kyb agx or budget coil overs for autox?

[Metal Angel]

Looking for some advise here. My budget is in the $1k range, give or take a couple hundred. Should I get KYB AGX shocks and struts with some Eibach sport lines? Or are budget coilovers like BC, PBM and Ksport a better deal? I know I could spend $2-3000 and get a good coilover set up, but I'm not going to do that. I don't really care about ride height much, I don't plan on going excessively low, but adjustability seems like a bonus. I have heard that coilovers in the $1000 range have junk dampers and junk springs... Would they be worse than AGXs? If you do think budget coilovers would be fine, do you have a particular one around $1k that you recommend? Again, I don't care to slam it, and this is for autox, not drifting.

[e1_griego]

For $1k you can do Koni yellows and some springs.

[Metal Angel]

Really? I read a write up about Koni yellows and GC sleeves and the guy said he spent $2400 altogether. There is no drop in Koni yellows for the S13 so it either takes a lot of work or a lot of buying adapters and stuff. I don't really trust myself to weld up suspension components, and I don't want to spend what it takes to buy adapters that other guys make.

[e1_griego]

Like so many people on here, you're confusing Koni RACE shocks with koni sport shocks. Koni sports = yellows.

You gut-and-stuff the stock front shocks to install yellows and the rears are full replacements.

edit: http://driftninjaz.com/blogthis/?p=12

[Metal Angel]

Ok thanks. You think that's a better option than AGXs or cheap coilovers?

[e1_griego]

Yes it is.

[ddr_geo]

Fortune Auto coils go for about $1,200. just installed mine this past weekend. 500 Series with 12k spring rate. handles extremely well. a lil stiff due to my choice on the spring rate, but loving them. haven't read a bad thing about them from anyone who has these coilovers either. also they are made to your specs without an extra charge up to 12k spring rates. they valve the shock to your spring rate vs just having a set shock and dropping stiffer springs on it. Give them a call and they will set up the coilover for whatever type of driving you wish to do. 14k+ spring rates become swift springs for an extra $350.

[Metal Angel]

Thanks. I have heard good things about Fortune Auto. It's nice that they set them up for you.

[ddr_geo]

Yea, everyone that i know who has Fortunes swears by them & I can see why. and yea for the price, you cant beat it. theres a review thread on here done by 95ka-turbo. gave that a good read. ppl who own them chime in on the coilovers,

[corbin]

AFAIK, Koni yellows + Eibach sportlines is just about the best performance setup you can get for anywhere close to the $1000 range, even besting a lot of coilovers up to $2000. I'm actually in a similar situation as you with my S14, what with wanting something relatively cheap and not having much mechanic experience. Even so, I'm planning on going with Koni's and springs switched into stock housings as I've read a walkthrough and it doesn't seem that difficult to me, particularly since only the fronts have to be messed about with. YMMV of course.

[Metal Angel]

I just read another write up about Koni's. The backs don't come with spring perches, so they do require a little bit of messing with. It doesn't look too bad, but I'm good at messing up anything more than nuts and bolts.

[dorkidori_s13]

Fortune Auto 500s... best "cheap" coilover on the market, period!

Fortune 500s rival coilovers costing in excess of $2200+... and ive run quite a few more expensive setups (thru my 13+ years of building these shitboxes) including JIC FLT-A2s, FLT-ARs and Buddy Club Racing Specs! the Fortune 500s ride and dampen damn near on spot with the aforementioned brands.

Anyone who wants to argue can chug dong...

EDIT: I run 8kg/6kg springs on mine, not the 10/7 that Fortune ships them with... the ride quality is great with the softer springs.

[pancakes]

i run the koni/gc combo. best set up i have ever drove on. beats any coilover under a couple grand imo. listen to griego. run the konis. you wont regret it

[e1_griego]

For s14, look up 3000gt bilsteins. Highly recommended.

For s13, koni yellows work just fine, or you can do 3000gt bilsteins in front and yellows in back. You can also run mitsubishi eclipse yellows in back and that way you get external shock adjustment.

Lots of options that don't cost a lot but take a bit of thought and effort to put together.

[Sleepiedaze]

im a firm believer in upgrading the driver first then upgrade the car. do at least 1 year of Auto x in a stock car before upgrading anything. what good is modifying your car if you never reach the cars limits in stock form.

[e1_griego]

100%, except no one that I know followed that path.

A set of konis will suit you just fine for quite a while though, OP.

[dorkidori_s13]

Originally Posted by Sleepiedaze

im a firm believer in upgrading the driver first then upgrade the car. do at least 1 year of Auto x in a stock car before upgrading anything. what good is modifying your car if you never reach the cars limits in stock form.

240sx = 20 year old piece of shit with suspension geometry so bad due to blown parts that it would take a team of 30 college professors just be able to give a lecture on exactly how it got as bad as it did.

in other words, your statement is moot and void completely!

if they were still "nicely" used cars, then you could still run them in stock form, but were not talking about 5-8 year old cars here anymore... the NEWEST 240 is pushing 20 years!

[e1_griego]

ehh......

You learn a ton at autocross hustling a stock car and trying to bend it to your will.

[Ilya]

Fortune Auto Coils + Houston Roads = loose teeth????

Any inputs?

[Sleepiedaze]

Originally Posted by dorkidori_s13

240sx = 20 year old piece of shit with suspension geometry so bad due to blown parts that it would take a team of 30 college professors just be able to give a lecture on exactly how it got as bad as it did.

in other words, your statement is moot and void completely!

if they were still "nicely" used cars, then you could still run them in stock form, but were nothing talking about 5-8 year old cars here anymore... the NEWEST 240 is pushing 20 years!

not moot or void. if your 240 is properly maintained than you should be able to learn a lot and adjust your tire pressure/throttle/steering to get a good feel for the car. not to mention lots of seat time. most important part of Auto x is a good alignment and tires, not the modifications done.

sorry to say but if you cant afford to properly maintain your 240 than you should'nt be on the track.

[e1_griego]

I agree but I also fully understand the siren's song of 240 modification.

[Sleepiedaze]

Originally Posted by e1_griego

I agree but I also fully understand the siren's song of 240 modification.

yeah, im just saying get some seat time and youll feel the differance when the mods are installed.

[e1_griego]

Like I said, agree completely. I didn't follow that path haha, but I spent a couple years autocrossing it in mostly the same configuration (shitty build: stances, ss595s, etc) before I started upgrading and even then I started with tires. Real shocks were incredible after that!

edit: OP, since you live in Southern Oregon, head to White City and the kart track there where there is autox and practice weekends once a month. I usually come down 2 or 3 times during the year to play. Lots of runs for like $30.

[Thor88]

Of the Koni vs Fortune Auto setups, i only have experience with the Fortunes.
I can vouch for the 8/6 having a great ride feel with plenty of performance.

If you are interested in adjustability, the clear choice will be Fortune Auto.
You should be able to find them new very close to your $1k budget.

Also, definitely check out the kart track if you're local.

[e1_griego]

No one has experience with real shocks bet everyone recommends against them.

I have driven on both. I'll pick koni every time.

[az_240]

Fortune Auto is an easy drop in option that is affordable and still rides great with tons of adjustment.

Koni is nice and road race guys love them but you are paying a little more for them and have to source parts/build them yourself. Also don't expect the same adjustment out of them as you would with the FA's.

BTW I'm going to be selling some practically new latest gen Fortune Auto 500's with 10/8 swift springs and roller bearings for S14 very soon (parting the car out) if anyone is interested.

[dorkidori_s13]

Originally Posted by e1_griego

No one has experience with real shocks bet everyone recommends against them.

I have driven on both. I'll pick koni every time.

i drove on AGX adjustables with Tein S-Tech springs for the better part of a year... i felt it was a waste of money for the most part given it was a VERY soft setup with lots of body roll and no height adjustability. Agx Adjustable w/Tein Springs is a great OEM replacement (thats SLIGHTLY stiffer), but definitely not track based suspension!

im not hating on Koni Yellows as Ive heard theyre great at what they do... but they take a lot of time, patience and knowledge to usually install right! very rarely are they a bolt in solution.

OP sounds very inexperienced/n00bish and like hes really on a budget that requires a bolt in solution... Fortune Autos will work just fine for his AutoX needs given Fortunes are very well built, valved properly for assigned springs, have SWIFT spring options, the damping in them actually works properly and theyre all around a great budget coilover that still affords the ability to play with tons of ride height/spring preload options and will be a great platform to learn on.

the only other coilover i would recommend for AutoX use outside of Fortunes is Ohlins or Buddy Club Racing Specs (Buddy Clubs are VERY track friendly and are worth EVERY penny). but im pretty sure the OP isnt in the market for $2500+ coilovers and is just looking for something to test the waters with.

OP, if you get a set of Fortunes and dont like them, you can turn around and sell them in the marketplace here on zilvia or Facebook. Fortune 500s sell FAST!!!

[e1_griego]

"I've never driven real shocks but you shouldn't buy them because AGXs with lowering springs wasn't stiff enough for the touge"

That's basically every reply to every thread re: suspension that isn't 'pick your favorite jdm color."

If you're just starting autox, you don't need 'track based' suspension. And also, a set of GCs and konis is pretty great for the money. Yes it takes more effort to set up, but there are plenty of write-ups. It's not rocket science by any means.

OP, yellows with springs will get you going, you can do GC later. Or just buy fortune autos and call it.

Also, as an aside, "track based suspension" isn't some rattle-your-teeth-out setup. Hyper stiff springs and shit dampers does not a racecar make.

[Thor88]

Originally Posted by e1_griego

"I've never driven real shocks but you shouldn't buy them because AGXs with lowering springs wasn't stiff enough for the touge"

That's basically every reply to every thread re: suspension that isn't 'pick your favorite jdm color."

If you're just starting autox, you don't need 'track based' suspension. And also, a set of GCs and konis is pretty great for the money. Yes it takes more effort to set up, but there are plenty of write-ups. It's not rocket science by any means.

OP, yellows with springs will get you going, you can do GC later. Or just buy fortune autos and call it.

Also, as an aside, "track based suspension" isn't some rattle-your-teeth-out setup. Hyper stiff springs and shit dampers does not a racecar make.

This guy has experience with both auto-x and the options you're looking at.
If you think you can handle the mods required with the Konis, it sounds like you should go that route. If you want plug n play, I stand by the Fortunes as a good alternative

[dorkidori_s13]

Originally Posted by Thor88

This guy has experience with both auto-x and the options you're looking at.
If you think you can handle the mods required with the Konis, it sounds like you should go that route. If you want plug n play, I stand by the Fortunes as a good alternative

and thats pretty much what ive been saying all along... though it seems like the part where i mentioned...

Originally Posted by dorkidori_s13

im not hating on Koni Yellows as Ive heard theyre great at what they do... but they take a lot of time, patience and knowledge to usually install right! very rarely are they a bolt in solution.

is being over looked. but hey its cool... the guy is on a limited budget and sounding like hes looking for a bolt on solution. Fortunes > Koni Yellows in both departments.