Please post your thoughts and reviews on the Buddy Club Racing Spec Dampers.

Is the ride harsh due to the pillowball upper mounts?

 

I had them in my Type R on a drive from Atlanta Georgia, all the way to Phoenix Arizona. I must say, that was the worst drive I've ever experienced. On many instances I thought my teeth were going to rattle out of my face and/or my intestines were going to be shot out of my *******. Let's not forget my kidneys...man, my kidneys were sore for days.

To make a long and stupid story short, if you value your internal organs I would NOT recommend these unless they are track used only!

 

What were your spring rates?

 

12K front 10K rear.... I think some of the harshness was in the valving. These were VERY stiff...
I remember driving through Dallas Texas on the 20 and there were some undulations in the free way. If it was a decent size I would literally catch air. I ended up having to merge all the way to the right so I could drive like an old lady and not run a risk of killing anyone.

I also remember there was a little sticker on each coilover written in several languages that said "for race use only". Little did I know....

On the plus side...when I was driving on stretches of highways that didn't have any bumps, pot holes etc. the car was fine

 

I drove an R with Tein RE around beaver falls at Expo 4... 14k/10k. The dampers were set near/on full soft and the ride was suprisingly nice. I do not know what the Tein RE and BC shock dynos look like but I imagine they are.... similar enough.

The ride was harsher than stock, but not bad at all. I'd drive it around town.

Also, the pillowballs will firm up the ride as (obviously) there is no give like the stock top hats... so it is bound to make things stiffer.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris N &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The dampers were set near/on full soft and the ride was suprisingly nice.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My BC's didn't have this option. That could be yet another reason why they were so harsh.

 

Keep in mind that pillow mounts only transfer more vibration/etc from the shock itself, not from the spring.

Unless I'm thinking about this all wrong.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Haleiwa-Brando &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

My BC's didn't have this option. That could be yet another reason why they were so harsh.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Which model were they?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Keep in mind that pillow mounts only transfer more vibration/etc from the shock itself, not from the spring.

Unless I'm thinking about this all wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You right about that...

In my mind, taking out the stock top hats will no doubt add more vibration(s) etc... one less layer of protection against the bumps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Haleiwa-Brando &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My BC's didn't have this option. That could be yet another reason why they were so harsh.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Definitely. That is my main issue with the lack of damper adjustment (im aware that most coilovers have adjustment). Generally you'd like super soft around town and super stiff on the track.. instead its too harsh around town and not hard enough on the track.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Which model were they?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think he made a thread about them... they were definitely not the BC Racing Spec Damper that everyone has been chatting about on here for a year or two... some other BC.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=959348 (no pics anymore tho)

"Buddy Club R-Type Alumi Damper, circa mid-90s. These predate the P-1s.

Buddy Club developed these for 95 N1 competitions. There was a milder version coded C-Type."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by El Pollo Diablo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Which model were they?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It was a model that is not in their current line up. I think it was one line up back. I cannot remember the model name.

 

Two thanksgivings ago Ed took me for a ride in his R with BC suspension and I did not even know Until I asked.

I'd use BC suspension but not in NYC

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Two thanksgivings ago Ed took me for a ride in his R with BC suspension and I did not even know Until I asked.

I'd use BC suspension but not in NYC </TD></TR></TABLE>

It was fine in NYC. Just got to be a good pothole dodger.

 

Oh I'm not worry about the car or my but, I'm worried about messing up a $$$ item

pothole dogger- who me? haha I'm oblivious when I drive

 

I'll sell my Mugen Lowdowns (which essentially came from Black R, and are currently on the car) for $700 shipped just so I can put my old BCs back on the car!

BTW -- I've (also) got a used set of BCs as well that may need to go.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zygspeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll sell my Mugen Lowdowns (which essentially came from Black R, and are currently on the car) for $700 shipped just so I can put my old BCs back on the car!

BTW -- I've (also) got a used set of BCs as well that may need to go. </TD></TR></TABLE>

So you want BC's back on your car AND you have a used set of BC's?

jOO no making too much sense...


Dan's car didn't feel much more abrasive on the roads in Virginia on his BC's than the stock R's. And from the looks wasn't swaying in the breeze nearly as much as I was in the uphill esses.

Of course at the point when I was riding with him I had a few too many 's.


PS - There may possibly, far off and or in the near future be a hypothetically possible but not guaranteed cluster purchase for the BC RS setup.... Keep your eyes open... But, don't bank on it or quote me. Mum's the word now...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So you want BC's back on your car AND you have a used set of BC's?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ummm ... Yes!
Looks like you understood me perfectly Anton.
Second/replacement set is sitting here in their box (new ones would only be sold at a new type price).

FWIW -- I was mis-informed by my former mechanic as to the state of my first set when he removed them from my wrecked ITR, and I stupidly ordered a fresh set from R & D some time back.

If I find a buyer for one of these sets it would be enough of an incentive for me to yank those lowdowns off my car and install the rest of the Mugen pieces along with a set of BCs.

 

yes, i love my BC's

only thing is, the shocks don't like high speed (not car speed, but shock speed) compression too much
im guessing its because of its large piston size

i would not get any kind of coilovers if i drove mostly in the city

the city will kill shocks, well NYC at least

on the softest damping, the car is pretty forgiving, its mostly my bucket and rollcage, that transfer a lot of the roadshock to my body

 

BCs = the hotness, plain and simple. As warned though, don't use them for mostly city driving. On the track they're just awesome.

 

I love my BC's. I use 12kf / 10kr and even on the shitty maryland roads when at 1 click they are fairly forgiving.

 

I don't think they're too harsh. I little rough if you're on roads with potholes or lots of undulations, but I've driven to and from several autocross events and even out to Topeka for the Solo Nationals and they weren't bad.

Fwiw-you can run them on your OEM shock mounts instead of using the pillowballs, they fit perfectly. I'm running mine that way and they work great.

 

I might go with these in lieu of the Zeal B2s which I hear if lowered more than the recommended 1-1.5 inches can sacrifice performance.

 

BCs &gt;&gt;&gt; B2s. No comparison, at all.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dan GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">only thing is, the shocks don't like high speed (not car speed, but shock speed) compression too much
im guessing its because of its large piston size</TD></TR></TABLE>

They produce alot of high speed damping force, compared to other dampers on the market.