually, I know if you want the "best" coilover package for track it may run you more then $2000.
But I've running the "Scale" suspension setup formally known as "Standard or STD" I'm running their R3 set of coilovers and I'm absolutely blown away by its handling and track performance I've been able to get out of them so far.
For $1300 CAD and custom spring rates they are absolutely perfect for occasional track use.

Any data to support this, "performance", or can we chalk it up to placebo effect?

[OkieSnuffBox]

FEAL 441 trophied in STX a few years ago correct?

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Tokay444

Any data to support this, "performance", or can we chalk it up to placebo effect?

Im local to Lavalife but I havent had the chance to be on track at the same time he is. But his times are on par with mine (he is faster on some tracks, about the same on others) with me using better tires but stock suspension. I also know someone who tracks with that same coilover with PSS and he can be within 1sec of my times, but again, im racing on semi-slicks which is much more tire than the PSS (but on stock suspension). I would say that for the money, they are actually a very capable coilover from what I have seen.

[zdr93523]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

+1 to @Shark_Bait88 & @swarb seat time is better than mods, coilovers won't help you go faster if you can't drive fast to begin with.

Brakes will be the first thing that you'll need to upgrade, not the suspension. If you've never been to the track before, go stock, go with Hooked on Driving if you can afford it, probably the best first timer track experience on the West Coast. And then budget for a brake upgrade, plenty to read about and delve into. Just pads and fluids, no need for a flashy big brake kit unless you're hitting the track once a month or more.

When you do get to suspension:

imo on this car alignment adjustment > all other suspension mods.

With a $2k budget I'd get camber bolts+plates and rear LCA's, lowering springs, Koni Yellow or Bilstein B6. And even then the springs and dampers aren't terribly necessary, you'll get a lot of grip out of good alignment and tires.

I agree with 100% of what you advised.

[irax]

Originally Posted by neroman98

I recently purchased a 2014 FRS
I bought this car for one purpose: to learn. I want to learn how to work on cars/install parts, drive faster and better, and have a good time doing it.
So it's time for my first mod:
The first mod I want to do is coilovers. I want to spend $2000 or less (preferably less) but I completely understand that you get what you pay for, so if necessary, I will save for expensive coils. I only want to do each part once- meaning I don't want to buy cheap coils only to then replace them with nicer ones down the road.
This car is a track car, not my daily. I plan on driving this car in the canyons, to the track, and on the track, so comfort doesn't matter. What coilovers should I get?

P.S. I know nothing about adjusting suspension BUT I want to learn, so adjustable coilovers are not a bad thing despite my lack of knowledge.

If it hasn't been mentioned yet, Parts Shop Max coilovers.
https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/...er/COZNC6.html

Street spec is 1k use that other 1k for rear control arms and diff riser and subframe riser.
https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/FRSBRZ/Bushings/
https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/...ilinkSteering/

With shipping thats a little over 2k but you will have everything you need to have fun and destroy tires.

You will not find a better budget coilover system for 1k. I promise you that.

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by irax

You will not find a better budget coilover system for 1k.

May I ask how you came to that conclusion?

[irax]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

May I ask how you came to that conclusion?

That is a fair question. I have based this on personal experience. I have had Tein, Megan, GarbageSpeed, Moonface Racing, BC, JIC-Magic, Raceland to name a few.

[Tokay444]

Comparing $1000 "budget coilovers", is like comparing which off brand of macaroni and cheese you prefer. It's all garbage, full stop.

[irax]

Originally Posted by Tokay444

Comparing $1000 "budget coilovers", is like comparing which off brand of macaroni and cheese you prefer. It's all garbage, full stop.

How so ?

[Tokay444]

Originally Posted by irax

How so ?

A better question would be, "how not so?"

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by irax

How so ?

I'd like to curtail the conversation before it turns into a shitshow, but quality dampers are hard. There's a reason Penske's are $10k for even non-adjustables: because they cut precisely zero corners. The parts you buy as a consumer are of the same manufacturing quality as the ones they bolt onto F1 cars.

It seems that the quality has really ramped up over the past few years in the budget market, but realistically speaking, the guys who have access to the equipment to test dampers and know what they are looking at have seen so many horror shows they only trust very few brands. For the rest of us on a budget, we do our best to seek out their advice so we get it right the first time.

Even high end expensive setups with good reputations aren't immune to their faults and a company can make a fantastic setup for one car, and a mediocre one for another. There are all sorts of ways to have a suspension setup FEEL good without tossing every damper on a dyno and holding stringent quality requirements, meeting optimal engineering theories with real world testing to back it up, and the simple fact is the average Joe can't recognize even very large faults in their dampers. Hell I'll freely admit I'm not good at it... Yet.

Here's one of the more popular autox resources discussing suspension setup and in particular different damper brands. I don't know how accurate it is regarding what's currently on the market, but it will take many more years for the stigma to go away regarding <$2k setups that aren't based on Bilstein or Koni.

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html

If I had time and money, I'd fucking buy 3-4 budget coilovers and test them based on how popular they are around here. It would certainly be very interesting. But in lieu of being well off enough to have a damper dyno, most of us who care about performance/$ take the safe route with trusted brands or companies willing to back their product up with dynos and revalve services.

To be clear, this is in the context of maximum performance, I'm sure every coilover recommended here has performed perfectly well for the people that bought them. That doesn't mean they are actually high quality setups for someone looking for the absolute best.

As mentioned above by someone else, I've heard that at least one nationally competitive STX AutoX car was on Feal's, RCE/KW is insanely popular, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear any number of <$2k setups hanging with the guys who have spent >$4k. After all, a good driver can make anything fast.

[jamal]

Bilstein B14s go for about 1k, so do the STs.

I'd take either of those over a "same shit different colors" coilover.

[DAEMANO]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I'd like to curtail the conversation before it turns into a shitshow, but quality dampers are hard. There's a reason Penske's are $10k for even non-adjustables: because they cut precisely zero corners. The parts you buy as a consumer are of the same manufacturing quality as the ones they bolt onto F1 cars.

It seems that the quality has really ramped up over the past few years in the budget market, but realistically speaking, the guys who have access to the equipment to test dampers and know what they are looking at have seen so many horror shows they only trust very few brands. For the rest of us on a budget, we do our best to seek out their advice so we get it right the first time.

Even high end expensive setups with good reputations aren't immune to their faults and a company can make a fantastic setup for one car, and a mediocre one for another. There are all sorts of ways to have a suspension setup FEEL good without tossing every damper on a dyno and holding stringent quality requirements, meeting optimal engineering theories with real world testing to back it up, and the simple fact is the average Joe can't recognize even very large faults in their dampers. Hell I'll freely admit I'm not good at it... Yet.

Here's one of the more popular autox resources discussing suspension setup and in particular different damper brands. I don't know how accurate it is regarding what's currently on the market, but it will take many more years for the stigma to go away regarding <$2k setups that aren't based on Bilstein or Koni.

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html

If I had time and money, I'd fucking buy 3-4 budget coilovers and test them based on how popular they are around here. It would certainly be very interesting. But in lieu of being well off enough to have a damper dyno, most of us who care about performance/$ take the safe route with trusted brands or companies willing to back their product up with dynos and revalve services.

To be clear, this is in the context of maximum performance, I'm sure every coilover recommended here has performed perfectly well for the people that bought them. That doesn't mean they are actually high quality setups for someone looking for the absolute best.

As mentioned above by someone else, I've heard that at least one nationally competitive STX AutoX car was on Feal's, RCE/KW is insanely popular, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear any number of <$2k setups hanging with the guys who have spent >$4k. After all, a good driver can make anything fast.

Paging SCCA/CCSC Nationals competitor @whataboutbob for input.

RS-R Sports-i Club Racers ($2199).
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25212




[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTiL1_tjRHM"]Inaugural Super Street 86 Showdown! - Tuner Battle Week 2016 Ep. 4 - YouTube[/ame]