Most Comfortable One Piece Coilovers - For Grip

[steve shadows]

I took a nice long drive today up to PV in So-Cal to watch the sunset with the race car.

I enjoy driving the car around on the weekend once in a while.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/shadowerks/IMG00080.jpg

As you know I am an expert in EFI and Engine Management tuning specifically for Nissans (and some other makes).

I currently am using the SPL KTS Coilovers for the S13. 8 Front 6 Rear.

The problem I am having is the dampers. The suspension is aggressive but the shock's leave much to be desired. Hitting a couple bumps in the road going along the mountain road is extremely harsh, but I am still using Azenis.

I will be upgrading tires to NT01's very soon, and have been told to hold out and that these will compliment the KTS. I doubt so because- the stiff sidewall will make this setup even more rigid over bump stops and cornering hard over corner edge track levees at high speeds.

So basically I am looking at moving away from this suspension and to something with more chassis feedback with less rigid damper, for more cushy ride. I am looking at the

1. Tein Flex Coilovers

If anyone has had some experience I would love to hear feedback.

The goal for my car is to have a low center of gravity with a smooth and NOT bumpy ride, with decent driver feedback from the car-suspension.

Thanks for any tips and ideas - etc.

[mehsilvia]

I can only offer my experiences with the Tien Flex on my S14. I found these to be the best all around coilovers for EXACTLY what you have described.

They were very comfortable on the roads with the dampening softened, and was able to amply adjust and drop that bitch for track conditions.

I would DEFINATELY recomend the EDFC as well. I dont know how many times ive had to come back in to pit and re-adjust the dampening for certain track conditions.



My S13 has Stance GR+. These have decent dampening and can drop yo shit to the ground, but they beat the mother fucking hell out of ya.

[steve shadows]

Great thanks, I knew you would chime in.

It's my last attempt to make this car truly fun, and not a handful/tin can sht box. :-/ ha-ha

[lflkajfj12123]

get zeal functions

[mehsilvia]

Great thanks, I knew you would chime in.

It's my last attempt to make this car truly fun, and not a handful/tin can sht box. :-/ ha-ha

Oh, you were trying to avoid handful/tin can shit box?

My Bad. Disregard last post. :keke:




So, what about those zeal functions?

[steve shadows]

Yeah I am curious about the Zeal's too.


*on a side note* ran into some street bike's on the 710, needless to say, I came out on top ;), so that redeemed the tin can sht box slightly ha-ha, I just want it to handle like a nice car, not a high school beater.

[iwishiwas-all*]

i have tein flex, I have used the flex and tein HR and the flex even at the stiffest ssetting is much softer.
I purchased the flex with 9k springs all around from a friend, and i think because of these springs, its prob a bit more bouncy than the usual 4-5k or whatever setup they sell them with. even as bouncy as they are, it is a nice ride, on the highway, i think it could be stiffer but then again i am not sure because of the springs I have. as far as adjustment and fit and finish, i must say I am very happy with the flex

if you want something a bit more mild, by far the flex is the way to go.

[steve shadows]

Yeah supposedly they overhauled the new Flex and they are 7 FR 7 R

Which sounds kind of interesting and exciting to me.

[lflkajfj12123]

zeals

you won't have the road noise of many other coilovers

the travel of suspension is perfect

you won't have that bottom out feeling of most other coilovers

you'll be able to take them on roads you avoided before and have a pillow effect

so smooth you'll be smiling ear to ear

and zeal usa is located right in socal if you ever need to do a rebuild or change spring rates

can't go wrong with that + strreeeet cred

[Prok0]

Ive heard KW Variant 3s ride really nice..

Buddy of mine had a Z33 and went thru 3 or 4 other brands of quality coilovers (apexi/stance/etc.) and said the KW variant 3s road alot better then the others..

Probably because you could do low and hi speed dampening adjustment and smooth things out at speed..

Another buddy has an S13 which had apexi coilovers and he also went to the KW V3s and said they road much smoother and seemed to provide more grip as well..

[MadScientist]

Alot of the guys that would hang out around the shop would have KTS or some cheep coilovers... they ride like your always off-road!! A close friend had GP Sports and they were a better streetable quality ride but the car was bouncy. I have a set of Yashio Factory Spec Plus... basically a revised HKS Hyper-D... not crazy bouncy (even with 10/9), infact its very smooth and solid ride... you feel everything, but you dont need new kidneys.

If I build another s-chassis... not nearly as crazy as my current.
I would go with Stance or Cusco... I have rode on both in a Z33... the Silk Roads were actually descent but still a little harsh after about an hour of riding.

This is a test that should be done... someone with knowledge of all these coilovers should take about a 2 hour ride, and full track test each in the same exact car.

-Drew

[8Nismo9]

so sounds like the zeal functions are good for street and track.But what would you recommend for full street?

[drftmark]

I have had my zeals for about a year now and they are niceeee. I really haven't ridden on any other coilovers so it is hard for me to compare them to anything else.

[lflkajfj12123]

so sounds like the zeal functions are good for street and track.But what would you recommend for full street?

i'd recommend you zeals for coilover and koni for shock setup

or just stick with stock

[lyrical struggle]

Rack up another vote for Tein Flex.

[ayuaddict]

i'd recommend you zeals for coilover and koni for shock setup

or just stick with stock

man your avatars are always the best, send me the full size ones!

haha.

i had HE's, feels really good.

i guess you get what you pay for.

but i personally like my KTS alot, well i do have the 7k spring from the HE on my fronts (minor minor difference)

[shifts13]

I dont know if you can get other spring rates for you coilovers, but try lower spring rates. I had 7/5 on my previous JICs and they were the most comfortable street coils I've ever driven/riden(compared to stance, megan, KTS, Tein HEs) . And they were great for autocrossing, the dampening adjustability was well matched with the spring rate. But they were a bit soft for me for drifting. But then its all driver's preference.

[revat619]

HKS RS. perfect for street.

[articdragon192]

I had Flexes. I loved them. Great daily set up.

[drftwerks]

tanabe sevens are pretty sweet on the street.

[turtl631]

Better dampers will "feel" a lot more comfortable than the cheap coilovers, regardless of spring rates. I'd throw a Koni Yellow or Bilstein setup on there unless you want to spend the $ for Koni 86XXs. The only real problem with the Yellows is that you get a pretty good damper but limited front travel, which obviously causes problems. Since your title said "one piece", I'm guessing you mean an OTS coilover set...then I can't contribute much. KWs come with softer springs and have a decent damper in them, but price is fairly high. There is hope though...I went from Stance GR+ to Koni 8611 and the skitteriness is gone. It feels great on old worn MXs on the (really crappy) Chicago streets, so I can only imagine how nice it'd be for some real driving.

[jrocslider]

i know that you'll get a great ride on a koni setup but what i'm also looking for is a comfortable set of coilovers for daily driving. i wanna be able to be low but have a nice ride at the same time.

i'm guessing Tein Flex, JIC FL-TAS, Zeal Functions are on the top of the list.

[steve shadows]

Yeah I am probably just going to go with the Tein Flex,

but please continue to add more input, also any videos of the EDFC or Tein Flex equipt cars, and any more details on modifying the KTS are welcome

[sean350z]

I have Zeal Function X with the 8/6 spring rates. They are 30 way adjustable and on the lowest setting they are comfortable but adjust them to 10-15 and they are stiff. Along with polyurethane bushings in the front and rear and solid arms in the rear it's stiff. Even on the track it's almost too stiff and gets hard to feel weight transfer. The valving is great and they hold up great, I give them a good cleaning after every season, have about 3 seasons or 5000 miles of rough auto-x, grip racing, and street driving to events and have never had a problem with them to require a rebuild.

This season I might look into lowering the spring rates if I can. But I totally understand when you say you want to enjoy the chassis and it's hard with all these JDM coilovers that come stiff as a harsh cheap whiskey on the rocks.

Maybe you could do like a custom Koni setup?!? Or play with spring rates with a nice damper.

[98koukile]

I'd suggest Ohlins, Bilstein, or Koni. Find a front setup from Japan thats made for the 240 and for the rears you can run bilsteins z32 setup on the cheap, revalve from them is somewhere in the range of like $65. If you're racing I wouldn't do the same spring rates front and rear. BMW guys do 2/3 rate in the rear but I think thats a bit in excess for our cars, a lotta guys run somewhere between that and 3/4 and are happy with it, there's just not enough in the rear to warrant such a stiff rate because if you slide and grip you can just get a nice rear bar to stiffen things up and disconnect it when you want grip

My buddy has Tein Flex coils on his RS and loves them, in case you want to go that route and just order everything at once. The EDFC is cool you can use the presets for city driving, press a button and stiffen things up for the highway, you can cancel out a lot of the bounce that way

[usdm180sx]

What's up Steve, I used to have Flex on my s13. Spring rates on the flex are 7/7 for the s13. I have kei office xr now. Spring rates are 9/7. Even though kei office is no more, they have very very good dampening.

For example, there is a huge dip on the bellflower off ramp from the 405 north. The off ramp sweeps 90 degrees and the dip is where the bridge part of the ramp connects to the hill.

When I took this off ramp at 60mph on the flex, the car became really unsettled to the point where I almost lost control of the car. Scary as shit. When I took the same off ramp with the kei office the car wasn't even phased.

Spring rates don't matter, it's all about the dampening quality. Dampening quality gives the car composure over road uncertainties. Even though the spring rates are 9/7 on the kei office, the car rides like stock. What's even more amazing is high speed stability. When I punch it on the freeway the faster I go the car feels even more stable over road bumps.

If you plan to keep the car for awhile, go with some high end coilovers like zeal or dg-5. The enjoyment factor for your car will increase 10 fold exponentially.

Hope this helps.

[nismo tuned s14]

I love my Tein Flex for DD. I ride on the most stiff setting (16 all around) and they still feel great over bumps. Mine came with the 6k,5k springs. They are not bouncy. At all. The only complaint I have is that it could be just a bit more stiff, but then again I don't track my car.

These are great coilovers. As for the EDFC, I wouldn't get it. I planned on getting it, but it only takes like 30 seconds to change the settings all around and even on the harshest setting, they still ride like a dream.

[onepuff]

Check here if you want some more info on the Koni 86xx setup.

Update - Nissan Road Racing Forums (http://nissanroadracing.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=103)

This guy Veilside makes custom housings for the koni's for S13 & S14. Get some Ground Control coilover setup with whatever spring rates you want. Price for the whole setup comes out comparable to a set of OTS coilovers. I had a set of Koni yellows on my Integra and loved them. I can only imagine the 86xx series would have even better damping/control qualities. The Koni's are also re-buildable and can be serviced without sending them halfway around the world. Plus you get to buy American to help the economy LOL

[usdm180sx]

I love my Tein Flex for DD. I ride on the most stiff setting (16 all around) and they still feel great over bumps. Mine came with the 6k,5k springs. They are not bouncy. At all. The only complaint I have is that it could be just a bit more stiff, but then again I don't track my car.

These are great coilovers. As for the EDFC, I wouldn't get it. I planned on getting it, but it only takes like 30 seconds to change the settings all around and even on the harshest setting, they still ride like a dream.

I would encourage you to ride in a car with zeal, dg-5, or other high end coilovers. I guarantee you will feel different about the flex afterwards.

[Brian]

lol Norm.

I know THAT dip.

[steve shadows]

lol Norm.

I know THAT dip.

Part of the reason I started this thread! the notorious DIPS! in LB


What's up Steve, I used to have Flex on my s13. Spring rates on the flex are 7/7 for the s13. I have kei office xr now. Spring rates are 9/7. Even though kei office is no more, they have very very good dampening.

For example, there is a huge dip on the bellflower off ramp from the 405 north. The off ramp sweeps 90 degrees and the dip is where the bridge part of the ramp connects to the hill.

When I took this off ramp at 60mph on the flex, the car became really unsettled to the point where I almost lost control of the car. Scary as shit. When I took the same off ramp with the kei office the car wasn't even phased.

Spring rates don't matter, it's all about the dampening quality. Dampening quality gives the car composure over road uncertainties. Even though the spring rates are 9/7 on the kei office, the car rides like stock. What's even more amazing is high speed stability. When I punch it on the freeway the faster I go the car feels even more stable over road bumps.

If you plan to keep the car for awhile, go with some high end coilovers like zeal or dg-5. The enjoyment factor for your car will increase 10 fold exponentially.

Hope this helps.

I took that bump yesterday with my KTS and i did not lose control at all, but it just shatter my tail bone, but complete control was retained ha-ha. I think I am getting a better picture now.

What exact Zeal unit do you guys recommend?

[articdragon192]

Function Xs are nice.

[mademedoit]

Yeah I am probably just going to go with the Tein Flex,

but please continue to add more input, also any videos of the EDFC or Tein Flex equipt cars, and any more details on modifying the KTS are welcome

All the tein edfc does is change the setings at a press of the button where as the tanabe can be set up to automaticaly adjust at speed. So for instance if you live somewhere with fucked up side streets but you have a nice new section of freeway to drive on you could have it set up to be very soft until you get on the freeway and go over 60:coold:. I have the non-adjustabe sustec-pro oc and they are very comfortable driving over uneven road/potholes (sometimes even more than the stock) yet they remain flat on hard cornering almost as flat as my old crx hf with lowering springs ment for a integra:tweak:. The only thing wrong with the sustec pro's are when you drive over small tar strips on the road the suspension does'nt seam to move at all but the rest of the time they ride better than anyother sports car I've rode in. The shock body is also stamped kyb same the the stock one so oem quality made in japan for you japanese car. Kw's probably beter quality but I'll get those when I get my porsche gt3 rs.... when ever that happens.:snoop:

[Osmosis]

Buddy Club RSD are THE most comfortable coils I've ever driven on. On full soft they soak up anything you can throw at them. On full hard, you better wear a kidney belt. People who ride in my car always wanna know what they are because it's so damn silky.

[garagelu]

I have heard from other s14 owners with flex coilovers that they are a little too soft. Great for comfortable daily driving but when it comes to more aggressive driving, you may seek more. I know the s13 spring rates are higher than the flex s14 6/5 so they may be pretty nice coilovers for what you are looking for.

I have tein super drift coilovers on my s14 and they are 10/8. I had problems with the ride being way to stiff and bouncy but after I put subframe spacers in and adjusted my camber, the car rides totally different. I feel they are great for daily while still very stout for autocross or road racing.

[heychris]

Straight from the mouth of a competent suspension revalver/builder here in NorCal.
"all the current low to middle end Japanese coilovers sold here in the US have a rebound dampening imbalance. The adjustability is extremely dependent upon the Compression stack and it's responsiveness to adjustability regardless of number of clicks"....This was in regards to a set of Teins he was revalving. He disassembled my GP6's and said they were nearly identical in internal valving to the Teins.

I would try softening the dampening; all 4 of your coils, more so in the rear.

Another thing....spring rate is VERY important, especially on the street. I've been on the Stances for about a year now and found the harder springs not so great for the street. I switched to the softer and the ride was improved. I was thinking that I would put the softest pair of springs I had on the fronts and order another even softer set for the rears again to get rid of the mild jouncy-ness the car currently has....

Cheers;
CH

[nismo tuned s14]

I would encourage you to ride in a car with zeal, dg-5, or other high end coilovers. I guarantee you will feel different about the flex afterwards.

I'm sure I would. However, I got a great deal for the coilovers that I wanted. Also, no one I know is in to cars enough to spend money on high-end coilovers.

I would love to have the opportunity, though!

[yokotas13]

Aragosta would do exactly what you want

[steve shadows]

I fidled with the dampening again today and got it to go softer, and the ride is actually much better than yesterday, also more grip when that 500 Brake HP starts to come up around 7 K rpms.

I think I am going to hold out for some track time in March with some NT01s and see what's up from there.

Don't get me wrong the KTS have been the best coilovers for the money hands down so far - that I have driven on. And as you know I test drive a lot of different car's with different suspension at my weekend job/hobby ;)

I was thinking of I had some progressive springs in 7 FR and 5 RR it would probably ride prefect. This is the spring rate I had with my Ground Control/AGX setup and the car was a dream to drive, but would just not get low enough.

[heychris]

I was thinking those spring rates (7f/5r) would be pretty great for aggressive street use in my S14, but a bit soft for the track.

A straight rate spring is better for controlling weight shift and body roll, especially at the track. You can probably order just springs from KTS, eibach or swift to get the perfect combo.

You might also try a revalve of the dampener by a local motorcycle suspension tuner to smooth out or improve rebound response. (as essentially, coilovers are motorcycle shocks)

The only problem I've had with the Stance coilovers is there is not enough downwards stroke length to keep the rear wheels from picking up during aggressive cornering on my favorite touge. It could be related to the aforementioned rebound harshness/slowness to respond as it gets mildly better upon softening the rear. Probably going with a separate rebound AND compression adjustable set of coilovers would completely fix the problem...but those are bucks...

Good luck!
CH

[steve shadows]

Thanks, I have an S13 FYI.

7 and 5 is perfect for grip on street tires.

8 and 6 might just be the ticket with NT01s tho

! oh and**** I took that dip again Norm, with the dampening down two more clicks with my KTS tonight just to check and it was smooth as silk :tweak:

So I might just have to play with my setup a bit more.

[heychris]

Sweet!!!
Glad I could help. I don't know the weight difference on the cars. I think the 13 is lighter, so you in theory can get away with softer springs. You might invest in a temp gun as well as the sticky meats. Measure inner, middle and outer temps and record. This can let you know if you need to go to stiffer springs and give clues to car set up (camber, pressures etc) for optimum grip for your driving style or setup preference. In general you should see tire temps FALL with stiffer springs (as long as no sliding or excessive wheelspin is present)

Current car thinking is to get away with the softest springs you can, suit dampening to match and add sway bar if needed...

I think someone on page one suggested softer springs with bars to match so kudos to him.

Cheers;
CH

[blu808]

Steve. I have had everything from apexi, Hks, megan, tein, stance, and for the street hands down get the flex.

Still stiff enough for light track days, and super plush on the .

[dynamicck]

I just got the Greddy Type R double adjustable. Damn double adjustable is hard to dial in. On the softest setting has a nice ride.

The dip that I hate is 5 south near Jamboree.

[240trainee]

KW automotive North America Inc. Suspension -- Coilovers -- Shocks -- Springs (http://www.kw-suspension.com/en/)

[silvia13t14]

tanabe sustec pro five's or seven with a teas controller is the way 2 go i live in ny i should know

[heychris]

I agree with 240Trainee. KW's are THE way to go at a reasonable price, especially given their resevoir style.....I'm having trouble with the no camber adjustment though.

Ultimate would be a really nice set of remote resevoir Ohlins (from Europe not Japan) or Motons, but those prices are just ridiculous.
CH

[MomentumGT]

Wow still struggling with the suspension setup. Hope you find something to your liking soon.

I'll recommend the Tein MonoFlex as that is what we use on our race car with a 12/9 spring combo. IIRC the coilovers come with a considerably lower spring rate from Tein. The valving on the Mono's are quite nice as it does give the driver great feed back and soaks up track bumps, especially banging the zebra zones.

I've come from using quite a few different brands from top shelf JDM coils to the low end China rebrands. For the most part the JDM coils and most of the rebrand's are way over valved making for a jarring ride street or track. It would feel like the car would hit the bump then hit me on the way up bringing my dome too close to the roof, and I'm short. I felt the KTS's were the best bang for the buck with performance included. Coming from KTS to the Mono's was a night and day difference as far as suspension feed back and absorbing road irregularities and for the most part not unsettling the car while cornering as well. The Flex's would be a decent compramise for the Mono's but I personally feel no where near as good on the track even with the change in spring rates.

My 2 cents.

-Jon

[steve shadows]

Thanks Jon, appreciate the input,

I wish i was really "Struggling" with the setup, but I have not honestly had a chance to hit it flat out on a decent course, legally ;) yet with the KTS and R-compounds.

This has been a super busy/transition year (08) for me, but (09) looks promising for a lot more seat time.

I think the KTS are the best for the buck, time to just sort out some bushings and brake pad issues and get the roll bar in and then rock and roll...

[xs240]

lol you said get the roll cage in and then rock and roll lol, i hope you dont roll or rock man :P Good luck :)

[Koopa Troopa]

I don't recommend the Tein Flex, too soft. I hate soft dampers. However with soft dampers you can run a lower quality tire and get away with it. Cusco Zero 1 or 2's are great dampers, Gab Revolution Stroke, Zeal Function, Apex*i N1, etc. You gotta pay to play. If I had it my way and was running NT01's I'd give Tein a call and get some Super Taikyu dampers made for my useage.

[eye-5]

I had the Tein Flex on my Acura RSX Type S and the were terrible. They were extremely bouncy and the adjustment knob adjusts both rebound and bump at the same time FTL (that is generally the sign of a bad shock). They were way overdampened and felt bad on the street and the track. They were basicly designed to go low and not blow. Not really for performance.

I replaced them with Buddy Club RSDs and it was a night and day difference on the street and the track. The ride was amazing even though the rear spring rates were at 16k!

My S14 came with Tein Basics, they don't react fast enough for the track. I have bad body roll. They do feel decently comfortable on the street though. I am in the process of buying some Buddy Club RSD's for the S14 and I'll let you know. I can't find many reviews for them on the S chassis but they were amazing on my RSX so why not give them a try. Considering they do real R&D I trust the company.

[ronmcdon]

i'm feeling the same way as the OP,
only I have 10/8 tanabe 7's w/ edfc wannabe device, full soft all around.
i don't even like the way it autoX's, as the tail comes out without warning.
its no fun to drive as it becomes unpredictable when pushed.
street driving is acceptable as long is it isn't the shitty roads typical of los angeles.
body roll is almost non-existent, but i don't have too much grip either.

7/5 rates is what i'm shooting for as well,
i'm more inclined to go with KW Var.3 w/ 7/5.
if body roll still a concern, id rather dial it out with swaybars & endlinks.

[ZenkiKid]

I don't recommend the Tein Flex, too soft. I hate soft dampers. However with soft dampers you can run a lower quality tire and get away with it. Cusco Zero 1 or 2's are great dampers, Gab Revolution Stroke, Zeal Function, Apex*i N1, etc. You gotta pay to play. If I had it my way and was running NT01's I'd give Tein a call and get some Super Taikyu dampers made for my useage.


I had gab revo stroke, shit rode amazing, but i switched em out in favor for some JIC FLT-A1s for more adjustability

[helikz]

yeah, flexes with an edfc are pretty much best bang for the buck on streetable coils.

[SuicidnS13]

I just went with Stances in 7k/5k from IntensePowers recommendation. I will definately put up a review of that setup once the car is up and running (about 3 weeks) According to IntensePower this setup rides amazing even on super stretched tires on 19's (there shop s14)

[JVD]

I hate Tein Flex. I rode on them in my bros R32.

He hated them like a month after he got em' too. So brutal.

Soft spring rates did not equate to better ride. It meant a much bouncier/unsettled feeling. It was really weird...almost scary sometimes.

And forget tracking them. That shit was body roll city.

The only time they felt somewhat decent, was at full hard... and they were still SUPER BOUNCY. My GP sports and his new Silk Roads are way better.

I'm willing to bet Zeals will be even better.

[az_240]

KW automotive North America Inc. Suspension -- Coilovers -- Shocks -- Springs (http://www.kw-suspension.com/en/)


Has anybody figured out a way to make these sit low? I read about how great these were a while back but they did not sit low enough.

I currently have KTS and am looking to upgrade soon.

[C-unit]

I had flex in my R32 GTS-t before and I love it!! It serves me good for DD and couple of auto x/ street drift once awhile. I then went to Tein Super drift, I think their dampening to too harsh for everyday. I don't get enough rebound so once the shocks compress, it doesn't rebound fast enough. They are not really design for everyday use imo. I am going to get a set of MONOflex or Aragosta Standard soon. I've got a ride from both suspensions and they are superb and make the flex model feels like shit. Ride quality is harsh but the car is not bumpy. No supsension noise (WHICH I ABSOLUTELY HATE), car rides like a EURO!! but still maintain its stiffness during corner will minimum body roll!!! If you have a bigger budget, I would get those.

[mmdb]

As others mentioned KW would be great. Aragosta, aka AST here in the USA provide a 1 way, 2 way or 3 way dampening. The ride quality is awesome it doesn't always feel like you're bashing into bumps. For the most part I'd stay away from JDM branded coilovers, as a lot of have not-so-great valving and tend to be way over dampened (TEIN HA, APexi N1-pro, ZEAL) or way underdampened (ie K-sport).

[PoorMans180SX]

I want Aragostas so bad.

I bought my current car with Megan Track coils (12/10 springs) and they ride better than my previous car with Tein Super Drifts (10/8 springs).

If Megan can make a decent riding coilover with 12/10 springs, I can't imagine what AST can do. I have yet to decide what spring rates I want.