Fat Cat Motorsports Elite Coilovers: First Impressions
02-02-2013, 07:41 AM
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Fat Cat Motorsports Elite Coilovers: First Impressions - Updated
UPDATE DOWN BELOW:
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ORIGINAL POST:
As you can see, I don’t post much on the forum but wanted to share my first impressions with a new coilover setup. I’m an intermediate level driver with about a dozen track events slowly working my way up the skill curve. Originally, I had a set of shiny black/gold single adjustable coilovers installed on my daily driven 2009 SS Sport that I tracked for over 2 years. During that time I played around with different alignment settings, tire pressures, and damper settings and the overall outcome was that I wasn’t feeling confident with the car’s behavior out on track. Finally, tired of the harsh ride on the street, and after one of the dampers sprung a leak, I decided to go a different direction.
After much research (which obviously did not occur before the purchase of the shiny black/gold coilovers) I decided to go the path of a custom-valved coilover set-up matched to my vehicle, performance goals, and handling preference. The solution provider I chose was Fat Cat Motorsports. The owner, Shaikh, has been building custom-valved Bilstein coilovers for Miata/MX-5 auto-X and road course racers for years and has data-backed proven success with this platform. The customer experience with Shaikh was top notch. I felt as though I had my own suspension engineer. He methodically assessed my experience/skill level, vehicle details, and other parameters to develop my solution. I took delivery of my FCM Elite coilover system last summer, bolted it in, set ride-height, got it aligned, and have been grinning ear-to-ear ever since.
My very first impression on the street was that I thought my stock suspension was back in. The shiny black/gold coilovers were freakin harsh, and even though Shaikh advised that properly valved/matched coilovers would actually provide a more ‘compliant’ ride, I just wasn’t expecting such a level of comfort. After a few sessions of tossing it around progressively harder and harder on some favorite twisty side roads I was amazed at the transformation. Where the shiny black/gold coilovers would brake grip, the FCM Elite setup didn’t. The car felt more planted and composed and I found myself carrying more speed.
So I finally took this setup out on track a couple of weeks ago. There is a small motorcycle and test/tune track in Alabama called Little Tally (TGPR) that I’ve driven several times with my previous setup. It's a short track (1.4mi) and you’ll see from the layout below that it’s a tight track that really works brakes and tires:
Note: Green = 0.4-1.0g, Yellow = 1.0-1.25g, Red = >1.25g
My previous two events I was posting 1:13-1:14 lap times. The faster drivers in the GARX8 club (and we have some fast drivers) post laps in the 1:10’s. By only my second session with the new FCM Elite setup I was consistently posting low 1:11’s. I was using the same spent r-comps and race-pads as previous events and the weather was only in the 40’s in the morning sessions. The car was spectacular in its smoothness. Where the car used to slide, I was at levels of grip I’ve not experienced. Here is a pic (thanks Dano!) of me coming out of a flat hairpin turn where I was hitting a max apex speed of 46mph and peak lateral acceleration during track-out of 1.27g@51mph (at least according to my HLT datalogger):
You can see inside tire lift of which I was unaware at the time and was tracking out with no slip and progressively on the throttle all the way out. In the afternoon I was getting a little cocky and tried a different line into a short chicane. Everyone who has some decent track experience knows the situation: ‘early apex, early exit’. Out of the first apex I had an exit line that screamed ‘two wheels off’ at me so quick off the gas and hard turn-in to keep my two inside wheels on the inside of the curbing of the second apex. The car had enough grip to steer my outside tires onto the curbing, but then I needed another fast correction as my line into the third apex was way off… As I exited the chicane I knew the FCM coilovers had saved my ***, period. My shiny black/gold coilovers were always “twitchy” at maximum grip especially with irregular surfaces and fast inputs. Now I am really grinning ear-to-ear with this setup and can’t wait for the upcoming track season.
DriveSafe
TomF
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UPDATE:
OK - wanted to update after this past weekend at Road Atlanta. This is my home track and have done over 6 HDPE events there. My last recorded sessions with my previous shiny black/gold coilovers I was turning lap times in the 1:52's consistently. This past weekend, I was turning 1:49's consistently. Same tire/wheel and brake pad set-up, only difference are the FCM Elite coilovers and I was running catted this weekend. Here's one of my better laps:
Despite inconsistent execution through Turn 5, 7, and 10a-10b I was still consistently 3 secs faster then previous events. For those of you not familiar with RA, here's the same lap showing the turn #'s and lateral g's as plotted by Harry's Lap Timer:
Note: Green = 0.4-1.0g, Yellow = 1.0-1.25g, Red = >1.25g
Needless to say, I just can't be more thrilled with how well this suspension from Fat Cat Motorsports performs.
I recently purchased a C5 Z06, but I am having such a great experience with the RX8 and seeing how capable a car it is properly equipped/set-up, I am damn happy with continuing to develop my driving skill with this car.
DriveSafe!
TomF
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ORIGINAL POST:
As you can see, I don’t post much on the forum but wanted to share my first impressions with a new coilover setup. I’m an intermediate level driver with about a dozen track events slowly working my way up the skill curve. Originally, I had a set of shiny black/gold single adjustable coilovers installed on my daily driven 2009 SS Sport that I tracked for over 2 years. During that time I played around with different alignment settings, tire pressures, and damper settings and the overall outcome was that I wasn’t feeling confident with the car’s behavior out on track. Finally, tired of the harsh ride on the street, and after one of the dampers sprung a leak, I decided to go a different direction.
After much research (which obviously did not occur before the purchase of the shiny black/gold coilovers) I decided to go the path of a custom-valved coilover set-up matched to my vehicle, performance goals, and handling preference. The solution provider I chose was Fat Cat Motorsports. The owner, Shaikh, has been building custom-valved Bilstein coilovers for Miata/MX-5 auto-X and road course racers for years and has data-backed proven success with this platform. The customer experience with Shaikh was top notch. I felt as though I had my own suspension engineer. He methodically assessed my experience/skill level, vehicle details, and other parameters to develop my solution. I took delivery of my FCM Elite coilover system last summer, bolted it in, set ride-height, got it aligned, and have been grinning ear-to-ear ever since.
My very first impression on the street was that I thought my stock suspension was back in. The shiny black/gold coilovers were freakin harsh, and even though Shaikh advised that properly valved/matched coilovers would actually provide a more ‘compliant’ ride, I just wasn’t expecting such a level of comfort. After a few sessions of tossing it around progressively harder and harder on some favorite twisty side roads I was amazed at the transformation. Where the shiny black/gold coilovers would brake grip, the FCM Elite setup didn’t. The car felt more planted and composed and I found myself carrying more speed.
So I finally took this setup out on track a couple of weeks ago. There is a small motorcycle and test/tune track in Alabama called Little Tally (TGPR) that I’ve driven several times with my previous setup. It's a short track (1.4mi) and you’ll see from the layout below that it’s a tight track that really works brakes and tires:
Note: Green = 0.4-1.0g, Yellow = 1.0-1.25g, Red = >1.25g
My previous two events I was posting 1:13-1:14 lap times. The faster drivers in the GARX8 club (and we have some fast drivers) post laps in the 1:10’s. By only my second session with the new FCM Elite setup I was consistently posting low 1:11’s. I was using the same spent r-comps and race-pads as previous events and the weather was only in the 40’s in the morning sessions. The car was spectacular in its smoothness. Where the car used to slide, I was at levels of grip I’ve not experienced. Here is a pic (thanks Dano!) of me coming out of a flat hairpin turn where I was hitting a max apex speed of 46mph and peak lateral acceleration during track-out of 1.27g@51mph (at least according to my HLT datalogger):
You can see inside tire lift of which I was unaware at the time and was tracking out with no slip and progressively on the throttle all the way out. In the afternoon I was getting a little cocky and tried a different line into a short chicane. Everyone who has some decent track experience knows the situation: ‘early apex, early exit’. Out of the first apex I had an exit line that screamed ‘two wheels off’ at me so quick off the gas and hard turn-in to keep my two inside wheels on the inside of the curbing of the second apex. The car had enough grip to steer my outside tires onto the curbing, but then I needed another fast correction as my line into the third apex was way off… As I exited the chicane I knew the FCM coilovers had saved my ***, period. My shiny black/gold coilovers were always “twitchy” at maximum grip especially with irregular surfaces and fast inputs. Now I am really grinning ear-to-ear with this setup and can’t wait for the upcoming track season.
DriveSafe
TomF
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
OK - wanted to update after this past weekend at Road Atlanta. This is my home track and have done over 6 HDPE events there. My last recorded sessions with my previous shiny black/gold coilovers I was turning lap times in the 1:52's consistently. This past weekend, I was turning 1:49's consistently. Same tire/wheel and brake pad set-up, only difference are the FCM Elite coilovers and I was running catted this weekend. Here's one of my better laps:
Despite inconsistent execution through Turn 5, 7, and 10a-10b I was still consistently 3 secs faster then previous events. For those of you not familiar with RA, here's the same lap showing the turn #'s and lateral g's as plotted by Harry's Lap Timer:
Note: Green = 0.4-1.0g, Yellow = 1.0-1.25g, Red = >1.25g
Needless to say, I just can't be more thrilled with how well this suspension from Fat Cat Motorsports performs.
I recently purchased a C5 Z06, but I am having such a great experience with the RX8 and seeing how capable a car it is properly equipped/set-up, I am damn happy with continuing to develop my driving skill with this car.
DriveSafe!
TomF
Last edited by 2nd_RX8; 06-28-2013 at 02:11 AM. Reason: Second Impressions
02-02-2013, 09:10 AM
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I have a Progress front bar on softest setting. Honestly, Shaikh would have preferred I stay stock, but I had just purchased and installed this before I consulted him. This could be an area for improvement but I'll get some more seat time in first.
02-02-2013, 04:19 PM
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there was a guy who asked about the FCM setup a couple days ago. if i can find the thread I'll link him. I'm sure this will help a lot. Thanks for the ride! I had a blast
02-04-2013, 06:56 AM
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02-05-2013, 09:27 AM
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Thanks for the review, I'll probably end up picking these up when my wallet recovers a bit from the purchase of my Shinka. I had them on my Miata and couldn't believe how streetable my car became, and I wasn't running junk, I was running Flex's.
02-05-2013, 06:46 PM
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Yes - the NC body.
02-08-2013, 04:40 PM
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Before I swapped out my miata for my RX8 I had FCM components making up my suspension. I have to say that the company makes amazing products and has amazing customer service. If you have any questions at all about spring rates or bump stop densities/lengths, and what not all you have to do is email or call Shinka and he'll tell you exactly what your options are and what he recommends. When I get to the point that I'm ready to upgrade my RX8 I plan on going straight to FCM.
02-09-2013, 07:45 AM
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This is why I chose to work with Shaikh @ FCM. I knew my functional requirements (track oriented suspension for an intermediate level driver moving to advanced and eventually time-trials) and of course other preferences such as tires/wheels/brake pads. What I knew I didn't know was how to match dampers, springs, and set compression/rebound to optimize system performance. I also knew that I have enough on my hands playing with ride height, alignment, and tire pressure. For my situation, a plug-n-play coilover solution fit perfect. Your situation may be different, but I could only recommend you reach out to Shaikh, he really enjoys helping enthusiasts optimize their situation whether you buy bumpstops, a full coilover setup, or nothing at all.
Last edited by 2nd_RX8; 02-18-2013 at 05:42 AM.
02-09-2013, 11:10 AM
#22
The Michigan "WANKEL"
I think this has convinced me to eventually go with FCM coilovers instead of the Ohlins Road & Track. I'd prefer a coilover set that is tailored to my car and driving than an adjustable one, anyway. The Ohlins are also quite a bit more expensive. Shaikh will also be able to take my front and rear Racing Beat anti-roll bars into account.
02-18-2013, 01:42 AM
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I did at least some of the original development on the FCMs and am very happy that the project is alive and well. Best of luck and happy motoring.
Shaikh, I've got a new sports car that has standard Bilsteins that you might be interested in doing a project for. I'll let you know when I'm back up in the Bay Area.
Shaikh, I've got a new sports car that has standard Bilsteins that you might be interested in doing a project for. I'll let you know when I'm back up in the Bay Area.