Racing Shocks

[Peter89]

i'm slowly building my car up for grip racing and will be planning to buy new shocks this year. hopefully around October (poor university student )

I drive a '95 S14 now after researching, cheap jap coilovers don't seem to be suited for grip racing. They are far too hard and just make the car bounce all around.

now, while good quality coilovers will probably be great for grip racing, i cant afford to spend 3-4k.

im looking to spend around $1k on the shocks and thinking of going with Eibach Pro Kit Springs for around $300.

i read good things from Bilstens but still want more information.

what do you guys recommend?

the car will still be daily driven, however, i can live with a harsh ride. im young.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Peter89

[badhairdave]

bilstein front inserts and rear replacement shocks with circlip height adjustment.

The eibach springs will do the job, though i'd need to research more on them to see if the rates are suitable for track. You also need to specify the type of tyre you plan on running.

The problem with the stock s chassis front end is you can't play with the height significantly. You may need to go a custom coilover front that utilises the bilstein inserts, this reduces tyre to struct clearance so you will have to check you have room with your current wheels. You'll also need a camber top for the front to gain sufficient camber for track work.

All up you're probably looking at closer to 15-1600 by the time you get everything together using the bilsteins.

[_Ryan_]

Set of B6's will be around 1100, the rears are circlip height adjustable, 260$ for a set of custom springs, or 300ish for eibach or tein etc. set the height/rate then use the rear adjustment to adjust balance as needed.

Koni's will be cheaper, Top Performance in Vermont are cheapest from memory.

This guy talks about why the jap shocks arent great, its not just about the harshness, its about the degredation of performance, and that they are not consistant between sets etc. http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html

I am tossing up between DMS and Eibach/Bilstein "coil-overs" at tax time for my 32. its been sitting stale long enough... Everyone mentions DMS reliabilty issues, but no-one first hand. Lotus-GTR I think it was got some, so should search him and revive his thread.

And quoting SK/Gary Cook on some setups:

From personal experience, with Eibach Springs of course, approximate prices only;

Sach/Boge, 4/5 way adjustable remote cannister $16K (what we use on the F3's)

Ohlins, 3 way adjustable remote cannister $12K (what we use on the V8 SuperCars)

Pensche, 3 way adjustable remote cannister $12K (what we use on the V8 SuperCars)

MCA, 3 way adjustable remote cannister $10K (what we use on the Production Race Cars, including the new Evo X we are building for the Bathurst 12 Hour 2010)

MCA, 2 way adjustable remote cannister $9K (what is on my own race R32GTST and also the class pole and lap record holder set at the Bathurst 12 Hour 2009)

Bilstein, 2 way adjustable remote cannister $6K (what is on a number of Improved Production Cars)

Koni, 2 way adjustable remote cannister $7K (what we use on the Sports Sedans)

Bilstein PSS9, single adjuster, revalved and with spring rate changes for our roads/tracks, $4.5K (the step up for the guys who just must have adjustables, not availlabe for all Skyline models))

Bilstein non adjustable revalved and with spring rates for our roads/tracks $3K (without doubt the most popular, value for money, set up around for Skylines)

DMS, 50 mm 2 way adjustable remoter cannister $5K (work well, but we have had reliability issues).

Then daylight

Off the shelf Bilsteins for R32GTST, R32GTR, R32GTS4, R33GTST, R33GTS4 and R34GTT $2K (What I have in my road R33GTST and Stagea S1)

(BUT Stagea S1 and S2 plus R33/34GTR and R33/34GTS4 need substantial revalving)

Showa N1's, single adjuster, $5K (only for Hondas)

JRZ 2 way adjustable, remote cannister, $5K (only tried them in light cars, where they work well, no Skylines as yet)

Yamahas (Japanese Ohlins), single adjuster, revalved and spring rate changes for our roads/tracks, $4K (with some knowledge they can be made to work OK, not great, but OK)

DMS, 40 mm single adjustable $4K (work well for a 40mm, but we have had reliability issues).

More daylight

Tein N1's, 2 way adjustable, substantially revalved and with spring rate changes for our roads/tracks $7K (I spent 2 years getting them close to right and the MCA's were still 2 seconds a lap faster at Bathurst).

Shyte loads of daylight

Anything else Japanese and off the shelf Konis (for Skylines, they work well on most other cars).

Bucket loads more daylight

Anything Chinese and/or Korean

[Peter89]

bilstein front inserts and rear replacement shocks with circlip height adjustment.

The eibach springs will do the job, though i'd need to research more on them to see if the rates are suitable for track. You also need to specify the type of tyre you plan on running.

The problem with the stock s chassis front end is you can't play with the height significantly. You may need to go a custom coilover front that utilises the bilstein inserts, this reduces tyre to struct clearance so you will have to check you have room with your current wheels. You'll also need a camber top for the front to gain sufficient camber for track work.

All up you're probably looking at closer to 15-1600 by the time you get everything together using the bilsteins.

17x9.5+19 all round with 255/40s however, when i have to change them, not sure if i can afford another set of 255s but tyres are barely worn so they ll last a while.

with these rims/tyres clearance to stock shock is going to be tiny. buying/fitting them this sunday, so ill know for sure then.

[_Ryan_]

17x9.5+19 all round with 255/40s however, when i have to change them, not sure if i can afford another set of 255s but tyres are barely worn so they ll last a while.

with these rims/tyres clearance to stock shock is going to be tiny. buying/fitting them this sunday, so ill know for sure then.

That is the size, what type? Sidewall stiffness amongst otherthings will effect rates.

[Peter89]

oh woops.

currently its a street sports tyre.

yet i'd like to run proxes R1Rs later on, so street semis.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Peter89

[badhairdave]

for that type of tyre i wouldn't run more than 5f/4r

[Peter89]

for that type of tyre i wouldn't run more than 5f/4r

how much difference does the tyre make?

[badhairdave]

The stiffer the sidewall, the higher the spring rate

So for example a semi might like 6/5, and a slick might like 7/6 (these are ball parks). Personally i wouldn't run more than a 5 on the rear on semis, possibly less if the car is stripped because most of the weight comes out of the rear half of the car.

[Peter89]

yeh, i have stripped out the rear as much as possible bar two speakers. will get rid of the sound deadening soon enough.