Jap suspension brands

649 Views 8 Replies 0 Participants Last post by Jerry Flint, Jan 5, 2002

Discussion Starter · Jan 1, 2002

Help pls... I've decided it's time to seriously consider upgrading my car's (Evo 5 RS) suspension-- mainly I want to go with adjustable coilovers, possibly with the pillowball top-mounts.

High-end European brands (Ohlins, Drummond, Proflex, etc.) are definitely out, simply because:

1) most of them are way beyond my budget; and
2) they aren't available anywhere near where I live (Philippines)

So I have to go with one of the better-known Japanese brands, such as HKS, Apex'i, Cusco or Tein. These are either available here, or nearby in Hong Kong.

Who's had experience with any of these brands? They are all rougly in the same price range-- between $US 1500 and 2000. I don't do track days much, so street performance is most important to me, especially ride quality, as roads around here are horribly surfaced. I'd like something that's adjustable, so that I can set the car up to ride comfortably (i.e., softer than the stock springs) for daily use, yet can also be adjusted if/when I decide to take her on the track.

I've heard that Teins are very hard riding, so that's a big negative immediately. I've heard good things about Cusco's. And i seem to remember people on this board saying that the HKS units aren't grea. Anyone have any other feedback?

Thanks all!

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Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 2, 2002

I'm now using DMS 40A strut. It's quite comfort and good in cornering. After using for some time, for road use only, sound noise from the underside of the car is heard. I've changed the Ralliart uppermount and found the problem still cannot be solved. I try to push down my car but it cannot be rebounded to the normal position. I think it's the damper problem and will send to DMS for rebuild.

Some of the members, they use 50A but found that they have the same problem, knocking sound but no bound and rebound problem. I think it's really a great stuff if it's noise free.

Anybody had such kind of experience and please share them here.

Michael
Vice chairman of Hong Kong Evolution.
http://www.evolution.org.hk

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Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 2, 2002

Hi Michael,

I was in HK recently, and visited GT Sports and Crazy Racing in Mongkok. The guy at GT Sports (forgot his name, I think it was Allan or something like that,) had his new Evo 7 (silver GSR) there. He had Teins on it, and highly recommended them. Do you know him and have you driven his car? What was ride like? Someone I know here in Manila put Teins on his Evo 4, but said ride was very hard. But the GT Sports guy said that his ride was quite comfortable. Elsewhere on the internet, I read a review of Tein coilovers on a Honda Prelude, and the owner said that the ride was just like stock, as long as the damping was set to the softest (setting 16).

Sorry for sounding ignorant, but what's DNS? Is that a brand or a line of coilovers by one of the manufacturers mentioned?

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Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 2, 2002

DMS is Drummond Motor Sport - it isn't European, it is Australian

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Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 3, 2002

.I run a rs 5 like yourself and ran it with the ralliart eibach springs group n top mounts and bushings all round found it a little soft on extreme limits but all round a very good comprimise.Picked up up some leda adjustables very cheap and find them ok, drive with them on lowest setting and wack them up for smooth roads and track days .Had a freind with an rs 5 and he put hks shockers and pillowball mounts on his rs and it was way to hard even when on soft for any form of regular road use ,personally i would change top mounts and bushing to ralliart group n and stick a set of progressive ralliart eibach springs on unless your shockers are weak.Think there are too many modded cars with overly stiff suspension for road use i used to run a evo 6 zero fighter and that came with the ralliart jap after market coilovers ,and i was always looking for the right road way to hard and its always in the back of your mind when using new roads on the limit not knowing were the bumps are etc.

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 4, 2002

thanks for the replies so far.

ok, so sounds like HKS is too hard for road use (i don't want them then). A friend of mine has Cusco coilovers, and he says set-up is about the same as stock, though I have yet to try the car. Any word on Apex'i?

How much are Drummonds or Ledas?

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 4, 2002

Ledas new are around 1100 uk pounds i picked mine up off a freind selling his six for 500 uk pounds ,proflex do road kit if i remember rightly its non adjustable but still at 1700 uk pounds its good value would of gone for these possibly or the groupn but there a different league at around 3500 uk pounds but need maintainance on dirt seals.

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Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 4, 2002

Teins are very good.i had these recommended to me aswell,better value than the hks.go for them!

Regards

Umreet.
also u can request custom spring rates

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Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 5, 2002

I'm in Honkers next Friday - I can get the Teins priced for you. Hesparus can you remember the exact address in Mong Kok?

Jerry

Just noticed Boosters our man.

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