Best Adjustable Suspension.

[marvelman156]

What is the best brand of adjustable suspension? If I'm going to spend a large amount of money on Coilovers would rather do it right first time, been reading reviews online but none seem to come to any conclusion. Any feedback would be appreciated

[billybobboot]

Best can sometimes come down to what the car is used for.
So far out of the 3 makes ive used bilstines (how ever you spell it) so far have been my fav for comfort but still hard enough to know your on coilovers.
Ive hade tien super street. There good but always found you need to be near there hardest setting as they just get too soft and then dont feel like the car is happy.
Ive had 2 tien hr coilovers on diffrent cars these have been by far the most adjustable but are very hard even on soft. You can adjust hight spring rate and rebound perfect for smooth roads and tracks not so good on uk roads but get them setup right they are amazing just hard.
Spax coilovers not as well built as tien or billies but were ok for a chear coilover good adjustment just found them not to be so easy to get a good balance always found the fronts a bit soft and rears a bit hard took for ever to get a nice balance.
All depends on budget and what you want it for.
If i get another set ill go bullies everyday they harder than stock but no so hard they rattle you teath but are progressive so a few odd bumps there firm as in no suspension movement that you have to worry about tyres on arches but soft that you dont think omg but get them over several bumps and they stiffen a little and become abit more like you know your on coilovers. But no body roll.
Also coilovers can also come down to what tyres you run and size. 16s the soft walls makes mine feel a bit softer but you can feel a bit of roll but when you look its the tyres giving the roll not the coilovers feels more like merc suspension a soft feel but hard. On 18 by 40 profile there is no movement from walls and feels more like bmw suspension you know the suspension is there but its a little bumpy. But not like rattle your teath bumpy just bumpy.
Hope this helps.

[billybobboot]

Youll pay silly ££££ for a good billies about 1.3k-2k tien are abou 900-1.3k spax are about 600-1k

[low_vr4]

I've got Tein Super Wagon type Flex in my legnum, no complaints.

[marvelman156]

Best can sometimes come down to what the car is used for.
So far out of the 3 makes ive used bilstines (how ever you spell it) so far have been my fav for comfort but still hard enough to know your on coilovers.
Ive hade tien super street. There good but always found you need to be near there hardest setting as they just get too soft and then dont feel like the car is happy.
Ive had 2 tien hr coilovers on diffrent cars these have been by far the most adjustable but are very hard even on soft. You can adjust hight spring rate and rebound perfect for smooth roads and tracks not so good on uk roads but get them setup right they are amazing just hard.
Spax coilovers not as well built as tien or billies but were ok for a chear coilover good adjustment just found them not to be so easy to get a good balance always found the fronts a bit soft and rears a bit hard took for ever to get a nice balance.
All depends on budget and what you want it for.
If i get another set ill go bullies everyday they harder than stock but no so hard they rattle you teath but are progressive so a few odd bumps there firm as in no suspension movement that you have to worry about tyres on arches but soft that you dont think omg but get them over several bumps and they stiffen a little and become abit more like you know your on coilovers. But no body roll.
Also coilovers can also come down to what tyres you run and size. 16s the soft walls makes mine feel a bit softer but you can feel a bit of roll but when you look its the tyres giving the roll not the coilovers feels more like merc suspension a soft feel but hard. On 18 by 40 profile there is no movement from walls and feels more like bmw suspension you know the suspension is there but its a little bumpy. But not like rattle your teath bumpy just bumpy.
Hope this helps.

Very helpful, thank you.
I'm not bothered on the cost as long I'm getting good quality. Plan is to have 18" wheels, possibly quite wide with rolled guards, so I'm really wanting something with little movement, while still being comfortable enough to take out every weekend. Will have a shop around for Blisteins

[low_vr4]

Don't see bilstein coilovers very often. A mate had GAB coilovers in his VR4 which were ok. Teins can be rebuilt so keep that in mind if buying second hand. Not sure if other brands in NZ can. Anyone know?

[billybobboot]

Most top brands can be rebuilt. Bilsteins are prob rare due to there cost.
I will be running 18s on 235/40/18 could run 245/40/18 but need arch extenders. Anyways 235 with no arch work with 8.5 inch wide sitting 20 front and back out of the arch but tread just in the arch with no roll and about 1/2-1 inch gap at top between arch and tyre and on bilstines get no rub.
D2 might be another look as these use lots of bits from tien.

[billybobboot]

There was a new brand coilovers about prob about 5 years onld now think was bm or something they might be worth a look.

[adaxo]

I think there's not such a thing like 'Best Adjustable Suspension' exist, I go through lots of various sets and non of them being 'Best', if it was good on UK roads then it was crap on track, if it was great on spirited drive through snake pass then it was horrible on road to my kid school ect ect.

Closest thing to 'The Best' is Tein BUT mated with EDFC, you can pick any stiffness of spring off them to suit your needs best and thanks to EDFC you can fine tweak from cabin 'live' depend of your mood or road condition, this is what I waiting to deliver to finish off my 4 years 'Best' suspension hunt.

[swinks]

I'd say there are following categories of coilovers:
- crap
- budget
- premium
IMO, you may be happy with budget category having following brands: BC Racing, Tein, D2 Motosport. It's all down to preferred setting. I've found that 14/8kg is perfect for me. Some may choose different.
Premium brands are: Cusco, Bilstein or Ohlins. The last one being the best on the market, but very rare due to price (now, may be even more pricey than your whole vr4). What you pay is what you get.
Talking about crap ones... well all sorts of no-name chineese one, also few years ago K-Sport was bit infamous for lots of failures, maybe now they improved quality.
So, having budget of 3k to 4k I'd choose defo Ohlins, no doubt, but if your budget is rather 500-700 quid, then get new D2 or BC with right setting.

[adaxo]

So how many miles you drive on OHLINS and in what environment? @swinks

[WildCards]

Nick fitted BC Racing coilovers on my dads car. I'd thoroughly recommend them, they transformed the car on road and track, along with the Brembo brake upgrade they were the best modification by far.

[adaxo]

Nick fitted BC Racing coilovers on my dads car. I'd thoroughly recommend them, they transformed the car on road and track, along with the Brembo brake upgrade they were the best modification by far.

Agree with that, I drive your dads ex-car for many miles (about 100) and love how it handles, to degree that I decide to get the same setup, but Teins EDFC compatible pop out of the blue so get them instead.

[Oblivion]

I think there's not such a thing like 'Best Adjustable Suspension' exist, I go through lots of various sets and non of them being 'Best', if it was good on UK roads then it was crap on track, if it was great on spirited drive through snake pass then it was horrible on road to my kid school ect ect.

Closest thing to 'The Best' is Tein BUT mated with EDFC, you can pick any stiffness of spring off them to suit your needs best and thanks to EDFC you can fine tweak from cabin 'live' depend of your mood or road condition, this is what I waiting to deliver to finish off my 4 years 'Best' suspension hunt.

I would second this, maybe Im biased because I run this setup but being able to adjust softer or harder while on the move is really convenient. I think Cusco may also have something similar.

[adaxo]

I fall in love after I experience this live in @Davezj car, but then I start to do some research and find this http://www.tein.co.uk/product/edfc_active.html and me think its a ultimate setup to have, didn't drive with it but automatic adjust via g forces sensor sound awesome exact what you need to have in 'the best suspension' setup.

[Davezj]

I am quite fond of my tain HA setup with edfc adjustment in the car, it is very nice to be able to set the shocks hard and go a little blast then go back to smooth crusing and set the shock to soft again all within the space of half a mile and not get out of the car to do it. Let alone having to remove the load cover and the plastic covers on the rear seatbelts to get access to the adjuster nobs on the to of the rear shocks.
I like it that much I bought a second set of HA's (I have to say in pretty pour condition) to use as spare parts.

All in all I think I spent about £300 to get both sets of HA suspension and the edfc controller and motors, and pillow ball top mounts.
I had to refurb them cosmetically with a bit of elbow grease and paint.
But they work well and I am happy with them.

I did have a leak on the rear shocks but I stripped them down reconditioned the seals and replaced the oil, and they are leak free and working great.

Here is a bit of advice I would give anybody with coil over suspension.
Salt and water and road dirt corrosion is the killer for coilovers.
When you set the ride height you want, cover the rest of the threaded portion of the shock with grease, then use duct tape to cover the greased area. This will stop the threads and lock nots corroding and binding up. This is the killer for coilovers every set of coilovers I have seen removed from cars has had the lock nut adjusters corroded to the threaded part of the shock to some degree or another. In most cases it has required the lock but to be smashed off the shock and the threads refurbished on the shock to make them usable again, after new lock nut were purchased. So a simple grease and tape up can save you hundreds in repair bills or even new suspension.
Be warned. Look after you very expensive toys they deserve it.

[menno3x8g]

Here is a bit of advice I would give anybody with coil over suspension.
Salt and water and road dirt corrosion is the killer for coilovers.
When you set the ride height you want, cover the rest of the threaded portion of the shock with grease, then use duct tape to cover the greased area. This will stop the threads and lock nots corroding and binding up. This is the killer for coilovers every set of coilovers I have seen removed from cars has had the lock nut adjusters corroded to the threaded part of the shock to some degree or another. In most cases it has required the lock but to be smashed off the shock and the threads refurbished on the shock to make them usable again, after new lock nut were purchased. So a simple grease and tape up can save you hundreds in repair bills or even new suspension.
Be warned. Look after you very expensive toys they deserve it.

Thanks for the tip Dave!