adrs2k

Thank you! How are those Ohlins treating you? Any plans yet to throw the SRC's on if only to just drive around a little bit and feel them out? Curious to hear how big of a step up they are in comfort, valving, and driving experience. I can relate to your posts and reviews pretty well because you are also one of "those guys" that believe in adding "feel" to a car. It is not always about does this part make you faster, no, then its junk. Driver feel is important to the experience of driving, and if a part makes you feel more comfortable or gives you more confidence its worth it in my opinion because it can then ultimately allow a driver to push harder and go faster. It is a mental thing...
[/quote]

They are fantastic. Couldn't be happier. I finally did some runs on some of the more treacherous roads in my area that I know very well, and the difference in composure is... a bit scary really, the car is so damn composed over some really f@#ked up bit of road. It doesn't ever really feel like the car has to recover. Honestly leaning more and more towards just selling the SRCs to put the funds toward something else because I am very happy with the DFVs. But we'll see I guess. I don't really see any scenario where the SRCs would make the car faster or improve the feel to be honest, and really the goes for something like the TTX even. Moving to a damper like that would allow me to make more specific optimizations per track and give me more setup options without revalving (spring rate). Most of the improvement to lap time of a coil over setup comes from the lower center of gravity in my opinion, and a good spring rate and damper simply allows the car to operate at the lower height without issues.
[/quote]

That is good to hear! I really got close to buying them. I hope a local buys a set so I can drive the car and compare to the Clubsports.

I completely agree that you do get to a point of diminishing returns with suspension for the average user. When it comes to competition and trying to eek out the last couple tenths, then a full blown race suspension helps, but for most of us it won't make us any faster, or really contribute that much to an improved feel. I am sure my car and setup has more performance in it than I can and am willing to extract! I had to keep these facts in mind and talk myself out of spending more money than I already did on suspension .
[/quote]

You're 350miles away from getting a ride in one...
[/quote]

This is true. Maybe next time I am out there!

adrs2k

I had the car aligned at SOS last week. I pulled my 3mm spacers out of the rear and no longer have any rubbing!!

I had the front tabs on the fenders bent further out of the way as a precaution. Wade at SOS did an excellent job and there is actually a lot more clearance now and the fenders are still not rolled.

Since there was no rubbing and clearances all looked good I pretty much stuck with the same alignment as before. Only difference was -.1 less rear camber.

-3.1 front camber
0 toe
-2.9 rear camber
3/6" total rear toe in
6.5 degrees caster

The bad news, I drove over 300 miles this past weekend and the car settled almost a .25" so the car is much lower than I planned, but the good news is I had ZERO rubbing issues on the spirited drive even with a passenger and full trunk. My rear tires tuck slightly while rolling down the hwy .

I will be leaving my ride height and alignment as is until I can get some autocrossing and track time in, then make changes as needed. On the street the Advans are very stiff so I am not using all of the tire like I could with the RS3, but hopefully on track I can even out the wear and get some roll over to the edges.

My updated impressions, and again this does not reflect "performance". Only the feel of driving.

Car is damn comfortable!! I have said it before, but the ride quality is much improved. I no longer clench when hitting bumps like before. The car soaks up big bumps and road imperfections much better now and the car never loses composure. I forgot to mention earlier that I installed the RCA plates, so I do not know if having optimized the front suspension geometry made the cars turn in that much quicker and sharper. That is part of what the RCA plates do by putting the front suspension back into alignment after lowering, but damn the car feels so much better than before. Or the increased spring rate and coilovers changed the turn in feel. I do not really care because either way the car feels much sharper and lighter on its feet.

The other thing is because the cars turn in is sharper, the steering reacts quicker, and the suspension feels a lot more composed the car corners so much nicer now. Again, not saying faster. It just feels more effortless now. In other words before taking a sweeper at 80mph may have felt like a 8/10 on the scale of how fast it felt, and now its like a 6/10. The car just doesnt feel like it is working as hard to go as fast as it did before. The comfort level increased and it feels like less of a production to go fast. I had my wife with me and took some turns pretty fast (a lot of northern az has 75mph speed limits, so doing 85mph+ is not really speeding) and she never complained or got uncomfortable.

All in all I can say the price of the KW Clubsports was worth it to me. I got a much improved ride and the car feels like I always wanted it to feel. Now on to the Autocross on September 14th to really test it, and then hopefully a track day or two this fall/winter.

adrs2k

Here is a picture from Northern AZ. Most people assume or imagine AZ is just a desert, but you could not be more wrong!!

Mogollon Rim by Adrs2k, on Flickr


Here is an older shot that I forgot to post.
Honda S2000 CR by Adrs2k, on Flickr


I should have some other pics from the weekend drive to share soon.

s2k4life_az

I'm glad your enjoying them. Nice review.

Carbon Blue

They look a tad lower than the spec R's, did you ever end up rolling your fenders adam? From what Ive read even with a +63 offset wheel and 255 sized tire at anything lower than stock height your gonna rub on hard transitions, how are you coping??

bouford

good initial review. awaiting auto-x review

andrewhake

Last shot looks straight out of a brochure. And great write up.

I love that an S2000 with light suspension and tire changes pretty much puts it on part with any car out there on street tires in terms of cornering speed, and is usually dramatically better on corner entry.

You definitely have me itching to pick up another pair of 17x9+63 CE2Ns to start testing out a square setup. Any issues so far rubbing on the frame rail? That is one thing I have seen people run into with +63.

adrs2k

Thanks. For the first time in awhile I really just want to go drive the damn thing! Its so much fun now.

Hehe, that is an old picture on the Swift's. I hope to get some new pics with the KW's this weekend.

The car is currently lower than with the Swifts...

Fenders are not rolled, but the front's have the tabs bent up and out of the way and the liners trimmed. Without those mods it would def rub and cause more damage!

ZERO rubbing anywhere so far. I have hit some serious bumps at high speeds and no rubbing anywhere, that includes the frame rail on the inside fronts. I guess once I get on track it will be the true test, but I have hit bumps on highways so hard that my butt came out of the seat and there was no rubbing.

Thank you! I have not auto crossed in 12years, should be interesting....

adrs2k

Thank you, I do love my brochure shots

Glad you enjoyed the writeup, I really hope people find it to be a good read.

The car is just so much more in every way with the 255 tire up front. I could never go back to a 225. Better turn in, better braking, better feel, and the car just corners with so much less effort and hype. I love it! It is so much more composed cornering (-3.0 camber also really helps ).

I agree, stock is amazing, but a few carefully selected parts and the car can just be transformed into a handling monster.

NO issues rubbing on the frame rail! I have only driven on the street, but I have hit some bumps, dips, and bridges at 85mph+ and had my butt out of the seat and no rubbing anywhere. I also had a passenger and a full trunk. I am sure at say the corkscrew I might have an issue, but for my local roads and tracks I am confident that I wont have any issues.

adrs2k

Registered for my first autocross in over 12 years!!! Time to finally drive this damn thing the way it was intended

I will be out with a group of at least 7 other S2000 owners on September 14th.