question about set ups

[Evo_Fanatic]

hi everyone,

Next season I will increase my track days anywhere from 4-6 events. Is it worth getting coilovers? I am looking to get the ZEALS function V6, but will I just be wasting money seeing that I will only be going to track my car 4-6 times a year. Would it be better to just get some springs, camber plates, and thicker swaybars?

Thanks

[Evo442]

hi everyone,

Next season I will increase my track days anywhere from 4-6 events. Is it worth getting coilovers? I am looking to get the ZEALS function V6, but will I just be wasting money seeing that I will only be going to track my car 4-6 times a year. Would it be better to just get some springs, camber plates, and thicker swaybars?

Thanks

Good question.

Depends on what you ultimately want out of the car and setup, and "better" is a relative term. If you simply want to go out, track the car, turn some good times, and go home, I'd recommend something like the Robispec budget setup. Plenty of improvement over stock, and lots of room to grow there.

If you are more serious about things and are going to record lap times, where a second, or two, or three matters to you etc, then get the coilovers.

Also, if money is no issue, get the coilovers.

Right now, I wish I had gotten coilovers from the start, but I didn't realize I'd become so addicted to tracking my evo when I started.

My progression this year -

1. got the works springs and rear swaybar. (you can see their prices on their site)

2. first track day feb 05. Had way, way, way, way too much fun. another track day. Way too much fun again.

3. Wanted more out of my suspension, got the Robispec setup. Paid over $1000K (which I still believe is money well spent), on a larger rear swaybar, espelir gt springs, bumpsteer correction, fender rolling (to fit 275's eventually), urethane bushings.

Sold my works springs and swaybar for roughly 50% of what I bought them for.

4. 10+ track days.

5. Now, I realize I want more out of my suspension and will be getting Muellerized. For $1900, you can get a set of buddy clubs from him, installed.

Going from the Robispec basic package to a Mueller setup isn't too redundant. I'll be using everything from Robi except for the Espelir springs, so thats not too bad at all. I'll be keeping the springs and stock shocks in case I need a backup in the future.

What was a waste for me was all the time I spent getting all this stuff installed, then uninstalled, etc. Hindsight is always 20/20, had I known what I know now, I would have gotten the coilovers from the start. I just didn't know I'd be tracking my evo 2x per month. Ultimately, I didn't waste too much money, but I did waste a lot of time.

Sorry for the long post. Good luck.

[MarkSAE]

Yeah, going to a track day w/ your evo definitely changed my approach to modding my evo. I initially thought I spent too much by getting the Zeals, am now glad I did. I had eibach prokits on stock struts before.

[hagakure]

hi everyone,

Next season I will increase my track days anywhere from 4-6 events. Is it worth getting coilovers? I am looking to get the ZEALS function V6, but will I just be wasting money seeing that I will only be going to track my car 4-6 times a year. Would it be better to just get some springs, camber plates, and thicker swaybars?

Thanks

Good question.

Depends on what you ultimately want out of the car and setup, and "better" is a relative term. If you simply want to go out, track the car, turn some good times, and go home, I'd recommend something like the Robispec budget setup. Plenty of improvement over stock, and lots of room to grow there.

If you are more serious about things and are going to record lap times, where a second, or two, or three matters to you etc, then get the coilovers.

Also, if money is no issue, get the coilovers.

Right now, I wish I had gotten coilovers from the start, but I didn't realize I'd become so addicted to tracking my evo when I started.

My progression this year -

1. got the works springs and rear swaybar. (you can see their prices on their site)

2. first track day feb 05. Had way, way, way, way too much fun. another track day. Way too much fun again.

3. Wanted more out of my suspension, got the Robispec setup. Paid over $1000K (which I still believe is money well spent), on a larger rear swaybar, espelir gt springs, bumpsteer correction, fender rolling (to fit 275's eventually), urethane bushings.

Sold my works springs and swaybar for roughly 50% of what I bought them for.

4. 10+ track days.

5. Now, I realize I want more out of my suspension and will be getting Muellerized. For $1900, you can get a set of buddy clubs from him, installed.

Going from the Robispec basic package to a Mueller setup isn't too redundant. I'll be using everything from Robi except for the Espelir springs, so thats not too bad at all. I'll be keeping the springs and stock shocks in case I need a backup in the future.

What was a waste for me was all the time I spent getting all this stuff installed, then uninstalled, etc. Hindsight is always 20/20, had I known what I know now, I would have gotten the coilovers from the start. I just didn't know I'd be tracking my evo 2x per month. Ultimately, I didn't waste too much money, but I did waste a lot of time.

Sorry for the long post. Good luck.


I have had pretty much the same progression as David, And I now have the Buddy Club (RRC/Muellerized) coilovers. No comparision between these coilovers and the other two systems. I wish I had my money back and had gone striaght to coilovers. If you KNOW you are serious about motorsport, get the best suspension you can straight away and don't worry about the car. I will be time trialing next year with NASA and NCRC, and then year after that it's racing wheel to wheel, first with the ARC (NCRC's racing arm) then SCCA. So, I"m serious about it. John Mueller said something to me when he set up my car that I agree with. If the car is sorted from the begginning you can just concentrate on the driving, and not trying to get the car to do what it's supposed to do. Lots of folks wax lyrical about how the Evo is an amazing handling car out of the box.....I agree. For the street. On a race track it is a different thing. The car understeers like a pig in stock form, and it's difficult to dial that out to the degree you need to in order to run FAST laptimess without swaybars and coilovers. the fact that there is a big difference in performance between Evos that have LSD's and those that don't speaks volumns as well. I remember being at t-hill some months back running with Bryan, close to the same laptimes, he was a bit faster than me (and continues to be, he is a good target to chase:)), but when we got to the esses at turn 12, he would put 3 car lengths on me because his LSD on the MR would PULL him through the corner...so, if you want to go fast, get the car straight AND work on your driving. I've improved my driving significantly this year with a combination of Track time, coaching, reading and study ("going faster", "speed secrets", "secrets of solo racing"). IT's all about priorities.


Percy

[gOt BoOsT]

my first mod was a set of 40mm DMS coilovers...probably my best mod aside from cams :wink:

[earlyapex]

I would have to HIGHLY recommend the Apexi ExV coilovers I am currently running on my EVO MR.

Great price, around $1300. Awesome street performance, awesome build quality for the price, and I have been very suprised with them on the track. Of course, these are budget coilovers and alot of coilovers are better, but for the price, ride quality and for a couple track events a year, the best $1300 you will spend. I would get these over the robi spec stock strut frankenstien kit-n-kaboodle.

Am I moving to better coilovers? Yes. But I do alot more track events then it sounds like you plan on doing.

[ZK]

I would have to HIGHLY recommend the Apexi ExV coilovers I am currently running on my EVO MR.

Great price, around $1300. Awesome street performance, awesome build quality for the price, and I have been very suprised with them on the track. Of course, these are budget coilovers and alot of coilovers are better, but for the price, ride quality and for a couple track events a year, the best $1300 you will spend. I would get these over the robi spec stock strut frankenstien kit-n-kaboodle.

Am I moving to better coilovers? Yes. But I do alot more track events then it sounds like you plan on doing.

From a lot of sources, these are the same coilovers from Megan Racing so you can save yourself a couple hundred dollars and get it without the Apexi sticker. I am strongly considering picking up a set to try them out.

[earlyapex]

From a lot of sources, these are the same coilovers from Megan Racing so you can save yourself a couple hundred dollars and get it without the Apexi sticker. I am strongly considering picking up a set to try them out.

Yes, they physically look the same but I wonder if the valving and springs are the same.

Helix also has coilovers that look pretty much the same.

[ZK]

From a lot of sources, these are the same coilovers from Megan Racing so you can save yourself a couple hundred dollars and get it without the Apexi sticker. I am strongly considering picking up a set to try them out.

Yes, they physically look the same but I wonder if the valving and springs are the same.

Helix also has coilovers that look pretty much the same.

Same spring rates, same company - Bor Chuann http://www.bcec.com.tw/ makes them. So the only difference if any would be valving. I doubt that they'd make different shock valving for the same application.

There's a Megan thread on about every car forum talking about this.

Original Bor Chuann:
http://www.bcec.com.tw/products/images/image_001.jpghttp://www.bcec.com.tw/products/images/image_002.jpghttp://www.bcec.com.tw/products/images/image_003.jpg

Megan and Apexi ExV
http://www.meganracing.com/uploadImage/regular/damper%20kit%20IV%20500.jpg
http://www.undergroundmotorsports.com/images/apexn1.jpg
http://www.meganracing.com/uploadImage/regular/damper%20kit%20V%20x500.jpg
http://www.undergroundmotorsports.com/images/apexin13.jpg
http://www.undergroundmotorsports.com/images/apexn12.jpg

[earlyapex]

Yea i know but lots of spring rate variants going around.

For instance, my apexi's have 8k/6k rates while the apexi's that Gruppe-s sell have 8k/8k

[ZK]

Yea i know but lots of spring rate variants going around.

For instance, my apexi's have 8k/6k rates while the apexi's that Gruppe-s sell have 8k/8k

I think Apexi got mistaken when they told Gruppe-s the spring rates.

[Evo_Fanatic]

Wow so many good points, Thanks everyone. Right now I am doing it as a hobby, but at the same time I want to become a better driver. Going to the track is just someting that makes me feel calm and stress free.

[methods4]

The TEIN FLEX setup is an excellent choice for street driven cars. The thing I like the most about it is the ability to control the shocks from inside the car. Makes for quick changes at the track, then for a nice smooth drive home. I had mine Muellerized with different spring rates and other stuff.

It sounds like you won't be tracking your car toooo often, so no need for a super dope $3k JDM coilover. Street coilovers like the Tein and Apex sound perfect for you. Both Bryan and I have run respectable times on street coilovers. Skip the whole Robispec-stock-struts-rock-setup.

And yeah, like Bryan, I'm going to be replacing my TEIN with the ASTs that I dry humped in another thread. I've outgrown the TEINs and need to step up to something more track oriented.

[LEVIII]

T

And yeah, like Bryan, I'm going to be replacing my TEIN with the ASTs that I dry humped in another thread. I've outgrown the TEINs and need to step up to something more track oriented.

Sorry though, Methods Teins will not be up for sale!

[DMS North America]

Hi guys,

I do not want to start a war, just wanted to point out how many records ROBISPEC and his customers have gotten at various tracks around the state with DMS setups ....
www.robispec.com or www.gotoracing / www.srmtuning.com in the north CA region.

Sorry for being biast, but I am sure there has to be someone that agrees that our stuff is worth a conversation or comment ?

Regards,
Mark

[dohcvtec]

They're talking about robispec in the context of the espiler springs, not the DMS coilovers.

[methods4]

Hi guys,

I do not want to start a war, just wanted to point out how many records ROBISPEC and his customers have gotten at various tracks around the state with DMS setups ....
www.robispec.com or www.gotoracing / www.srmtuning.com in the north CA region.

Sorry for being biast, but I am sure there has to be someone that agrees that our stuff is worth a conversation or comment ?

Regards,
Mark

You must've misread. We are talking about "Robispec springs" on stock struts. Not DMS coilovers.

[dohcvtec]

Hi guys,

I do not want to start a war, just wanted to point out how many records ROBISPEC and his customers have gotten at various tracks around the state with DMS setups ....
www.robispec.com or www.gotoracing / www.srmtuning.com in the north CA region.

Sorry for being biast, but I am sure there has to be someone that agrees that our stuff is worth a conversation or comment ?

Regards,
Mark

You must've misread. We are talking about "Robispec springs" on stock struts. Not DMS coilovers.
didn't i just say that? :shock:

[methods4]

didn't i just say that? :shock:

If you got beef with me, PM me offline. :shock:

[dohcvtec]

You must've misread. We are talking about "Robispec springs" on stock struts. Not DMS coilovers.
didn't i just say that? :shock:

If you got beef with me, PM me offline. :shock:
Don't make me give you all my money in Hold'em again!! :shock: oh... wait...

[leif]

omg jics rule!!!11one ask percy what my tail lights looked like back in february compared to his springs!!! jk percy :P

in all seriousness a set of coilovers is leagues above any stupid spring set up.