thank you a lot guys!!
GeorgeH we are gonna discuss about your kw when you are gonna sell it!!!

..just my 2c of experience w/coilovers and street ride quality, the OP's question. 1st, let's take it as a given that ANY coilovers will hurt street ride no matter what, no matter what settings used ... basically because the springs are stiffer and the ride height is generally lower than stock.

So .... what ELSE can be done to help improve the ride with coilovers? The answer is simple - provide more ride compliance on the street to compensate. How? Use more compliant tires. Aside from considering the tire brand/construction itself (very difficult to do) there are two ways.

1. increase the tire sidewall height.
2. use a wider cross section tire than standard for the the wheel.

For #1 - with stock wheels/tires (18') that's difficult without increasing the overall tire diameter too much. But with smaller wheels (17") you take advantage of an automatic 1/2" greater sidewall height while still keeping the same overall tire diameter. 1/2" may not seem like much, but I've found it makes a HUGE improvement in ride quality with coilovers on the car.

For #2 - increasing the section width on the same width wheel will offer less sidewall support, softening the ride.

Method #1 provides the most benefit, but even without combined these methods you can arrive at a point of equal or better ride quality with coilovers compared to stock without coilovers. I'll invite anyone to come for a ride with me to see the result and compare.

So, if I follow your logic, adding coilovers on a car already running runflat with their stiffer than normal sidewalls would be a poor combination. Is that correct?

I just dont see why people who want to pay some serious money for coilovers are worried so much about street ride quality. If your going to be paying a few grand for a set of coilovers, you should want the best performance you can get, not the best street ride quality..

...on the other hand, the art of good valving is to give good performance without too much sacrifice in ride quality, at least for a dual-purpose setup. Ohlins are well known for this attribute.

But yes, there will be some inevitable ride degradation, unless you are a stock class autocrosser who is used to driving around with Konis on full stiff all the time. But, if I were to compare the ride degradation of my '94 Miata on JICs to my '04 RX-8 on KWs, the KWs pulled of a magic trick, as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I had very hard springs on the Miata so it's not a 100% fair comparison, but valving does play a big role in ride quality.

Of course, if you are looking to build a street legal car who's primary goal is to be competitive in some sanctioned race series, then ride quality falls down in the list of priorities.

Sounds reasonable, but I've never had runflats - but the consensus seems to be they are harsher riding than normal non-runflats.

Personally, with coilovers on the street I use 245/40R18s on stock rims and they are more than comfortable. I usually run lower than stock tire pressure like 28psi. I also have some 255/40/R17s on 17"x9" wheels and they are also fine on the street with 30-32psi. If I ever went to say 255/45R17 on a 8.5" rim (to get back to stock diameter and a smaller width wheel) I think it would be really Lexus cushy!

As far as why have coilovers at all for the street, the reason must be to lower and get some handling improvement. But I whole-heartely agree, getting back to a good ride is very important, because unless you have a trailer queen for track use only, you still have to drive even a track worthy car on everyday shitty roads.

The reason I had been considering coilovers is for the adjustability of ride-height. With even two adult passengers, I can't clear the speed bumps in the condo complex where I live and I'm quite tired of having to repair the undercoating over and over. An additional 15 to 30mm of ride height in the rear would be very helpful for me. If it happens that coilovers don't have a wide enough adjustment range to allow for that possibility, then they have no value for me.

^It seems like your more interested in ride height than shock performance, therefore you should not be looking at stuff like Bilstein, Ohlines, KW...etc. As you will not use them to their full potential.

One of the options I've been looking at are the rear OE Bilstein shocks from the 2009+ model. That would give me an extra 15mm; but I am contemplating competition in rallycross and I think coilovers would be my best bet there if they have the adjustment range.

My RX-8 is a daily driver, so ride height is the more immediate concern; but not gutting the underside during rallycross competitions would also be nice.

I have a set of 09 spec Konis for sale. They are adjustable and give a good ride on the softer settings. They will also handle way better than stock Bilsteins.

What about H&R coilover is't gud or bad??

You know i drove my 8 for three years before i did anything to it because i wanted to fully maximize its potential. Now after extensive research on my own part i purchased Tein Flex coilovers and in 2006 they just happen one of three top brands to buy at that time. Since the day i put them in my self november 2006 i have never had any problems with them. I have not had an alignment done since then as well. I have ran my 8 to the ground on the street in the mountains you name it. The handling, response, feel of the road completely changed for the better. Ive driven 18 times between kentucky and colorado (im military) in my 8 and it feels just as good as when i had my factory tokico coilovers. Every one is different but just because some poeple say they dont like then dosnt mean its crap. Tein has been around for decades and if they were crap they would not have been stayed in buisness so long. Go google Tien and read there history on how they came to be. One of the top respected names in the suspension world in Japan. They have proven their worth in every aspect, and style of auto racing there is. I will put my 8 against any other car when it comes to cornering and handling. I swear by Tien but thats me. It has taken even the most well known proffesional drivers up to a few years and couple of thousand dollars to find the perfect and right suspension combination for them. The bottem line is as long as you know what you want and how you want to apply it track, strip, show, daily driver you get what you feel fits you the best. Read the reviews see what others who actually have used them think an feel and not just by word of mouth. I hope this helps you on your quest for the right set up for you God Bless!

I want to go low on my 8, do you know how low you can go front and rear on these ? these will still handle better then stock suspension tho right ?

You will sacrifice comfort if you lower the car to the max on those coilovers. The answer is positively NO!

I guess I'll bring this thread back to life.

does anyone know anything about these?

D2 RACING RS 36-STEP ADJUSTABLE COILOVERS

I went through all 5 pages of this thread and saw maybe one person mention them but had no info about them.

for my application I would like to lower my 8 but still have close to stock comfort if that's possible. I wont be driving on track, this is just for your everyday daily driven rx8. I also see that a lot of people are saying megans are a good for daily but i don't want something so cheaply made that all they are good for is lowering. Really just looking for something in between, all the comfort of stock but can achieve that lowered stance.

I had the D2 coilovers and they sucked. Blew a shock shortly after. I'd suggest against them.

I have Stance GR right now and they're ok for a street car. If you're looking for a stock~ish ride I'd prob reccomend looking at the Tein street basis or basics, whatever its called. I test drove a friends 8 with them and loved the ride for street driving.

Its comfy. Granted they're a cheap coilover, they dont have damper adjustment and don't goo too low, they were almost identical to stock and he was pretty low on them.

Stance GR+. Great improvement over stock. even better once I got sways. Easy to soften up for daily, easy to tighten up for aggressive driving. Crazy amount of thread on them for slamming if that's your goal.

I'd say they gave me my moneys worth.

Posted From RX8Club.com Android App

Yeah Stance are great on street. I replaced all 4 shocks after having a leak on one front and one rear shock. Bought them used with low miles but talk about double spending lol. They're awesome with sway bars too. Sway bars made the big difference to me.

Stance blow (I have them).

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-whe...-links-207346/

And about how your Stance/powertrix will lose the rear bushings in under a year and if you bought them used they are probably already cracked.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-whe...inions-232656/

I like my KW V3's, but I got a deal on some very lightly used ones, I didn't lower the car much and I go to the track, so my use is a bit different than yours. That said, the ride is a fair bit better than my old FC RX-7 with Tein Flex's with 7kg/mm front and 5 kg/mm rear springs (different motion ratios, so you can't make direct comparisons of spring rates).

Anything that I purchase and consider nice (especially after spending 1k+), I can always count on 9k to come and rip it lol :dunno:

Sorry man, it is what it is. At least you guys have the benefit of previous knowledge. But if you still choose the wrong path then that is on you.

Still happy with Stance:ylsuper:

Same here. I'm satisfied with them. Been keeping an eye on the lower mount bushings.

Ignorance is bliss. I was too until I experienced real coilovers properly setup that don't come apart in 6 months.

yo 9k what were you suggesting as a replacement for koni yellows? i know its a little off topic but still suspension related

Well you can get with Houstonrx8er and he can make you a custom set of adjustable coilovers using Bilstien HD's. If that is out your price range ($1500 or so) then I would get Bilstien PSS9's from tirerack.com. If you want to spend more than a custom set from fact Cat, or KW V3's. Ideally something that can grow with the car and be rebuild professionally by someone who can give you actual data (shock dyno graphs) is ideal.

But or street car, you mainly just want something is a decent performance upgrade that will last so you get your monies worth. The Bilstiens fit that bill perfectly IMO.

thanks. do the bilstien shocks add the extra 1/2" drop when paired with s techs like the yellows do?

Negative on the 1/2" drop. There is a place cheaper than tire rack for suspension stuff. I will tell you through pm if you want.

please do j

reading through this, there are several that have been happy, on and off this forum, with the PSS9. Anyone have any idea what the front and rear spring rates are on the PSS9?

The PSS9's are really different from most off the shelf RX-8 setups. Because of actual R&D, they were not designed to just fit.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-whe...-pss9s-140733/

FCM are great. I went from Flex's to FCM on my Miata and the difference for a street car was huge, the Tein's were a pretty brutal street setup, even with softer rear springs and on full soft shocks. FCM are much less "busy" than Konis as well, I found those to amplify low amplitude events. To be completely fair, the Teins were a hair sharper, had a bit better turn in and rotated a bit better, but the compromise in ride wasn't commensurate, not at all. For a car with primarily street intentions, FCM are pretty fucking great. I will be getting them for the RX8 when the time comes. You can have a good handling and comfortable suspension, but you gotta pay. If you just want to go low, get whatever blingy shit you want and eventually learn to hate your car.

I am considering the PSS9's and would also be interested in the suspension source mentioned by J8635621.

Please send me a PM as well if ya don't mind...

Thanks !

My top choices are Ohlins Road & Track, FCM, and Bilstein PSS9s. FCM was top on my list, but it appears the cost of their RX-8 coilovers has now gone higher than Ohlins, and I would take the Ohlins as my top choice, money-no-object. I really like the idea of the Bilstein PSS9s. I like the inverted monotube dampers in the back, with the adjustment knob relatively easily reachable under the car, no adjustment cables or holes in the trunk liner needed. My main concern with the PSS9 kit is that the minimal lowering is still a 30mm drop from OEM. That's just a bit over an inch. I've read an awful lot from people who know a lot more about it than I that the RX-8 shouldn't be lowered more than an inch, and that 0.5 to 0.8" is about right to keep the suspension geometry sane.

I recently upgraded from Mazdaspeed coilovers to Ohlins R&T. I loved my Mazdaspeed coilovers, great ride on the street and handled well at the track. My only issue was adjusting the rear shocks, it was a bitch having to crawl half under the car to make adjustments.
I haven't tracked the Ohlins yet because I put them on mid sept, went on vacation for 2 weeks and then stored the car in late Oct. On the street though they are amazing. I haven't done any real spirited driving, mainly around town and hwy but they just feel great. They absorb bumps so well and the car always feels perfectly planted.
I wish I could say more but I just don't have the seat time with them yet. I can't wait to get them on track in the spring to see how they perform.

There's a better source for these? I'd love to hear that source as well! Thanks in advance!

Coilover brand I haven't seen mentioned
 

So i have an 05 with 62K on the clock and figured its about time to look into replacing the shocks. In my studies I have come across a brand that I have not seen mentioned here. Goodspeed Project, their website looks legit, I.E no "Engrish" being written by some one in China ha-ha. I know you usually get what you pay for however it has also been my experience that price isn't all-ways a reflection on quality. This is especially true in the after market wilderness.

[URL="http://godspeedproject.com/products-by-car-type/parts-for-mazda/mazda-rx8-04-11-mono-ss-coilover-suspension.html"]

Does any one have any experience with this brand?

Hope i posted this in the right place...?

Crap. they look just like the BC and Megan coilovers, all just rebranded made in taiwan BS with no R&D.

KW's also does plenty of R&D with shaker rigs and such, but they've settled on much more conventional spring rates and I can attest that they handle very well on track, at least when paired with the Hotchkis sway bars that I've got.

I first ran my car on track in stock form and was quite happy with the handling balance and according to FatCat's setup spreadsheet, KW's and Hotchkis bars net a very similar handling balance and my experience backs that up. It has a slight natural understeer bias, but I can easily get it oversteering in the slower corners at least, which might not be the absolute fastest setup, but it's pretty good and still fairly safe for the more casual end user.

I'd be weary of tracking a car with the front to rear spring rate bias so vastly different than what most racers use, but at the same time, people have done it and it's worked well. Maybe they're miss-quoting their rates?

Yeah I would love a set of KW's as well, I have installed a couple of sets. I am still undecided on my next setup.

The one negative that I came across was that the remote reservoir interferes with brake ducts. I was going to install some ducts on my car for track use (RX-8 Brake Cooler Wheel Brackets), but when the wheel's turned the reservoir and the duct want to occupy the same space, so they're just sitting in my basement now.

So, if anyone wants the ducts, they're for sale.

@ 9krpmrx8
So would you agree with teh following? Unless you have the coin to drop on the Eibach coil overs or equivalent, don't bother. Therefore most people should just go for Koni yellows and maybe a set of drop springs if that's their personal taste? Even if light track use is intended use....?

He's going to disagree with that because you said Koni yellows. full disclosure: he's a hardparker

No mentioned Fortune Autos yet? I have the 500 series black edition with the swift spring upgrade. I really nice high end of middle tier coilovers (<2k). The valving is great. You can run high spring rates without feeling anally violated. I am dropped very low atm. 18x9.5 +38 with 255/35/18 tires and no fender rolling. Never rubs the wheel well. The bottom of the car meets the road more than I am comfortable with tho.

Reply
 

Haha, hey if there is a better option I am all game but I do like the Konis that I have on my Fiero GT :). However I do intend to use the RX8 in a few track days; as much as i can afford that is lol. Still this whole suspension upgrade/modification thing for the RX8 is a bit hard to get a handle on from a quantitative point of view. There seams to be a-lot of hyperbole and personnel taste involved.

Is that not the case everywhere? Koni yellows have had some problems with longevity. They have a great warranty if you want to remove them all the time though.

I believe 9k's choice is bilstein for shocks. He has a buddy that makes them into adjustable coilovers as well but I'm not sure he is a vendor here.

You really like cars that catch on fire, huh?

No I don't want to change them all the time lol. I like Bilsteins to; I have a set on a Jeep and they preform very well. That sounds like a good option, prob going to have to look in to that. As for the Fiero it got a bad wrap because of GM's meat headed choice to put a truck inline 4 in a sports car for the first year. People would drive it hard and not check the oil, and it would throw a connecting rod right threw the block all over the hot cat..... I have the GT with the V6 no burning issues on that one :). Its actually a lot of fun to drive on the back roads, and surprisingly reliable; knocks on wood, its some time hard to deiced which car gets to stretch its legs in the morning. Neither one at the moment its flippen cold and snowing....

i'm soon about to do autocross what coilovers would you all suggest?

What is your budget, what is your skill level, and what are your goals?