2020 Coilover Comparison

[Thursday7]

Hello all, just me shitting up the chat section instead of using search. Just kidding, I'd say that the entry level/mid-tier coilover options ($1000-$2000) have changed a bit since the 2007 threads. Car is a street legal, very low 180sx used for drifting on a variety of track surfaces.

I've pretty much narrowed down my interest to the Stance XR1, Fortune 500's, and Feal 441+. Really thinking outside the box here. All have Swift springs available, and I'm looking for an 8k/5k combo.

Notes for comparison:

XR1:
-Inverted front monotube (largest draw here)
-In house overhauls available
-Made in USA with parts from Japan and Korea
-Gimmicky BS about better rust resistance and shit
-Have to request spring rate that isn't 8/6, not sure if making this change would bring default revalving.
$1,795 MSRP with Swifts

441+
-"Drift Spec" valving available tuned by Odi. (This is the extent of info I found in quick research, sounds lame without more info, haven't sent any emails or anything yet to dig deeper)
-In house overhauls available
-Designed and assembled in USA
$1,549 MSRP with Swifts

500 Series
-Digressive monotube piston (is this a gimmick?)
-In house overhauls available
-Designed and assembled in USA
$1,749 MSRP with Swifts

Honestly, the 441 seem to be coming out on top here given their affordability. The inverted piston of the Stance is a cool selling point, but I am having a hard time finding a downside to the Feals given that they are assembled with good quality control, are valved per each application, and have Swifts in the rate I desire. Fortunes seem like a great option but, to what I'm seeing, don't bring more to the table for the $200 more than the Feals.

Thoughts?

[Krusty_s13]

Having used stance, BC, fortune's and other entry level coilovers, I say go with the FA's or Feals. I upgraded to FA 510's with swifts and I wish I would have done it sooner. It is a better option in every respect. I hear good things about the FEALS, which were a very close contender for me. Maybe I'll grab some feals for my s14 in the future.

[deolio]

I absolutely love my XR1’s. They’re custom valved with 12/10k swifts and even at that stiffness the ride quality is better than anything I’ve had before (including bc, fortune, Cusco, jic, and pbm). There is a bit of lead time for custom rates, but with only a 1k difference there might not be any change.

Feal seems like a great deal. Not sure why more people don’t run them.

Ps. Why 5k rear? Doesn’t seem like there’d be much of a noticeable difference unless you’re driving at a competitive level.

[loser101]

I have the Feal 441+ road racing version. I love them cannot speak to the drift versions though.

[2_Liter_Turbo]

I've had FA 500 and Feal 441+ Road Race. Both are good for budget Taiwan parts coilovers. It's hard for me to compare them back to back because they were on totally different cars, but I don't think you could go wrong with either at that price point. I was faster on the Feals though, lol (Stock KA powered S14 on NT01s vs a lightly tuned Legacy Spec B on FA-500s & RE71Rs). I don't have any personal experience with Stance.

[Thursday7]

Thank you for the takes so far. Gotta love how each reply favors a different option I listed, lol. Will continue my research as this thread potentially expands.



Ps. Why 5k rear? Doesn?t seem like there?d be much of a noticeable difference unless you?re driving at a competitive level.

I do have a reason for this. Without getting too into it, I have a few S13s and with the current coilover sets I have on hand, the rear setup will eventually go onto my kouki S13 "oem+" street car Im also putting together, with a matching 6-7k front rate for street "comfort".

[the_brownie1]

I love my Stance coils, i have been running the same GR+ coils for the past 8 years. The inverted monotube was a huge selling point for me.

[tuzzio]

Love this thread. I'm in a similar position / train of thought eventually, and am personally leaning toward Feal myself.
Also, Feal recently posted some information comparing their coilover to another company (they did not name) and how their clicks effect the way the coilover moves on a shock dyno.
Also, they designed theirs so the first 4 or so clicks are DRASTICALLY softer for us ride quality guys.

[PoorMans180SX]

Thank you for the takes so far. Gotta love how each reply favors a different option I listed, lol. Will continue my research as this thread potentially expands.



Yeah this is the hard part about comparing coilovers. Most people only have a subjective experience with one or a couple brands, and sometimes newer versions are out etc. I remember Turbo Magazine once did a S2000 coilover shootout with like 8 different brands and they compared track times and had a whole bevel of testing for each one. Really really cool, and something that would be awesome to see from these famous youtube people that actually have the cash for it vs sponsor plugs and vlogs IMHO. Especially since car magazines are dead.

Here's my subjective experience: I've worked at a few speed shops and everything I've put Feal's on has rode amazing. Never been on the track with them (soon to be remedied with my own car). KW's have also been very nice to drive on, as well as Ohlins.
I used to steer people away from Stance because they used to ride like you replaced the dampers with wood dowels, but having worked with TF-works last year on some k-swap stuff and seeing their shock dyno and new models, I was very impressed with how they do things now, so I'm sure there latest models are pretty top-notch for the pricepoint.
Always wanted to try out Fortune 510's and their "blow-off" valve that's typically not included in coilovers below $5k+. They probably have the most "feature-rich" coilovers for the price.

[brndck]

i know youre focused on the 3 options you mentioned, but Powertrix also makes an excellent coilover, with many of the qualities you listed. I've been on them for a year and they feel excellent thus far. I have the swift springs option. List price is fairly high, but they do offer sales often, and this time of year (Black Friday) is prob the best time of the year to order.

https://www.powertrix.com/s13/s13-s14rt

Direct Bolt On Fit, no modification required.

Independent Ride height and Spring Preload adjust-ability

Rebuild-able/Replaceable Premium mono-tube forge steel strut Body (inverted front)

Front Adjustable Camber Plates and Rear Pillow ball upper mounts

15 way strut damper adjustments

Anti-Corrosive Magnicoated Damper Housings

(PPI) Polymer Plastic Injected dust boots (New Feature)

Upgraded Front Lower mounting bracket and bushings (New Feature)

(Standard 8k/6k Spring Rates) 175mm front and 200mm rear spring length.

*Custom Spring Rates also Available

*All coilover kits are rebuild-able / replace-able so it can be last strut and spring combination ever needed. Fine tuning of the suspension is also possible for any and every type of driving style, or motorsport event as custom spring rates are available from 3kg/mm (168 lbs/in) – 17kg/mm (952 lbs/in) Note: + or – 2 kg/mm on spring rate changes will require re-valving.

[Future240]

Here's my subjective experience: I've worked at a few speed shops and everything I've put Feal's on has rode amazing. Never been on the track with them (soon to be remedied with my own car).

When you say on the track do you mean road racing or drifting? I have been considering Feal with swift springs to replace my Gen I Fortune Auto 500's.

[SupaDoopa]

I've been on a few different coils setups and FEAL is the move. PBM, Stance, F&F, BC, Fortune Auto re-valved by Broadway Static - etc. Odi does a great job delivering you a great product at a competitive price. Even the FABS or other options he offers are reasonable. I'd be hard pressed to try something else ever again unless they were given to me/I was forced to run them.

[PoorMans180SX]

When you say on the track do you mean road racing or drifting? I have been considering Feal with swift springs to replace my Gen I Fortune Auto 500's.

Both, I'll be doing both.

[dizzariot]

Feal 441+ is the best for that price point. I've used them on every S13 I've had.

[turboshoebox]

You said you were really thinking outside the box on your coilover options and the only ones you listed are the easiest coils to find domestically on a 30 second ebay search.

Not that I'm saying these are bad choices but can easily tell you didn't search very hard.

RSR, Tein, HKS, DG5, Zeal, GP sport, Blitz, Cusco, Buddy Club, D-max, KTS, Aragosta, Apexi, Greddy, Yashiro Factory, KYB, Ryo, Final Konnexion, Blisten, JIC, RG Racing Gear, T-Demand...just to name a few other options...

[Thursday7]

You said you were really thinking outside the box on your coilover options and the only ones you listed are the easiest coils to find domestically on a 30 second ebay search.

Not that I'm saying these are bad choices but can easily tell you didn't search very hard.

RSR, Tein, HKS, DG5, Zeal, GP sport, Blitz, Cusco, Buddy Club, D-max, KTS, Aragosta, Apexi, Greddy, Yashiro Factory, KYB, Ryo, Final Konnexion, Blisten, JIC, RG Racing Gear, T-Demand...just to name a few other options...

sarcasm is hard homie.

Thanks for the looks so far everyone. Feals looking pretty good.

[SupaDoopa]

Now that I've been able to test the Fortune Auto 500's the FEAL 441+'s and both are pretty similar. While the FA was more of a comfortable ride, they were a little floaty and weren't aggressive like you'd want in a drift car. The FEAL's have a nice down the road float feel but if you really get into the corners - or go sliding - they like to stick and transfer the weight as they should.

Both are great options. In the future, I'll stick with FEAL 441+'s with the SWIFTs.

Side note: the FA's have SWIFTs too and are in my JZX90. The FEAL's are in a S-chassis.

[Future240]

Now that I've been able to test the Fortune Auto 500's the FEAL 441+'s and both are pretty similar. While the FA was more of a comfortable ride, they were a little floaty and weren't aggressive like you'd want in a drift car. The FEAL's have a nice down the road float feel but if you really get into the corners - or go sliding - they like to stick and transfer the weight as they should.

Both are great options. In the future, I'll stick with FEAL 441+'s with the SWIFTs.

Side note: the FA's have SWIFTs too and are in my JZX90. The FEAL's are in a S-chassis.

How was the FA in the bouncy territory? My 1st gen FA over not so great road would dang near dribble.

[SupaDoopa]

The JZX90 feels kind of hefty but I don't notice bounce at all. It's more of a 'float' is the best way to describe it. I know it isn't quite far to compare them on unlike cars but the FA feels more of an adjustable coil that's comfortable and made for the road while the FEAL is a coil that's made to perform but also not shatter your spine. I'd say they're both worth investing in as long as the spring rates are carefully decided on with the application in mind.

[Future240]

Sounds like another set of FA with swift springs for me. I don't drift and do not plan to do many track days. Will be a 98% street car with maybe a session at road atlanta one day.

[dorkidori_s13]

Ive been running Yellowspeed Dynamic Pros and Yellowspeed Drift Specs for the last 3 odd years. I purchased their Dynamic Pros for my daily driven Protege5 as they were highly regarded in the Protege scene... and using them in my daily driver, they are GREAT! I instantly fell in love with them due to how well they handle uneven surfaces and that theyre not overly stiff at all! I am using pics from my website as Yellowspeeds pics are generic photos on their site. I take product specific photography of everything I offer... So i wanted to show actual photos of the S-Chassis coilovers.


YELLOWSPEED DYNAMIC PROS:

https://www.dorkidori.com/shop/images/parts/ys_coilvers_s13_dynamic_full_02.jpg

I became a dealer for Yellowspeed shortly after and picked up their Dynamic Pros for the S13 and S14 for product photography. I installed and ran the Dynamic Pros in my S13 hatch for roughly 4-5 months (they replaced my Fortune Auto 500s). The Dyanmic Pros were slightly stiffer than my FA500s, but honestly... most people wouldnt be able to tell the difference. They were just as impressive in my S13 as my Protege for daily driving duties as well as dealing with poor road conditions as the FA500s. Under spirited driving, they handled weight transfer just fine and sliding around was a non issue. The mounting brackets are notched at the tops so you can adjust for camber at the hub (as well as the camber plates). Spring rates are 8/6kg, which is why they were slightly stiffer than my FA500s (I had my FA500s specifically built with 7/5kg rates).


YELLOWSPEED DRIFT SPECS:

https://www.dorkidori.com/shop/images/parts/ys_coilvers_s13_drift_full_02.jpg

After 4-5 months of Dynamic Pros, I ordered S13 and S14 Drift Specs for product photography and kept the Drift Specs permanently in my S13 hatch. Drift Specs were developed for Yellowspeed by multitime D1GP champ Yoichi Imamura (who drives for Falken Tire JP). There are pros and cons to these coilovers versus Dynamic Pros. The Pros for the Drift Specs are theyre inverted monotube dampers upfront with a VERY easy to adjust dial (WITH ARROWS POINTING TO H and S SO YOU KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN THEM... other brands NEED to take note of this). The mounting brackets have heavier reinforcements to them versus Dynamic Pros. The brackets are also cambered at the hub. Both springs and brackets utilize 2 locking plates. Spring rates are 8/6kg. The Cons for the Drift Specs are not that many. My main issue with them is the valving of the dampers are very aggressive! They are NOT a comfortable street based coilover. On uneven surfaces, this is very apparent. Ride quality is on the bumpy side... HOWEVER, putting weight on these things thru turns is AMAZING. they are INSANELY responsive and give A LOT of GOOD feedback as to what your wheels are doing! The mounting brackets ARE NOT notched at the tops, so you are forced to run camber at the hub (which bugs me as I run higher offset Advans which I was forced to use bolt on 15mm spacers with to clear the wheels from the springs). Cons aside, they are a great track based coilover for drifting all around. The Pros of these heavily outweigh the cons!


CONCLUSION:

https://www.dorkidori.com/lenns_240sx/lenns_240_2020_11_02.jpg

Overall, thru the last few years of running 2 different sets of Yellowspeeds in my S13, I am very pleased with their performance, quality and Yellowspeeds commitment to improving their parts (I helped them redesign their mounting brackets for the S13 and S14 to allow for more drop and for camber adjustment at the hubs). These coilovers easily compare to a lot of the higher tier coilovers ive run in the past... Namely Buddy Club Racing Specs and JIC FLT-ARs. Now dont get me wrong, theyre not KW Variants or OHLINS quality, but were talking about $950 for Dynamic Pros and $1250 for Drift Specs. Yellowspeed also has a lot more variants they offer including an inverted street coilover setup, 2 way and 3 way adjustable coilovers (Forrest Wang was running a custom 3 way setup that Yellowspeed built for him and he had nothing but praise for them). For an entry level coilover, Yellowspeed DOES make a great setup they are NOT a rebadged ebay brand. ALL of their items are made in house in their Taiwan based facility.

[spooled240]

I have Feal 441 with 7k/5k Swift springs on my s14 and I love them for daily driving. With 0 clicks they feel a bit bouncy and under dampened but about half the number of clicks up they feel great. Good suspension compression and dampening that feels like a spring/strut 2.0 combo. Only minor complaint I have is that the rebound feels a bit weak so when you hit a bump it almost feels like the car will get sprung upwards. I do have large brakes with light SSR Type C wheels with 255/35's all around so it may have something to do with any increased unsprung weight. All in all, for $1,400 I'm more than happy with them and Feal is within a 2 hour drive from me to get the coils serviced if needed.

I've also had BC Racing w/ Swift springs on a IS300 and they were decent. 12k/10k was
perfect for a sporty daily driver but still a bit too soft for really aggressive driving. With aftermarket sway bars this should have been a very nice setup for grip.

[tb13]

i know youre focused on the 3 options you mentioned, but Powertrix also makes an excellent coilover,

+1 to this, I'm running a set of Powertrix coilovers on my S13 and Z32 both, plus used a set on an old Z32 for a few years, all sets have been absolutely fantastic.

My initial experience with them was a used set that had a ton of street use, re-adjusted them for my car and ran them for another few years without ever having an issue. Current sets were both purchased new, quality of ride on the street is better than I have had with other brands I have used (BC, Cusco, KSport, Apexi) Set on my S13 has seen a few track days as well and the car felt incredible using the base 8k/6k springs and dampening properly adjusted.

On top of being very high quality parts, Charles from Powertrix is fantastic to work with, he is always on top of any question or concern I've had.

[Thursday7]

I guess I'll add a quick variable to my thread that I should have mentioned earlier, and I greatly thank all that have contributed thus far.

Do any of these options have issues with going substantially low? I don't intend on going stance bro low, but I've definitely seen mention of people running out of adjustment room when lowering with certain brands (none come to mind). Since the fortune and feal options certainly brand themselves as "function" coilovers, I'm wondering if getting the car "stylishly" (low kouki-style drift car) low will be an issue.

[Future240]

Fortune user here.

They get stupid low.

On a stock exhaust car not even maxed out I used to scrape speed bumps until I raised it.

[rv_zenki]

Has anyone ever had Ground Control coilovers?

[e1_griego]

Has anyone ever had Ground Control coilovers?

The older Advanced Design ones? Or the Koni ones?

The koni ones they offered were just Koni yellows and sleeves+springs. You used to be able to upgrade the front to a Koni 8610 (which is an older race shock, single adjustable), but it doesn't look like there are any options for that right now so not sure.