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I had a leaky left strut on my 2012 ISF. Ended up replacing everything with HKS Hipermax IV's coilovers at 95k kms / 59k miles,
Massive difference, car handles much more like my old e46 m3, which I like. Faster turn in now, (went with 0.05 front toe out alignment specs, thanks to board member here who suggested this)
Ride is very compliant, having no issues with increased stiffness over stock, in fact it may be even more comfortable.
Im quite particular with my setups on cars and can really recommend the HKS system on our ISFs.
@ALexusF Thats awesome im so happy to hear that. The more and more I go down the rabbit hole, the more people have such great things to say about the hipermax gt. However, my only dilemma with them though is if they offer a swift spring upgrade on those. Ive had fortune auto 500 with swift on a gs430 and was very please with how quiet and how smooth they were. Do you notice and noise or coil binding ever?? I know in a heavy car swift springs can make all the difference but im just looking for quiet and comfort and performance when i need it. the only noise i want to hear will be from my ppe headers and joez exhuast lol
The HKS have helper springs that help with rebound. Yes the ISF is a heavy car, so you will feel that not matter what suspension set up you go with. I have no noise or binding whatsoever and I live out in the Mojave desert where the roads look like chapped skin LOL.
From what I read regarding Fortune 500 and the ISF (specifically) is that they dont have a coilover set up for the ISF. I believe they take the 250/350 configuration and match spring rates that work for the ISF. I could be mistaken though.
Once again, you have to ask yourself some important questions - how will I use the car, and what do I ultimately want from the suspension?
If all you want is visual performance, there are lots of available choices you might like. If you want mechanical performance, there are only a few choices and they're fully discussed in the "master thread" on suspension. Decide what's important to you and spend your money appropriately.
I can't recommend KW V3's enough. Sits pretty much perfect and rides amazing.
This looks great. After talking to a track guy that knows KW well, I would have ran KWs as an all around decent, affordable coil, but their spring perches are plastic. A couple members have broken them. I can’t fathom plastic spring perches as having been considered a good decision during R&D.
This looks great. After talking to a track guy that knows KW well, I would have ran KWs as an all around decent, affordable coil, but their spring perches are plastic. A couple members have broken them. I can’t fathom plastic spring perches as having been considered a good decision during R&D.
Are the lower perches (threaded collars) or the upper thrust plates plastic? KW quasi-reuses the OEM top mounts, requires them to be chopped and drilled out. PDF's with details here: https://www.kwsuspensions.com/produc...-35257003.html
Begin rant...I do not understand why manufacturers cheap out on simple hardware like this. KW could well have the best budget damper valving on the market, but I personally passed them over because they make you chop up and cannibalize the OEM top mounts. For a front strut-type suspension, re-use of factory top mounts makes sense because most include bearings, but not for a four-bar linkage ("double wishbone"). End rant.
@LILEVO I been doing a lot of research and most people have been saying you can get a ride just as good if not better from a quality set of coil overs besides from my previous experience with Coils and swift springs Ive been very impressed with the performance and the versatility of them over stock. I just cant justify spending the money to have something the same rather than paying the same price to get a little bit more performance and maintain the stock ride comfort. How would you rate the 2013-14 suspension over the 2012.. Is it really that much better ?
@Jwconeil damn that **** looks so good I love the wheels and the fitment looks incredible! How would you compare Kw v3s to the HKS or CKS. not sure if your familiar with those but im between all three. Im still a little ways out before I can pull the trigger on anything but trying to get as much info as possible from everyone to make the best decision for my set up. Also I did see with the KW V3s I believe there was some extra prep and labor you had to do on the hats before install. Is this true ?
@LILEVO I been doing a lot of research and most people have been saying you can get a ride just as good if not better from a quality set of coil overs besides from my previous experience with Coils and swift springs Ive been very impressed with the performance and the versatility of them over stock. I just cant justify spending the money to have something the same rather than paying the same price to get a little bit more performance and maintain the stock ride comfort. How would you rate the 2013-14 suspension over the 2012.. Is it really that much better ?
Yes, the difference is noticeable and perfect for a street car in my opinion. There is always a compromise with coilovers somewhere. Whether it's price, ride quality, smoothness, etc. If you track the car every weekend, sure get coilovers. Otherwise there's really no need.
RR Racing Penske may be the best for both worlds. I say this because my Lexus Tech praises the Penske so much that It started to get embarrassing. I thought at first the he was just trying to butter me up. I finally asked him what he meant that the Penske were the best he has ever experienced? He said he’s installed literally over a dozen different brands and all of them had some type of noise or deficit in street performance. But the Penske have the most compliant street ride he had ever seen, even better than my 2013 OEM ride. And the track performance allows me to compete with 911 and Corvettes.
The Penske are my only experience with coilover so I thought they all rode this well. Not from what my tech explains and stories from other guys at the track. From my experience Penske is an awesome decision if you’re going for a very compliant street ride. However if you track only moderately the Penske may be overkill. Dialing in the two way adjustability takes some seat time and dedication to tweaking; which I had to force myself to do. I’m not sure if all coilovers cause the stability control to act erratically but the Penske did. I was then forced to learn to actually drive the car, nannies of; now I’m truly in love with this car, Penske and this setup. Just my 2 cents. And yes I did catch and pass that Lambo; one of my favorite YouTube videos.
I’m not that knowledgeable to all the pieces and components. It did sound great in Street Settings, so much so my tech marveled at the street performance. I’ve not returned to street mode in some time now, but last I checked it was still impressive. I wouldn’t call it OEM quiet but apparently quiet enough to wow my service tech.
now if you get lazy like me and run track settings on the street, make sure your dental insurance is paid up. That and chiropractic services may be needed. And that comes with an accompaniment of assorted sounds.
I’m not sure if all coilovers cause the stability control to act erratically but the Penske did. I was then forced to learn to actually drive the car, nannies of;
Interesting the high end Penske's interfere with stability control.
My HKS did as well, l softened the dampening to about midway and seems to have really helped.
I'm never been game enough to try aids off with fast spirited mountain driving.
I think what happens is this. With coilovers in general you are able to make the car handle much better than a stock suspension. Basically, the car can take corners faster and with much more control and less body roll, and in terms of physics that means the car can handle more Gforces.
The stability control is set, such that, when it experiences GForce type levels that coilovers can produce, the algorithm assumes the car is out of control and attempts to intervene and correct the perceived issue. However, with coilovers that’s not the case and the car is fully under control; or one would hope.
At least, in my small mind I think that’s what’s happening. I’m not sure I would be comfortable taking traction control off on a spirited canyon ride. Actually I’m not sure I would be comfortable taking a spirited canyon ride. I try to keep the spirited driving on the track, while in a helmet and fire-retardant race suit.
it wasn’t until I removed the nannies did I realize how intrusive the nannies were. Rather, I didn’t realize just how much the car was doing to keep me from driving off track and saving my butt when I would stomp on the throttle well before the car was settled and ready to exit a corner. Now I know how to manage that and I can use SOME of that extra throttle to help me rotate the big ol girl thru a corner.
However I never recommend taking off the traction control unless you’re on a track and you are an experienced driver. But how do really become an experienced driver unless you learn to drive without the nannies; that’s the conundrum…..
This reflect my experience exactly with the stock suspension. With the nannies working, I managed to cook my front brakes (Carbotech XP12s) in three sessions at CMP (a track known for being very hard on brakes). With the nannies off the next day, I found I was a half throttle where I'd been on the firewall with the nannies on. This speaks well to the nannies saving your butt from foolishness, but does nothing to develop driving skills. I really doubt the Penske setup is "interfering" with the nannies. The nannies are interfering with your driving and the Penske setup has given you more confidence which takes you into the realm where the nannies are more aggressive.
06-01-21, 09:12 PM
