Hi,
I read some threads before write this post but I not found an answer.
I'm looking for a new coilover setup for my Z. Actualy i'm going OEM. My use is 80% road and 20% track use.

I've looking the bilstein B16 PSS10. They have a front spring rate of 370lb (6,61kg) and rear of 240-420lbs (4,29-7,50kg)
My first question is: They are enought for a track use?
I think that bilstein coilovers are overdampened and had mild spring rates, but I'm afraid that in braking the front sinks ther front end too much.
I see other coilovers like KWv3, Ohlins R&T, BC Racing and their spring rates are about 448-560lbs (8-10kg).

Can someone that had these coilovers and track them, give me his opinion about these coilovers?

Thanks!

 

Don't think too much into it, a friend and forum member is faster on B6/Ark springs than people with coilovers, you need weight transfer in order to increase grip, I wouldn't bother with coilovers unless it's like a 50/50 tr/st car.
For 20% track, get good dampers, a mild lowering spring and sway bars, and whatever you need to tune the alignment to your preference.

 

Thanks DarkZ03!

I will think a little about what you propose.

The idea I had was to have an adjustable coilover so I could have a softer profile for day to day and a harder profile for trakcdays.

So you think this spring rate doesn't have to be bad I understand. At least in occasional track use.

I would track 4-6 times per year at most but I would like to have a good suspension setup.

Thanks!

 

Having coilovers won't change your spring rates. You actually need to physically change springs to do that. As an example, my Touring 3-spec 350Z is allowed to use up to 700# springs and that would be much too high for street use. My street Z33 has Koni 8242 SA shocks with Eibach Proline springs that are comparable with what Bilstein offers. It's about as low and stiff as I want for the road. Finally, remember that if you adjust the ride height on any coilover equipped car, you should also readjust the alignment and suspension settings to get the most out of it- not something that many novices are capable of until they get home and wonder why their tires are getting chewed up.

 

Hi dkmura!

I think I didn't explain myself well. My english is regular.

When I say softer and harder profiles I refer to damper adjustment which B16 allows. The spring rates can't be changed easily as you say.

Furthermore, I don't want to change the aligments every time I do a trackday. My idea is to go with a compromise alignment for street and track and just touch the dampening of the suspension depending on what you do.

 

Personally I understood what you want, here's why I don't agree with that mentality.
Bilstein will specify what they recommend for specs for that coilover set....I don't know what it is, but let's say it's -1" drop at a 5/10 clicks. Now say that-1" doesn't work for you, or that the height doesn't play well with a damper setting of 8 or 3.

It adds too much complexity that most people will NOT utilize. Seat time is more important than anything else, I think something like the Bilstein cup kit will be adequate enough for both track and street, pair it with a good alignment and you should be set for a while.
Some guys want to throw a lot on the car when they haven't even hit the limit of what they have currently, take it slow, start with wheels, tires, brakes, and then see where you need to improve next for your driving style/skill level.

 

Hi DarkZ03!

I understand what you are saying. I share some reflections but not others.

On the topic of the specifications that Bilstein share, I understand that they are a recommendation for an initial configuration, not the perfect configuration that you will surely find if you are running and you will decide according to what suits you best. With my driving skills, probably keep the bilstein initial configuration jajajaja

On the topic that if you leave this initial configuration, positions 3 or 8 may not work well... it could be, but we are talking about the bilsteins having a very small height range, probably the minimum to be able to do weight setup rather than a matter of spring preload (which is there) and in the same way I understand that the damping values of the dampers are choosed within an acceptable range for this coilovers considering the short range of heights it allows.
If this were not the case, are you telling me that there is no point in the coilovers that have a dampening setup? It may be difficult to find a perfect configuration, it is perfectly possible. With a Bilstein Cup-kit you don't have this problem, that's clear.

My goal is to be able to have a comfortable damping suspension for quiet driving (it won't be the perfect setting for racing or touge for sure) and a harder dampening (if you want, the setting that bilstein recommends) for track.

That I will not extract the full potential of the coilovers? For sure. But honestly, I set a Bilstein B6 kit in a 2005 Honda Civic EP, and I wouldn't do it again at all. Worse than with stock shocks, less firm than the stock ones and it's my daily... On the other hand, I have a Bilstein B14 in an 1985 Opel Corsa A and I may not get all the potential out of it, but they feel really well.

I agree that I won't get the full potential of the B16s (and any other coilovers), but for this condition, I shouldn't have bought the Z either since I will get the full potential of it in my life.

I'm considering 1-way coilovers for the possibility to change dampening according my driving situation and have a firmer feeling. I would probably get the same performance with a Bilstein B6 but with the experience I've had with them in the Civic (in terms of feeling), I don't think that these are the best suspension setup for my requirements!

PD: I know that B16's are expensive, but after looking a lot (BC Racing BR, Tein's, KW...B12...etc) If want something with quality and rebuidable, think it's the best I can do.

 

It's not that the adjustable dampers are pointless, it's more that very little people have the skill and knowledge to make them work properly.

The B14 kit you talk about, is that the cup kit? It's different per platform.

You are saying the B6 were softer than the stock Civic shocks?
Stiffness should be reached by spring ideally not dampers, dampers control spring movement.

Bilstein recommendations will always be the best setting they chose to get the performance they tuned for.

They give you a range, obviously they are going to give you a range compatible with the springs, but if 1 is minimum, 5 optimal, and 10 maximum, then 5 is still optimal.

 

Hi DarkZ03!

Understood!

B14 is a Bilstein Coilover Kit, one step below of B16. Here there is a link to the kit: https://www.bilstein-shop.com/es/bil...-p-263295.html

About Civic's B6, yes. I mantained the OEM spring and I change the OEM dampers which they had 250.000km for a new's Bilstein B6 dampers. They are good in the aspect that the nose does not rise when you give gas like the old ones, but the general feeling is of shock absorbers designed more for comfort than the original ones. I understand that my Civic, having the "Sport" trim, the suspension was firmer, but I didn't expect it to go worst with Bilstein... I expected a firmer ride.

I agree with you.

 

That's odd, my GTI had them and they are stiffer than factory even at 50k miles.

 

Any opinion or thoughts about the OP please?

 

Finally I found a good deal and I bought a newely set of Bilstein B16 PSS10! I hope they will be a good compromise!