Apex1.0

Amazingly I have still not pulled the trigger on a coil over setup for my street/track S2k. Even though I have been posting about it for a year. Somehow I have managed to enjoy my near stock suspension for sometime. Or maybe I just don't have time to swap shocks and do an alignment. Eventually I will get around to buying some shocks.

I keep seeing people having good luck with Fortune Auto shocks, and now I am starting to consider them. My first choice would be a set of ground control Konis with 500/500 springs. The comparison is largely cost based. At this price range there are few quality options and a lot of junk. If I had double the money I would go with a set of DFVs without question. Even so I would only consider shocks from these makers:

Bilstein
Koni
Ohlins
KW
Penske
Sachs
Moton

There are not that many options with the brands listed above in the $1200 range. FYI I will not be lured by the following brands:

Buddy club
Megan
BC
Godspeed
Or whatever other junk you can find on ebay...

So really the quality 1200 coil over system that can be used on the track and street is a rare find. Quality damping to remain supple on the street but with performance valving and body control. Before anyone says it, the PSS looks good but I am looking for spring rates around 500 and I HATE underdamped cars. So they are out. That leaves FA and Koni. So should I include Fortune Auto with the quality group above?

I would be looking at a set of FA500 shocks with 9-10k springs and 12k valving. Or Koni yellows with ground control setup around 500-550 rates. Both are about $1200, both are single adjustable, both have been proven on the track and street.

Which one and why?

billios996

do you need adjustable damping? If not you can also install CR shocks in combination with ground control or swift lowering springs.

If you can find a set of used PSS you can send them off to Fat Cat or similar shop for a custom re-valve. It will be above $1200 but a little less than KWv3 and DFV new.

I did read somewhere on this board that the valving in FA is made by Ohlins, so the components are quality. I also read that the setup of the damping out of the box are not so good. Many reviews talk about pogo-ing and other poor handling qualities. I don't have time for that. The day I see a press release that FA hired a real suspension engineer and have dialed in the tune is the day I pay attention to them again.

I'm in the same boat as you. Chevy budget with Cadillac dreams. It seems you have to pay to play ( > $2k) to get the good stuff. I decided to spend money on track time, brakes, and tires instead and live with the OE suspension until it craps out.

Apex1.0

I am not a fan of the OEM damping curve. The CR I drove was better but to me, more of the same. Too much high speed bump, too linear damping, not enough blow off. Also the rebound should be stiffer (relative) to compression and spring rate.

The Koni damping curve is better IMO as long as you mate it to the right springs. Mind you, I didn't say the Konis are better shocks than OEM CR, but I like the damping curve better. The have a more digressive curve, and plenty of rebound if you turn them up. The issues with the Koni are the longer bodies in the rear (cant lower too much) and the twin tube design. I am not saying twin tube is bad, I would just prefer a monotube.

So ultimetly I think I can get a Koni 500/500 setup (or similar) to drive nice on the street and handle the track better than a CR 450/450 setup (or whatever spring rate they can handle). Both setups can be "fast" in the hands of the right driver. I just have a preference for how they feel. I am sure there are other people that prefer a more linear damping curve.

So back to the FA500, are these for real? Are they the Bilstein PSS9s that we always wanted (good for higher rates and functional adjuster)or do they belong in the ebay group?

engifineer

Unfortunately, yes, it gets spendy.

I had a set of Koni's already for the car, and decided to purchase Koni sleeves and hyperco springs to make up my own set (granted I am running STR and off the shelf rates for most of the setups were too low). So for just the rebuild and valving of the Konis, Hyperco springs and the sleeve set I think I have about $1,300 in mine. The rebuild/revalve ran me about $850, plus about $150 for hardware and a few hundred for springs. If I had to buy the Koni's first you would add that cost to it. So it is really easy to spend over $2,000 on a decent setup. And it just goes up from there.

From all you said, and if you are not going for an uber competitive Autox setup (sounds like mostly daily with some HPDE) then I personally would go with the Koni GC setup. Koni is a good damper. It may not be up there with Penske, Moton, etc but it is very good. It has single adjustment (rebound only) but is good enough for most of us autox folks and provides less knobs to screw up GC comes with Eibach springs, which are decent quality, and you can get the whole spring and sleeve setup pretty cheap from them. I almost used their sleeves and springs, but when you order those kits they only offer 2.5" springs. I wanted 2" springs, and really wanted to go with Hyperco so that is what I did.

devildust

I have FA 500 with 13K Front and 12K rear on their springs not swifts, shocks are valved to 16k I believe. To no have the POGO effect, ask for the shock to be valved high and do the swift springs, I will be upgrading mine soon. I was just at Gingerman on my set up and that track as is is very bouncy and I had no issues even with a passenger. I run them on a pretty stiff setting.
If I did it all over again I would ask for even higher valving and do the swift upgrade out of the box. I still do not regret getting these shocks, I run 255 RS3s and the car is very planted, with more skill I could be going much faster.

proracer07

You should add stance suspension to the list too. They do custom valving on there suspension. I got mine with ohlins DFV with swift springs rides great and I only paid 1200.

tcjensen

You still want used V3's, you just don't know it yet (got mine for $1300). Now I'm on Motons and should have saved the $ and stayed on the V3's, lol. I had no complaints, just couldn't get over my desire to know what more felt like. I feel like the guy that went from KW Clubsports to AST's and bought back his Clubsports, lol. That said, the FA510's can definitely be fast. Can't speak for the 500's.

jst2878

If you go FA, I have swift springs for them in 9k and 10k. Practically unused. Prob 100 miles on them. 120.00 for all four

dillonkennedy003

I have the konis/ swift spec r combo and it handles extremely well compared to my old stock suspension with 160k miles just about. It's lowered just enough too, I don't scape driveways or speed bumps unless I'm going too fast. I can't say that I've ridden in a car with other suspension set ups, but I can csay that I am very happy with the combo I have now. The ride is just as good as stock, maybe a little bit firmer feeling but about the same harshness. The body roll is practically nothing as well. You could easily get custom 500lb springs too and the konis should handle them.

Apex1.0

This may be a bad way to look at it, but what is the resale on the FA500? Because I know the Koni GC holds their value pretty well. In a way it almost like renting them. If I get those and find out that I don't like them, it may be easier to go to another setup. A setup like maybe KW V3s that someone has been recommending.