A good coilover kit
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
A good coilover kit
I am researching coilovers for the FC. ive been reading a few post on here and from what i have gathered so far. I should stay away from Megan,Fortune Auto, and Godspeed. I got mixed reviews regarding Tein so still trying to decide on what catergory to put them in. However I havent heard any bad reviews on Cusco. or Stnace Coilovers. with that said I ve been leaning towards the Cusco Zero 1 set. the part number is 420-60E CN. So I want to hear from people who have owned a set or running with them right now. Are they worth the cost?
asking people about their coilovers is like asking them what women the find attractive. everybody has their own taste.
with that said, it helps to know if you plan to run the track the car frequently or if you just want a stiffer street setup. I do a pretty even mix between track and street and im running tein flex coilovers. they have a pretty good range of adjustability but they are much stiffer than stock, hence not everybody will enjoy them
with that said, it helps to know if you plan to run the track the car frequently or if you just want a stiffer street setup. I do a pretty even mix between track and street and im running tein flex coilovers. they have a pretty good range of adjustability but they are much stiffer than stock, hence not everybody will enjoy them
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
asking people about their coilovers is like asking them what women the find attractive. everybody has their own taste.
with that said, it helps to know if you plan to run the track the car frequently or if you just want a stiffer street setup. I do a pretty even mix between track and street and im running tein flex coilovers. they have a pretty good range of adjustability but they are much stiffer than stock, hence not everybody will enjoy them
with that said, it helps to know if you plan to run the track the car frequently or if you just want a stiffer street setup. I do a pretty even mix between track and street and im running tein flex coilovers. they have a pretty good range of adjustability but they are much stiffer than stock, hence not everybody will enjoy them
Hmmmm...I sold a customer a set of Stance Super Sport + for his FC and he DD the car a lot and drifts occasionally. He enjoys them even after owning a Cusco coilover setup previously.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
Thanks for the feedback how much do you sell them for. Im still researching but this is the kind of feedback I'm looking for
if you want stiffer ride but not overly aggressive you should simply stick with upgraded struts and some sport springs.
if you want to drop the car more than lowering springs will do then i suggest ground control stock strut coilover spring assemblies on aftermarket strut assemblies.
if you only plan to drop the car maybe an inch to an inch and a half then i really liked my KYB AGX with tein S-tech drop springs, and i really miss them over my grossly overpriced HKS Hyper D coilovers, which suck for daily driving by the way..
if the struts alone aren't giving you enough of a positive feel then you can amplify the stiffness of the suspension by upgrading to poly suspension bushings. the AGX/Tien/hyperflex combo i used to run was damn near perfect for a mix of street use and still decent enough for good grip on the track. once i put the coilovers on, it all went to hell(shifted to the end of the spectrum for track use only, even on the softest settings it is bouncy and harsh).
unless you mainly track the car then coilovers are simply a waste of money and kill your back for nothing. of all the customer FCs i have driven, none had a good feel for street use with any brand of coilover, the cusco were probably the most neutral feeling though and what i would suggest if you plan to disregard the advice.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; Sep 17, 2013 at 12:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
then the answer is: none of the above.
if you want stiffer ride but not overly aggressive you should simply stick with upgraded struts and some sport springs.
if you want to drop the car more than lowering springs will do then i suggest ground control stock strut coilover spring assemblies on aftermarket strut assemblies.
if you only plan to drop the car maybe an inch to an inch and a half then i really liked my KYB AGX with tein S-tech drop springs, and i really miss them over my grossly overpriced HKS Hyper D coilovers, which suck for daily driving by the way..
unless you mainly track the car then coilovers are simply a waste of money and kill your back for nothing.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
then the answer is: none of the above.
if you want stiffer ride but not overly aggressive you should simply stick with upgraded struts and some sport springs.
if you want to drop the car more than lowering springs will do then i suggest ground control stock strut coilover spring assemblies on aftermarket strut assemblies.
if you only plan to drop the car maybe an inch to an inch and a half then i really liked my KYB AGX with tein S-tech drop springs, and i really miss them over my grossly overpriced HKS Hyper D coilovers, which suck for daily driving by the way..
unless you mainly track the car then coilovers are simply a waste of money and kill your back for nothing.
then my opinion is in the edit above, cusco are good interim coilovers followed by the Tein flex, which you can get the onboard controller for them to adjust them from inside the cabin.
but i still strongly suggest thinking outside the box. the more you drive it the less you will likely enjoy driving it. focus on where most of your driving time is going to be, any coilover isn't going to be a good match for street driving.
i still contemplate going back to the AGX/tein combo because i rarely track the car and it isn't as enjoyable to drive as it could be.
but i still strongly suggest thinking outside the box. the more you drive it the less you will likely enjoy driving it. focus on where most of your driving time is going to be, any coilover isn't going to be a good match for street driving.
i still contemplate going back to the AGX/tein combo because i rarely track the car and it isn't as enjoyable to drive as it could be.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; Sep 17, 2013 at 12:51 PM.
Teins rust.
They are heavy steel and have always rusted for years since their existence. They also tend to blow out pretty quickly. Honestly I don't get why people still buy them.
Sure back in the day they were the only choice for people looking for coilovers, but by this day and age they are old technology that gets SURPASSED EVEN BY Megan and some of that junk.
(Granted even I feel like I rather ride on Teins than Megans, though I'm still serious. They are very expensive for what kind of quality you get out of them...)
You cant do things the wrong way unless you know how to do them right: KYB or Konis with Ground control perches will give you THE BEST HANDLING AND COMFORT, hands down. I dont think you will get as low as you can with coilovers, nor will you have that extra room for wider wheels, so those are the main reasons to NOT run a conventional setup.
With all that being said, looking at my records, a little over 12k miles ago I installed BC Racing coilovers. After years of being uptight about proper suspension geometry, I've gotten lax in my older age and have been curious about just getting the "height" I want out of the car. (Likewise, on my Miata, I had brand new HKS Hipermax II coilovers. Pretty great ride, although a little soft. I had them turned up almost to the max 40 setting. If it wasn't for the fact that I got them really... REALLLY cheap, I would have never gotten to own those.)
The BC's have started to "Soften up" from their slightly concrete ride when I first installed them. I finally found a REALLY great stiffness setting that allows the car to nose dive and follow through however I turn, without "Bland" neutral handling in a bad way, understeer, or excessive oversteer. Driving style as a concern, my car is LITERALLY a highway car... 10% im on city streets. When I AM on twisty roads, My settings perform.
(3 clicks in the front, 7 clicks in the rear. After playing around with settings, I wouldn't go higher than 10F/15R. It starts to get REALLY rock solid, and the handling/ride start to feel almost unsafe on uneven road.)
My settings can be opinionated because I have 18x8/18x9 wheels.. But my buddy with an almost identical BC coilover + 18x8/18x9 setup is currently running my settings and also enjoys the feedback.
Also, I didnt just make this stuff up, its from experience of listening to some racing buddies. I've just come to "Tweak" them for my preference.
I like the build quality of BC's, the ride quality seems as good as you can get for cheaper coilovers... I have no problem staying a BC customer, Maybe next time I will get the "Swift spring upgrade", I would almost recommend this $75 upgrade, even though I have no experience firsthand.... For ***** and giggles Im contemplating switching to Stance coilovers one day, because I'm honestly curious if there is a product difference, and thats the only other product I want to try out/run on, I heard great things about those from a buddy who has a AutoX/Track extensive/built FC. Besides deciding to stop being a dingle berry, and go get some KYB/GC's.
Clifnotes: BC Racing & Stance Coilovers are the only brands I would bother looking into, for coilovers on the cheap end.
They are heavy steel and have always rusted for years since their existence. They also tend to blow out pretty quickly. Honestly I don't get why people still buy them.
Sure back in the day they were the only choice for people looking for coilovers, but by this day and age they are old technology that gets SURPASSED EVEN BY Megan and some of that junk.
(Granted even I feel like I rather ride on Teins than Megans, though I'm still serious. They are very expensive for what kind of quality you get out of them...)
You cant do things the wrong way unless you know how to do them right: KYB or Konis with Ground control perches will give you THE BEST HANDLING AND COMFORT, hands down. I dont think you will get as low as you can with coilovers, nor will you have that extra room for wider wheels, so those are the main reasons to NOT run a conventional setup.
With all that being said, looking at my records, a little over 12k miles ago I installed BC Racing coilovers. After years of being uptight about proper suspension geometry, I've gotten lax in my older age and have been curious about just getting the "height" I want out of the car. (Likewise, on my Miata, I had brand new HKS Hipermax II coilovers. Pretty great ride, although a little soft. I had them turned up almost to the max 40 setting. If it wasn't for the fact that I got them really... REALLLY cheap, I would have never gotten to own those.)
The BC's have started to "Soften up" from their slightly concrete ride when I first installed them. I finally found a REALLY great stiffness setting that allows the car to nose dive and follow through however I turn, without "Bland" neutral handling in a bad way, understeer, or excessive oversteer. Driving style as a concern, my car is LITERALLY a highway car... 10% im on city streets. When I AM on twisty roads, My settings perform.
(3 clicks in the front, 7 clicks in the rear. After playing around with settings, I wouldn't go higher than 10F/15R. It starts to get REALLY rock solid, and the handling/ride start to feel almost unsafe on uneven road.)
My settings can be opinionated because I have 18x8/18x9 wheels.. But my buddy with an almost identical BC coilover + 18x8/18x9 setup is currently running my settings and also enjoys the feedback.
Also, I didnt just make this stuff up, its from experience of listening to some racing buddies. I've just come to "Tweak" them for my preference.
I like the build quality of BC's, the ride quality seems as good as you can get for cheaper coilovers... I have no problem staying a BC customer, Maybe next time I will get the "Swift spring upgrade", I would almost recommend this $75 upgrade, even though I have no experience firsthand.... For ***** and giggles Im contemplating switching to Stance coilovers one day, because I'm honestly curious if there is a product difference, and thats the only other product I want to try out/run on, I heard great things about those from a buddy who has a AutoX/Track extensive/built FC. Besides deciding to stop being a dingle berry, and go get some KYB/GC's.
Clifnotes: BC Racing & Stance Coilovers are the only brands I would bother looking into, for coilovers on the cheap end.
Full Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: west chicago
then you answered your own question, coilovers are worthless on the street and give no gain on a street only car. The ride gets annoying and they will wear out faster then a shock and spring combo(and when both do break the coils are more expensive to rebuild/replace). Adjustability is pointless when there is quite a few good combo's that are non adjustable or have a few adjustments that will be done one time for a good feel on the street. I use basic tokico blue shock's and tanabe springs on one of my rx7's and to me it is perfect. The drop was just enough to get rid of wheel well gap but the car can clear potholes and other road hazards no problem. Mind you this is in Chicago and the crap road conditions here rival anywhere in the country. With the money you save not getting coils you can get any spring and shock combo out there with money to spare to then replace and upgrade your bushings, wheel studs, sway bars and strut bars if you want them upgraded.
good point, coilovers wear out quicker than conventional struts and require rebuilding periodically. additional cost for what benefit?
most people who know will simply tell you to leave coilovers to a dedicated track car.
most people who know will simply tell you to leave coilovers to a dedicated track car.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
Teins rust.
They are heavy steel and have always rusted for years since their existence. They also tend to blow out pretty quickly. Honestly I don't get why people still buy them.
Sure back in the day they were the only choice for people looking for coilovers, but by this day and age they are old technology that gets SURPASSED EVEN BY Megan and some of that junk.
(Granted even I feel like I rather ride on Teins than Megans, though I'm still serious. They are very expensive for what kind of quality you get out of them...)
You cant do things the wrong way unless you know how to do them right: KYB or Konis with Ground control perches will give you THE BEST HANDLING AND COMFORT, hands down. I dont think you will get as low as you can with coilovers, nor will you have that extra room for wider wheels, so those are the main reasons to NOT run a conventional setup.
With all that being said, looking at my records, a little over 12k miles ago I installed BC Racing coilovers. After years of being uptight about proper suspension geometry, I've gotten lax in my older age and have been curious about just getting the "height" I want out of the car. (Likewise, on my Miata, I had brand new HKS Hipermax II coilovers. Pretty great ride, although a little soft. I had them turned up almost to the max 40 setting. If it wasn't for the fact that I got them really... REALLLY cheap, I would have never gotten to own those.)
The BC's have started to "Soften up" from their slightly concrete ride when I first installed them. I finally found a REALLY great stiffness setting that allows the car to nose dive and follow through however I turn, without "Bland" neutral handling in a bad way, understeer, or excessive oversteer.
(3 clicks in the front, 7 clicks in the rear. After playing around with settings, I wouldn't go higher than 10F/15R. It starts to get REALLY rock solid, and the handling/ride start to feel almost unsafe on uneven road.)
My settings can be opinionated because I have 18x8/18x9 wheels.. But my buddy with an almost identical BC coilover + 18x8/18x9 setup is currently running my settings and also enjoys the feedback.
Also, I didnt just make this stuff up, its from experience of listening to some racing buddies. I've just come to "Tweak" them for my preference.
I like the build quality of BC's, the ride quality seems as good as you can get for cheaper coilovers... I have no problem staying a BC customer, Maybe next time I will get the "Swift spring upgrade", I would almost recommend this $75 upgrade, even though I have no experience firsthand.... For ***** and giggles Im contemplating switching to Stance coilovers one day, because I'm honestly curious if there is a product difference, and thats the only other product I want to try out/run on. I heard great things about those from a buddy who has a AutoX/Track extensive/built FC.
Clifnotes: BC Racing & Stance Coilovers are the only brands I would bother looking into, for coilovers on the cheap end.
They are heavy steel and have always rusted for years since their existence. They also tend to blow out pretty quickly. Honestly I don't get why people still buy them.
Sure back in the day they were the only choice for people looking for coilovers, but by this day and age they are old technology that gets SURPASSED EVEN BY Megan and some of that junk.
(Granted even I feel like I rather ride on Teins than Megans, though I'm still serious. They are very expensive for what kind of quality you get out of them...)
You cant do things the wrong way unless you know how to do them right: KYB or Konis with Ground control perches will give you THE BEST HANDLING AND COMFORT, hands down. I dont think you will get as low as you can with coilovers, nor will you have that extra room for wider wheels, so those are the main reasons to NOT run a conventional setup.
With all that being said, looking at my records, a little over 12k miles ago I installed BC Racing coilovers. After years of being uptight about proper suspension geometry, I've gotten lax in my older age and have been curious about just getting the "height" I want out of the car. (Likewise, on my Miata, I had brand new HKS Hipermax II coilovers. Pretty great ride, although a little soft. I had them turned up almost to the max 40 setting. If it wasn't for the fact that I got them really... REALLLY cheap, I would have never gotten to own those.)
The BC's have started to "Soften up" from their slightly concrete ride when I first installed them. I finally found a REALLY great stiffness setting that allows the car to nose dive and follow through however I turn, without "Bland" neutral handling in a bad way, understeer, or excessive oversteer.
(3 clicks in the front, 7 clicks in the rear. After playing around with settings, I wouldn't go higher than 10F/15R. It starts to get REALLY rock solid, and the handling/ride start to feel almost unsafe on uneven road.)
My settings can be opinionated because I have 18x8/18x9 wheels.. But my buddy with an almost identical BC coilover + 18x8/18x9 setup is currently running my settings and also enjoys the feedback.
Also, I didnt just make this stuff up, its from experience of listening to some racing buddies. I've just come to "Tweak" them for my preference.
I like the build quality of BC's, the ride quality seems as good as you can get for cheaper coilovers... I have no problem staying a BC customer, Maybe next time I will get the "Swift spring upgrade", I would almost recommend this $75 upgrade, even though I have no experience firsthand.... For ***** and giggles Im contemplating switching to Stance coilovers one day, because I'm honestly curious if there is a product difference, and thats the only other product I want to try out/run on. I heard great things about those from a buddy who has a AutoX/Track extensive/built FC.
Clifnotes: BC Racing & Stance Coilovers are the only brands I would bother looking into, for coilovers on the cheap end.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
Earlier when you said the ride isn't as enjoyable as it could be. Can you elaborate on that what was the difference between your current and old setup
It was street legal, and he would take it on the streets often (Still does once he puts an engine back in it, I'm sure) so yes, it was about as DD as you can get when you own like, 4 other vehicles.
My Miata was a pure DD car. It was my first and only car. I did do AutoXs though.
Currently the FC "is" a DD... but I have a true DD... so, like RE says... When I get flipping tired of bouncing around, I go get the REAL DD, and put the FC away for a month.
I wont lie to you: Cheap Coilovers, (or ANY coilovers) for a DD is just because you kinda wanna be "cool" or have fitment requirements for wheels, or ride height. You have some plan for your car.
But if you are really concerned about having a safe, comfortable, and possibly even FASTER handling DD than the next guy... a normal shock/spring setup is going to be the proper way.
You asked for coilover opinions, and I AM in-fact running coilovers when I know better. I like the agressive "Bounce" look you get on the highway. haha
My Miata was a pure DD car. It was my first and only car. I did do AutoXs though.
Currently the FC "is" a DD... but I have a true DD... so, like RE says... When I get flipping tired of bouncing around, I go get the REAL DD, and put the FC away for a month.
I wont lie to you: Cheap Coilovers, (or ANY coilovers) for a DD is just because you kinda wanna be "cool" or have fitment requirements for wheels, or ride height. You have some plan for your car.
But if you are really concerned about having a safe, comfortable, and possibly even FASTER handling DD than the next guy... a normal shock/spring setup is going to be the proper way.
You asked for coilover opinions, and I AM in-fact running coilovers when I know better. I like the agressive "Bounce" look you get on the highway. haha
most street struts dampen full time(there is no gas pressurization), instead of taking up a certain gap and then taking a dead blow to the car to stop it from dampening further into the suspension.
#2 is a better compromise on rough roads which you will likely see on any given street. #1 works fine if road conditions are good. coilovers have the same give, but there is less of a cushion effect with them, sort of like riding on an old wooden rollercoaster(you can feel every seam or imperfection on the tracks). even minor seams in the road will go quickly from gas cushion to fluid dampening with a harsh feel, because coilovers are really only designed for smooth road surfaces.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; Sep 17, 2013 at 01:41 PM.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
most coilovers tend to dip and then dampen, more harshly.
most street struts dampen full time, instead of taking up a certain gap and then taking a dead blow to the car to stop it from dampening further into the suspension.
#2 is a better compromise on rough roads which you will likely see on any given street. #1 works fine if road conditions are good. coilovers have the same give, but there is less of a cushion effect with them, sort of like riding on an old wooden rollercoaster.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
Wanna say thanks for the feedback from everyone has been a great help now I'm curious to know. This gonna be another noob question but when redesigning/or upgrading (however you want to put it) the suspension are there pieces you can add composate for the negatives of running a coilover setup or even if I decided to just go with some upgraded springs and better shocks/struts. The pieces I'm talking about chassis braces(strut tower front/rear) undercarriage reinforcement to improve handling or comfort. Cause I was also thinking of a Okayama tower brace and Tanabe brace for the undercarriage.
suspension only really adds one way or the other and not both at the same time.
softer suspension is usually for comfort, stiffer is more for hard use. once you make the ride stiffer is is difficult to take that back away from the car by modifying something else to compensate.
adding anything that stiffens ride quality either has to be removed or replaced again with something more comfortable. so if your coilovers don't cut it on the softest setting they have to be removed and replaced with something more streetable.
adding other things like strut braces make very minor but still noticable differences and are a good place to start, the best in fact since they don't hurt ride quality as much.
stiffer suspension bushings are the most difficult to undo, but also a good place to start because the old stock bushings have too much give and the wheel will buckle and sacrifice grip first. adding stiffer suspension bushings alone is very similar in feel to upgrading your struts alone.
struts should be the last thing you attempt to replace following springs, because the struts are going to give you your final ultimate feel of the car while driving. so work on the minor things first, see where the car is and then decide if aggressive or modest is the way to go.
i should also add that tires/wheels will also affect how the car rides. stock tires are tall, mushy, roll over in corners but also act as a suspension cushion. changing wheels to wider/taller with lower profile sidewalls will amplify road feel because the tires will give less cushion. so struts should still follow wheels/tires.
i have all of the above on my car and it has gone to the extreme, but i also kind of need the extra rubber under the car to keep it on the road. the one good pro of coilovers is the room they give for wider wheels/tires. it does well when it needs to, but the rest of the time i just hate driving it because it's simply too harsh, going backwards with my coilovers to traditional struts would hardly impact the performance of the car with all the other modifications done, but the coilovers do allow me to keep the 245F 275R without hacking up the outside skin of the car and running more offset on the wheels.
softer suspension is usually for comfort, stiffer is more for hard use. once you make the ride stiffer is is difficult to take that back away from the car by modifying something else to compensate.
adding anything that stiffens ride quality either has to be removed or replaced again with something more comfortable. so if your coilovers don't cut it on the softest setting they have to be removed and replaced with something more streetable.
adding other things like strut braces make very minor but still noticable differences and are a good place to start, the best in fact since they don't hurt ride quality as much.
stiffer suspension bushings are the most difficult to undo, but also a good place to start because the old stock bushings have too much give and the wheel will buckle and sacrifice grip first. adding stiffer suspension bushings alone is very similar in feel to upgrading your struts alone.
struts should be the last thing you attempt to replace following springs, because the struts are going to give you your final ultimate feel of the car while driving. so work on the minor things first, see where the car is and then decide if aggressive or modest is the way to go.
i should also add that tires/wheels will also affect how the car rides. stock tires are tall, mushy, roll over in corners but also act as a suspension cushion. changing wheels to wider/taller with lower profile sidewalls will amplify road feel because the tires will give less cushion. so struts should still follow wheels/tires.
i have all of the above on my car and it has gone to the extreme, but i also kind of need the extra rubber under the car to keep it on the road. the one good pro of coilovers is the room they give for wider wheels/tires. it does well when it needs to, but the rest of the time i just hate driving it because it's simply too harsh, going backwards with my coilovers to traditional struts would hardly impact the performance of the car with all the other modifications done, but the coilovers do allow me to keep the 245F 275R without hacking up the outside skin of the car and running more offset on the wheels.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; Sep 17, 2013 at 01:59 PM.
This is all cans of worms you're opening up...
I get curious about all that (mainly) ebay bracing you see.... Don't forget, Most if not all FC's now a days have VERY TIRED chassis than when first introduced... Lots of that is band-aids for aging. FCs have "poor" suspension geometry... Much better than a 350Z with its full McPherson setup. (FC's only have the McPherson setup in the front, the back is multi link... to a degree.... Thats why FDs and Miatas handle so great, they have Multilink ALL AROUND.... To this day, not many cars can say that... Its cheaper to stick with total McPherson setup... and most people are too dumb to know this.)
Anyway.... Going back to my track FC buddy.... he always told me to "STIFFEN THE LIVING **** OUT OF THE FRONT" (Polyurethane bushings everywhere, stiff *** strut and sway bars, etc etc) and to leave the rear *ALMOST* as soft as possible. (NO POLY BUSHINGS what so ever on the rear, save for DTSS elimination. So that means, Energy suspension or the like for ALL the bushings, and sometimes he would also run NO sway bar.)
Like I said, now your just opening more cans of worms, and I have basic laws of "DOs and DONTs" of FC suspension, I know others have even better answers for you.
I get curious about all that (mainly) ebay bracing you see.... Don't forget, Most if not all FC's now a days have VERY TIRED chassis than when first introduced... Lots of that is band-aids for aging. FCs have "poor" suspension geometry... Much better than a 350Z with its full McPherson setup. (FC's only have the McPherson setup in the front, the back is multi link... to a degree.... Thats why FDs and Miatas handle so great, they have Multilink ALL AROUND.... To this day, not many cars can say that... Its cheaper to stick with total McPherson setup... and most people are too dumb to know this.)
Anyway.... Going back to my track FC buddy.... he always told me to "STIFFEN THE LIVING **** OUT OF THE FRONT" (Polyurethane bushings everywhere, stiff *** strut and sway bars, etc etc) and to leave the rear *ALMOST* as soft as possible. (NO POLY BUSHINGS what so ever on the rear, save for DTSS elimination. So that means, Energy suspension or the like for ALL the bushings, and sometimes he would also run NO sway bar.)
Like I said, now your just opening more cans of worms, and I have basic laws of "DOs and DONTs" of FC suspension, I know others have even better answers for you.
More grist for the mill:
Even assuming you splash for nice coilovers (whatever the rich, cool kids buy these days- Ohlins, Penskes, Bueller?), they still need to be set up.
Not easy to do.
Edit:
Jeez, lots of activity while I slowly carved my last response...
Anyway, there is a misunderstanding about the way "stiffness" is being advocated here.
A suspension that is always stiff and unresponsive is useless and counterproductive.
"Race" suspensions seem stiff to the average mortal because they aren't driving at the level the suspension was set up for.
Go fast enough and generate the g-force found in race conditions and the suspension should be compliant and supple.
No driver wants a punishing suspension, they put up with it at 8/10 so it will work better at 10/10.
Even assuming you splash for nice coilovers (whatever the rich, cool kids buy these days- Ohlins, Penskes, Bueller?), they still need to be set up.
Not easy to do.
Edit:
Jeez, lots of activity while I slowly carved my last response...
Anyway, there is a misunderstanding about the way "stiffness" is being advocated here.
A suspension that is always stiff and unresponsive is useless and counterproductive.
"Race" suspensions seem stiff to the average mortal because they aren't driving at the level the suspension was set up for.
Go fast enough and generate the g-force found in race conditions and the suspension should be compliant and supple.
No driver wants a punishing suspension, they put up with it at 8/10 so it will work better at 10/10.
Anyway.... Going back to my track FC buddy.... he always told me to "STIFFEN THE LIVING **** OUT OF THE FRONT" (Polyurethane bushings everywhere, stiff *** strut and sway bars, etc etc) and to leave the rear *ALMOST* as soft as possible. (NO POLY BUSHINGS what so ever on the rear, save for DTSS elimination. So that means, Energy suspension or the like for ALL the bushings, and sometimes he would also run NO sway bar.)
most of the attention is always done to the front of the car first and foremost and then oversteer issues resloved afterwards.
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; Sep 17, 2013 at 02:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Vriginia,
suspension only really adds one way or the other and not both at the same time.
softer suspension is usually for comfort, stiffer is more for hard use. once you make the ride stiffer is is difficult to take that back away from the car by modifying something else to compensate.
adding anything that stiffens ride quality either has to be removed or replaced again with something more comfortable. so if your coilovers don't cut it on the softest setting they have to be removed and replaced with something more streetable.
adding other things like strut braces make very minor but still noticable differences and are a good place to start, the best in fact since they don't hurt ride quality as much.
stiffer suspension bushings are the most difficult to undo, but also a good place to start because the old stock bushings have too much give and the wheel will buckle and sacrifice grip first. adding stiffer suspension bushings alone is very similar in feel to upgrading your struts alone.
struts should be the last thing you attempt to replace following springs, because the struts are going to give you your final ultimate feel of the car while driving. so work on the minor things first, see where the car is and then decide if aggressive or modest is the way to go.
softer suspension is usually for comfort, stiffer is more for hard use. once you make the ride stiffer is is difficult to take that back away from the car by modifying something else to compensate.
adding anything that stiffens ride quality either has to be removed or replaced again with something more comfortable. so if your coilovers don't cut it on the softest setting they have to be removed and replaced with something more streetable.
adding other things like strut braces make very minor but still noticable differences and are a good place to start, the best in fact since they don't hurt ride quality as much.
stiffer suspension bushings are the most difficult to undo, but also a good place to start because the old stock bushings have too much give and the wheel will buckle and sacrifice grip first. adding stiffer suspension bushings alone is very similar in feel to upgrading your struts alone.
struts should be the last thing you attempt to replace following springs, because the struts are going to give you your final ultimate feel of the car while driving. so work on the minor things first, see where the car is and then decide if aggressive or modest is the way to go.
