View Poll Results: What would you choose?
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$2,000 - $3,000 Coilovers. Let's discuss.
Feb 8, 2017, 12:54 PM
#1
$2,000 - $3,000 Coilovers. Let's discuss.
Hi guys, I've finally found an evo after a wonderful time searching for a clean. I pick her up soon and am already planning out what mods I'm going to go with. Spring is near and I'm getting excited. Hibernating in the Midwest SUCKS!
This car is strictly going to be an Autox/Track day car, with SOME street driving, but probably very little as it'll sit during the winter months. I'll maybe take it to work here and there, but I'm guessing less than 5,000 miles per year will be put on her.
My main goals right off the bat are to run some 285 width tires on 10.5" wheels and a good coilover setup. I'll then add power mods in the future as time progresses.
A little backstory, I had an evo 8 for about 6 years prior to buying my supra. I strictly autocrossed with it and was very competitive locally. I went through a variety of suspension setups from stock, to swift springs on stock shocks, to BC coilovers (standard rates), to Robispec'd KW V3's (8kg/9kg) to AST 4100's (10kg/11kg). Out of those, I actually enjoyed the AST's the most, even though I blew one within a pretty short time frame. It was replaced by AST pretty quickly, so I didn't really sweat that.
With that being said, I'm looking to spend in the $2000-3000 range for coilovers. I've narrowed it down to the following:
Ohlins R&T - with custom rates/valving. I checked with Performance Shock and I believe it was around the $2200 area with the custom rates/valving. From what I gather, the damping control knob adjusts both rebound and compression at the same time. Is this a HUGE downside or not? Obviously, Ohlins has a good reputation and you read nothing but good things about them, but that's a concern of mine (or should it be?). Am I leaving anything on the table here?
AST 5100 - custom sprung/valved as well. It seems to me they can be had more around the $2,600 mark after searching. My biggest concern with these, after reading and researching more on here, is the availability of these? What happened to AST? It seems like they aren't as popular as what I recalled them to be? Is it THAT difficult to source them? If they blow, how hard is it to get them rebuilt in the states somewhere? Etc? I'd like to know more about this option because I was extremely happy with the 4100's and I'd imagine the 5100's will be a step up.
Motion Control Suspension - Their single adjustable coilovers can be had around the $2,750 mark. I don't know much about these, but from googling them, it seems they're bigger with the BMW crowd and I haven't read much negative about them. What about for evos? There seems to be very little info on these? I'd really like to gather more about these.
Penske singles adjsutables. I'm assuming these will be at the budget or beyond, but I'm pretty curious to see why there isn't much info on these in regards to the evo as well? What gives?
Other than that, what options SHOULD I consider in that price range? Has anyone used 2 out of the 3 or 3 out of the 3 choices? What were YOUR experiences between the different coilovers?
I know, I probably can't go wrong between any of these three, but I've been out of the evo world for awhile and in all honesty I kind of miss how busy this place used to be, back in the day with discussions/testing/etc. I know this platform is starting to age, but I'm going to try my damndest to get a discussion going here!
Thanks guys!
This car is strictly going to be an Autox/Track day car, with SOME street driving, but probably very little as it'll sit during the winter months. I'll maybe take it to work here and there, but I'm guessing less than 5,000 miles per year will be put on her.
My main goals right off the bat are to run some 285 width tires on 10.5" wheels and a good coilover setup. I'll then add power mods in the future as time progresses.
A little backstory, I had an evo 8 for about 6 years prior to buying my supra. I strictly autocrossed with it and was very competitive locally. I went through a variety of suspension setups from stock, to swift springs on stock shocks, to BC coilovers (standard rates), to Robispec'd KW V3's (8kg/9kg) to AST 4100's (10kg/11kg). Out of those, I actually enjoyed the AST's the most, even though I blew one within a pretty short time frame. It was replaced by AST pretty quickly, so I didn't really sweat that.
With that being said, I'm looking to spend in the $2000-3000 range for coilovers. I've narrowed it down to the following:
Ohlins R&T - with custom rates/valving. I checked with Performance Shock and I believe it was around the $2200 area with the custom rates/valving. From what I gather, the damping control knob adjusts both rebound and compression at the same time. Is this a HUGE downside or not? Obviously, Ohlins has a good reputation and you read nothing but good things about them, but that's a concern of mine (or should it be?). Am I leaving anything on the table here?
AST 5100 - custom sprung/valved as well. It seems to me they can be had more around the $2,600 mark after searching. My biggest concern with these, after reading and researching more on here, is the availability of these? What happened to AST? It seems like they aren't as popular as what I recalled them to be? Is it THAT difficult to source them? If they blow, how hard is it to get them rebuilt in the states somewhere? Etc? I'd like to know more about this option because I was extremely happy with the 4100's and I'd imagine the 5100's will be a step up.
Motion Control Suspension - Their single adjustable coilovers can be had around the $2,750 mark. I don't know much about these, but from googling them, it seems they're bigger with the BMW crowd and I haven't read much negative about them. What about for evos? There seems to be very little info on these? I'd really like to gather more about these.
Penske singles adjsutables. I'm assuming these will be at the budget or beyond, but I'm pretty curious to see why there isn't much info on these in regards to the evo as well? What gives?
Other than that, what options SHOULD I consider in that price range? Has anyone used 2 out of the 3 or 3 out of the 3 choices? What were YOUR experiences between the different coilovers?
I know, I probably can't go wrong between any of these three, but I've been out of the evo world for awhile and in all honesty I kind of miss how busy this place used to be, back in the day with discussions/testing/etc. I know this platform is starting to age, but I'm going to try my damndest to get a discussion going here!
Thanks guys!
Feb 8, 2017, 12:58 PM
#2
among other things, this depends on how "serious" you want to be. FWIW I believe the ohlins knobs only change rebound, which is ok - maybe a small amount of crosstalk. you can also adjust ohlins independent of spring preload, not sure ab the others on that.
If you want to be serious nationally, you need something else. Decently locally, I run ohlins - and it's nice to have a nice ride on the way home.
If you want to be serious nationally, you need something else. Decently locally, I run ohlins - and it's nice to have a nice ride on the way home.
Feb 8, 2017, 01:02 PM
#3
among other things, this depends on how "serious" you want to be. FWIW I believe the ohlins knobs only change rebound, which is ok - maybe a small amount of crosstalk. you can also adjust ohlins independent of spring preload, not sure ab the others on that.
If you want to be serious nationally, you need something else. Decently locally, I run ohlins - and it's nice to have a nice ride on the way home.
If you want to be serious nationally, you need something else. Decently locally, I run ohlins - and it's nice to have a nice ride on the way home.
I appreciate you posting this so I can clarify.
I'm only looking to compete locally and not on a national scale, at least this year. In time, I may look into something more serious if I decide to try this on a National scale. This first year is just to get back into things, mainly autocross.
Feb 8, 2017, 01:42 PM
#5
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
Ohlins hands down.
The adjustment knob controls a bleed port in the shaft, so yes, it does effect both compression and rebound. However, due to it only being a bleed port, it has a somewhat large effect on rebound due to rebound having slower shaft speed. The higher shaft speed typically seen on compression quickly fill that bleed port, and rely more on the piston/shim valving.
The adjustment knob controls a bleed port in the shaft, so yes, it does effect both compression and rebound. However, due to it only being a bleed port, it has a somewhat large effect on rebound due to rebound having slower shaft speed. The higher shaft speed typically seen on compression quickly fill that bleed port, and rely more on the piston/shim valving.
Feb 8, 2017, 02:36 PM
#7
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
Yes. I don't think you can beat the DFV valve for street comfort/high shaft speed blow off at his price point.
Through performance shock, you can get a deep deal on these. They revalve for free on initial purchase. I paid a little less than $2400 shipped, that included revalving the rears, and a pair of springs.
Through performance shock, you can get a deep deal on these. They revalve for free on initial purchase. I paid a little less than $2400 shipped, that included revalving the rears, and a pair of springs.
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Feb 8, 2017, 02:42 PM
#8
Going from AST to Ohlins I didn't go any faster. Body height adjustable is a nice to have but functionally on track doesn't matter. I would probably go with MCS and just make sure the shim it internally based on my ride height so droop isn't excessive.
I would have gone with their internal double adjustable if I didn't get hooked up with the Flags.
I would have gone with their internal double adjustable if I didn't get hooked up with the Flags.
Feb 8, 2017, 03:00 PM
#9
One button adjustment is a blessing for average weekend racer. You really have to know how to set up a suspension . Many people think they got it right ,but as soon a suspension guru touch is it their don't know what happened with they car. Many people can get lost so far in the settings they literally don't know where they are at that point, specially with a 3 way and 4 way types. lololool
Don't think that is bad for you , specially as you stated don't know which one you want to buy.
I will buy this week an Ohlins R/T too for my street car. I vote for Ohlins.
KW v3 is a good option too. I had AST but a higher level one not one you want to buy. I cant comment on that what you want, but my 5300 AST worked great, no complains against them on tarmac.
Don't think that is bad for you , specially as you stated don't know which one you want to buy.
I will buy this week an Ohlins R/T too for my street car. I vote for Ohlins.
KW v3 is a good option too. I had AST but a higher level one not one you want to buy. I cant comment on that what you want, but my 5300 AST worked great, no complains against them on tarmac.
Last edited by Robevo RS; Feb 8, 2017 at 03:06 PM.
Feb 8, 2017, 03:13 PM
#10
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
KW V3 is not a good option when put up against the Ohlins R/T's.
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MinusPrevious (Feb 8, 2017)
Feb 8, 2017, 05:21 PM
#12
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
A good place to start and where I started reading before settling on FA.
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...questions.html
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...questions.html
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Wanted EVO IX (Feb 8, 2017)
Feb 8, 2017, 05:54 PM
#13
A good place to start and where I started reading before settling on FA.
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...questions.html
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...questions.html
I have bested all the times, at my local track, posted by guys running those "Ooohlins"
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Wanted EVO IX (Feb 8, 2017)
Feb 8, 2017, 06:46 PM
#14
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
Probably more driver than coilover on lap times.
. The O's are an excellent C/o'r