FC3S

planning my Next Build but this time around I want a good handling car with Power.

planning on 500-550whp

Tires combo im thinking are:

17x9 all around
tires are 255

or

255 up front
275 out back

Which will handle better? assuming the same brands


as far as suspension.

Im thinking gf210

or

Godspeed coilover

This is where Im undecided.
I want a low ride but I want a nice handling car. nothing too extreme as I would only autocross it like 1-2 times a year. mostly a dd handling in the backroads.


Ive read coil overs are much better than springs, but would you go with a cheap gsp coils or get good quality spring/shock?

 

Least to koni/ground control

 

My FC is a dual-purpose street/autox machine. I'm running Fortune coilovers with Swift springs and love the ride. My car is on 255s all around and has loads of grip, but you'll probably want more out back with 500+RWHP. I drove a TII that was around 350RWHP with a 275 rear fitment and it felt very connected, but the same car with a 245 rear and around 400RWHP had hopeless wheel spin.

 

if you're really serious about racing it, you should run koni/bilstein they are better shocks than the chinese ebay stuff. a spring is a spring, a chinese 400lbs spring might have a looser tolerance than a good spring, but its still a spring. however shocks aren't created equal, and they are super important to ride AND handling.

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html

for 500hp, you probably will want as much tire as you can fit in the back

 

^I very much agree. don't go with lowering springs, they're a waste of time. coilovers with crappy Chinese dampers are a small step up.

talk to Tony @ AWRracing (awrracing.com) about some bilstein coilovers. He'll set you up.

or just get some normal bilsteins and ground control coilover sleeves. (I'm pretty sure koni has discontinued FC fitment....)

Here is why I did with my suspension:
https://www.rx7club.com/suspension-wheels-tires-brakes-20/[fc]-bigass-budget-baller-bilstein-build-thread-955929/



about the tires, it depends on weather you want to rotate them or not. with 500 whp I'd probably recommend 255/275s on 17x9/10s.... that being said, that isn't terribly easy to fit under a stock FC.

255s, require a lot of camber and a fender roll and about +25mm offset

275s need about 30mm offset in the back and will also be close depending on wheel size and camber.

 

I know I would need more tires out back. but main focus is handling but If I can fit 315 and still handle great then Id go that route.

I just want to avoid any wide body kit or pull. I have no problem w/ rolling the fender.

Ideally I want the widest I can fit and match a tire size up front that wont cause negative effect on handling.


Just sold my 530awhp talon so this project is a GO


what Im Now considering is

1. Coilover - gsp (unless I find a used brand name coilover.)

2. full poly bushings

3. strut tower brace front / back
and undercarriage brace(front)
DO they make any for the rear?

4. Camber plates (front)
Rear pillowball mounts

Im thinking sway bar aswell but DO you guys think its neccesary? its not a track focus car at all.


is there anything else i miss?

 

yah, you missed the part where everyone said don't buy bullshit chinese coilovers..
Bilstein FTW. or Koni I guess..

Don't buy poly bushings for anything that moves. diff or subframe mounts are fine. stick with stock, or Delrin up front and bearings in the back (AWR/MMR). Poly=bad.
Get a giant front sway bar, and stock or no rear sway bar.

cheap 2-point strut tower bars are pointless. better off just building your own, unless you can find a 3-4 point front strut bar (ties into firewall). rear strut bar does nothing.

 

actually unless I read wrong. Eage8 said that they are a step up above lowering spring.

Ive been doing research on them and people that comment on these brand does not have personal experience with them.

Im not saying that they are better or the same level as the name brand coils but if they are a step above lowering/spring set up ill take it.


what makes you say poly=bad. is it an rx7 specific?

Im running full poly on my 260z and its awesome.



its pretty easy to find 3-4 point strut bar.

and is the rear tower really that rigid that strut bar wouldnt do a thing?

 

Yes, because lowering springs are completely terrible... most of them add negligible spring rate and remove half the suspension travel (sometimes more)

just because crappy chinese coilovers are better than lowering springs doesn't mean they're good. I wouldn't waste your time or money on them. They car won't ride well...

most of the crap chinese coilovers are all made in the same factory. So you really don't need to have first hand experience. read the link j9fd3s posted.

the problem with lowering springs is you just ride around on the bump stop and it feels "sporty" but in actuality handles like poo.

chinese coilovers ride around on stiff springs that the crap dampers can't control so the car is just super bouncy. some people think this is awesome and they're car "handles like it's on rails" but they really just don't know what a good suspension should feel like.



poly bushings being bad is suspension design specific. if the suspension moves in more than 1 axis, poly bushings will bind. the rear suspension of the rx7 does this.

the front suspension has an odd barbed rear bushing that doesn't have a metal sleeve. this won't stay greased properly and will also bind. Anyone with a fast RX7 that has done their research has zero poly in their setups.

the rear strut tower doesn't do anything to locate the wheel hub.