Best budget coilovers for DD + occasional track
#21
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And just to add, people are all too quick to say "track" without even knowing what that means. An HPDE is not track use, IMHO (yours may vary). It's a chance to push your street car, in a relatively controlled environment, and if you haven't done it, is an absolute blast. But it's not racing. The setup you use for a true time attack event, or one of the many SCCA classes, is a far different one, and frankly a far different car, from your average street car. At a certain point with these cars, you have to choose what direction you're going. Street or race. Or at the very least, be willing to compromise one over the other
#22
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Koni Truechoice Phase 2 (SA). $1600
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
#23
And just to add, people are all too quick to say "track" without even knowing what that means. An HPDE is not track use, IMHO (yours may vary). It's a chance to push your street car, in a relatively controlled environment, and if you haven't done it, is an absolute blast. But it's not racing. The setup you use for a true time attack event, or one of the many SCCA classes, is a far different one, and frankly a far different car, from your average street car. At a certain point with these cars, you have to choose what direction you're going. Street or race. Or at the very least, be willing to compromise one over the other
Good advice and i completely agree with what you are saying. Sorry if the title is misleading in the use of the word "Track." As in my previous posts I clarified that this would be for the occasional HDPE type event (probably 3-4 times a year).
And yes there are a flood of cheap coilovers (and cheap products overall) on the market right now. I've been modding cars for over 10 years now and as with most people...i started out with the crappy ricer products that broke and/or cost me more money down the line. Lesson learned. But that doesn't mean you have to spend tons of money and go top of the line with every mod you get.
The purpose of this post is to search for a "budget" coilover set that is good for the price point. And I agree, very few people will have experience with more then 1-2 suspension setups. But unless it is a magazine article or something of that nature, it's rare to have full on comparisons of multiple reviews from one source
#24
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Meaning 314/342.
Nissan Motor Sport T2 springs have the following spring rates on a 1" drop
690/690
I've tested the shock with a ton of spring rates, peaking at 560/500. They DO NOT have the valving range to cover a 314/342 to 690/690 jump. I know Lee or Gordon at Koni will claim they can, but having driven on the shocks with a ton of different spring rates, up to 560/500 and having run them on the dyno, no they cannot. As far as how much spring rate you can push then to without a revalve, in my testing I found that to be 448/427, which is the setup I sold when I moved on to something else.
While I do not agree with their valving, their is a valid reason why TcKline shock dyno plots look different then OTS Koni yellow dyno plots. The TcKline shocks are valved for the T2 springs, the yellows are not.
I would be more inclined to recommend Koni yellows on cobb front springs and oem 04.5+ rear springs on cut down upper spring seats net would be
Cobb Tuning 350Z Linear springs .75" front drop, .8" rear drop
Spring rates 436/427 (cobb rear spring out of the box is 535lbs in rate)
#25
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A better choice would be Tein S-tech.
Eibach 350Z progressive springs 1”/1” drop
Spring rates in LBS initial/final front 296/384 initial/final rear 316/421
Tein S-tech 350z (fronts are progressive, rears are linear) .7”/.6” drop
Spring rates in LBS 386/402 (estimated front intial rate is 327lbs)
^simular spring rates and less rate disparity in the front between initial and final rates. In the rear the Tein is linear, no disparity whatsoever.
Originally Posted by Jason@Performance
Every suspension that we have installed here I have test drivin the car... So I can give my feed back on almost all of them... But... I will do my personal car which I beat the heck out of every day...
Mod: Eibach Pro-Kit
Pros: Great appearance, Sits about 1.2" lower then my car before. Nice smooth ride on surface streets and freeways...
Cons: Springs very soft so in heavy cornering especially in track conditions there is alot of body roll... so much that it is hard to predict when the car is actually going to bite into the corner...
Recomendation: I would recomend this spring for someone who wants a lower stance and smoother ride. But does not plan on seriously tracking the car to the limits.
Mod: Eibach Pro-Kit
Pros: Great appearance, Sits about 1.2" lower then my car before. Nice smooth ride on surface streets and freeways...
Cons: Springs very soft so in heavy cornering especially in track conditions there is alot of body roll... so much that it is hard to predict when the car is actually going to bite into the corner...
Recomendation: I would recomend this spring for someone who wants a lower stance and smoother ride. But does not plan on seriously tracking the car to the limits.
#27
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Those tires will not be your friend at the track. Extreamly soft sidewalls. They communicate poorly and have far too much slop. Vs Dunlop Z1 or even Falken RT615's they aren't all that good. Vs other cheap performance tires they're pretty good, but not when the car goes from the street to track time.
#28
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OTS Koni yellows were specifically R&D for the oem spring rates on the 2003-2004 car. (OTS= off the shelf)
Meaning 314/342.
Nissan Motor Sport T2 springs have the following spring rates on a 1" drop
690/690
I've tested the shock with a ton of spring rates, peaking at 560/500. They DO NOT have the valving range to cover a 314/342 to 690/690 jump. I know Lee or Gordon at Koni will claim they can, but having driven on the shocks with a ton of different spring rates, up to 560/500 and having run them on the dyno, no they cannot. As far as how much spring rate you can push then to without a revalve, in my testing I found that to be 448/427, which is the setup I sold when I moved on to something else.
While I do not agree with their valving, their is a valid reason why TcKline shock dyno plots look different then OTS Koni yellow dyno plots. The TcKline shocks are valved for the T2 springs, the yellows are not.
I would be more inclined to recommend Koni yellows on cobb front springs and oem 04.5+ rear springs on cut down upper spring seats net would be
Cobb Tuning 350Z Linear springs .75" front drop, .8" rear drop
Spring rates 436/427 (cobb rear spring out of the box is 535lbs in rate)
Meaning 314/342.
Nissan Motor Sport T2 springs have the following spring rates on a 1" drop
690/690
I've tested the shock with a ton of spring rates, peaking at 560/500. They DO NOT have the valving range to cover a 314/342 to 690/690 jump. I know Lee or Gordon at Koni will claim they can, but having driven on the shocks with a ton of different spring rates, up to 560/500 and having run them on the dyno, no they cannot. As far as how much spring rate you can push then to without a revalve, in my testing I found that to be 448/427, which is the setup I sold when I moved on to something else.
While I do not agree with their valving, their is a valid reason why TcKline shock dyno plots look different then OTS Koni yellow dyno plots. The TcKline shocks are valved for the T2 springs, the yellows are not.
I would be more inclined to recommend Koni yellows on cobb front springs and oem 04.5+ rear springs on cut down upper spring seats net would be
Cobb Tuning 350Z Linear springs .75" front drop, .8" rear drop
Spring rates 436/427 (cobb rear spring out of the box is 535lbs in rate)
#29
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I believe the Eibach and KW V1 are the same shocks but with different badging. In both products, damping is not adjustable in case that's an important feature for you. Also these will yield a "mild" drop in the world of coilovers, i.e. ~1.5" max rated drop for the rears, so do not buy these if you ever want to tuck your rear tires.
#31
Those tires will not be your friend at the track. Extreamly soft sidewalls. They communicate poorly and have far too much slop. Vs Dunlop Z1 or even Falken RT615's they aren't all that good. Vs other cheap performance tires they're pretty good, but not when the car goes from the street to track time.
But just to clarify; at least for me personally, I rarely take my car to the "track" (just 3-4 times a year which is like less then 1% of the total time I'm driving the car). Whatever I'm using on the street is what i take to the track, i wouldn't buy a separate set of tires just for the track.
But if i ever get into it more seriously I'll take your advice into consideration
#32
I believe the Eibach and KW V1 are the same shocks but with different badging. In both products, damping is not adjustable in case that's an important feature for you. Also these will yield a "mild" drop in the world of coilovers, i.e. ~1.5" max rated drop for the rears, so do not buy these if you ever want to tuck your rear tires.
#33
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If memory serves right, there were issues with the Cobb springs, something about them not sitting properly on the perch of the stock front shock. Borderline dangerous from what I recall but don't quote me.
Could always go for RSR Ti2000 springs, very small progressive spread and similar rates.
Could always go for RSR Ti2000 springs, very small progressive spread and similar rates.
#35
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Stance coilovers FTL, I have a friend that rocked them for a couple thousand miles...then they started leaking
I think for little track days the PHASE II would be good enough, worth the little extra money from those other coilovers listested IMO
I think for little track days the PHASE II would be good enough, worth the little extra money from those other coilovers listested IMO
Koni Truechoice Phase 2 (SA). $1600
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
#36
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#38
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It's impossible to find RSR TI2000's
If memory serves right, there were issues with the Cobb springs, something about them not sitting properly on the perch of the stock front shock. Borderline dangerous from what I recall but don't quote me.
Could always go for RSR Ti2000 springs, very small progressive spread and similar rates.
Could always go for RSR Ti2000 springs, very small progressive spread and similar rates.
#40
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Koni Truechoice Phase 2 (SA). $1600
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
Phase 3 (DA). $2300
http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/
Is this what they quoted you recently? I got a different quote a few weeks ago