woohoo!

[Jinster]

Just got these installed after my driver side front Bilstein gave up the ghost. Initial impression: geez, they are firm. Have to take speed humps a lot slower now. Cornering is definitely more sure footed. Although the whole exercise included changing the coilovers, replacing a slightly bent drop link, adding some better front tyres, and a wheel alignment. So I don't know how much impact each contributes to the cornering. Will test out the new setup more in the coming weeks.

Edited November 4, 2006 by Jinster

[Jinster]

Well, after a month of driving, I find this setup fantastic!

It is still hard on the bum when going over speed humps, but the handling around corners is great. Very neutral, lots of grip. I don't think I have enjoyed my Boxster this much, ever.

The damper firmness is 24 way adjustable via a twisty knob.

On the hardest setting, you can definitely feel a lot more of the unevenness of the road - which gives you a bit of a headache when you drive for more than half an hour. But cornering on it makes you wonder, why is it still gripping? It should have no grip at this sort of speeds!

On the softest setting, you don't get headaches, which is great for long drives. You do get more body roll and the car seems more willing to slide, very neutrally, around the corner. I think this is the benefit of having a soft setting, and that is the car will give you a bit of warning that you are pushing too far, whereas on a hard setting, the car will probably just let go once the limit is reached.

All in all, I am very happy with this suspension setup. For the price (around 1300USD supplied and installed and wheels balanced and aligned), it is good value.

[kabel]

Very cool, I'm jealous. $1300 installed? That sounds like a heck of a deal!

[insite]

who makes these?

[Jinster]

who makes these?

These are made in Taiwan. The brand is G4 Racing. It's apparently British technology that got licensed to a bunch of TW manufacturers who now produce pretty much exactly the same product under different brands.

Kabel, no need to be jealous. I live in Aust. Boxsters here cost twice as much as US. :)

[der Geist]

Jinster is absolutely right.

I have just completed installing my new coilovers this weekend. I have the Japanese version that are sold under the brand name Ksport here. I bought them from a company in Brooklyn for $1106.00 delivered. They appear to be all tip top quality. Did the install myself using the pinned guide posted here by Graeme. Hats off to Graeme for the great guide/instructions and the folks at Renntech for keeping this board going and posting all the useful info. The job was not that difficult at all just a little time consuming. My first impression after getting the car back on the road was HOLY COW!! The car is like a whole different beast. I must say that I have never enjoyed driving a car as much as I have since I put on these coilovers. The car drives like it is on rails and really grips the road tight. I feel almost invincible in it. The springs control the ride height so it is a really simple matter to jack up the wheel and raise or lower the height. Should be very handy for DE days and if I decide to do an autocross or two this year. I have 17" wheels on my car so I decided to lower it 1 1/2" and it looks really badass. Ksport USA says these are 36 way adjustable and the rise height can be dropped from 0 to 3 inches. I have them set on the softest setting and it is still a good bit stiffer than stock. It's pretty bumpy on some of the city streets (which in all honesty are ravaged from the freeze/thaw cycle here) but very drivable on most roads especially the interstates. The firmest setting would have to be for track days only. With them set at the firmest setting I think I wouldn't last more than 30 minutes behind the wheel without getting a severe headache or arm strain. I still have to get the alignment this week but I highly recommend this mod to anyone who wants their car to sit lower or handle better. Also-my wife bought me a front strut tower brace for Christmas and that seemed to make a BIG improvement as well. Best $100 <30 minute mod there is. I always thought that my boxster's steering was just a bit on the sloppy side but after these two improvements I can say with absolute certainty that this is the best handling car I have ever owned. Can't wait for the first DE at Mid Ohio so I can really test these out.

[Highlander]

This is the picture I find most interesting.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...ost&id=6081

With the JIC (branded Cross in the US) setup I installed on my car, I have more rear camber than I want. These guys have actually understood this is a problem with lowered Boxsters and have made allowance for it by giving you 3 camber settings on the rear upper strut mount. Now why can't JIC and Bilstein do the same?

I'm going to have to look into what it would take to get something like that fabbed up.

Graeme

[Highlander]

Hats off to Graeme for the great guide/instructions and the folks at Renntech for keeping this board going and posting all the useful info.

Thanks - you are too kind... :cheers:

Graeme

[atmorris]

Any idea how either of you guys would compare this setup to ROW M030 ? Pss2 ?

I'm deciding on a route to take with this right now, and was all set on ROW M030 until I read this. I don't track my car regularly, but I bought it to "play" with and fully expect to do some track time and/or autox with it this year. On the other hand, we do like to take weekend runs in it as well. I try to stay away from highway hauls (b-o-r-i-n-g) but sometimes you just can't.

Andy

[Highlander]

Any idea how either of you guys would compare this setup to ROW M030 ? Pss2 ?

I'm deciding on a route to take with this right now, and was all set on ROW M030 until I read this. I don't track my car regularly, but I bought it to "play" with and fully expect to do some track time and/or autox with it this year. On the other hand, we do like to take weekend runs in it as well. I try to stay away from highway hauls (b-o-r-i-n-g) but sometimes you just can't.

Andy

What is your tolerance for buckboard stiff suspensions and replacing tires? The only reason to get a coilover suspension is to gain the camber we need to the track and to stiffen everything up so it improves the handling. To run adequate camber for track or autocross (-2-2.5 degrees), you will go through a set of tires in less than 5k miles!

For a predominantly street driven car that sees the track and Ax course only occasionally, it's hard to recommend anything other than the ROW M030. Even "spirited" runs in the canyons would be more than satisfied with the ROW setup.

Of course, as always, this is IMHO.

Graeme

[atmorris]

Any idea how either of you guys would compare this setup to ROW M030 ? Pss2 ?

I'm deciding on a route to take with this right now, and was all set on ROW M030 until I read this. I don't track my car regularly, but I bought it to "play" with and fully expect to do some track time and/or autox with it this year. On the other hand, we do like to take weekend runs in it as well. I try to stay away from highway hauls (b-o-r-i-n-g) but sometimes you just can't.

Andy

What is your tolerance for buckboard stiff suspensions and replacing tires? The only reason to get a coilover suspension is to gain the camber we need to the track and to stiffen everything up so it improves the handling. To run adequate camber for track or autocross (-2-2.5 degrees), you will go through a set of tires in less than 5k miles!

For a predominantly street driven car that sees the track and Ax course only occasionally, it's hard to recommend anything other than the ROW M030. Even "spirited" runs in the canyons would be more than satisfied with the ROW setup.

Of course, as always, this is IMHO.

Graeme

I could tolerate the stiff suspension, but not the set of tires every 5000 miles. 10K, ok...but not 5k. I do make frequent "Spirited" runs. OK, so ROW M030 it is. Any thoughts on the alignment specs once I get the new suspension installed? Strictly by book, or is there a better set of street/track settings ?

Andy

Edited March 4, 2007 by Andy_M

[Highlander]

I could tolerate the stiff suspension, but not the set of tires every 5000 miles. 10K, ok...but not 5k. I do make frequent "Spirited" runs. OK, so ROW M030 it is. Any thoughts on the alignment specs once I get the new suspension installed? Strictly by book, or is there a better set of street/track settings ?

Andy

Find someone who will do custom alignments. You do not want the "it's within factory specs" kind of cr@p.

Front:

Toe - as close to 0 as you can get.

Camber - Max negative, but matched left to right. Probably around -1 degrees is all you'll get with the ROW suspension. If you find your front tires wearing heavily on the inside edge, try flipping them on the rims before the tread has totally gone. If you still find they wear too fast, reduce the camber.

Rear:

Toe - 1/8" total toe-in a

Camber - 0.5 degrees more camber than you got up front. eg, if you get -0.8 degrees up front, set the rears to -1.3.

This is a nice aggressive street setting. If you find the car tramlining badly - ie following the ruts in the road left by heavy traffic - try adding a little toe-in.

Good Luck,

Graeme

[atmorris]

I could tolerate the stiff suspension, but not the set of tires every 5000 miles. 10K, ok...but not 5k. I do make frequent "Spirited" runs. OK, so ROW M030 it is. Any thoughts on the alignment specs once I get the new suspension installed? Strictly by book, or is there a better set of street/track settings ?

Andy

Find someone who will do custom alignments. You do not want the "it's within factory specs" kind of cr@p.

Front:

Toe - as close to 0 as you can get.

Camber - Max negative, but matched left to right. Probably around -1 degrees is all you'll get with the ROW suspension. If you find your front tires wearing heavily on the inside edge, try flipping them on the rims before the tread has totally gone. If you still find they wear too fast, reduce the camber.

Rear:

Toe - 1/8" total toe-in a

Camber - 0.5 degrees more camber than you got up front. eg, if you get -0.8 degrees up front, set the rears to -1.3.

This is a nice aggressive street setting. If you find the car tramlining badly - ie following the ruts in the road left by heavy traffic - try adding a little toe-in.

Good Luck,

Graeme

Thanks Graeme.

[atmorris]

ROW M030 ordered yesterday from Suncoast. Can't wait !

Why I do these things I don't know....like it doesn't go fast enough, or handle better than anything else I've ever owned to begin with.... :P