Serious Coilover Comparison Questions

[RSMark5]

^^^^ Can we put this in a separate thread and sticky it?

:thumbsup:

:iono:

RSMark was sandbagging:fighting0030:. I was going to try to answer your questions with my personal information today but didn't expect you to drop the nukes last night.

Awesome post. :clap:

Okay, maybe a little sandbagging

There are many people who are buying coils on this board seem to not be taking the "cheap" route with racelands and Rokkor, and are shelling out for "high quality" coils. I was sandbagging my information in hopes to initiate a discussion about what specifically was leading people to choose coilover A rather than coilover B. Is it because of their marketing? Personal experience? Is it because your brothers uncles baby cousin had a set on his 86 golf so they must be good? Your own research? Reputation? Price? The shop selling them? Anything?

I was hoping users would willing to discuss "I bought coilover X because it came with A, B and C features and thats what I needed" So that we have a coilover thread based on facts, not opinion. :iono:

(again I'm not bashing any user, any company, or forum sponser. These are real questions.)

 

[Tetsuei]

I'm going to be making the same decision later this year, as two track days will no doubt give me a really good idea of what I'm lacking from a suspension point of view as I look to transition away from the OEM setup to something that I can tweak between street and track setups, so immediately there is my first requirement. Should be tasty.

 

[dubaid]

@RSMark5: that's fantastic info. I'm pretty new to the VW/tuning scene and have been thinking about upgrading the suspension, but felt I was lacking good, detailed info. Your writeup is an excellent primer that answers a lot of my questions. Well done!

 

[johnny_p]

A friend of mine on another forum posted some really great information on why you shouldn't get cheap coilovers.

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/for...ilovers-etc-particularly-budget-setups-39059/

Basically, these budget brands aren't consistent across the board. If you put the dampers on a shock dyno and measured their responses, you could get wildly different results from the left side and right side damper. This means the handling would be less predictable. Another issue is the adjustments on low-grade coilovers may not actually be doing anything at all. A quality coilover will give you a good range of adjustability so you can fine-tune your suspension settings.

If you're looking just to go low there is nothing wrong with a budget coilover. That's their market. But if you're looking to really improve the handling of the car to the best of its abilities, you should be looking for a quality coilover set. HR, Bilstein, KW all make great stuff.

I vote we sticky this thread, lots of good information here!

 

[GunMetalGTI]

Good stuff Mark!

Yes....Agreed. Great job here. Good to see ppl like yourself (valuable forum members) taking the time to put good info together and get ideas flowing. You got my attention and respect now. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Also i think this should be a sticky in some shape or form.

Any thoughts on FK coilovers? and when I ask this I'm referring to the sliverline and powertech lines (the adjustable ones they offer)

 

[GunMetalGTI]

I ended up with PSS10(you sure they're stainless steel?), was considering Konis as well. Ultimately the ease of adjustment(even if I rarely use it), build quality, reputation, and the AWE sale made my choice easier. I do my best to support businesses that take good care of me.

Ya same here....I'm trying to buy my setup at the Dubs at the Beach show on the East Coast in OC, MD where New German will hopefully be sponsoring and having a sale then. They sell a lot of FK and H and R products. I'm sort of torn between H&R's and FK silverlines which I think are both stainless steel but if I would be safe with the coated and still fully adjustable FK powertech setup then it would really save me a few bucks.......:23:

 

[zee]

Johnny_p, Not bashing his review but it a different shock design and the review test he is referencing over 4 years old. Even the Mk5 k-sport kit has gone through 3 major revisions.

Same conclusion can be replicated for premium coilovers. The link below is for a consumer grade Bilstein Pss9 which was also professionally tested about 4 years ago. Bilstein has a very high rating in quality and workmanship, but the review is surprisingly similar to the link you posted
I remember reading it when I used to own an Audi a few years ago.
http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?t=2680936

 

[dibblet]

ily

 

[GunMetalGTI]

Any thoughts on FK coilovers? and when I ask this I'm referring to the sliverline and powertech lines (the adjustable ones they offer)[/QUOTE]

bump for any thougths on these?

 

[RSMark5]

I think silverlines are great! I've never ridden in a car with powertechs. But FK's (from what I understand) all offer the amount of drop from mild to wild. You can even get one of the FK's lines with Koni dampers. The price is just reflective of what coating, and what kind of options. From streetlines with basic coating no dampening and basic 2yr warranty all the way up to Silverline X's which are dampening adjustable lifetime warranty, stainless steel strut bodies. Its really just a case of how much you need to how much can you afford. Fk's are probably the most widely accepted as the best coilovers to slam the snot out of you car.

 

[GunMetalGTI]

thanks man.....that helps. I figured they were pretty good all around. I wanted adjustable dampening as well . The powertechs for that matter, really appealed to me. We get salt with our winters in MD and I'm usually really good about keeping it off of my car. I guess its just a question of weather the cadium coating on the powertechs would be good enough protection or maybe its just better to go all the way with stainless

 

[RSMark5]

Realistically, how long do you expect them to be on the car? How many winters?

 

[GunMetalGTI]

i hope to keep the car at least ten years....

 

[RSMark5]

Then in your case I'd probably spring for the stainless. Most people I know keep them 2-3 and trade for something else and in that case I (personally) wouldn't spring for the extra coating. Two or 3 winters is nothing 10 is something else.

 

[GunMetalGTI]

silverlines it is.......ya i was trying to save a couple hundred but usually I always end up going that extra inch to get something that will really last.....and thats the right way to think about it....how long I plan on keeping the car. Thanks. Since I got it new I plan to just keep building it and eventually get a beater and then maybe an old mark 2 or something