Street *only* suspension: Ohlins vs PSS9 vs Hipermax S
05-13-2024, 12:01 PM
#1
Street *only* suspension: Ohlins vs PSS9 vs Hipermax S
Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a street only suspension kit for my 06 AP2, which is a bit too precious to track (have an ITS for that). I'm happy to spend the money on Ohlins, if they're right for my application. My requirements are:
Prices are different:
I'm looking for a street only suspension kit for my 06 AP2, which is a bit too precious to track (have an ITS for that). I'm happy to spend the money on Ohlins, if they're right for my application. My requirements are:
- Little to no NVH increase over OEM (i.e. no clunking top hats, please)
- Better body control and reduced roll, but compliant over terrible Massachusetts roads
- Lowering approximately 1" all around. I think this is fairly conservative, but I'm concerned about Ohlins in the rear.
Prices are different:
- Ohlins (with rear lowering cups) are $2600
- PSS9s are $1500
- Hipermax S are $1500
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GBR! (05-13-2024)
05-13-2024, 12:24 PM
#2
DFV will not blow with pot holes. 
05-13-2024, 05:33 PM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
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You don't need special cups for Ohlins if you only want a 1" drop.
The Ohlins are very locked down and refined and You get a ton of rich info from the road...BUT they can be harsh over cracked pavement.
Bilstein are more comfortable...but a 1" drop may be a little much if you're still trying to retain comfort. It'll be on the limit. A 0.5 or 0.75" drop seems to be their sweet spot.
No experience with the Hypermax
The Ohlins are very locked down and refined and You get a ton of rich info from the road...BUT they can be harsh over cracked pavement.
Bilstein are more comfortable...but a 1" drop may be a little much if you're still trying to retain comfort. It'll be on the limit. A 0.5 or 0.75" drop seems to be their sweet spot.
No experience with the Hypermax
Last edited by B serious; 05-13-2024 at 05:36 PM.
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GBR! (05-13-2024)
05-14-2024, 05:40 AM
#5
Registered User
Just installed Sakebomb fpsport Ohlins on my 05 with 48000 miles settled on a 3/4 inch drop RE71's staggered New Jersey roads .To be honest not overly impressed with them
they are good but not as good as most praise IMO. Stock suspension is good everywhere FOR the street . lots of set up till your at a setting that your happy with, very harsh over expansion joints with a setting that your happy with everywhere else I personally can see how sets come up for sale used with 500 miles on them . I have no experience with the other brands but do wonder if the Spoon sport shocks made by
SHOWA would be a great OEM + set up for the street .just my 2 cents
they are good but not as good as most praise IMO. Stock suspension is good everywhere FOR the street . lots of set up till your at a setting that your happy with, very harsh over expansion joints with a setting that your happy with everywhere else I personally can see how sets come up for sale used with 500 miles on them . I have no experience with the other brands but do wonder if the Spoon sport shocks made by
SHOWA would be a great OEM + set up for the street .just my 2 cents
05-14-2024, 07:28 AM
#6
You don't need special cups for Ohlins if you only want a 1" drop.
The Ohlins are very locked down and refined and You get a ton of rich info from the road...BUT they can be harsh over cracked pavement.
Bilstein are more comfortable...but a 1" drop may be a little much if you're still trying to retain comfort. It'll be on the limit. A 0.5 or 0.75" drop seems to be their sweet spot.
No experience with the Hypermax
The Ohlins are very locked down and refined and You get a ton of rich info from the road...BUT they can be harsh over cracked pavement.
Bilstein are more comfortable...but a 1" drop may be a little much if you're still trying to retain comfort. It'll be on the limit. A 0.5 or 0.75" drop seems to be their sweet spot.
No experience with the Hypermax
Just installed Sakebomb fpsport Ohlins on my 05 with 48000 miles settled on a 3/4 inch drop RE71's staggered New Jersey roads .To be honest not overly impressed with them
they are good but not as good as most praise IMO. Stock suspension is good everywhere FOR the street . lots of set up till your at a setting that your happy with, very harsh over expansion joints with a setting that your happy with everywhere else I personally can see how sets come up for sale used with 500 miles on them . I have no experience with the other brands but do wonder if the Spoon sport shocks made by
SHOWA would be a great OEM + set up for the street .just my 2 cents
they are good but not as good as most praise IMO. Stock suspension is good everywhere FOR the street . lots of set up till your at a setting that your happy with, very harsh over expansion joints with a setting that your happy with everywhere else I personally can see how sets come up for sale used with 500 miles on them . I have no experience with the other brands but do wonder if the Spoon sport shocks made by
SHOWA would be a great OEM + set up for the street .just my 2 cents
05-14-2024, 07:51 AM
#7
Well I jumped the gun a bit and bought a set of PSS9's off RockAuto for ~$1400. I was drawn to the more street-friendly spring rates -- I can always run CR bars if I want more roll stiffness...
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05-14-2024, 09:19 AM
#8
The best roll control comes from progressive rate springs. Most lowering springs are progressive, but almost no coilovers are.
Progressive is great on street, track not so much. Hence why coilovers typically don't use.
Why progressive control roll? Because inside spring pushes up way harder than outside spring in transitions and corners. It even makes steering feel way more immediate.
The only coilover for our platform that I know if that uses progressive springs is H&R. These are same shock as Bilstein pss (even says on side of shock), but with H&R springs and damping to match.
These are not adjustable except for ride height (via preload, like all pss).
The pss spring rates are even more front biased than your '06, even more than CR. Ideal for square setup, and more of a track bias (though too low a rate to be useful for track). Some like the more planted feel and more fwd like understeer. The H&R coilover spring rate bias is more street focused, 345/345.
Progressive is great on street, track not so much. Hence why coilovers typically don't use.
Why progressive control roll? Because inside spring pushes up way harder than outside spring in transitions and corners. It even makes steering feel way more immediate.
The only coilover for our platform that I know if that uses progressive springs is H&R. These are same shock as Bilstein pss (even says on side of shock), but with H&R springs and damping to match.
These are not adjustable except for ride height (via preload, like all pss).
The pss spring rates are even more front biased than your '06, even more than CR. Ideal for square setup, and more of a track bias (though too low a rate to be useful for track). Some like the more planted feel and more fwd like understeer. The H&R coilover spring rate bias is more street focused, 345/345.
05-14-2024, 06:53 PM
#9
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Good price and I doubt you will regret it.
05-15-2024, 11:59 AM
#10
I have had HKS Hipermax IV GT on my car since fall 2016 and the car rides really well. Comfy and composed, though I think it rolls a bit more than some may like.
I am also in Wisconsin, so only upstate NY in the lower 48 of the US can really claim same ballpark for awful roads.
I am also in Wisconsin, so only upstate NY in the lower 48 of the US can really claim same ballpark for awful roads.