Dmax or PBM Coilovers?

[weshole]

Im up in the air on which set to get to replace my Tein Ha's. I know the Dmax have a softer spring rate than the PBM's do but, the spring rate is not my primary concern. The overall quality is. Im looking for opinions on which of these 2 to run.
(Please only comment on the options listed as I know there are tons other options out there)

[DJPimpFlex]

PBM Pro's. Win prizes.

[weshole]

I was looking at the PBM comps.
POWERED BY MAX: (http://www.gtfactory.jp/cms/page.php?9)

[frifox]

been dailying pmb's on 6/12 clicks for half a year now. overall they are solid except one minor problem. when installing i hand torqued the camber plate bolts apparently a bit too tight so now the nut is spinning the lug :-/

[qwerth]

i would have to go with dmax

[teh smithers]

A quick head's up- even set to full soft, the PBM Comps are gonna be STIFF. Some say they're okay to daily, others caution against it. Depends on the conditions of your roads/spinal cord.

[weshole]

been dailying pmb's on 6/12 clicks for half a year now. overall they are solid except one minor problem. when installing i hand torqued the camber plate bolts apparently a bit too tight so now the nut is spinning the lug :-/
In my minds eye, I'm envisioning the lugs/studs that bolt the pillow ball mount to the chassis is what you are referring to. Is that correct? And that the splines in the mount housing (which I assume are aluminum) somehow stripped and spin freely or semi freely. Am I understanding you correctly?

[weshole]

A quick head's up- even set to full soft, the PBM Comps are gonna be STIFF. Some say they're okay to daily, others caution against it. Depends on the conditions of your roads/spinal cord.
That thought was in the far back of my mind but it is good food for thought.

[Copilot911]

In my minds eye, I'm envisioning the lugs/studs that bolt the pillow ball mount to the chassis is what you are referring to. Is that correct? And that the splines in the mount housing (which I assume are aluminum) somehow stripped and spin freely or semi freely. Am I understanding you correctly?

If that is what he is referring to then yes mine did that too. I installed the coilovers on my car for 5 minutes, then went to take one side off and just trying to unbolt the one of the bolts holding the camber plate to the strut tower made the splines in the camber plate strip out. The nut actually seized right onto the bolt somehow. Aluminum hardware is gay

[frifox]

In my minds eye, I'm envisioning the lugs/studs that bolt the pillow ball mount to the chassis is what you are referring to. Is that correct? And that the splines in the mount housing (which I assume are aluminum) somehow stripped and spin freely or semi freely. Am I understanding you correctly?
Correct

also, as someone mentioned above, pbm's can be very stiff. they are hella bouncy too. i wouldn't set dampers to more than 3/12 clicks if you're dailying it. one day i set them to max and i think i actually got some airtime on the freeway bumps :D

[weshole]

Correct

also, as someone mentioned above, pbm's can be very stiff. they are hella bouncy too. i wouldn't set dampers to more than 3/12 clicks if you're dailying it. one day i set them to max and i think i actually got some airtime on some freeway bumps :D


So, what your saying is if you have hemorrhoids... Probably not the best option?

[huffandpuff00]

how did you decide PBM and DMAX as your 2 choices?

[matts13vert]

PBM Pros ride smooooooth on full soft for daily... the swift springs make a huge difference!

[weshole]

And if I had just read up on the PRO's I would have known they are a better ride than the Comps. So, its between the PRO's and the Dmax's. Sorry for my ignorance. Carry on witrh the opinions/comments. And hammer on me too if ya like. I can take it. Lol.

[weshole]

how did you decide PBM and DMAX as your 2 choices?

Honestly? To be a little different than the norm (around this area). I actually looked into Tein, Stance, Apexi, Greddy, and even Megans. All seem to be a great product but it just became personal preference. (the PMX's are dead F***ing sexy too.)

[frifox]

So, what your saying is if you have hemorrhoids... Probably not the best option?

haha not exactly. at first you would find it uncomfortable but you'll get used to it pretty fast. heck, i'm actually loving it now as the stiffness directly translates to cornering stability :2f2f:

again, set stiffness to the lowest for dailying (quite comfortable for 10k/8k coils) and increase it when drifting. you'll notice change in stiffness even with one click.

[chiboy002]

someone post that phone-scan of the tengoku(?) article comparing them

PBM is very good for its price



buy zeal

[huffandpuff00]

my 2 cents
PBM - too still for DD / Track only
DMAX - hard to get parts if a coil goes tits up

just because ive been looking for new coils also
Fortune auto - DD'able/Swift option/local(US) service

[weshole]

my 2 cents
PBM - too still for DD / Track only
DMAX - hard to get parts if a coil goes tits up

just because ive been looking for new coils also
Fortune auto - DD'able/Swift option/local(US) service


Never even gave Fortune auto a 2nd thought. Dont have ANY feedback on them. KNow anyone running them?

[godrifttoday]

What about fortunes?

[bladetech8]

PBM coils with SWIFT springs or TEIN Super Drifts!

Love the valving on TEIN's dampers, amazing response! :D

[huffandpuff00]

I dont know anyone personally who runs them...
here are some reveiws
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/282893-product-review-fortune-auto-500-series-coilovers-10.html

[irax]

my 2 cents
PBM - too still for DD / Track only
DMAX - hard to get parts if a coil goes tits up

just because ive been looking for new coils also
Fortune auto - DD'able/Swift option/local(US) service

uhh PBM have 2 level of coilovers and swift spring options and now their own other spring option, they are located in San Diego and why rebuild when new replacement parts are cheaper than most shops charge to rebuild + cost of parts. I think its 125 or like 150 for a new shock. They are the leading edge on LOW + Track performance. Companies have changed the way they make suspension links BECAUSE of PBM ingenuity. The answer is pretty simple.

[Tempo]

love driving on my max pros , dan told me the pros were better daily wise rather than comps and the fact they dropped the price from 1500 to 1350 + their personal upgraded springs , haven't regret buying these coilovers, 10k/8k isn't that bad , full soft and your pretty much set, but i daily 7 clicks from full soft.

[corby_baby]

pbm all the way. the ride is amazing, quality is great, and customer support is top notch. not to mention.....GOLD!

[huffandpuff00]

I like PBM...
I have their arms and ordering their new oval exhaust tomorrow morning, im just not sold on their coils..

[CamryOnBronze]

IMO there is not going to be any difference in quality between the two. No offense meant by this, but it sort of seems like you are picking based on which brand seems the "coolest." And I truly don't mean that as a mean comment, because that is basically what I did with my DMAX coils. :wan:

[USAFs13]

I'm currently running Fortune Auto coils and I would have to say I was impressed with them, but they are my first set of coilovers after all. I purchased them through Import Image and they are great. Coilovers are sent directly from the manufacturer and were boxed up very well. Install was easy. I installed Isis arms at the same time so after a complete alignment took it out on these horrible roads here in VA and it was very nice.

[s14fbs]

i would also search stance

cause i have stance and there completly amazing would never use a different coliover

and ik there a bunch of people that wold say the same

[Edwin562]

I set my eyes on Dmax.

[bftII40]

If you have to choose between the two, Dmax and PBM. Choose Dmax. If you want more awesome though I would recommend Stance for sure.

[s13fay92]

i daily pbm's on somewhat shitty roads, if you just slow down for big bumps theyre great

[tricky_ab]

I ran DMAX on my last car and I loved them so much, I scopped up a second new set for my next car.

They never gave me any problems, as they ran rather smooth. They are on the stiffer side of things, but not PBM stiff (My friend had a set and I couldn't daily it like he did).

[weshole]

IMO there is not going to be any difference in quality between the two. No offense meant by this, but it sort of seems like you are picking based on which brand seems the "coolest." And I truly don't mean that as a mean comment, because that is basically what I did with my DMAX coils. :wan:

No offense taken but in all reality, they both are cool imho. I was just seeing if there was any real world input from those that may have tried them. I have gotten a lot of great input along with options i had not considered (fortune). So thank you for your thoughts as well. I am actually considering the fortunes as well now and not so much the PBM ones

[boogerlovers]

I daily my pbm comps from palmdale to burbank daily (60miles one way) and yes they are stiff but i like them more then my teins, never been on dmax coils but my first hand experience says pbm for overall quality and support.

[zooopreme]

I'm surprised this didn't turn into a what goes the lowest coilover thread. Anyway, in terms of customer service & servicing their products, PBM & Fortune Auto are great.

I've taken PBM out to the track once, I personally didn't like how stiff they were but they held up fine. They make quality products so the real debate is driving impressions--in which case, I went with Fortune Auto 500s. I haven't tried Swift Springs but I hear they make quite a difference for both PBM & FA's coils.

Since I got crap for this in another thread, this is an ENTRY LEVEL COILOVER debate not what is the best coilover ever.

[qwerth]

@weshole

where did you plan on purchasing the dmax ?

[drftx]

Stance imo

[DJPimpFlex]

I have both PBM pro's and comps. I have the Pro's on my S13 race car and the comps on my daily S14. The Pro's are serious business. The springs make a HUGE difference not only in avaliable traction, but in ride quality. If I had known I would have gone with the Pro's on my S14 too because of the ride quality. The comp's are great for a low powered car because you can limit your squat and it allows you to adjust your car to have less avaliable traction making 3rd gear drifting an option. For anyone with full track dreams, they really should have power, and the PBM pro's are so much better. They are more compliant so you can throw the car harder and get on the power sooner with more confidance. Overall I would definitely go with the PBM pros for all that and more.

Customer Serivce
Cost of rebuild
quaility
Ect.

Can't go wrong.

Edit: Where's my sponsorship lol.

[kaking]

I like my pbm but the springs are really stiff if you plan on daily driving on bumpy roads. Doesnt bother me too much since its my lil weeknd car. Go super low tho

[Couped_up'd]

Fortune auto

Do it now

[yomisiu]

^ buying those tuesday. OP, go on the front page, they're having a zilvia special.

$1050 free shipping. (for the 500 series)

talked to billy, really patient and helped with all my noob questions.

[rb25crazy]

all the same junk, just pick your color choice and be the end of it.

[Kaifd3s]

Real men rock PBM's.

[nighthawk48]

Real men rock PBM's.

enough said. 10K+ miles, 60-70mi/day and i never regret them. Great quality and great price. Corners are fun =p

[DenkiMan!]

i was really close to getting a set dmax coils this summer, but went with a nice set of kei office ones instead. i hear great things about both dmax and pbm though, pbm pros are supposed to be like the best overall bang for your buck

[Kaomon]

well an always deciding factor for me with coilovers is the rebuild service. I don't know much about DMAX, but PSM offers replacement dampers so that's always convienent, especially when you need a replacement. I never really looked into DMAX but you should definitely look into which companies offer a rebuild/replacement service which can make your choice worthwhile... Good luck, should be fine with either one

[colombianbryan]

i heard great things from pbm. my buddy has dmax all the way stiff and ride is still comfortable

[didderson]

It's hard for me to tell through pictures but it seems Dmax doesn't have a pillowball on the rear coilovers. Something to keep in mind. Imagine the suspension traveling a decent distance without a proper pivot point. Even if there's a pillowball under that rear spring, the perch isn't tied to it so you'll compress one side of the spring more than the other. Kind of a meh design. I've read that some experience a rear clunking.. probably due to this spring binding against the shit on the inside.


PBM's on the other hand will always evenly compress the spring and allow the rear end to move without extra bending moment on the shock shaft.

I don't have DMAX, i have put probably 25-30k miles on my PBM series 2 coilovers. Haven't had ANY problems. My only gripe is they are a bit stiff. If you live in a state with bad roads, you might not like PBM coils. They are a ton of fun to drift on though. (but I'm no pro driftarrr oK).

I'd say only consider stance or PBM. Granted stance rear coilovers have the same rear "pillowball" as dmax from what I can find, they're very comfortable and responsive. Maybe they're similar in nature... so do whatever you want haha. I'm just trying to lay shit out for you to think about.

Fortune auto, i have yet to even sit in a car with them installed. Their pillowballs are bottom mounted, which I'm not sure if they'd have enough flex angle if you slam the car. (the knuckle raises and puts the coil at a harsher angle when you lower).

I have a feeling pbm pro's are more comfortable to daily. I wish i had them gaaah swift springgggsss

Grood luck, let us know what u get and how ya like em

[Karlitos]

all the same junk, just pick your color choice and be the end of it.

Yeah, what he said. The reason PBM dampers are replaced and not rebuilt is because its cheaper to do that on theyre end. If a damper is easier to replace then it must be a real crummy damper (material used. etc). I wouldnt be surprised if you open up a DMAX coilover the PSM damper might drop in. Also I though DMAX USA went bust? In the end its your choice because its your money. Just try one, or youll never know. Chances are whatever you choose, youll grow to like them and stick with them.

[Tempo]

enough said. 10K+ miles, 60-70mi/day and i never regret them. Great quality and great price. Corners are fun =p

You can say that again , corners have never been more fun lol

[Zero-Offset]

id strongly suggest giving Fortune Auto a good look.
best thing about them, besides the decent ride for dailying and them going fairly low, is that its only 100 bucks to get them rebuilt at any time. that includes shipping.
ive got them on my car, love em. ive ridden in several other brands, but for street and track abuse, mine have held up the best.

one more thing i would say is DEFFS spring for the Swift coils on these things. would make dailying as well as track use just that much better from what i've heard from numerous people.

just a shot to show how low i've got mine to go, with a little bit of modification. probs not DRAGGING FRAME low like you can get pbm's, but i was happy how mine sat. (flipped lower bracket, 1 collar i believe. this was last summer. new set up is in the works)

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199807_10150134758052606_511532605_6885917_1026101 _n.jpg



i only posted this suggestion because like you i was considering these brands, as well as BC racing. i chose Fortune and am very glad i did.

[weshole]

I'm surprised this didn't turn into a what goes the lowest coilover thread. Since I got crap for this in another thread, this is an ENTRY LEVEL COILOVER debate not what is the best coilover ever.

Your are right on both accounts. I do want lower (but not scraping the ground lower) than my old HA's provide. And Yes, I do not want to argue about the ZOMG $3000.00+ coilovers are the only way to go. That has been done so much on here. While I do believe the pricey ones are worth the money, I am also realistic about my wants and my pocket book.
On a further note, the more I think about it, the more ride comfort comes into play. While I dont want Lexus plush, I would rather not herniate a disc driving to anywhere. So that it be known, I cannot drift so, I dont. My primary uses are summer daily driver first, drag race and auto x on occasion. MAybe this will shed some light on my end further.

@weshole

where did you plan on purchasing the dmax ?
Possibly Frsport. Or do you have any other ideas/pointers?

Also, my plans on purchasing are going to be made before the spring so, I have some time to ponder further. I absolutely love the responses and actual willingness on everyones part to offer sound advice. That seems to be lacking lately and is refreshing to have it surface. So, plz keep it up.

[n8RPS13]

PBM FTW!!! Haha that rhymes! The new Pro coils are definately worth every penny! Caster adjustment built in to the camber plates too!

[rb25crazy]

$1750, koni 8610 fronts, koni yellows, ground control sleeves, tein top hats. Hit up Richard on nissan road racing if you care bout your car. You can assemble yourself, replace yourself, and know whats wrong with it yourself.

I have run bc racing, stance, tein, they are all junk. Do yourself a favor and do it right once, not like what I did.

Comfy ass ride, and most of all grips like no other.

Do it right, or just leave it stock.

[teh smithers]

Never even gave Fortune auto a 2nd thought. Dont have ANY feedback on them. KNow anyone running them?

I run Fortunes. 500 Series on my S14. :wan: They've been compliant and responsive on the street, but handle the track just as well on stiffer settings. Lots of adjustability, Swift springs available, rebuildable, and great customer service. As Zero-Offset said, the fronts will not go impress-the-cool-children-low, but you can flip the bracket and remove collars to go lower. Somehow I doubt that's your main concern.

[chiboy002]

zeal pro functions

[Kevin920415]

IMO Ive been on pbms, megans, teins.. for me pbms are way too stiff. get some dmax. or better yet stance?

[matts13vert]

All this PBM talk about being too stiff is only about the COMPS.. honestly the only PBM coilovers OP will/should consider are the PRO's... which ride incredibly smooth and perform great at the track, the new dampening compliments the linear swift springs very nicely.

So please no more talk about PBM's being too stiff unless youve felt the ride quality of the PRO's.

[zooopreme]

All this PBM talk about being too stiff is only about the COMPS.. honestly the only PBM coilovers OP will/should consider are the PRO's... which ride incredibly smooth and perform great at the track, the new dampening compliments the linear swift springs very nicely.

So please no more talk about PBM's being too stiff unless youve felt the ride quality of the PRO's.

Not many people have gotten a chance to try out the PROS. For a while, the ONLY PBM coilovers were the gold ones (non-PROS) & myself & others were just giving their insight on how stiff those are.

But you're right, when you're giving a review of PBM coilovers, you really should talk about which one you've riden on.

I, myself, haven't tried PBM pros but the gold coilovers (non-pros) were stiff as hell.

[IMPORTIMAGE]

Fortune Autos FTW, I personally have them on my s13 coupe. If you have any further questions let me know :)

[Drift_86]

All I hear in this thread is blah blah blahblah. Do your own research buy what you want.

[huffandpuff00]

MAX PRO COILOVER DEBUT FOR 2011

MAX PRO coilovers have many of the best things you have come to expect from our competition coilovers like front and rear pillowball spring perches, light weight mounting brackets and full tap super low independent ride height adjustability. They also have high quality components and a robust damper but unlike the comp. coilover which is a pretty stiff ride that compliments lower power cars, the damping on the PRO coilover has been fine tuned for a softer range by Eisuke Kawamori of Parts Shop MAX Japan to give high grip that high power cars require. The softer damper with more adjustability also compliments the Swift Springs which feel softer than our standard springs because the rate is more linear. The swift springs make this pro coilover even lighter than the comp coilovers. Alternatively this pro coilover feels very comfortable on the street and has increased stroke.

Your requests on our wish list forum were taken into account here. These have been development for over a year after and prototypes have seen action throughout the 2010 Formula D season on Tommy Roberts and Matt Powers car (before Matt finally got picked up by major FD sponsor KW). So far the 2011 season will see privateer Ryan Kado, (top drift, thunder drift Champion & FD rookie) running these on his 350Z. I have personally put more than 10,000 daily driven miles into testing these on the streets in my genesis. With the success of our exsisting coilovers over the last 4 years, we were in no hurry to release a new coilover line until it has met our expectations and withstood more abuse than you will give them through competition and crashes. They had to be dead sexy too - so we came up with a new look that has never been seen before by replacing orange and gold with real copper and mirror gold so we cant be mistaken for other products out there who use similar colors. Look for this color scheme in upcoming 2011 products designed to compliment the PRO coilovers. We hope you enjoy what we have worked so hard to create for you.
Sincerely, the entire team at Parts Shop MAX Japan and USA

Unique Features:
~ Super Light Linear Spring
~ CNC aluminum components double coated with pure copper, sealed with clear urethane
~ Pillowball uppers front and rear (teflon lined maintenance free)
~ Pillowball lower mounts (except Z33)
~ Fine damper threads to resist loosening
~ Rebound Infinitely adjustable with 12 click tactile feedback knob.
~ Damping has more adjustability all on the soft end of the range to compliment the swift springs and big traction on high power cars.
~ Camber AND CASTER adjustable front upper mount
~ 2 Degrees of negative camber built into lower mount
~ Lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects with 4 year free replacement in case of moving parts failure, contact us for more details

MAX PRO COILOVERS S13 10/8 KG ~ IN STOCK NOW $1,350.00

[memphis180sx]

Also I though DMAX USA went bust?

No they just left becuse of bad buisness in the u.s becuse of there us dealer. but if u can find a set of d max get em they go as low as stance they ride smooth dosent need swift springs there cheaper than $1400 and fr sport is out of them i think.

[weshole]

All I hear in this thread is blah blah blahblah. Do your own research buy what you want.

Actually, this is research sir. Ultimately, I will buy what I want but this topic is helping me decide just that very thing.

[Karlitos]

$1750, koni 8610 fronts, koni yellows, ground control sleeves, tein top hats. Hit up Richard on nissan road racing if you care bout your car. You can assemble yourself, replace yourself, and know whats wrong with it yourself.

I have run bc racing, stance, tein, they are all junk. Do yourself a favor and do it right once, not like what I did.

Comfy ass ride, and most of all grips like no other.

Do it right, or just leave it stock.

Thats twice this guy is right on the money. Listen to him.

[rb25crazy]

All these guys talkin bout springs and blah blah, only a few companies have springs that are listed as the rates as advertised some of those are:

Eibach
Hypercoil

Do some real research and you will find what I say is true.

[n8RPS13]

All these guys talkin bout springs and blah blah, only a few companies have springs that are listed as the rates as advertised some of those are:

Eibach
Hypercoil

Do some real research and you will find what I say is true.

Don't know where you are getting your research, but Swift springs are definitely the best spring on the market.

[91s13shawn]

pbm! i had fortune autos before and they were alright but i like my pbms way more. they go lower and have more front camber adjustment.

[Bubba]

I'm DD'ing mine of Fortune 500's and love them. They have responded well to the times I have tried to push them. Another thing I like is they are very predictable and comfortable with the way I have my car set up.
Last coilovers I had were Tein HE's, which I loved on the S14 back in the day. So that and the few test rides I've had on Stance, Megan, Godspeed, and PBM are the only things I can use to compare them though.

Good luck with your choice.

[snwfek]

i have PBM, used them for 5 track days so far and love them

[dreadedfist]

Buy coils that aren't piece of %$^*. But then you wouldn't be here, so buy Dmax. Both are made in third world countries, both kind of suck. But Dmax suck a bit less.




Pro tip: Neither are good.

[DJPimpFlex]

Pro tip: Neither are good.

Pro tip: who the fuck are you? lol. That is the most worthless information ever. Seriously have you even driven on either? Do you have any constructive information to add to thread?

[silvia_s14]

I was going around looking for info about which coils felt better too and finally decided. I went with fortune autos 510 series w/ swift 8k/6k springs. I always get asked what coils I'm runing weather it be daily driving or on the track. They go low and fell awesome. My bro in law just got pbms and they are a bit stiff for daily. Nothing big but either one can't go wrong. But I. Would say fortunes. They have A+ customer service and there rebuilds are super fast.. thumbs up for fortune auto

[DallasTXjdm]

Pro tip: who the fuck are you? lol. That is the most worthless information ever. Seriously have you even driven on either? Do you have any constructive information to add to thread?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: Well said!

OP, I have friends with both setups, DMAX + PBM along with Stance and Fortune Autos. I have not heard any complaints. All of them are on DDs. I'm leaning towards PBMs or FA500s.

[pandapruitt]

i use pbm's for my daily love em

[sidewaysil80]

my experience...

stance: garbage, worst coil over i've owned. shitty and bouncy ride quality and the whole inverted adjustment knob is a pain in the butt. that and they are part of the whole crap interchangeable generic tawian coil group (i.e. bc, d2, ksport, megan)

apexi n1 exv: awesome coil over, really really comfortable on the street and was great for the track. only issue is lack of customer service and it's a pain in the butt if you need a rebuild.

fortune auto 500's: hands down best coil over i've ever owned. hand assembled/built here in the USA. after assembly, EVERY individual coil over goes on the shock dyno to make sure they are within spec. since they are based out of the U.S. they are very cheap and quick to get them rebuilt if you need it. i know a BUNCH of guys running xdc/local events that are using them and they are doing super well. i have no experience with the swift springs though. a really good friend is using the swift spring up grade on his ls1 powered kouki and he said they were really good before but now they're GREAT. not too mention, the owner/founder and his wife both are seasoned hpde drivers and actually know what they are talking about and doing, in addition fortune has two demo evo's that are using their off the shelf coil overs and have won MULTIPLE podium finishes in the redline time attack and other grip events. overall my experience has been awesome on the street and capable on the track. not too mention piece of mind knowing they are easy to be rebuilt and they have been tested prior to shipping.

i have no experience with pbm or dmax. and dmax IS out of business. yes, they originally left the U.S. but when i tried to order directly from japan i was told they closed their doors and were looking for a buyer to buy the company out and re open. not sure if it ever happened.

[xpinoyxmk]

Havent had a chance to drive on Fortunes yet but from what i hear, they are worth the money.

Pbm comps were way to stiff for me dd but once i got on the track and dialed them in too my needs, they were nice.

I have dmax in my car, nice for dd and when i get to the track, dial them in, there awesome. Guess it sucks that theres no support for them if something happens but im not expecting anything to happen to them. They still feel like the day i got them.

Btw, you can always change out the springs to Swift, just have to get the measurements on your current springs and contact Swift.

[tricky_ab]

Buy coils that aren't piece of %$^*. But then you wouldn't be here, so buy Dmax. Both are made in third world countries, both kind of suck. But Dmax suck a bit less.

Pro tip: Neither are good.

http://i.minus.com/ibqtCfCt6blqdP.gif




i have no experience with pbm or dmax. and dmax IS out of business. yes, they originally left the U.S. but when i tried to order directly from japan i was told they closed their doors and were looking for a buyer to buy the company out and re open. not sure if it ever happened.

They are still advertising in Drift Tengoku and just held an event last month in Japan. I do know that they were in a bit of trouble, but they haven't gone belly up just yet.

[sidewaysil80]

They are still advertising in Drift Tengoku and just held an event last month in Japan. I do know that they were in a bit of trouble, but they haven't gone belly up just yet.

NICE!!!! so i guess they maybe recovered or got bought out like they were attempting. i wonder if anyone is importing their stuff.

[hOngsterr]

get ddrugs, zeals, or quantums.

if you want to know what you ask in this forum, i say dmax lol

[tricky_ab]

NICE!!!! so i guess they maybe recovered or got bought out like they were attempting. i wonder if anyone is importing their stuff.

I haven't found anyone shipping DMAX stuff so far. I've found a shop locally that can import a DMAX kit for me, but that's about it...

[bikrman2]

From personal experience I would consider the fortune 500's for sure. I ran the same set of their first version for 2 years on 2 different s13's one being a vert. I logged well over 20kmi between the 2 cars on the street and track nd never had any problems. Awesome coilover for the price. Rode awesome even with the 10k-8k springs and handeled even better. I WILL be running a new set with the swift speings on the LS powered S14 I'm building this winter.

[ZenkiKid]

Dmax went out of business. PBM.

[tricky_ab]

Dmax went out of business. PBM.

Yes they left North America...No they haven't closed down shop in Japan just yet. Hell, they just released a cheaper "super street" coilover in the Japanese market place...

[qwerth]

^ wish i was in japan right now

[Junior x]

pbm i have a set and LOVE them. had them for over a year 6/12 spring and never a problem. def worth the price

[weshole]

It's looking more and more like either the Fortunes or the PBM's. I have a few months to pour over it.

I noticed on the PBM web site that they sell the 6k springs for the comp coilovers. Does anyone know if they will interchange with the pro series?

[zooopreme]

There's a thread in the Tech section about putting Swifts on Megans, check it out & see if you want to invest into that.

I mean some folks were very unfortunate to buy a set of Megans (lol) and they were trying to make things right by buying a set of Swift Springs.

One benefit that I can think of is the fact that Megan offers lower mounts that accommodate wide wheels for the fronts. With those brackets, you won't have any trouble hitting the coils with a 10" +18

[weshole]

I wasnt planning on Megans though.

[n8RPS13]

There's a thread in the Tech section about putting Swifts on Megans, check it out & see if you want to invest into that.

I mean some folks were very unfortunate to buy a set of Megans (lol) and they were trying to make things right by buying a set of Swift Springs.

One benefit that I can think of is the fact that Megan offers lower mounts that accommodate wide wheels for the fronts. With those brackets, you won't have any trouble hitting the coils with a 10" +18

That's bullshit because I have 17x9 with a small tire stretch in the front with Megan tracks and the smallest spacer you can fit without rubbing on the coil is a 10mm. I'm using PBM 15mm. Next coils I buy will be PBM Pros.

[zooopreme]

That's bullshit because I have 17x9 with a small tire stretch in the front with Megan tracks and the smallest spacer you can fit without rubbing on the coil is a 10mm. I'm using PBM 15mm. Next coils I buy will be PBM Pros.

So what are these?

Amazon.com: Megan Racing Coilover Damper Kit: S13 240SX 89-94 Front Extended Brackets #11498: Automotive (http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Racing-Coilover-Damper-Kit/dp/B001W792X6)

[DJPimpFlex]

That's bullshit because I have 17x9 with a small tire stretch in the front with Megan tracks and the smallest spacer you can fit without rubbing on the coil is a 10mm. I'm using PBM 15mm. Next coils I buy will be PBM Pros.

Offset is everything. 17x9 +40 wont fit. I ran 17x10 + 12 with no spacer on KTS. It can be done.

[huffandpuff00]

Because of this tread i've been looking into the PBM PRO's(not comp) more, they seem to be a really good deal for the money...

I would say between:
FA 500 w/ swift $1400 Free shippinghttp://zilvia.net/f/suspension/427177-fortune-auto-coilovers-500-series-dreadnaught-series-free-shipping-iir.html
PBM pro w/ (swift or SLL) $1350 - $1500 + shipping

[sidewaysil80]

Because of this tread i've been looking into the PBM PRO's(not comp) more, they seem to be a really good deal for the money...

I would say between:
FA 500 w/ swift $1400 Free shippinghttp://zilvia.net/f/suspension/427177-fortune-auto-coilovers-500-series-dreadnaught-series-free-shipping-iir.html
PBM pro w/ (swift or SLL) $1350 - $1500 + shipping

can't go wrong with fortune. hand made here in the states and rebuild with shock dyno is only $100 per corner.

[irax]

So what are these?

Amazon.com: Megan Racing Coilover Damper Kit: S13 240SX 89-94 Front Extended Brackets #11498: Automotive (http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Racing-Coilover-Damper-Kit/dp/B001W792X6)

those are something you buy additional to the coilovers, so it doesn't really count. You can't really use that as a baseline for comparison.

Offset is everything. 17x9 +40 wont fit. I ran 17x10 + 12 with no spacer on KTS. It can be done.

cool story bro, he's not rocking 17x9+40

[matts13vert]

buy my pbm pros

insert cheesy link to part out thread here
http://zilvia.net/f/sale-items/427673-s13-vert-part-out-lots-good-parts.html

NO SHAME!

[godrifttoday]

i was looking into the koni setup, i got a total of 2504 with 8611 all around... a bit more than i want to spend, ill just get the fortune auto with some driftwork front knuckles

[rb25crazy]

i was looking into the koni setup, i got a total of 2504 with 8611 all around... a bit more than i want to spend, ill just get the fortune auto with some driftwork front knuckles

That's a pretty bad comparison, with koni 8611 all around double adjustable, and the fortune autos from what I have seen is only rebound adjustable.

With that being said, if you did the 8610 all around the price would be lower significantly.

[pmq.s14]

PBM Pro comes with SLL springs, and Swifts are optional upgrade. SLL's seems to be also a performer. PBM Pro's vs FA 500 w/ Swift upgrade.. pretty hard to decide which one to get.

[weshole]

PBM Pro comes with SLL springs, and Swifts are optional upgrade. SLL's seems to be also a performer. PBM Pro's vs FA 500 w/ Swift upgrade.. pretty hard to decide which one to get.

I agree. But, I do like the Cobra downpipe I bought from PBM along with their service so that little thing may be the tipping point for me. It's THAT close between the two.

[az_240]

PBM PROS look like the better bang for the buck.
Caster adjustable and pillowball rear knuckle mounts... I wonder how their new springs do against swift springs?

Anyone know if they are tall enough for driftworks rear knuckles?

It's either these or the koni setup.