Anybody ever use Tein Basis or Futune Auto coilover?

 

No one?

 

do you mean *fortune auto? nope, never used both but the 500 series is a huge leap better than tein basis (as per manufacturer's specs)

 

Man this is a tricky situation and I'm in the same boat

I want to get coilovers but don't want to cheap out on such a major purchase.

you do all this research and opinions are all over the place regarding coilovers.

I see plenty of SX40 guys running Fortune Auto and a few other makes but not a single Fit I've found yet.

I like the price of Buddy clubs,Apexi,Teins etc but I'm just not sure I will be happy in the long run.

I keep going back to the Cusco compact zero and HKS Hipermax and a few others that cost much more.

I'm trying to wait on Koni but I really want to get my suspension done this summer so I can enjoy my new Fit.

 

I'm on M7 Japan coilovers (only one in the country so far), and i'm absolutely impressed with them. Spring rates are perfect for double-duty street/track. I autocross about 20 events a year and drive about 25k miles a year. Beautifully made, and it meshes really well with my Cusco 24mm front sway bar and Hankook RS-3s (225/45/15)

http://s1071.photobucket.com/albums/...r%20GE8%20Fit/

Here's some pics of 'em!

 

Man those do look good and now the obvious ?
where did you get them and how much lol

I decided on Swift springs but I'm sure others would like more info on the M7 set up.

 

Interesting! Thanks for the pics.

Can you give a quick comparison between these and the Bilstiens you were using before? I seem to remember you were happy with them (Bilsteins) street wise, but were looking for something slightly more aggressive for the autocross side of the spectrum.

 

You're absolutely correct. The Bilsteins were great, but they did feel soft on my grippy RS-3s. The M7 setup (springrates of F5k/R4k) is about as "aggressive" as i'd care for in a daily situation. They absorb bumps well, yet provide excellent feel through the steering wheel without becoming bothersome. They have 35 levels of adjustment, and at 15 clicks from full soft they're not bouncy and allow fluent suspension travel. I haven't felt the need to change the setting actually, as it seems the valving adjustment matches the spring rates appropriately

The one thing these did that made it worth it: They took away the bite-me-in-the-ass snap oversteer i'd been fighting. I'd have to run jacked up tire pressures to keep it in check. With the M7 setup, my pressures are more "normal" at 40psi front and 38psi rear. My camber is also less up front by about .3* and the tire wear is the same as on the bilsteins. Overall the car feels as neutral as I could ever hope for delivering predictable oversteer and understeer at the limit.

The M7s also use a constant diameter spring, and M7 USA said Swift can make custom spring rates in that diameter. Also, the shocks can be revalved/repaired here in the states at their US office.

I just tried my first set of Hankook Rcomps (Z214 soft) and the car feels just as stable/planted... so I feel no need to change anything if I switch to Rcomps for my regular season.

Hope this helps . I'm planning on putting together a comprehensive review/impressions thread along with more pics to spread the word. I took a gamble on these since there was no info (in english at least) and their US Office had a set in stock willing to ship out. After HPD denied me parts for a "street car" I looked to these for a suitable replacement. Completely satisfied


Amplified Motorsport is a M7 Japan distributor here in the states:
Amplified Motorsport - AmplifiedMotorsport.com - performance audio auto accessories


Edit: Sorry, just saw you said "quick" comparison

 

very nice The BOM
So it was yours... I was linked to some of those images but decided to go with HKS HIPERMAX S-style X

 

I'm installing mine this weekend. Did you cut the rear bump stops? I have to see whether or not I need to remove the adjustment collars for the rear (to maintain my current height), and if I do, I'm not sure if I should trim the bump stops down or not.

 

after a rather long wait... my HKS HIPERMAX S-style X finally came and I like that it comes with end links
Here are the specs... S-Style X

first set in the US as I was told

 

You must be going pretty damn low if you need to cut bump stops...

If you are, then good luck. I'll leave it at that.

 

:highfive:

Looks great! "first in the US" crew holla
Seriously though, it's people that "try" and "experiment" that help advance the community and show how many more options we have out there!

I'm looking forward to your driving impressions

 

I don't want to go stupid low, just where my tanabe springs currently have me, which is near the lowest adjustment for the Bilstein rears. I know it's not a super stiff setup, so I was concerned that setting them towards the low end might mean hitting the bump stops, without trimming them. I'm looking to set them at about 1.8 down in back, and 1.5 or 6 in the front... maybe a smidge lower, if I can pull it off without my chunky tires hitting the front fenders.

Thoughts? You probably have the most insight into the Bilstein setup.

 

I pulled my rear perches out of the box... I had mine low too

Honestly, i'd leave them in. I never had an issue, and they are there for a reason. It's not like they're made of metal, and it will keep you from damaging things actually

wheel/tire specs and any sway bars?

 

@The BOM: thanks man looking forward to install myself

 

Thanks. I did the install yesterday. When you say "perches" I assume you mean the stainless threaded collar? After I got the car back on the ground, I put it back up and took the adjustment rings off, but the rear is still a bit higher than I'd like. I guess you didn't have any issues without the perches? I'll probably get rid of mine soon, when I get it back up to do the front driver's side wheel bearing. It might settle a little lower I guess, but I'm not counting on much.

I'm currently on 15x7 +40 Konig Retracks with 205/55/15 Yokohama S.drives, Progress RSB in back, and MKR/Tiger Tuning Lower Arm bar in the front. I'm loving the ride on the Bilsteins over my worn out Tanabe/stock setup (holy shit, damping!), but the height isn't quite where I'd like it. I'm going to have to go for 16-inch wheels next spring, probably RPF1s to try to keep the weight down.

 

Did that TT front lower bar do anything for you?

 

It's taken one for the team many times, when the underside of my transmission my have otherwise scraped on a bump. In terms of noticeable improvement as a chassis brace? nope. Maybe if you were to track the car with and without there would be something, but as a daily driver, I never noticed anything, unlike the RSB which was a pretty obvious change.

 

I need to shave a little more height off the rear - did you run the OEM rubber spring top mounts since you weren't using the Bilstein perches?