The Coilover Thread

[WikedSicc]

I have seen many topics, but none of which really have what I am looking for. I would like only those experienced to participate in this thread aswell. I would like to know recomendations on coilover kits and pros and cons on them. I have been doing a great deal of research, and honestly, DSM forums are not the place to research suspension. I don't want to read about ground control and any other of these "coilovers", I want indepth descriptions of good coilovers. I have not seen any opinoins on Hot Bits models or any other high end coilovers. Anyone who would like to discuss this topic and make recomendations with valid arguements, I thank in advance.

 

[Rx3]

I have seen many topics, but none of which really have what I am looking for. I would like only those experienced to participate in this thread aswell. I would like to know recomendations on coilover kits and pros and cons on them. I have been doing a great deal of research, and honestly, DSM forums are not the place to research suspension. I don't want to read about ground control and any other of these "coilovers", I want indepth descriptions of good coilovers. I have not seen any opinoins on Hot Bits models or any other high end coilovers. Anyone who would like to discuss this topic and make recomendations with valid arguements, I thank in advance.

Sounds to me like you need to define what you consider to be "good coilovers". Or better yet, just search for those specific coilovers on the site that you are interested in and I'm sure you will find information on them here. Focusing your search will help to eliminate reading about the ones you aren't interested in.

 

[sleepy98gsx]

I'm not the most experienced with suspension on a DSM..BUT, i did recently purchase a set of coilovers for my 98 AWD, as did my friend with the same set for his 96 GS-T. We bought the KSport coilovers (listed under K&N on this site). They are 36 way adjustable, vs. the tein super street's 16 (32 wth the EDFC). Ksport's are adjustable from a 0 to 4" drop vs. tein's 1.9 front, 1.7 rear. The MSRP between the two are about the same (tein-1000 ksport-1050), but until you buy the EDFC you're nearing 1400. I paid $850 shipped at a local shop and my friend paid $775 b/c he works there, so they are quite affordable. The KSport has a Monotube design, they are compression/rebound adjustable, they have an adjustable body for maximum suspension travel, an electroplated body to resist rust/corrosion, a 1 year limited warranty, and they are fully rebuildable (i live in Pennsylvania and it's my daily driver so that was a big perk to me b/c of our roads..). unfortunately, the DSM is one of the applications that does not have the pillowball top mount, but all in all for the price, the perks, the facts. It seems like a good investment.


Check out this website: http://www.ksportusa.com/products/index.html

P.S. The Tein's, in my opinion, are still a great coilover, this post was not meant to 'bash' against anyone with tein's.

Chris

 

[L2RTSiAWD]

I have seen many topics, but none of which really have what I am looking for. I would like only those experienced to participate in this thread aswell. I would like to know recomendations on coilover kits and pros and cons on them. I have been doing a great deal of research, and honestly, DSM forums are not the place to research suspension. I don't want to read about ground control and any other of these "coilovers", I want indepth descriptions of good coilovers. I have not seen any opinoins on Hot Bits models or any other high end coilovers. Anyone who would like to discuss this topic and make recomendations with valid arguements, I thank in advance.

There have been many threads on coilovers such as the D2 and others. What specifically are looking for. Not many people have these "high end" coilovers so you may not get much of a response with such a broad question.

 

[cait sith]

2000 bucks and you'll walk out with John Mueller setup JIC FLT-A2's. Go call up RRE and tell them your goals. They're not Ohlins, Motons, or Blisteins, but hey, DSM guys can't be too picky.

 

[WikedSicc]

Thank you for your opinion on the K-sport's. I have seen some info on the D2's, but nothing other than, they feel good and some people like them. I know for other applications, the D2's are not good at all. I was looking for input on the coilovers that not many people have. Does anyone have Tanabes? Which model? How about Hot Bits? Megan Racing? I know they are a money saver coilover setup, but does anyone have experience with them on a DSM? I am looking for information more so on "race" coilovers rather than "street" coilovers. I know there are people on this forum who competitivley road race and auto x, those are the opinions I am really after. I have been basing most of my opinions from sites dedicated to FR cars purely because the market for a race inspired suspension is much greater. Thanks for the previous opinions.

 

[WikedSicc]

2000 bucks and you'll walk out with John Mueller setup JIC FLT-A2's. Go call up RRE and tell them your goals. They're not Ohlins, Motons, or Blisteins, but hey, DSM guys can't be too picky.

I have done research with these aswell. I have read what they have on thier website as well as talked to them on the phone. The information they offer is outstanding, and that is the kind of info I am looking for on other brands.

 

[cait sith]

I have done research with these aswell. I have read what they have on thier website as well as talked to them on the phone. The information they offer is outstanding, and that is the kind of info I am looking for on other brands.

Honestly, any other brand/setup that's cheaper than this is going to be inferior to the Mueller setup unless you're quite experienced in corner weighting, suspension theory, etc.

If you're serious about suspension, they're pretty much one of the only "out of box bolt on" solution without going custom made setups.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

Well, if you can wait a few weeks, I'll have first hand experience of the Megan coilovers on a road course.
I have the Megan Racing 32 way coilovers, and very soon will have the RRE rear swaybar on. So far, from experiences on canyon runs etc, the suspension is no longer my limit. With the stock suspension, I would bottom out, sending the spring rate thru the roof, and I would lose almost all grip (not fun). With the Megan coilovers, you can set them to full soft (resembling close to stock feeling) to full stiff (WAY too stiff for any kind of competition driving, no body roll at all, just slides around). I've been playing with the settings for a few weeks now, and have them where I like them for now (this will change when I get the rear sway on). I get some body roll, but no where near enough to bottom out. The car is much more stable during high speed cornering especially.
One negative thing I noticed that you experience with any coilover setup is that an even slightly bumpy road during medium to hard cornering causes the car to hop and lose grip for an instant. I'm going to Streets of Willow April 21st, so I'll have a full opinion on these coilovers then. I'll be going against all kind of imports, Evos, M3's, so I should get a good idea of how they perform, although for the first time I will only have some sticky street radials on.

 

[jtmcinder]

One negative thing I noticed that you experience with any coilover setup is that an even slightly bumpy road during medium to hard cornering causes the car to hop and lose grip for an instant.

Bingo. That's the problem with shocks that change rebound and compression in parallel, which is how nearly all Asian shocks are made. You have discovered why Konis are to be preferred.

- Jtoby

ps. in sustained corners, shock settings have almost no effect on body roll

 

[FORMONTOYA]

I have the Ground Control kit with thier front upper mount. The one main thing I don't like about them and most others is the lack of a tender/helper (can't remember which is which) spring with the kit. When driving around town and I pull into a steep entry parking lot for instance...the car will "high side" with 1 of the 4 wheels actually coming off the ground, then when it does come back down there is a popping sound (from the back) where the spring hat has come off the body "tab" and pops back into place. The second spring (tender/helper) would solve this annoiance (sp?).

Although I like my Tokico Illuminas for daily driving, jtmcinder is correct, it sucks to have both adjust together when you are really pushing the car when not on a smooth surface.

 

[jtmcinder]

I hope you aren't using those little black bushings that came with your GC upper front plates.

- Jtoby

ps. either "tender" or "helper" is fine, but they often don't solve the rear-clank problem

 

[FORMONTOYA]

I hope you aren't using those little black bushings that came with your GC upper front plates.

- Jtoby

ps. either "tender" or "helper" is fine, but they often don't solve the rear-clank problem

No, during some research I found that those bushings should not be used with thier kit.

The helper spring might not solve the problem completly, but I would assume that it would reduce the occurance which would help alot when the wife is in the car wondering what just happened.

 

[jtmcinder]

Tender springs are good at keeping the springs lined up when unloaded, but they do nothing for the slam when the car resettles. In other words, they deal with the noise, mis-alignment issues, potential damage, and funny looks from passengers, but most tender springs have rates so low they do nothing for your back.

- Jtoby

 

[wret]

..can't remember which is which...

Actually I find the names counter intuitive. The "helper" spring is the one that does nothing more than keep the spring in place when unloaded and has a negligible spring rate. A "tender" spring does have some usable rate and can actually make a progressive rate when added to a linear spring.

 

[jtmcinder]

Woo hoo! Wiseman vs Moderator fight! Place your bets. (I got $5 on Ron.) I think it's the other way around. The "tender" spring only keeps things lined up, while the "helper" spring creates a non-linear total springrate by being something meaningful.

[crazy logic mode]
After all, The King did not sing "love me helper," now, did he?
[/crazy logic mode]

- Jtoby

 

[Rx3]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Hotbit coilovers for 1G only? Was there ever a 2G iteration of that setup?

eclipsegsx1736 , can the bound and rebound be set seperately on the Megans?

WickedSicc, what are the goals for the car? Is this a dedicated race car, or something else?

Unfortunately, it seems that the only advanced coilover (complete) sold for the DSM that has the adjustability necessary would be the JIC setup.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

eclipsegsx1736 , can the bound and rebound be set seperately on the Megans?

No, and good luck finding some reasonable ones that do. If you're using the car for road racing, the track will be smooth anyway. RRE seems to be doing FINE on road courses without independently adjustable bound and rebound.

 

[WikedSicc]

Yes, Hot Bits produces their street race coilover setup for 2g DSM's.

The car at hand is a street registered car, but with an owner very avid about road racing.

"Street Drivability" should not be taken into effect.

 

[silvah_gsx]

Also with the Megans, if you dont like the 14kg/6kg springs they come with, you can go with 12/8 springs. Not sure if other kits have that option, but its certainly a plus on this one.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

Yes, you can call them up and exchange your 14/6 for 12/8 if you talk to them. If I'm able to get those springs in time for Streets, I'll run the 12/6 combo and a rear swaybar as I've been recommended (thanks jtmcinder), and I'll give an update/review after that for you guys. I can always add the 8 to the rear later, but I'd rather not risk it on the first trip to the track and end up swapping ends.

 

[silvah_gsx]

If he's swapping in the 12, I guess I'll be giving the review of the 14/6? By the way this is with RM front & rear sways.

 

[drivemusicnow]

You're about where I was when i created this thread: Thread

Basically it comes down to Hotbits and JIC... and in the end, the hotbits is a better shock. It can also be completely customized by the US distributor to be exactly what you need.

I wish Jtoby and some of the others would reply on the shock curves in my original post. I've yet to purchase, however I think i've made up my mind.