I'm a noob when it comes to suspension. I'm currently still running the stock R1 suspension, but i'm looking at upgrading to something better.

I am planning on doing a few road courses this year and i'll probably be out at the strip quite often and of course the street, so i need something that i can adjust for all conditions.

My question is, can I get a decent (not crap) coilover for $1500 and if so, which one would give me the best bang for my buck? If $1500 isn't enough to get into a decent coilover, how much would it take or what other option would you suggest?

Thanks,
Jon

 

The Tein Flex coilovers are one of the more popular all-around choices for the FD. Quite a few people have also started getting Stance coilovers and providing positive feedback.

 

As stated above I'd get the stance coilovers. Best bang for the buck with U.S. support if anything goes wrong. Just recently got a set and haven't tried them out yet. A buddy of mine put the stance's and the tein's together and the stance's (although heavier) looks more rigid and can propbably handle more abuse. Read alot of good reviews on them by other rx7 people, 240 people really like them alot. I think you can pick up a set for like 1200 bucks. On my part I couldn't pass up the deal of $970 shipped on a group buy.

Good luck with your choice!!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RE-Am...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Silk-...QQcmdZViewItem

A little over $1500, but here's a couple contenders. The RE ones are pretty sick/rare, but the spring rates are pretty much "track only".

 

Those stance coilovers seem like a good deal, but isn't 12k/12k pretty strong for the street?

 

ok, maybe not since those RE Amemiya 16k/18k, but that almost seems ridiculous.

 

The dampers will mostly determine your ride quality. You just don't run them on hard while on the street. If you go the Tein route, you can also get the EDFC to able to change settings from inside the car.

 

Yeah, stance valved their dampers right so its not that harsh.

 

What is the ride height with on the stance and the tein flex? Is the height adjustable?

Sorry for all these noob questions, i really appreciate your help.

 

They are both height adjustable. Can lower vehicle without losing suspension travel.

The stances i can setup with 10k/10k if you desire or 11/10.

The biggest difference is that the Stance coilovers are Monotube while the Tein Flexs are Twin tube.

If you want the stances i'll give you a smokin deal.

Rishie

 

Yeah, they are ride height adjustable. I personally have a set of Tein Flex coilovers and I like them. Easy to install, easy to adjust.

The big thing with going with coilovers though, is getting your car corner-weighted/balanced. This is really the only performance-related reason to go with an adjustable height coilover setup, and this will yield the biggest change in the handling ability of your car. Otherwise you just have stiff springs and adjustable dampers.

 

I don't think corner balancing is a requirement or necessity to see a VAST improvement by going to an integrated coilover setup as the Tein flex or stance or Cusco, HKS etc....

You're going to see a vast improvement regardless imho. I think corner balancing is a great plus but don't see it as a necessity. You'll still be able to lower the car without losing suspension travel, get higher spring rates, and properly valved dampers. This is very difficult to get from an aftermarket shock and spring combo. This is why i think you'll still be extremely happy with coilovers even if you're not going to corner balance.

Rishie

 

Is monotube better than twintube? 6 of 1, half-dozen of the other?

Rishie, I won't be purchasing them just yet (I just bought a new motor and some other goodies), but i'll be sure to go through you when i do, I've been very happy with my Work wheels and get tons of complements on them.

 

Stay away from twin tube. It is an older design, not as efficient and won't last anywhere near as long as single tube. I wouldn't go stiffer then 10kg, 11kg is pushing it but forget about 12kg on a street car. Ideal mostly street would be 8kg/6kg or maybe HKS progressive.

 

You've been answered. hehe.

 

Can't even find a website for Quantum to have them serviced...

 

Complete nonsense.

 

Say what? I looked it up, posted a link to the website that explained it. Twin tube does not last as long a single tube on a track and in it's lifetime. You will end up spending more for twin tube since you have to replace the cartridges or have them rebuilt. They also make noise (woosh, woosh). I have used JIC twin tube and KYB AGX twin tube and both aged within a year. Twin tube is crap.

Do I really have to find the website and post it?

 

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...r_a_Shock.aspx

http://www.4x4review.com/feature/shock-genius.asp
That only took two searches and two min.

 

A well designed, well built twin tube can outlast and outperform a lesser quality monotube. It's not only down to the type of design, there's more factors at play here.

That said, all else being equal (it never is) a monotube is better.

 

I would say that there are twin tube dampers out there which are pretty nice and widely used for track, i.e. Koni Yellows. Yet at the same time you will find these companies' higher model dampers are all monotube. It really depends on your uses. I wouldn't make a blanket statement that Monotube dampers are better than twin tube dampers for every type of use.

Let's really try and listen to our resident experts here like DamonB and other track guys who i know use twin tube dampers religiously. I like the rebuildability of a monotube personally. Konis can be but it costs.

From my understanding the Twin tube dampers, due to design, will inherently generate more heat and more chances of cavitation over prolonged use.

Now a real debate would be short stroke dampers vs. standard stroke dampers. That was an interesting discussion I had with a Koni rep.

Rishie

 

ok, my apologies to Daman but his reply was lacking to say the least. Yours (Rishi's) and Black91's reply was informative and helpfull.

 

No worries we're all here to help so the more accurate the information the better for everyone.

WE're all good people here. This is the RX7 club no doubt, this ain't no honda forum. hehe. I just try to be diplomatic because we're vendors and i'm a hindu. hahahaha. Karma's a bitch. lolz.

 

Actually I do beleive the top of the line Koni, the 2822, is a twin tube, but that's so that they can accomodate a 4 way adjustment. The rest of their top line models are monotube. So are most of the really good racing shocks. KW makes some really good shocks that are twin tube as well, but their best ones are monotube.

One benefit of a monotube is that they can have larger pistons, so for a given stroke, they move more fluid, which makes it easier to have good control, especially at really low shaft speeds. As for the heat, where a monotube generates heat it can also shed heat right on the other side of the tube, a twin tube esentially has an insulating layer there, so it's not so much that they generate more heat they just have trouble shedding it. That also makes them more prone to damage, as a small dent in the shock body can ruin the whole thing by destroying the piston seal. That's why aluminum bodied shocks aren't a good idea on the street. Monotubes also typically have much lower hysterisis than a twin tube, but they've also got pre-load due to the gas pressure.

 

I know the pros and cons in the manufacture and performance of twin tube vs montotube. Those pros and cons have absolutely nothing to do with how old the concepts are or how long the product will last. Efficiency is debatable. Efficiency doesn't come down to simply designing a monotube shock, it comes down to execution in manufacture. This forum is absolutely full of expensive montotube coilovers which are crap.

In a nutshell a monotube gets you more oil displacement in the same size package. It will also run cooler, but the assumption that this means twin tubes in fact always overheat is entirely invalid.