CSG and RCE tag-team suspension Q&A thread! Ask us anything!

[Pat]

Hey Dave, let's talk more about this. If you want to join me at HPR a week from Friday we can swap cars for a session or two.
The benefit I see with that kind of adjustability is fine-tuning handling characteristics from turn-in, through the apex, to track out. I think if you set the car up right without the two-way dampers, you don't necessarily need the extra adjustability. That said, more options never hurt, as long as you know how to use them. FWIW, I never felt the need for double-adjustables on my car. At least not yet.
Abe and I have been working on doing this with his car. But turning knobs is just one way to do it. I do really like his MCSes. I guess that's what I would be inclined to do at that price point for double-adjustables.
You may also want to check with Vorshlag. I think they put together a kit with Bilsteins, customs spring rates, and very nice camber plates for about that price, or maybe less. I'm partial to monotubes.

[Yzu]

Originally Posted by Pat

Hey Dave, let's talk more about this. If you want to join me at HPR a week from Friday we can swap cars for a session or two.
The benefit I see with that kind of adjustability is fine-tuning handling characteristics from turn-in, through the apex, to track out. I think if you set the car up right without the two-way dampers, you don't necessarily need the extra adjustability. That said, more options never hurt, as long as you know how to use them. FWIW, I never felt the need for double-adjustables on my car. At least not yet.
Abe and I have been working on doing this with his car. But turning knobs is just one way to do it. I do really like his MCSes. I guess that's what I would be inclined to do at that price point for double-adjustables.
You may also want to check with Vorshlag. I think they put together a kit with Bilsteins, customs spring rates, and very nice camber plates for about that price, or maybe less. I'm partial to monotubes.

The dip at PPIR really upsets the car, so thats whats driving the want for new coilovers.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by Yzu

The dip at PPIR really upsets the car, so thats whats driving the want for new coilovers.

Yeah, that's tricky. It would be great to not have to worry about that dip. Going through there without upsetting the car isn't easy. And setting it up to go through that well is probably going to mean you're sacrificing elsewhere. I'm sure nicer coilovers will help, but just ensure you're taking a holistic approach and not getting tunnel vision on dealing with the dip.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Yzu

Looking into jumping into new coilovers. I'm currently on Tein street flex, and I feel that I have outgrown the suspension. I do take curbings pretty aggressively.

I'm looking into getting a 2 way adjustable setup. Though I have no idea which. The car no longer sees street duty, I do a fair amount of NASA track days (TT5) with some autox sprinkled in, and I'm going to start running with SCCA TT. I'm interested in doing more track events (Gridlife/GTA/SLB ???) next year around the country as well.

I use Advan A052 tires 255/35/18 on 18x10 wheels. Aero is OEM RS1 aero, Voltex type 12.

Budget: Around $4k.

I'd like to stay away from external reservoirs as I do not want to take the points hit with NASA and would like to stay within confines of TT5, and I don't want to deal with mounting/routing. Also, what concerns me is maintenance intervals for a proper 2 way setup (avg 15-18 track days per season). Some more frequent than others? Ease of sending off to get refreshed/parts availability etc.

One thing that jumps out at me is 18x10s and 255s. That's not ideal.

How much track driving experience do you have? How much suspension tuning experience?

People can and do make things worse with 2 ways and as others have said a good 1 way is sometimes a better fit.

On the other hand, they can really help fine tune a car's corner entry and exit behavior.

Originally Posted by Yzu

The dip at PPIR really upsets the car, so thats whats driving the want for new coilovers.

I don't know PPIR but that could very much be travel/spring rate related (or just one of those things you don't want to focus on too much so you don't sacrifice elsewhere like Pat said).

- Andrew

[Pat]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

I don't know PPIR but that could very much be travel/spring rate related

I suspect you hit the nail on the head here, Andrew.

[Yzu]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

One thing that jumps out at me is 18x10s and 255s. That's not ideal.

How much track driving experience do you have? How much suspension tuning experience?

People can and do make things worse with 2 ways and as others have said a good 1 way is sometimes a better fit.

On the other hand, they can really help fine tune a car's corner entry and exit behavior.



I don't know PPIR but that could very much be travel/spring rate related (or just one of those things you don't want to focus on too much so you don't sacrifice elsewhere like Pat said).

- Andrew

I know I don't have an ideal setup for wheels and tires, I actually want to drop to a 17x9 setup.

I probably have around 30 OpenLapping/HPDE/TT days and 20ish AutoX days under my belt from the past 4-5 years. Last year was my first year running with a sanctioning body.

Regarding suspension tuning, I usually ask my friends (scca national champs) to help me with setup.

Maybe I just go with a better 1 way setup than I currently have, with higher spring rates.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by M0nk3y

I'll most likely sell off these shocks to get points back and go with a 1-way setup going forward

[Optimoose20]

Would you all recommend rce yellows + konis/bilsteins (and camber plates) for a DD/autoX car, or step up to the RCE T2 or KW V3s? I've heard camber plates are noisy for street use, but I also want to be at least marginally competitive in STX...

I think the spring + shock combo would be a good way to basically spend half as much as I would on decent coils, and I think it would still allow for decent competitiveness. The reality is I probably won't be fine tuning the car too much, so I would prioritize an out of the box solution.

Thanks in advance for any help

Cheers,
Christopher

[strat61caster]

KW/RCE if you want to be marginally competitive. Don't forget you need the wheel clearance for 17x9s and at least -3 degrees of camber up front which you don't get with the lowering springs being 90mm ID.

[Optimoose20]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

KW/RCE if you want to be marginally competitive. Don't forget you need the wheel clearance for 17x9s and at least -3 degrees of camber up front which you don't get with the lowering springs being 90mm ID.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I guess I'm looking for minimal effort involved on my end (set it and forget it... or adjust occasionally ) so I'm ok giving up some performance. Thanks for the help. Most go with +35 offset on 17x9, right?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Optimoose20

Yeah, that's what I figured. I guess I'm looking for minimal effort involved on my end (set it and forget it... or adjust occasionally ) so I'm ok giving up some performance. Thanks for the help. Most go with +35 offset on 17x9, right?

Narrower car is quicker through slalom. +45s are easy to source and space out to +40 so there's no rubbing at full lock, but +35 certainly fits

[M0nk3y]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

One thing that jumps out at me is 18x10s and 255s. That's not ideal.

How much track driving experience do you have? How much suspension tuning experience?

People can and do make things worse with 2 ways and as others have said a good 1 way is sometimes a better fit.

On the other hand, they can really help fine tune a car's corner entry and exit behavior.



I don't know PPIR but that could very much be travel/spring rate related (or just one of those things you don't want to focus on too much so you don't sacrifice elsewhere like Pat said).

- Andrew

I would usually agree that 18x10 on a 255 is not ideal, however on an AO52 tire that's like a perfect fitment. The Yokohamas run extremely wide for their sizing, and actually perform/respond better when stretched on a wheel. Especially on the track, a tire fitment like this is ideal than say a 245 on 17x9 (exclusively talking about Yokohama AO52s). They feel worse than BFGs.

Originally Posted by Yzu

I know I don't have an ideal setup for wheels and tires, I actually want to drop to a 17x9 setup.

Especially with NASA, if that's who you intend to run, 245 R7s on a 17x9 is the hot ticket. Any more wheel and you violate the tire template, FWIW.

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Do I have a buyer already??

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by M0nk3y

I would usually agree that 18x10 on a 255 is not ideal, however on an AO52 tire that's like a perfect fitment. The Yokohamas run extremely wide for their sizing, and actually perform/respond better when stretched on a wheel. Especially on the track, a tire fitment like this is ideal than say a 245 on 17x9 (exclusively talking about Yokohama AO52s). They feel worse than BFGs.

Don't have much experience with the Yokos, so that's good to know!

Originally Posted by M0nk3y

Especially with NASA, if that's who you intend to run, 245 R7s on a 17x9 is the hot ticket. Any more wheel and you violate the tire template, FWIW.

I was more thinking about that side of things, and the autox he mentioned.

- Andrew

[strat61caster]

Nah I'm cheap and headed towards being less competitive. I just like to watch