BryanR

erm, so you're saying ST (made by KW) is poor...?

FK and Vmaxx are definitely bottom of the barrel...

Greddy87

Thanks guys for the info on coilovers & Lowering Springs.. I just purchased a pair of Coil overs (KW's).. Since we're in topic , would u guys consider using Marine grease or Lukas Red to prevent corrosion from salt and water..? I do realize that the KW brand has "Inox Line" Stainless steel coating.. (PS) Mikeh Awesome S4.. , Love the way she sits.. lol..

cheeba

I'm just generalizing based on price in that instance. I've never actually ridden on them, but if they were really very good, especially given their ridiculously low price, they would catch on like wildfire amongst the higher-performance guys. Everyone loves to tout the the fact that KW owns the company that makes them, but means absolutely nothing. Thousands of people will tell you that whatever they own - ST coilovers included - is great, but the fact is most people don't have the slightest clue about suspension tuning - they slam it, and it's stiffer than stock, so they think it handles awesomely. They're budget coilovers and that's just the way it is.

I should note that that list is not exhaustive, and not necessarily definitive - Bilstein and H&R both make some higher-end stuff, although rare; and, there are some additional many more boutique companies making the high-end stuff.

Greddy, I've used Boeshield T9 and it's pretty good. It forms a very lightweight film so that it doesn't attract dirt, and it's fairly water resistant. Whatever you use, go with a very light layer to dirt can't stick to it; I think most people just use too much of whatever they use.

Greddy87

Thanks Cheeba.. Good luck with the TT.. Cant wait to see some pics..

BryanR

The ST stuff is fairly new - you'll see a bunch of people jumping on them this season.

For Sale: AMI is Back!! ST Coilovers $699* USD with Factory Rebate Shipped with Bonus!

Cheers

cheeba

LOL, yeah, anyone that thinks they're getting anything but budget suspension for $700 shipped is out to lunch. Even more so considering that KW would never allow the ST to be even nearly as good as the V1s, as it would kill sales of the V1/2 lines. Note that, despite the internet and ST salesmen rumours, KW and ST never say the STs are the same damping as V1s. Frankly, I think the whole ordeal is a little hinky, and wonder if ST is just another eBay coilover and they're licensing the KW name. I mean, ST even calls damping dampening on their website - hardly a sign of a properly-engineered suspension

BryanR

Greg @ AMI: "With that said, as ST is the exact same tuning, spring rates etc as KW V1's, you can find all the info you need on the KW Site!"

I don't work for AMI, ST, KW, nor do I sell their product. If you are looking for some truths, you may need to venture out and do some research on your own...

Cheers

cheeba

Truths? Why? Because some dude selling them says so? Why on Earth would KW sell the exact same suspension, minus the stainless, for half the price? The World is full of misinformation and disinformation - it seems to be in most people's natures to just spout off about anything without knowing much about what they're talking. Ever heard the rumour that Costco vodka is the same as Grey Goose? It's pretty much a well-known 'fact' it's so effectively. Every person I know that drinks vodka says this. Taste them back-to-back and it's so painfully obvious that they are not even remotely the same that it's flabbergasting the rumour persists so effectively. I can even pick them apart when in a very-diluted mixed drink. Yet on the rumour goes...

EDIT: I'm not saying that the STs aren't KW V1s internally, but I'd like to see something that can be construed as evidence before believing that. Not that it really matters much to me, as I wouldn't even run any of the KW line on my car (not that they're not a decent suspension - they just aren't for me).

LR Audi

So what suspension setup and brand are you running or planning on running? Originally I was going to go with Koni FSD with Eibachs, but it doesn't make it low enough for me. I already have adjustable control arms on order to allow for the lowered height so I can go much lower than what the Eibachs will allow. I also know for a fact, as stated by a Koni authorized rep, that the FSDs can be teamed up with Eibachs and or stock springs, and nothing more/less. Springs that have moderate or extreme lowering will destroy the FSDs and a better matchup for would be the Koni yellows. Anyhow, I've decided that I will go with KW V1s. The V2/V3 is too much and I would only go that route if I had a 450HP RS6 or something equivalent.

cheeba

I went with H&R SS Adjustables - my suspension setup is in the link in my sig. In KW's lineup, all but their Clubsport or Competition coilovers are too soft for my liking.

Unless you were talking to an actual Engineer at Koni, I wouldn't rely on anyone's word there. Even less so if you were just talking to a sales rep at some retail company. There are very few salesman/front-line staff in this World that have real technical knowledge of the product they represent. Generally, it is detrimental to change spring rates by more than 50-100lbs on any given damper. This delta is also affected by lowering and raising the vehicle, thus changing the effective spring rate. I don't know specifically, but I doubt that the Eibach and stock springs are the same rates. Salesmen might tell you what will 'work', but they usually just sell what is good enough, not what is optimal.

Suspension tuning is sort of an art; and, most of what you get from a supplier or forum will be unsubstantiated nonsense. Stick to SAE or other technical papers, technical books, and knowledgeable individuals and/or racers. Eng-Tips is a great forum, but be prepared to have a good technical understanding of what you're asking, and physics in general, or you'll be ignored or booted - it's not a forum for laypeople.