Review of Tanabe GF210
Originally posted by tsi90awd
These specs are as reported after I installed the springs and camber plates. I initially set the camber plates at "0". I'm assuming this would be the same position as the stock upper mounts, but I can't be certain:
Front Camber: -2 1/16 degee (L), -2 (R)
Front Toe: 1/4 inch
Rear Camber: -1 3/32 degree (L), -29/32 (R)
Rear Toe: - 1/32 inch
After alignment, the specs were:
Front camber: -2 17/32 degree (L and R)
Front Toe: 1/32 inch
Rear Camber: - 1 1/2 degree (L and R)
Rear Toe: 0 inches
Hope this helps!
These specs are as reported after I installed the springs and camber plates. I initially set the camber plates at "0". I'm assuming this would be the same position as the stock upper mounts, but I can't be certain:
Front Camber: -2 1/16 degee (L), -2 (R)
Front Toe: 1/4 inch
Rear Camber: -1 3/32 degree (L), -29/32 (R)
Rear Toe: - 1/32 inch
After alignment, the specs were:
Front camber: -2 17/32 degree (L and R)
Front Toe: 1/32 inch
Rear Camber: - 1 1/2 degree (L and R)
Rear Toe: 0 inches
Hope this helps!
Front Camber (L/R): -1.9 degrees
Front Caster: (L) 3.4 deg., (R) 3.3 deg
Toe (L/R): 1/16
Rear Camber (L/R): -1.5 deg
Rear Toe (L/R): 1/16
Originally posted by chapter8
Ok I realligned the car today to broeli's specs.
And It does feel a tad better but not better then stock. Let me rephrase that....it does feel better then stock but not the turn in. Its actually not noticeable to the average person. But its very noticeable to me.
I brought 2 evo owners with me to the install that have stock evos and then we all swapped cars back to back to get a impression of the cars before and after.
Well the 2 other guys did not notice the loss of responsivenss and lack luster turn in until I poinetd it out to them. Then 1 of the guys thought it was not a big deal and the other guy agreed with me.
All in all they are good for springs but I would never do it again because I lost the crisp feel of turn in like the stock car exhibits.
I know I am being picky here but it really bugs me. I will keep them in until I get ohlins down the road.
Also as Bogie stated I also did feel more resistance on the wheel.
BTW thanks all for the help and offering your settings and input
Ok I realligned the car today to broeli's specs.
And It does feel a tad better but not better then stock. Let me rephrase that....it does feel better then stock but not the turn in. Its actually not noticeable to the average person. But its very noticeable to me.
I brought 2 evo owners with me to the install that have stock evos and then we all swapped cars back to back to get a impression of the cars before and after.
Well the 2 other guys did not notice the loss of responsivenss and lack luster turn in until I poinetd it out to them. Then 1 of the guys thought it was not a big deal and the other guy agreed with me.
All in all they are good for springs but I would never do it again because I lost the crisp feel of turn in like the stock car exhibits.
I know I am being picky here but it really bugs me. I will keep them in until I get ohlins down the road.
Also as Bogie stated I also did feel more resistance on the wheel.
BTW thanks all for the help and offering your settings and input
However, the drop sure looks nice 
At present, I'm not sure it's a worthwhile compromise. We'll see how it behaves at Road America this weekend.
Wow... So are the Tanabe's worth buying or should I get the S-Tech's?????
preferably something that can control dampning and rebound like ohlins.
Alot of Japanese coilover manufacturers use super high spring rates that totally degrade the daily driveability of the car....yes its good for the track but not a daily car.
I would get cusco, zeal, ohlins etc
I'll report after this weekend at the track. However, preliminary impressions rate: leave suspension as is.
)However I did notice some imrovement in overall roll when I drove the car really hard.
I would be interested to see what u think of the springs after ur track day
Chapter8, I can't wait! Unfortunately it will probably rain. I am noticing that the car is becoming a *bit* crisper as we move further from the car being on jack stands (3 days)--alignment, fluid change, pad change, brake flush... I think it is still settling.
I have 2 track days this weekend...but no lowering springs...lol. Just some Project Mu sport brake pads. I need summer to get here so I can start saving up. I am considering the tein coilovers if nobody is getting very good results with the lowering springs. IF the tein coilovers aren't that great does anyone know of other coilovers that are better around the same price? Thanks 
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 362
Likes: 0
From: Northern Michigan
Killa - have fun! I ran mine with stock suspension in 4 driving schools last year and it worked really well. Make sure you bleed your brakes with fresh, high boiling point brake fluid. Bogie and I will be at Road AMerica this weekend. By coinkydink we both put in GF210's recently. You'll probably get a review from both of us early next week.
From driving around on the streets for the last week, I'm sure the car will be very good on the track - better than stock. My own issue with the GF210's is that they are less fun to drive around on the street than the stock setup. It is starting to get too far over to the track side of the street/track compromise. I think I'd feel the same way about any aftermarket springs or coilovers that increase the spring rates. Depends where your priorities and needs are. There is no doubt in my mind that the stock suspension is really really good.
From driving around on the streets for the last week, I'm sure the car will be very good on the track - better than stock. My own issue with the GF210's is that they are less fun to drive around on the street than the stock setup. It is starting to get too far over to the track side of the street/track compromise. I think I'd feel the same way about any aftermarket springs or coilovers that increase the spring rates. Depends where your priorities and needs are. There is no doubt in my mind that the stock suspension is really really good.
I also switched to 10W-40.
Killa/tsi, consider doing GingerMan or Grattan this summer -- BMW/G-Man, 6/19 - 6/20, BMW/Grattan 9/11 - 9/12. They're in my calendar as well as Blackhawk w/Badger BMW. I know it's a bit of a hike, but, not as far as VIR or Roebling.
Killa/tsi, consider doing GingerMan or Grattan this summer -- BMW/G-Man, 6/19 - 6/20, BMW/Grattan 9/11 - 9/12. They're in my calendar as well as Blackhawk w/Badger BMW. I know it's a bit of a hike, but, not as far as VIR or Roebling.
Road America was fun, tsi is an excellent driver, very smooth, very fast, he lost me on the track. 
We only ran together once. Boy, his car is loud, it was louder than the Viper on his tail!!
Neither of us is convinced that the springs improved roll that much. Our suspension settings probably did more to improve handling dynamics; most noticeable was the improved tire-wear with the added negative camber (that's an oxymoron, ain't it?) My car felt a smidge more neutral with the Progress rear bar and camber, but the rear really didn't rotate. I'll try the other hole and I may have to tweak the rear camber. RA is a large track, perhaps I may notice more on a tighter track?
We only ran together once. Boy, his car is loud, it was louder than the Viper on his tail!!Neither of us is convinced that the springs improved roll that much. Our suspension settings probably did more to improve handling dynamics; most noticeable was the improved tire-wear with the added negative camber (that's an oxymoron, ain't it?) My car felt a smidge more neutral with the Progress rear bar and camber, but the rear really didn't rotate. I'll try the other hole and I may have to tweak the rear camber. RA is a large track, perhaps I may notice more on a tighter track?
I just sent a pm to Tsi and want to see how he like the new sus. Anyway,it's very interesting to see the spring only give little improvement on body roll !!
As for the car have little rotation...I did have a simliar experience this past weekend. I went to autox both on sat and sun. The one on sat have rough surface.....and I have to watch the back-end of the car when I tried to push faster.
On sun....i went to this course which is very smooth....and the back-end of car NEVER want to step out (no rotation at all), it's also equal to massive understeer. I tried all I can, include set the rear tire pressure to 40psi at one run then drop it to 30 psi in the next and rear still didn't want to came out.
As for the car have little rotation...I did have a simliar experience this past weekend. I went to autox both on sat and sun. The one on sat have rough surface.....and I have to watch the back-end of the car when I tried to push faster.
On sun....i went to this course which is very smooth....and the back-end of car NEVER want to step out (no rotation at all), it's also equal to massive understeer. I tried all I can, include set the rear tire pressure to 40psi at one run then drop it to 30 psi in the next and rear still didn't want to came out.
I think they call oversteer on rough pavement "bump oversteer." It's a trait inherent in many stiffly-sprung vehicles. It can also make bumpy, sweeping onramps more than a bit treacherous.
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 362
Likes: 0
From: Northern Michigan
Bogie is being kind with his comments. I was just able to get ahead of him because those pesky vipers and corvettes kept on getting in the way.
He got held up in traffic!
He got held up in traffic!