KWv3 on ZCP

Thinking of adding KWs - is it really worth it? ~$2500. I might track the car once a year. How's the ride? Rubbing on speed bumps, drive ways, etc...
Recommended vendor?
Thx

Research Ohlins R&T also.

I used this tread as ref.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=968991

Just wondering if there's new blood or info that I should consider.

JsL wrote

Research Ohlins R&T also.

Thanks. I understand that most people think Ohlins is better than ZCP stock.

The ride height is adjustable on the coilovers. I have mine set almost at the max height which allows for about 1 inch lowered ride height. I have no rubbing problems most of the time. The other times I do rub are on very steep driveways that I would probably rub on anyway even at stock height. Of course if you decide to lower, you will have clearance issues.

As for ride comfort... V3 is bound and rebound adjustable so you can set it up for track stiff or near OEM softness. The high speed dampening (sharp bumps) is not adjustable so those may be harsher than stock.

With the V3, you also get get more shock travel because it has shorter shock bodies. OEM suspension is well known to bottom out and ride on the bump stops under cornering.

Z K wrote

The ride height is adjustable on the coilovers. I have mine set almost at the max height which allows for about 1 inch lowered ride height. I have no rubbing problems most of the time. The other times I do rub are on very steep driveways that I would probably rub on anyway even at stock height. Of course if you decide to lower, you will have clearance issues.

As for ride comfort... V3 is bound and rebound adjustable so you can set it up for track stiff or near OEM softness. The high speed dampening (sharp bumps) is not adjustable so those may be harsher than stock.

With the V3, you also get get more shock travel because it has shorter shock bodies. OEM suspension is well known to bottom out and ride on the bump stops under cornering.

I call BS on this

z3papa wrote

I call BS on this

You call BS....explain.

I'd stick with oem unless you're upgrading to a true track coilover if you're doing heavy track work

Despite all the comments about how much oem suspension sucks, it's laptimes are excellent.

Most people running shitty coilovers are just ruining their handling and comfort.

SYT_Shadow wrote

I'd stick with oem unless you're upgrading to a true track coilover if you're doing heavy track work

Despite all the comments about how much oem suspension sucks, it's laptimes are excellent.

Most people running shitty coilovers are just ruining their handling and comfort.

you're saying kw v3 or ohlins r&t are shitty?

shimmy23 wrote

you're saying kw v3 or ohlins r&t are shitty?

It's a general comment about coilovers. I would not run any KW other than the Clubsport and even then only for the track.

The R&T seems like a good street option. I would still prefer to run the ZCP suspension.

Have you looked into the single adjustable MCS or JRZ setups? Honestly, they are a much better damper than you'd get for the KWv3's. When adjusted to softer side, they ride the same if not better than OEM. It's a night and day difference between the higher end. Not to take anything away from KW; they make a great damper. But when I switched from the KWv3 to the JRZ's, I couldn't believe the difference.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Ohlins R&T as well. I guess I'm not helping by throwing in more options for you to consider, but for the price of $2500; you aren't far off from JRZ and MCS single adjustables. I think if you search around, you'll find plenty of people who have made the switch who can provide you with reviews as well.

Good luck!

You "MIGHT" track your car ones a year? Stay stock and use the money for something else. You can thank me later..

I came from ZCP springs to Ohlins R/T and Ohlins body control even on the soft settings is leaps and bounds better than stock ZCP (non EDC). Plus Ohlins is as comfortable as ZCP (at 12 clicks).

With the damping turned up, Ohlins is a more than capable track suspension, though certainly not as track-biased as KW Clubsport.

The consensus is that Ohlins R/T is a better dual-purpose setup than KW V3. And Ohlins was around the same price as KW V3 when I got mine. KW CS is a better track focused setup than Ohlins.

ats*ben wrote

Have you looked into the single adjustable MCS or JRZ setups? Honestly, they are a much better damper than you'd get for the KWv3's. When adjusted to softer side, they ride the same if not better than OEM. It's a night and day difference between the higher end. Not to take anything away from KW; they make a great damper. But when I switched from the KWv3 to the JRZ's, I couldn't believe the difference.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Ohlins R&T as well. I guess I'm not helping by throwing in more options for you to consider, but for the price of $2500; you aren't far off from JRZ and MCS single adjustables. I think if you search around, you'll find plenty of people who have made the switch who can provide you with reviews as well.

Good luck!

I'm running a 2WNR MCS with 700/1000 springs and am amazed at how comfortable it is on the street. With lower spring rates i'm sure it's comparable to the oem one.

The stock edc zcp is very capable. Unless you are specifically looking to lower the car I would stick to oem

cliverman wrote

You call BS....explain.

I've competed for the past two years on ZCP EDC units cornering as hard as you can at the extremes and have never bottomed out or hit bump stops. For clarity, I'd prefer the Bilstein B6 damptronic (class legal), MCS custom, or virtually any coilover (none of which are class legal) but was just responding to the bolded comment.

z3papa wrote

I've competed for the past two years on ZCP EDC units cornering as hard as you can at the extremes and have never bottomed out or hit bump stops. For clarity, I'd prefer the Bilstein B6 damptronic (class legal), MCS custom, or virtually any coilover (none of which are class legal) but was just responding to the bolded comment.

People should just stick to stock EDC or the Bilstein B6 EDC units and not mess around with 'coilovers'.

z3papa wrote

Z K wrote

The ride height is adjustable on the coilovers. I have mine set almost at the max height which allows for about 1 inch lowered ride height. I have no rubbing problems most of the time. The other times I do rub are on very steep driveways that I would probably rub on anyway even at stock height. Of course if you decide to lower, you will have clearance issues.

As for ride comfort... V3 is bound and rebound adjustable so you can set it up for track stiff or near OEM softness. The high speed dampening (sharp bumps) is not adjustable so those may be harsher than stock.

With the V3, you also get get more shock travel because it has shorter shock bodies. OEM suspension is well known to bottom out and ride on the bump stops under cornering.

I call BS on this

He's actually correct. Lowering the car on stock shocks will compress the shock at ride height more than stock ride height. Hence you will have less compression stroke causing you to hit bumpstops. The properly shortened shock will match the suspension travel better. If you would like even more travel Dinan makes higher shock perches by 11-12mm I believe.

cliverman wrote

Thinking of adding KWs - is it really worth it? ~$2500. I might track the car once a year. How's the ride? Rubbing on speed bumps, drive ways, etc...
Recommended vendor?
Thx

Not sure which KW product you are looking at but I went with KW Has kit. It replaces coil over only, so you can maintain EDC shocks. Cheap yet great ride if you are only doing a few track days here and there. The setup does produce a little noise when turning up angled driveways though. All and all it's a good ride and allows height adjustment.

I'm a jackass, I saw you're going KW V.3! I'd say do it!

Scrippy wrote

He's actually correct. Lowering the car on stock shocks will compress the shock at ride height more than stock ride height. Hence you will have less compression stroke causing you to hit bumpstops. The properly shortened shock will match the suspension travel better. If you would like even more travel Dinan makes higher shock perches by 11-12mm I believe.

This is what I am talking about.

The poster mentioned he competes in his M3. The fact that you don't feel the car "bottom out" doesn't mean that it isn't doing it. The M3 has very little shock travel and the bump stops are progressive and soft. You never feel it hitting hard and an actual "stop" as you think when it is "bottoming out". Most of the time, even stock, the car is riding on the bump stop the whole time in high G corners. Coilovers alleviate this with shorter shock bodies. Dinan uses shorter bump stops to solve this.

Change over to a proper coilover set up and you'll see what you're missing. The M3 is often referred to as being "stiff" or "bouncy", some of that disappears once you have proper shock travel and stop riding the bump stops.

Here's an informative thread on the M3's bump stops. The car is designed the ride the bump stops from the factory. You would never really feel it normally but the car is actually riding on bump stops a lot.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427147

Z K wrote

Scrippy wrote

He's actually correct. Lowering the car on stock shocks will compress the shock at ride height more than stock ride height. Hence you will have less compression stroke causing you to hit bumpstops. The properly shortened shock will match the suspension travel better. If you would like even more travel Dinan makes higher shock perches by 11-12mm I believe.

This is what I am talking about.

The poster mentioned he competes in his M3. The fact that you don't feel the car "bottom out" doesn't mean that it isn't doing it. The M3 has very little shock travel and the bump stops are progressive and soft. You never feel it hitting hard and an actual "stop" as you think when it is "bottoming out". Most of the time, even stock, the car is riding on the bump stop the whole time in high G corners. Coilovers alleviate this with shorter shock bodies. Dinan uses shorter bump stops to solve this.

Change over to a proper coilover set up and you'll see what you're missing. The M3 is often referred to as being "stiff" or "bouncy", some of that disappears once you have proper shock travel and stop riding the bump stops.

Here's an informative thread on the M3's bump stops. The car is designed the ride the bump stops from the factory. You would never really feel it normally but the car is actually riding on bump stops a lot.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427147

Oh I feel it on LA's freeway if I stay in "comfort" setting. I have little to no wheel gap, so the freeways are just a fregin delight.