Experience with D2 or G4 Coilovers?

[Rex_Kelway]

It never ceases to amaze Rex that people (admittedly the younger more impressionable types) will instantly put shiny, drifty things over fundamental principles.

What Rex is getting at is this...

You can buy damper cartriges from a great many of the truly proven performance manufacturers. IE KYB, Koni, Bilstein Tokico etc etc. All of these have a proven track record in PROPER gruelling top level motorsport.

You can also buy rate tested and professionally manufactured springs from just as many manufacturers.

You can even purchase top-shelf adjustable perch kits.


Combine these and Rex will bet His life on the fact they will outlast and out-perform ANY of the chinese 'one size fits all' range of coilovers.

Have you not noticed that most of these new units look the same aside from the color scheme? It is more than likely they are all made in the same factory and same specs but to a wholesale buyers specified colors.

He has heard many many things about D2 being huge in Europe and DTM cars use them and shit? Rex is an avid European Motorsport head and has seen nothing of the sort.

Or the fact that HSD are a 'true Japanese coilover' with many years of car manufacturers OEM supply. They are definately not Japanese, and if their OEM supply is anything remotely sporty Rex will eat a Monkey's uncle, along with its Hat.

How good can the be if after the Designer, manufaturer, trading agent, importer, transport company and reseller all get their cut and they still top out at $1400.

So what if your modified AE86 strut has a spray can paint job. It's the constituent elements that make it.

These 'one size fits all' coilovers may do the job, but for how long and how well. They sure wont match the KYB's and Bilstein's of the market.

[tooch]

He has heard many many things about D2 being huge in Europe and DTM cars use them and shit? Rex is an avid European Motorsport head and has seen nothing of the sort.

I believe one of said companies was advertising said crappy products with pictures of DTM cars, had a few people believing them too I think

[mullett]

I stand by my point. For any kind of street driving a set of budget-arse Munroe shocks and springs would be better, and likely for the track too. As far as what I'd actually recommend for someone to buy, Munroe are shit, the D2 etc are no better. (I use munroe to illustrate a point, I don't think they're any good...) As heaps of people have said, you can get a really nice set of shocks (I'm VERY happy with my Konis), and a quality set of springs, often for less than your $1400. Hell, for that, you could almost get a couple of WhiteLine swaybars to go with it. I think it might not be a bad idea to steer clear 'drifter Z uses X brand', because most drift cars are built on a tight budget, and to be honest, as skillful as it is, I think car setup is often negated. I've yet to see a compeditive racecar use china coilovers, and I think there's good reason for it. To me, a race car is a much better representation of what works and what doesn't than a drift car, because how a car handles defines if you win or loose, not how far you can hang it sideways and get on the boost. (not that I'm bagging drift drivers, some of them have some mighty skill...)

Just my 2c...but maybe don't use entry-level drifting as a benchmark...

RM.

[mc68]

you get what you pay for, honestly....

ever noticed how cars with cheapo coilovers have pretty much NO travel? yah tops

[freddo__1]

i figured they'd probably be rubbish, but you know, china is pretty good at making high quality replicas of top brand stuff for a fraction of the cost in other markets...

Anywho, as for running monroes with chopped springs... i'd rather cut off my own balls before doing that...

I run Koni yellows all round on my AW11. with whiteline control springs... the konis are good, however, i'm rather disappointed with the Whiteline springs, they're damn stiff, which provides good handling, but the back sits down way more than the front, and looks retarded.... Everybody else who rides in the car complains about how stiff they are... They're a progressive rate spring, but i think the soft bit is already compressed under the weight of the car!

I think i'll run Koni inserts in custom made struts with adjustable spring lands when i get round to it....

[delazy]

the car in question is a AE86....they arent exactly easy to buy off the shelf coilovers for...

the branded coilovers u can buy are stupidly priced or just dirt cheap

d2/g4 - $1500
tein - $3000+
toda - $3000+
noby booth - $3000+
trust/greddy - $2200 (if u can find them)

like has been said, ur best bet is to see someone like AJPS, Kaizen Garage and gettin them to make u a set using a koni coilover kit and something like KYB shocks would get away for just over 1k and be loads better than the D2 gear

[MR 1JZ]

Dont knock on HSD's I had a set of cuscos in my laurel and went to HSD's and they were ten times better...for the money you cannot get a coilover that is base height adjustable with 15 way dampers and pillowball tops unless you go for ISC, G4, D2 or Racing Logic and ive seen the side by side comparo...the last 4 I mentioned ALL LOOK THE SAME whereas the HSD look different...i trust HSD and hence I have ordered a set for my aristo the other brands...not so much

[boris]

I am tossing up between second hand set of Teins or new set of HSD's....

[mullett]

I think Eibach springs are the way to go on the MR2, but I actually had mine custom made...China CAN make some quality gear, but often it's only the stuff with no moving parts. For the stuff that actually does something (like turbos), there is some crap and some good out there. But I'd never trust my life (brakes and suspention) to something that shoddy.

RM.

[deviant]

......He has heard many many things about D2 being huge in Europe and DTM cars use them and shit? Rex is an avid European Motorsport head and has seen nothing of the sort.......

.....How good can the be if after the Designer, manufaturer, trading agent, importer, transport company and reseller all get their cut and they still top out at $1400.....

I believe one of said companies was advertising said crappy products with pictures of DTM cars, had a few people believing them too I think

I to am a Euro Motorsport fan and NO-ONE uses these coilovers in DTM. However there the German mobile phone provider D2 does sponsor teams...the D2 logo is very similar to the one used by the makers of D2 coilovers....

D2 coilovers:



D2 Vodafone...major sponsors in the DTM series



Does anyone feel like telling Vodafone about this

Deviant agrees with Rex.....just take a look at exactly what you are getting for $1400...everyone along the way is making a profit otherwise they wouldnt do it...those coilovers must have had $20 of R&D put in to them and $15 of manufactoring...

[tooch]

Very similar?!?! F*ck me, they've just completely ripped it!

Shifty pricks, I knew they were playing on something with their advertising

[RONA]

Another thing to note is with a quality damper like koni even on stiffer settings with 9kg springs I maintain a respectable ride.

[klusio]

In my 86 I plan to use a coilover sleeve kit using factory front struts, Bilstein shocks front and rear these need to be custom made to suit requirements, Noltech camber/castor tops, white line sway bars and after market nolthan bushes.

This set up should come in around your price range and out perform the above mention products.

[bobis]

I got a D2 setup on my Corolla, only used them for about 6 months.

Have had no problems yet and 100% perfect fit on my car.
They work great for my needs, mainly regular street use.

Hopfully I will not have any problems with my D2's but you never know.
Does anyone know more about the broken D2 in the pics? Did it happen when breaking/ turning or what?

[merc-blue]

Sorry for digging up a old tread,
But i have recently been looking at a set of coil overs for a car,
Why don't people look at the 2816/17 series konis and get bottom ends welded to suit aplication,
Koni or bilstein are the ONLY brands to choose from IMO,
Koni yellows are a premium street shock and a 2816/17 body is the ideal starting point for a set of coilovers.
eibach springs are tops but i would be more inclined to sort out you corner weights and get them wound for you, INSIST on dyno results for shocks/springs you buy

essentially find out you main local motorsport provider and see what they deal in,
Of the Chinese shelf items are never worth a look, i am even skeptical about buying some of the big Japaneses/Chinese performance brands allot of it is re branded and some of it doesn't live up to its reputation