Öhlins THAT much better?
The standard ohlins are fantastic for the street but the spring rate and valving is backwards. They come with 10k in the front and 8k in the rear. Sure you can flip them but 8k in the front is WAY TOO SOFT for track duty. The up and comer will more than likely want 10k front and 12k rear which will require a revalve right out of the box.
As for servicing.... you can always have them rebuilt or revalved by Performance Shock http://performanceshock.com/ I've also been told these guys do good work http://www.srpengineering.com/services.php
I will more than likely send mine in for a complete revavle next year.
As for servicing.... you can always have them rebuilt or revalved by Performance Shock http://performanceshock.com/ I've also been told these guys do good work http://www.srpengineering.com/services.php
I will more than likely send mine in for a complete revavle next year.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 13,634
Likes: 824
From: Fresno, CA
The standard ohlins are fantastic for the street but the spring rate and valving is backwards. They come with 10k in the front and 8k in the rear. Sure you can flip them but 8k in the front is WAY TOO SOFT for track duty. The up and comer will more than likely want 10k front and 12k rear which will require a revalve right out of the box.
As for servicing.... you can always have them rebuilt or revalved by Performance Shock http://performanceshock.com/ I've also been told these guys do good work http://www.srpengineering.com/services.php
I will more than likely send mine in for a complete revavle next year.
As for servicing.... you can always have them rebuilt or revalved by Performance Shock http://performanceshock.com/ I've also been told these guys do good work http://www.srpengineering.com/services.php
I will more than likely send mine in for a complete revavle next year.
i'm sure i'd be happy with the out-of-box performance for a while. right now i'm on the stock Bilsteins and some Espelir springs.
I've been wanting a set of the Road & Tracks. So I better order now then, it sounds like? And the standard rates flipped would be good for street? How would the 10k front and 12k rear be on the street? This would be for a non-track car, but driven spiritedly on switchbacks if that makes any difference...
The more Ive read in this thread, the more Im happier w/my Ultra Digressive Fortune Auto 510's
Custom valved & Swift spring'd w/the radial upper bearing kit & Dyno plotted
US Based, English speaking Tech / Customer service
Custom valved & Swift spring'd w/the radial upper bearing kit & Dyno plotted
US Based, English speaking Tech / Customer service
Last edited by MinusPrevious; Feb 14, 2014 at 07:06 AM.
Many wrong facts in this thread!
Golgo, you are talking about stage 4 coilovers. Those are the doubles (called Flags) that Ohlin's make not the DFV. And yes, those are the ones you really want. And i am not surpised if they are not making those anymore.
R&T's were actually different then the DFV when they came out. The DFV sort of took over the name after they discontinued the R&T.
You can easily just switch out the front springs with the rear and have a fine setup without a revalve. (as is stated in the other thread about this very subject) and 8K front is fine for 90% of the folks using them! You can even go up to 10-12 with not much of an issue. That is the limit i would go, but its fine. I used a 10k 12k setup for a few years on the stock valving. Only when i had them rebuilt did i have them change it and make 10=-12 the low end. Did i notice much difference or lap times? NO!
These are reasons you do your own research and testing.
To give my answer to the original question. The KW"s are probably pretty equal on the track to the DFV. On the street the DFV win hands down!
Golgo, you are talking about stage 4 coilovers. Those are the doubles (called Flags) that Ohlin's make not the DFV. And yes, those are the ones you really want. And i am not surpised if they are not making those anymore.
R&T's were actually different then the DFV when they came out. The DFV sort of took over the name after they discontinued the R&T.
You can easily just switch out the front springs with the rear and have a fine setup without a revalve. (as is stated in the other thread about this very subject) and 8K front is fine for 90% of the folks using them! You can even go up to 10-12 with not much of an issue. That is the limit i would go, but its fine. I used a 10k 12k setup for a few years on the stock valving. Only when i had them rebuilt did i have them change it and make 10=-12 the low end. Did i notice much difference or lap times? NO!
These are reasons you do your own research and testing.
To give my answer to the original question. The KW"s are probably pretty equal on the track to the DFV. On the street the DFV win hands down!
Last edited by jerdeitzel; Feb 14, 2014 at 07:32 AM.
did you ever own and used Ohlins in your evo before?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 13,634
Likes: 824
From: Fresno, CA
i'd still "like" Ohlins. to be honest, it's just always something i've always wanted on one of my cars LOL. kinda like i just bought a Beretta 92 not because it's the best hand gun out there, but i've always just wanted one haha. however, when it comes to my car, i do not pay extra for parts just because of the name if a cheaper alternative works just as well or better. i think the single aspect that would still swing me to Ohlins is their street manners.
Ohlins it is, if i can find a set by the time i'm ready.
The DFV's 8K front 10K rear were nicer riding on the street that my OE MR Bilstiens. Not enough spring for the track.
I went to 10 / 12K on stock valving and have been running that way the last 3 seasons.
Now I would like to go 12 / 14 K and will need a revalve. My driving has gotten to the point where I may benefit from a damper with independent adjustments. I know folks running 12 / 14K on revalved DFV's and they are going well.
Where am I going with all that? I guess for a quality damper to set and start driving the DFV is the way to go IMHO. There are other dampers out there to be sure. I have never had a complaint about my suspension, one less thing to worry about so I could focus on driving. In my mind that's what it's all about.
I went to 10 / 12K on stock valving and have been running that way the last 3 seasons.
Now I would like to go 12 / 14 K and will need a revalve. My driving has gotten to the point where I may benefit from a damper with independent adjustments. I know folks running 12 / 14K on revalved DFV's and they are going well.
Where am I going with all that? I guess for a quality damper to set and start driving the DFV is the way to go IMHO. There are other dampers out there to be sure. I have never had a complaint about my suspension, one less thing to worry about so I could focus on driving. In my mind that's what it's all about.
As for servicing.... you can always have them rebuilt or revalved by Performance Shock http://performanceshock.com/ I've also been told these guys do good work http://www.srpengineering.com/services.php
Ohlins USA Inc
703 Old Spartanburg Highway # C.
Hendersonville, NC 28792 - View Map
Phone: (828) 692-4525
For discontinued shocks like the Flags, Ohlin can still perform the basic service but they don't have any of the major parts. I believe performanceshock bought all the left over Flag parts from Ohlin and will service them for around $200 each, again, this is just the basic seals/labor service.
OP, If you're set on Ohlins, contact Mueller; they will hook you with the best setup for your application.
Regarding used 5100s...
I'm in the same boat, but I agree that it's tough to pay that much for coilovers that have seen so many miles. It only takes one rebuild to push your total investment beyond the cost of a new set of 5100s or even the Ohlins at the current sale prices.
I'm in the same boat, but I agree that it's tough to pay that much for coilovers that have seen so many miles. It only takes one rebuild to push your total investment beyond the cost of a new set of 5100s or even the Ohlins at the current sale prices.
Hmm, maybe I should drop the price on my KWs.
For what it's worth I'm running the DFV R/T as is out of the box and they perform very well when combined with a rear sway bar. As mentioned above probably good enough for 90% of the people on the forum ... but when you start getting borderline crazy on track you need to have the suspension dialed in appropriately.
I have near full weight car with 255 BFG R1S tires (basically a 275 slick) and the 10F is still too soft. The car wiggles, dives and feels a bit sketchy through 100mph sweepers. I would like to jump to a 12k which I can do without a revalve but to properly configure the rears I would need a 14k spring which is way outside of the OTS valving.
If you are buying coilovers for the street you may want to rethink coilovers. The same should be said for the track. I pretty much bought the wrong setup but at the time I didn't think I would be able to overwhelm the 10k fronts. I was wrong.
I wish there was clean winning choice for a sub $3000 track duty 12k/14k coilover. I would sell my DFVs in a second and just start with those.
I have near full weight car with 255 BFG R1S tires (basically a 275 slick) and the 10F is still too soft. The car wiggles, dives and feels a bit sketchy through 100mph sweepers. I would like to jump to a 12k which I can do without a revalve but to properly configure the rears I would need a 14k spring which is way outside of the OTS valving.
If you are buying coilovers for the street you may want to rethink coilovers. The same should be said for the track. I pretty much bought the wrong setup but at the time I didn't think I would be able to overwhelm the 10k fronts. I was wrong.
I wish there was clean winning choice for a sub $3000 track duty 12k/14k coilover. I would sell my DFVs in a second and just start with those.
To add to that the $2579 price did not include assembly as you have to pay extra for that. After contacting a few vendors it seems if you get it at the $2579 price they come exactly like they do from the factory(not assembled).