Yikes, that's some scary stuff, and exactly why I use inverted for every strut car I have. Perhaps MCS increased their shaft diameter, which is a common marketing point for non-inverted struts to satisfy potential customers, and agree they make a good product, it's just not for me with strut cars.
I was working with KW Motorsport for my E30 M3 Group-N track build as well, they offer an inverted monotube setup with the hard to find, all new front spindles.
I ultimately went with the original Bilstein motorsport shocks though, as I wanted to keep it very period correct with the motorsport valved inverted shocks from Bilstein, but KW was nice to deal with regardless. Their willingness to build whatever I wanted was nice, whether it be V4 or V5.
Another data point, all the "motorsport" shocks from KW for the 997 and 991 Cup/GT3 Strut-based race cars had both aluminum and "endurance" steel body options for their inverted monotubes.
The fact they offered steel bodies tells you something as well.
For A-arm cars I think MCS is a great option, along with all the current generation of solid piston, twin tubes from Ohlins TTX and KW. But I also love monotube shocks and their firm low speed chassis support (a typical trait of Bilstein). Nice to have options!
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Originally Posted by tsk94
I’m not downplaying MCS’s performance at all—this is more about personal preference. If you, or someone else, don’t feel an inverted strut is a priority, then MCS works great. I’ve driven or owned cars with most of the options you mention, and they all make a quality product.
A bit of a tangent, but some background may help.
I have a good friend who experienced an MCS front shock failure (sheared shaft) that resulted in a serious crash. Around the same time, I had heard of two or three other similar incidents. This was quite a few years ago, but it pushed me to look for an alternative using an inverted strut design.
I ended up going with KW, and in 2018 we began working together to develop a custom kit for my E92 race car build. At the time, KW had not yet done a fully custom inverted monotube front and true rear coilover motorsport kit for these cars. Their only option was the original “Competition” kit, which was essentially a revalved Clubsport with stiffer springs, still using a twin-tube design front and rear.
We collaborated to develop the kit to my specifications—working out damper lengths and stroke based on the ride height and tire sizes I wanted to run, testing valving profiles and various spring rate combinations, and dialing in details like remote reservoir line lengths to suit my mounting locations (with the shortest lines possible). The original kit was a 2-way setup, though it could be configured as a 3-way if desired.
That kit eventually became the V4 Racing, which can now be special-ordered through KW Motorsport. Unless you request specific changes, the kit you’d receive today is essentially the one I helped develop. Quite a few have been sold over the years, and the feedback has been excellent.
Building on the E92 design, I worked with KW again in 2021 to develop an F8X M3/M4 kit for an M4 build. The kits are very similar overall, though the rear shock design differs slightly compared to the E92. I’m now back in an E92 and on my third set of KW’s—currently running V4 Racing 3-ways—and I’m still very happy with them.
I’ve had friends who run MCS on their BMWs drive my cars, and the feedback on the KW dampers is always extremely positive. To be fair, their cars on MCS drive very well too. In terms of damping quality and body control, you really can’t go wrong with Moton, JRZ’s motorsport line, Penske, Öhlins TTX, KW’s racing line, or MCS. I haven’t had a chance to try Intrax yet, but I’d love to.
All that said, I have no idea whether MCS has changed their design since those failures years ago—they very well may have. Regardless, that type of failure is almost impossible with an inverted setup, and I value that extra peace of mind.
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