Despite having their own factory, people still spread rumors about how Megan, D2 etc are all "the same".
This factory?
http://www.bcec.com.tw/
Sure, there are plenty of coilover companies that are the same and just relabeled (plenty of high end names we know), but that's not the case with KSport.
Right, because they are so different...
http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?p=17988752
I've been using KSports competitively as long as anyone.. I had them on my time attack 240SX, my Speed WC 240SX, a NASA PTA BMW M3, the Honda S2000 mentioned earlier, a DC5 Integra Type R..
This wouldn't happen to be the
same DC5 Integra touted on their
web site would it?
This S2000 referenced from this users thread on
2KI?
I've even driven that 350Z you bought from Clayton here in Arizona. I raced an SCCA T2/NASA PTB 350Z for a couple years and spent plenty of time messing around with Koni DAs, Koni SAs, Bilsteins and a few others. Clayton's car on KSports felt the best by far. Does that mean they're better than a set of Moton Club Sports? No way, but for the price they're really good. Anyone who is comparing Motons to KSports is really confused.. you have to consider what you're paying vs. what you get in return.
Exactly. They are a price compromise. Look. Perhaps next time I build a $5,000 VW Golf race car I'll splurge and put Kontrol Pro shocks on it. What are they- $800 and change wholesale? I think I can manage that.
Since your 350Z shocks don't have the click adjustments, that means they're several years old.
Could well be. Even on the softest setting they cannot properly control the oscillations from the spring. It could well be because they are toast at this point. Although, I can't say for certain.. I really honestly doubt the valving and setup could have been that great to begin with; particularly given the relatively mild rate on these springs.
I'm not really alone here btw. My brief results would seem to coincide with other posts which seem to report them going to crap quickly. In fact, every forum online would seem to have a good share of unhappy customers. Not encouraging for a new customer shopping about.
Not to be dramatic here, but you know when the Club Lexus guys complain about a shocks performance I know there is a problem. Have you ever drove an SC400? :biggrin: :smile:
http://s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=581523
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3473357
KSport has a "fleet" of about six cars that are run regionally and nationally
Yes I read on the web site that they were looking to
sponsor. A fleet of about six cars that are run regionally and nationally. I'm sure that line works on a lot of people and has a big wow factor. My opinion without knowing more, is that the devil is most always in the details.
KSport has started up an extensive R&D program to improve their shocks with in the last couple years.
...and the list of improvements that have been made is endless, and still growing... everything from machine work, design, materials, packaging etc.
So it sounds like your
tune is they weren't that great before but are now.
... and this contrary to say.... some other well established shock brands in motorsports, that worked great several years ago... and really haven't required any significant improvements and design over-hauls year-to-year because they had knowledgable engineers & veterans that pretty much got it right the first time.
Working on Windows... I'm more than familiar with this concept. :wink:
I've driven enough cars on JRZs, Ohlins and Motons by now to be able to tell the difference between crappy shocks and good ones. The range of adjustment on a Moton is far bigger than on a KSport, no doubt about that. A set of KSports, with springs is also cheaper than a single Moton triple adjustable. Are the KSports better than any of those? No.. are they better in in every area than D2, Megan and the other random brands out there? Definitely.
Better than D2 and Megan? With a bar that high I'll have to be careful to not hit my head. You drove on JRZ's and Moton triple adjustables but now insist on Kontrol Pros? I find that hard to believe. You would be in a very lonely camp. I couldn't find a single racer in the paddock at the last SCCA event that didn't use the word junk.
And FWIW, KSport is located in Phoenix, AZ.. they distribute and rebuild all of their products locally, not Japan like everyone else (Tein, JIC etc). They offer revalving services as well for people who want custom builds and valving.
...no different then Tein and a dozen other companies, that also have over 1,000 square feet of office space in a corporate park somewhere in the US to call America home.
Tein also offers re-valving services.
KSport has even rebuild shocks for other manufacturers that couldn't get them done in the USA. JIC, Tein, Buddy Club etc.. they all have their share of problems.. An employee of KSport mentioned to me he was considering opening a business rebuilding shocks for all of them (JIC, Tein..) because there are so many customers calling KSport asking if they can do it.
That's likely because the shim stack and design is for the most part the same.
Look, I'm not trying to start up a big argument, I just wanted to get some facts and information straight. There are plenty coilover manufacturers out there that get tossed together into the "ebay coilover" category. KSport has been working so hard to make their products better that it's difficult to battle all the rumors that get thrown on forums.
Hard to make good on past mistakes. When you oversell a customer for $1000-$1500, then don't deliver, they often get upset.
And given the sheer volume of parts they sell - a lot of which go to people who don't even install them properly - the amount of internet bashing is inevitable. I've used them for three years on probably seven race cars and never had an issue, but that's because I spend the time to install and set them up right. Anyways, carry on.
Ok. So they take the low road. Blame the customers? That won't work.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I'll have to look, maybe mine are upside down.
I wonder if these SCCA guys also all installed theirs wrong...
http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/277494.aspx
That's not entirely true.. because I've drifted it. But yeah, Clayton took extremely good care of that car..
And good cars deserve good shocks. Which is why I am in the process of obtaining a set of Koni's from a T-2 National Winner. They were proven faster than the Moton triples on one local circuit.
Cost to me: A lot less than a new set of K-Sports.
I hold the track record in that PTB class your 350Z ran in, driving a car on KSports..
Club Time trials. Lots of wheel to wheel action there. Sounds exciting.