Which coilovers?

[JT]

What coilovers do you guys recommend for track and street use? I'm looking at these at the moment. Please let me know if there are some others that you guys like using.

Ohlins (base model, they're freakin' expensive)
Apexi N1 Type Pro and Type V
Bilstein PSS9s
Koni Yellows
Tein HAs or Flex

Thanks.

 

[rayray]

speaking to the guys in gt sport in hong kong and others in the know....
all of them say teins are a definate NONO. I personally thought they where ok, but after speaking to these guys who test all different types of coilovers to get the best performance...... I think i would get something else!

I've heard many good things about the bilsteins though!

Ray

 

[Evs]

There's an interesting article in 'Japanese Performance' mag this month about an EP3 tuned by Abbey Motorsport. This has Tein Flex coilovers with EDFC, and apparently they're on their fifth set of springs because all the others they'd tried were too stiff. This sort of implies that other JDM coilover kits might be too harsh although I think Unnamed_Warrior has some Teins on his car so he might be able to comment further :?:

Another option to consider is AST. These are sold by Powerstation in Cheltenham and are the same make as they fit to the Impreza T25 which has had rave reviews in the press for being very well tuned to British roads and scored highly in Autocar's 'best drivers car' test recently. They don't actually list a kit for the DC5 but one could be developed easily and Iain Litchfield has been recommending this to me. Haven't tried a car fitted with this so can't really give you my own views on it. Cost is about a grand I think.

All secondhand stuff here as have no direct experience myself (yet) but HTH anyway.

Evs

 

[JT]

Yeah, I've heard the same NONOs about TEINs. Maybe the only one worth buying are the RAs. I'm looking for something that is drivable on the streets too but good on tracks. After some research, I'm looking at bilsteins but don't want to limit my options just yet.
Hmm.. AST. I should look those up too.

Thanks alot guys!

 

[Evs]

You're welcome. I should have added that the Tein-equipped EP3 got a good write-up but the point was that the kit as originally fitted was too stiff and this is probably what you'd get if you bought them mail order without actually specifying what spring rates you wanted. :idea:

I think the moral of the story from the 'JP' article is to buy the kit from a company that has had some experience of using and developing them. :idea:

From what I've read, this would seem to be the case for both Abbey Motorsport and Powerstation, although they're certainly not the only ones and I can't comment on what they're like to deal with as I haven't used them myself yet. Again I must stress that this is only where I've got to with my research and can't comment from first-hand experience. Yet. :wink:

If you get a set that are adjustable on the car then you can always wind the rates up a bit for track use. Fwiw I'm thinking I'll probably go AST as their Subaru kit has had fantastic press and Powerstation are local-ish to me.

Website addresses are:

http://www.abbeymotorsport.co.uk/
http://www.powerstation.org.uk/

HTH
Evs

 

[davidd]

I have the Tein Ha's, they're great. On the softer settings the car feels about the same as stock, but with the front wound up to hard, the car is still usable as a daily driver

 

[scaryprowler]

JT,

If you can afford it - Ohlins! I've heard lots of good reports. Pricey tho!

 

[JT]

Yeah... heard good stuff about Ohlins too but for the price I'm paying for the base model, I can get top of the line coilovers from Apexi and the jap drivers have said good things about it.

I've put in a set of cusco anti sway bars and shit they feel good. Car points very well. Can't imagine what the car would be like on coilovers.

 

[Splink]

I have TEIN's on mine, and they are fab. They are a little harder than stock, however, the car just glues to the floor with them. I would definately buy more of these.

 

[Gary]

Does anyone know if the Bilstein set-up is available in the UK??? cos I have also heard reports coming direct from Japan that they are no.1 and also about other kits which compromise too much on comfort, cos like others I'm very wary of payin over a grand for somethin that I'm ultimately gonna regret!

 

[Gary]

Sorry guys another question, the wheels I desperately want are 18x7.5 with a max. 40mm offset the P.C.D. is correct at 114.3 but I was worried about the 10mm difference between this offset and std especially with a slightly wider rim as well. I'm sure I read somewhere that someone is runnin on 40mm offsets with no rubbing at all although I can't remember whether the car was lowered or not, cos mine will be - by about 30mm - can anyone give me practical advice on this issue cos the rims I'm after are comin from JDM and I want to be sure they'll fit or I'm gonna end up :cry: :cry: :cry: into my pint!
Pleeeze lads, need some help on this one!!!

 

[tokgeen]

any of you put the Mugen Sports suspension on your cars?

heard it does give a little drop (compared to stock) but it is non adjustable.

however, it is also said that much research have been done to develop this product and as some of you guys said above that TEINs are a big NONO, mugen seems to be the reliable choice. My question is basically is it worth it to get sth that is non-adjustable for that price...

fyi, im looking for mostly street use, but occasional track days... thanks for your opinions

tried some hks hipermax II in my friends ride before, werent too keen on those

 

[JT]

Hypermax aren't too good. Give em' a miss fer sure. Mugen shockers will drop you a noticeable bit and I hear they're ok (haven't driven one yet and I'd like to give it a try). If I'm remember correctly, they are the OEM shocks but re-valved.. re-gressive valving or not, I don't know.

Apparently, the OEM shocks go well with semi-slicks. A friend of mine did some seriously good time on the track with that set up. Everything else was stock.

 

[Type R - Matt]

I would be wary of changing to Jap dampers, as mentioned above the springs are usually very stiff, fantastic on the track, but terrible in the wet on the road, dry roads they are not too bad.

I had HKS Hiper Damper II (EK9) and they were excellent on the track, and excellent on the road (Softest settings), wet track or road and they were terrible, borderline dangerous.

On my Elise I am fitting Nitrons (car engine dead at the mo), they are UK based and having driven another S2 Elise with them they have transformed the handling, on road and track, wet or dry.

Guy at Nitron could make a bespoke damper for the DC5, he offers a 1 year guarentee on them, and you can have them serviced for £50 each, which will offer a further 1 year guarentee.

I wish I had gone for Cusco, I highly rate all there Suspension stuff, but go for a softer than you think spring.

 

[Type R - Matt]

fyi, im looking for mostly street use, but occasional track days... thanks for your opinions

IMHO just get some stiffer springs the DC5 dampers are excellent, fitting Coilovers is total overkill, if you don't use them on track, and potentially loose on road ability.

 

[T666YPR]

speaking to the guys in gt sport in hong kong and others in the know....
all of them say teins are a definate NONO. I personally thought they where ok, but after speaking to these guys who test all different types of coilovers to get the best performance...... I think i would get something else!

I've heard many good things about the bilsteins though!

Ray

I've been shopping around for some coilovers and everyone I've spoken to has slated the Teins as "low quality",to put it nicely.

For the amount of road and track use I do,I've settled on ordering some Tanabe Sustec Pro SS.

These come with Helper springs and are fully adjustable,so ideal for combined road & track 8)

Proof is in the pudding as they say,so I will give my opinion when they're fitted.

Simon

 

[MJ Type-R]

Simon,

I got told that about Tein yesterday, also the main reason they have started in the UK, is that in Japan now, owners avoid the Tein brand :!:

I was told to stick to standard dampers for the time being, then if I want to upgrade, look at Cusco ones.

Mike

 

[Type R - Matt]

What did I say?? Cusco :wink:

Hi Mike hope you OK. Will soon have a Honda again to partner my Elise

 

[f1nal zeros]

I've been using the Tein Flex on my car for both daily driving and track events and they are great. I may up the spring rate a bit to make the ride a bit harder for track use, but other then that they are great.

I've heard good things here in the states regarding the Tein Flex.
I've heard bad things regarding the Mugen SS setup. I've heard they are to soft for track use but good for daily driving. Now Mugen N1 is a different story .

 

[type-r-dunk]

I agree with all, JDM coilovers are too hard exept for the Ohlins (top stuff). What i would do is get some Eibach springs, OEM shocks are fine. Just get some universal pillow ball top mounts (camber adjustable) if poss from Deamon Tweaks motorsport. Get TGM in Fleet to do a 4 wheel alignment. It will feel like its on rails.

Dunx