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      02-16-2012, 08:22 PM   #46
Elementary
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Drives: M Drei
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: California

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Quote:
Originally Posted by JAJ View Post
I've done this with most of the major damper manufacturers - Penske, Bilstein, Koni, Ohlins, JRZ, AST, KW, Sachs, Moton, etc. The damper curves don't vary nearly as much as the prices do.



I'm challenging the notion that high end racing dampers produce materially better damping curves than less expensive clubsport dampers. I have carefully stayed away from getting into a debate about who has the best adjusters. My thoughts on the issue you raised go like this: I listed nine high-end damper makers including the two you talked about. Are the other seven so incompetent that they can't make adjusters with no crosstalk? I doubt it. The real question is "why do seven of the nine not bother to do it?" I don't know why they don't. Maybe they do and they just don't make a fuss about it. Maybe their customers, professional racing teams, simply don't care. It's an interesting question, though.
Have you driven a vehicle with any of the equipped dampers?

I don't think you can compare a KW CS shock dyno to any top shelf damper, it has much less range.

Example - you can download the dyno on a TTX36 HERE

Compared to a KW V3 valving (KW CS will be slightly different but not by much)




Quote:
Originally Posted by HP Autowerks View Post
I believe Ohlins has a shaker rig here in the US as well.

I agree on the differences in performance on the dampers. Moving from the Koni twin tube design with custom valving(KW is twin tube as well for most of their street and track products) to AST4200 on the 1M, it's like stepping into a different car.

Ohlins will have a more affordable R&T product for the 1M/M3 in April and should have bettter performance than most if not all single adjust coilover systems out there.

Will I pick TTX over KW Comp? Yes.

AST4200 application on the M3 had some issues in the earlier stages, mainly with leaking struts or dampers, but they have been resolved. With the latest internal guide, seals and piston upgrades these already great dampers will be even better.
The thing about AST is they're great when they're working, and the problem is they have a high rate of failure/problems. As a user of aftermarket products I know that the down time due to an unreliable product is priceless.

Not to mention it's also going to cost you in either time or money, you maybe paying out of pocket to install/uninstall a product, or not being able to drive the vehicle (worse if its your daily), and the least concern would be missing track events.
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