KW V3. end of story.
$1800 you can get them.

 

At 1800 dollars, you might as well go fork out another hundred and get AST 4100.

 

Yes AST 4100. Rears are a direct fit. Fronts basically need just thick stepped washer to fit for the front.

 

Well to be fair, the AST 5300 should be a light year ahead. YOu are comparing a close to $6K coilover to a $2K set.

I have had Kw3s on two different cars and they have some advantages. ONe set were modified by Robi spec and they have different canisters than the stock KWs on my other car. I know you had a bad experience with a set of stock KWs but there are a bunch of guys not only in Evos but in BMWs etc running KWs in competition and doing well without big failures. The fact you can adjust the compression seperately helps to set up the car around certain situations and makes it easier to go from good track to a livable street set up.


The ASTs have other advantages like both the high speed and low speed are adjusted together and they are a monotube shock. I do kind of wish they had the seperate adjustment though...(the 4200s are not really in production although they will make you a set if you ask and are willing to wait a long time).

Not disagreeing that the ASTs are potentially better but disagree that the KWs are not a good set also.

 

guys, too many might-as-well-fork-out-a-few-hundred-more justifications. at $1500 bucks, all these recommendations for $1900 ASTs or $1800 for off the shelf KWs with silly spring rates really isn't helping the OP.

i actually prefer my AMRs to my robispec clubsports on my IX. that includes trackdays and northeast DC (which some would consider to be light duty off road). i vote for revalved AMRs because that will fit the budget constraint if not actually be under budget and they have a lifetime warranty.

 

you be a judge , i did 20 miles hard core rally on tarmac - / street/ race. I might jump a little here and there , but one sweeper my KW V3 broke in half.
I have to under line this was on public street, which was closed for us to race.
it was a right turn and he left front gave up.

here is the video: you will see im coming nice and composed in the turn , then suddenly the car straightens out and basically with e-break and power i try to avoid the head on hill collision. sadly the camera guy stopped filming after...

i lost all my faith in the KW. On my own experience. Not what i heard form somebody or i read it somewere.

Rob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI5lDhcoolk

 

I remember when you did this. The ASTs for rally (as far as durability) likely are better/stronger. But still, you have to admit it is a bit unfair to compare a coilover with another one that is 3 x the price?

For most people, including those who do track days etc, the KW should be fine ...that was my point. People who don't rally seldom jump anything even on track days.

I like the ASTs...is why I bought a set but I do wish they offered a double adjustable. That said, the KWs have been pretty good for me also.

 

got a nice jump at summit point's shennandoah. immediately after the jump is a replica of an n-ring section which can have an abrupt transition when not executed properly. these specific places that are where the AMRs compared favorably to my previous setup. next time out i'll make sure my datalogger works so i can compare lap and section times, but i am more confident in general which has opened a lot of options not available previously.

 

yes you are right on my set up vs the V3.
Im just saying the KW V3 broke- collapsed, no other coilovers did this to me. They might bend or something, but they do not break...
That accident could be much worst , because of that. As a good race suspension should be more stronger.
So instead the nice pull over , we almost flipped over and rolled to the river...

The KW V3 is not an entry level suspension in the KW line. Mean while the AST 4100 as far as i know is a entry level one.

That's all ihave to say .
Rob

 

There was an evo recently with a broken Bilstein coilover, right at the ball joint if I recall. You never know....

 

op what do u want coilovers for? daily driving or road/rally racing? if your lookin for a daily driver setup, why not look into lowering springs? they're a lot cheaper than any coilover system. if your looking for height adjustment, why not look into megan coilovers. yes they are cheap but i know some people who run them and say they are just as happy as the guy with the $1800 coilover setup.

 

I guess this is kind of my point. I respect Robevo alot and understand why he feels the way he does. I would also, but I know too many people with KWs that have had no issues any where near a strut breaking in half. I know a couple that have bent them but no clean breaks like his.....then again, I don't know anyone else who uses them outside of normal road course/autocross and street driving (ie no one else who runs rally).