What to look for and WHY: Coilovers

AZP Installs

Agree for the most part as well, that's why we have "Street/Show- Springs and Struts or BC/Fortune/Knockoff-o-rama"

If you are going for "stance" then the knockoffs work fine because you aren't going for performance. The problem with them is their dampening is actually worse than the OEM ones in terms of consistency from coil to coil even in the same set. A good friend Angelo from ANZE suspensions gave a great talk at one of our track events to our racers and DE folks about how on these low end and even some of the entry level stuff 2 front dampers will be completely different on the shock dyno from each other. This leads to instability etc. etc.

As for driver skill, we always feel that the first mod on any car should be fixing the nut behind the wheel through education and practice at the track even if it is a stock car doing DE sessions. This "mod" is easily moved from one vehicle to the next as well.

As for driver skills overcoming poor coils, yes it's possible but given how inconsistent some of these coils are, why put yourself at a disadvantage if performance driving is your goal?

-mike

__________________
'14 Touareg TDi | '04 Nissan Armada | '13 Subaru BRZ

1Stunna

What are your thoughts or 2 cents about Tein Mono flex. Seems like no one talking about these on here. Want to hear.

Vnismo370z

FLEX is for cars that want to "Flex" like negative camber type stuff.

__________________
starting over

synolimit

Have to bump this. So even fortune now with dyno sheets when bought are still a cheapo coil like the 510's? Whiteline endlinks just snap on this car so I wouldn't prompt them either if I was you.

__________________
13 370z-

AZP Installs

We've never had WL end links snap on the 1000s we've installed on subies. Can't say for the 370z. There is also a difference between end links that may have had a bad batch and something like a coilover.

As for the dyno sheets, I'd have to test them and verify them to speak to them, but that is definitely a move in the right direction for the fortune auto ones. But at their prices, if they are doing a proper shock dyno/matched setup the price will begin to creep up as their labor costs also increase.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

__________________
'14 Touareg TDi | '04 Nissan Armada | '13 Subaru BRZ

Chuck33079

The Whitelines for the Z suck. I've got a busted set in my garage right now.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

synolimit

This isn't a subi forum yo! And Z bars are like double the girth.

Check it out then, I'll buy from a vender that's a third party tester to confirm. And their 510 is like $1700, I wouldn't think that's that cheap.

__________________
13 370z-

AZP Installs

I would contact Whiteline, as they have a very good customer service department, they will replace them for you for free.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

AZP Installs

There you go...

$1700 is still very inexpensive for coilovers. It also depends on what your goals are with your car. If it's for looks/stance/ride height, then any coilovers will do. If you want repeatability on the race track that doesn't depend on the springs stiffness and has actually wheel travel you will start looking at the more expensive coils. We had a client/fellow racer who had very expensive Motons on his Caymen S racecar. The car would constantly would go into limp mode after hitting curbing on the track. They brought in all kinds of experts to try to get the ECU to stop going into limp mode. Eventually we suggested they raise the car up. As soon as they did that, the car stopped going into limp mode because the suspension travel had been restored and the wheels were actually staying on the ground.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

Chuck33079

I'd rather pay for a set of SPLs than buy another set of Whitelines. They aren't a good part on this platform. They make good parts in general. These are just a rare misstep.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

AZP Installs

Well free is free, but I understand, they do have rare mis-steps like that. Next time our rep calls us up I will make sure to have a discussion about these parts specifically and see what their take on the issue is.

-Mike Paisan


Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

Chuck33079

They need to look at their balljoint supplier. I can't see them making their own. The threaded portion of the end link needs to be a harder metal as well.

__________________
2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

synolimit

Brother price doesn't represent quality. You really think jrz's are worth 10-15-18 grand? Jesus come on! That's a joke. In the end it all comes down to CNC, gaskets and design. I think many are capable of making very good systems or even carbon copies of someone else and having them work great.

I'm a total believer though! I will total be taught by you if you show me stuff. Not just dyno's but insides, metallurgy of components, oils used, gasket types etc etc. I thought my OEM calipers were great. Then I saw a stop tech or someone's inside and they are not the same. The OEM will basically melt seals and stuff if it goes beyond a 20min track session. I see why stop tech can do 24hr endurance races. I'm not saying I don't believe you but I must see proof first. Manufacture dyno's are the last thing I'll ever believe! But if you have independent ones its one step closer.

I need rears at the moment only. I need a way to adjust preload because in a 3 wheel situation my swift racing 10k springs can pop out of the spl mid link bucket. I have two options, buy a shock that's adjustable height wise so I get preload or sell the spl and swift spring and buy a true type from someone. Biggest issue though is FA told me they valve for +-2k of what you should use. In the end I'll probably have a much stronger spring so buying one now valved for 10k just means I need to pay more for a revalve later if I use greater than 12k down the road. What say you?

__________________
13 370z-

synolimit

Sounds like a few tie rod ends used for camber kits. Kinetix and ams use cast while spl uses forged. Big different in a safety component if it snaps.

__________________
13 370z-

Slartibartfas

Bump for a couple of reasons. Read the far north racing site's Autocross to Win series. It will help you decide what you want from your damper and supports Mike's opinion.
Autocross to Win (DGs Autocross Secrets) - ATW Home Page

Also, Broadway Static now customizes Fortune Auto coil-overs. Digressive damping curve matched to your requested spring rates.
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets.html

Finally, MyG37.com board hosts the RWD Sedan Coil-over list in the suspension forum. All the companies listed have a Z34 option. I'm stunned at how long the list is!

__________________
2011 Journey Sport sedan 7AT | SPL front, SPC rear camber arms | ARK Grip cat-back |