Race suspension
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Honda-Tech Member
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From: Toronto, ON, Canada
Race suspension
What do you guy/gals recommend for full race suspension? Car is RSX Type S and will be prepped for Ontario Touring GT where there are no limitations.
Motons and Penskes are too much moula.
Criteria:
-Fairly inexpensive~ < 3.5k CDN
-A very good package
-Fully adjustable for rebound and compression
-Fully height adjustable
-External Reservoir(preferably)
I'm thinking Mugen N1, JIC FLT A2-R1, Tein N1/RS or something similar...Don't want Konis...Do they have cheaper Ohlins?
Thanks!
Motons and Penskes are too much moula.
Criteria:
-Fairly inexpensive~ < 3.5k CDN
-A very good package
-Fully adjustable for rebound and compression
-Fully height adjustable
-External Reservoir(preferably)
I'm thinking Mugen N1, JIC FLT A2-R1, Tein N1/RS or something similar...Don't want Konis...Do they have cheaper Ohlins?
Thanks!
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,260
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From: Montreal, QC, Canada
Re: Race suspension (ITR RACER)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITR RACER »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't want Konis...
Thanks!</TD></TR></TABLE>
What's wrong with Konis?
http://www.koniracing.com/roadraceitems.html
Thanks!
</TD></TR></TABLE>What's wrong with Konis?
http://www.koniracing.com/roadraceitems.html
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,349
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From: Orange County, CA
Re: Race suspension (ITR RACER)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITR RACER »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm thinking Mugen N1, JIC FLT A2-R1, Tein N1/RS or something similar...</TD></TR></TABLE>
I would be surprised if there were many people on this board having first hand experience with any of those shocks. You might get some hearsay and opinions on reputation but there it will end. Try the Grand Am and World Challenge boards...
Personally, I think you're asking too much for that kind of money. You are going to have to compromise on one or more of your criteria. With the stratospheric rear spring rates the Grand Am guys run on those cars, I'd bet they go thru a lot of shocks. A low end, remote res shock that is fully adjustable might cause you more grief than joy.
If money is really an issue, I'd say forget about going adjustable. Progress makes a very durable coil-over for that car that is quite well developed. All the school cars at Mid-Ohio run them and have been for years. They are rebuidable and re-valve-able and are very well built. But they aren't adjustable.
If you have to sacrifice something for price, reliability shouldn't be it.
I would be surprised if there were many people on this board having first hand experience with any of those shocks. You might get some hearsay and opinions on reputation but there it will end. Try the Grand Am and World Challenge boards...
Personally, I think you're asking too much for that kind of money. You are going to have to compromise on one or more of your criteria. With the stratospheric rear spring rates the Grand Am guys run on those cars, I'd bet they go thru a lot of shocks. A low end, remote res shock that is fully adjustable might cause you more grief than joy.
If money is really an issue, I'd say forget about going adjustable. Progress makes a very durable coil-over for that car that is quite well developed. All the school cars at Mid-Ohio run them and have been for years. They are rebuidable and re-valve-able and are very well built. But they aren't adjustable.
If you have to sacrifice something for price, reliability shouldn't be it.
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Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 96,507
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From: Siege Perilous
Re: Race suspension (jsi)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jsi »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
What's wrong with Konis?</TD></TR></TABLE>
The DC5 in competition has some very special suspension requirements because of a shock travel that is already very short when stock. People will blow the OEM and A-Spec Showa shocks just because they hit a pothole in normal driving, and this is aggravated when you start pumping up the spring rates and trying to lower the car.
Suspension choices for the EP3 and DC5 in competition are harder choices to make than the choices we'd have for the DC2 and other wishbone cars.
What's wrong with Konis?</TD></TR></TABLE>
The DC5 in competition has some very special suspension requirements because of a shock travel that is already very short when stock. People will blow the OEM and A-Spec Showa shocks just because they hit a pothole in normal driving, and this is aggravated when you start pumping up the spring rates and trying to lower the car.
Suspension choices for the EP3 and DC5 in competition are harder choices to make than the choices we'd have for the DC2 and other wishbone cars.
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From: Siege Perilous
Re: Race suspension (ITR RACER)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITR RACER »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm thinking Mugen N1, JIC FLT A2-R1, Tein N1/RS or something similar....</TD></TR></TABLE>
There are two reasons why I would recommend the Mugen N1 over the other choices you've mentioned.
1.The Mugen N1 suspension is going to incorporate the valving changes that Showa made from their initial awful experiences with the endurance racing of the Spoon DC5 ITR and Spoon EP3 CTR. I think we all know that Ichi eventually just blasted Honda for giving him those kinds of cars to try to race, but there were several successful Showa changes made to the N1 suspension before he told them he was switching to the CL7/CL9 for the Spoon racing projects. Showa supplied the suspensions for his DC5/EP3 projects and incorporated the valving and damping changes in the suspensions that they are selling to Mugen.
2.Everything "Mugen" has a big advantage in the USDM because of how well Scott Zellner and King Motorsports is able to support the enthusiast community here. You also have the added advantage of the Honda-Tech member Clayton working there and helping out with detailed questions.
I would call King Motorsports and get Clayton on the phone and tell him exactly what it is you are going to be doing. He can also get you non-Mugen parts when necessary and has not hesitated to recommend non-Mugen solutions when that was the better thing for the customer.
If you don't get the answers you want from King Motorsports, then ring up Opak Racing in California.
Opak Racing will have access to all the Showa stuff that Spoon was using in their endurance effort, and Opak is still campaigning a DC5 in endurance racing in the west. Whatever they didn't already know from Spoon when they started their DC5 project, they have probably proceeded to learn the hard way.
Please note that King and Opak both sell lighter suspension arms for the front of the DC5, which lighter arms also have revised bushings designed to help with the bump steer/toe steer issues with the EP3 and DC5. Something else you might want to look at, based on communications I saw while the DC5 and EP3 were being raced in JDM endurance.
Very best of luck with your project.
There are two reasons why I would recommend the Mugen N1 over the other choices you've mentioned.
1.The Mugen N1 suspension is going to incorporate the valving changes that Showa made from their initial awful experiences with the endurance racing of the Spoon DC5 ITR and Spoon EP3 CTR. I think we all know that Ichi eventually just blasted Honda for giving him those kinds of cars to try to race, but there were several successful Showa changes made to the N1 suspension before he told them he was switching to the CL7/CL9 for the Spoon racing projects. Showa supplied the suspensions for his DC5/EP3 projects and incorporated the valving and damping changes in the suspensions that they are selling to Mugen.
2.Everything "Mugen" has a big advantage in the USDM because of how well Scott Zellner and King Motorsports is able to support the enthusiast community here. You also have the added advantage of the Honda-Tech member Clayton working there and helping out with detailed questions.
I would call King Motorsports and get Clayton on the phone and tell him exactly what it is you are going to be doing. He can also get you non-Mugen parts when necessary and has not hesitated to recommend non-Mugen solutions when that was the better thing for the customer.
If you don't get the answers you want from King Motorsports, then ring up Opak Racing in California.
Opak Racing will have access to all the Showa stuff that Spoon was using in their endurance effort, and Opak is still campaigning a DC5 in endurance racing in the west. Whatever they didn't already know from Spoon when they started their DC5 project, they have probably proceeded to learn the hard way.
Please note that King and Opak both sell lighter suspension arms for the front of the DC5, which lighter arms also have revised bushings designed to help with the bump steer/toe steer issues with the EP3 and DC5. Something else you might want to look at, based on communications I saw while the DC5 and EP3 were being raced in JDM endurance.
Very best of luck with your project.
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