S2000 Racing and Competition The S2000 on the track and Solo circuit. Some of the fastest S2000 drivers in the world call this forum home.

Coilover system for some track and daily driving?

Thread Tools
 
Old 01-24-2006, 10:03 PM
  #1  
Registered User

Thread Starter
 
Amer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 7,582
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default Coilover system for some track and daily driving?

A little background, I want to stay as close to stock as possible with exception to some coilovers, wheels, track tires for road courses (Buttonwillow, Laguna Seca etc.) I will mostly be doing 2-3 track days out of the whole year and mostly use the S for daily driving and some random canyon runs. My question is if you are in the same boat as I am, what coilovers did you choose, why you got them, and hows do they compare to stock suspension. I'm leaning towards the Tein Flex EDFC coilovers simply because of the EDFC gadget, I have no clue how they perform on the street/track so this worries me.
Old 01-24-2006, 10:23 PM
  #2  
Registered User
 
mikegarrison's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Covington WA, USA
Posts: 22,888
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Amer,Jan 24 2006, 11:03 PM
A little background, I want to stay as close to stock as possible with exception to some coilovers, wheels, track tires for road courses (Buttonwillow, Laguna Seca etc.) I will mostly be doing 2-3 track days out of the whole year and mostly use the S for daily driving and some random canyon runs. My question is if you are in the same boat as I am, what coilovers did you choose, why you got them, and hows do they compare to stock suspension. I'm leaning towards the Tein Flex EDFC coilovers simply because of the EDFC gadget, I have no clue how they perform on the street/track so this worries me.
I was in the same boat as you except that I did 15 track days last year rather than 2-3. I chose to just run with the stock coilovers.

If it's a difference between the Teins and doubling your 2-3 track days, you should spend your money on the seat time rather than the car.
Old 01-25-2006, 08:47 AM
  #3  
Member (Premium)

 
twohoos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Redondo Beach
Posts: 4,027
Received 316 Likes on 149 Posts
Default


"Some track but mostly daily driving and canyon runs" is precisely what the stock system was designed for.
Old 01-25-2006, 10:37 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
pantyraider's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: San Fran
Posts: 2,202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

If you're only going to do 2-3 track days a year stick with stock. BTW, I didn't know there were canyons in Bakersfield.
Old 01-25-2006, 01:55 PM
  #5  
Registered User

Thread Starter
 
Amer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 7,582
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by pantyraider,Jan 25 2006, 11:37 AM
If you're only going to do 2-3 track days a year stick with stock. BTW, I didn't know there were canyons in Bakersfield.
There aren't any canyons in Bakersfield but outside of it 20-30 minutes away.

Anyways, the reason I wanted those tein flex with edfc was because of my experience in my Dad's Benz S430 which had 2 levels of dampening for sportier driving. Does any know if the technology in the S430 is similar to the Tein EDFC?
Old 01-25-2006, 01:56 PM
  #6  
Registered User

 
Nobody's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 2,776
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Hmmm...depending on how you drive....I found switching from stock to Tein RA coilovers had two huge benefits: 1) easier to control slides and/or recover from them and 2) no shock fade.

Switching to coilovers in my opinion is more related to safety/car control than lap times. One track day is all it should take to tell you whether or not the stock suspension is adequate for your level of driving or not.
Old 01-26-2006, 09:37 AM
  #7  
Registered User
 
tenchi950's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Socal
Posts: 430
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I donno. People keep telling me that stock setup in s2k is good enough for track. I havent taken my car to the track yet but the handling is nowhere as confidence inspiring as my previous car which was an Is300 with HKS sways and Tein coilovers. I guess I will have to find out soon.

For those interested in track day on Feb 20th. PM dorikin_86. I believe he is hosting one.
Old 01-26-2006, 05:23 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
Bassem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: N. Ca
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I personally suggest running the stock system at the track for a bit because it tends to be more forgiving. Jumping into a quintuple adjustable mega-super-ultra system helps you not unless you have hours of seat time at your driving limit. I also suggest that whenever you get coilovers, get a F/R spring rate balance similar to stock initially. Once you learn what the multitude of adjustments do, then putz around with spring rates.

Reason for all the above: your sensitivity to adjustments in shock settings needs experience and a reference frame. Benefits of using the stock system is that you already paid for it and it is well matched to the car imho and is good reference frame.

Learn a specific track and get good at it. After that time yourself, and get to the point in which you are running consistent competitive times. Then toss the stock system away and spend your hard-earned money on a decent coilover system and have fun.

Sorry for the long post, but I like trying to get people to learn from my mistakes,
Bassem
Old 01-26-2006, 08:31 PM
  #9  
Registered User

Thread Starter
 
Amer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: CA
Posts: 7,582
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

I find the stock setup very unfriendly for aggressive driving. I understeer badly taking corners.
Old 01-26-2006, 08:46 PM
  #10  

 
rlaifatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Encinitas (San Diego), CA
Posts: 4,666
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Maybe just adding some more camber up front would reduce the understeer to your liking. Understeer can happen with coilovers too.



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:38 PM.